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HP putting 4,000 contractors in limbo
The merger with Compaq causes more cost cutting at HP, as contract workers face an uncertain future
In an effort to cut costs, Hewlett-Packard plans to lay off 4,000 contract workers this summer in its information technology department and may let many workers go entirely.
HP spokesman Arch Currid said on Wednesday that the company plans to have about 4,000 contractors in North America halt work for the three weeks from 24 June through 12 July as the company evaluates projects and determines which efforts should continue. Some contract workers on other projects have already been let go, Currid said.
The moves are separate from the company's plan to cut 15,000 jobs over the coming months but are tied to overall efforts to trim expenses after the company's acquisition of Compaq.
Currid said there is no specific target number of contractors to be cut, but he noted that the three-week lay-off period is projected to save the company between $15m and $20m (£10m and £13m) alone.
Project managers for the contractors were made aware of the coming layoffs in early June, although many individual contract workers are just now learning of the plan.
Separately, HP announced on Wednesday that it is looking to sell $1.25bn in five-year and 10-year bonds.
An HP representative said the proceeds from the bond sales will be used for general corporate purposes that could include capital expenditures, merger-related restructuring costs, acquisitions of products and technologies, and funding of dividends or stock repurchases.
The bond offering is being underwritten by Banc of America Securities, Deutsche Bank Securities and JP Morgan.
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