Lockheed Martin planning about 25 Indianapolis layoffs

The IBJ

Maryland-based Lockheed Martin will idle 10 percent of the employees at its Indianapolis call center as a result of declining call volumes and "funding issues" that are cutting short a five-year federal contract worth a total of $80 million.

Lockheed Martin notified the state Department of Workforce Development of the planned layoffs last week, saying it expects to eliminate about 25 positions at its local Information Systems & Global Services unit effective Dec. 12. All told, the facility employs 250, including 34 that field inquiries for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' national call center.

In 2006, the company was awarded a five-year contract with the Department of Homeland Security division, taking calls about immigration services and benefits. USCIS is not exercising the final two years of the contract, Lockheed Martin spokeswoman Sheila Collins said this morning.

"We are currently working to evaluate the full impact of the budgetary reductions, but it is clear that significant layoffs will result," according to the company's notice to the state.