Amgen, Inc., manufacturer of ESAs Epogen and Aranesp which help to treat chemotherapy-induced anemia in cancer patients by reducing the need for risky blood transfusions, has begun to lay off workers as part of its company restructuring in the wake of all the scrutiny that its top drugs have been under in 2007 after studies have shown that their over prescribing has led to heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and premature death. Amgen, which employs over 20,000 workers worldwide, announced in August that it would have to cut 12-14% of its total workforce—roughly 2,600 jobs. Involuntary layoffs have begun in several locations: 675 of the 8,200 workers in Thousand Oaks, CA; 50 of the 1,100 workers in Bothell and Seattle, WA; and 23 of the 1,250 workers in Longmont and Boulder, CO. In addition to involuntary layoffs, roughly 700 workers worldwide accepted voluntary buyouts. Severance packages for laid off workers include cash (a minimum amount of 24 weeks of pay), company-paid health insurance through the end of 2008, and career transition services which offer workshops, a job bank and job fairs. A number of companies have expressed interest to Amgen in hiring laid off workers who have a certain level of expertise in their field.

The Thousand Oaks, CA location is Amgen’s headquarters and it, along with offices in Rhode Island, bore the brunt of the 1,500 layoffs.

In Washington, not only have workers started getting laid off, but plans for facility expansion have been postponed; just last year plans for expansion were underway, which could have doubled the workforce in WA, but the company has felt grave effects of the scrutiny over the ESAs.

Ventura County Star: “Layoffs at Amgen Begin”

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: “Amgen Lays Off 50 in Seattle, Bothell”

The Denver Post: “Amgen Lays Off 23 Colo. Workers”