EMPORIA, Va. (WWBT) – Former Boar’s Head facility workers gathered for a job fair hosted by the Job Assistance Center.
This comes after Jarratt’s factory was shut down due to multiple health code violations and a deadly listeria outbreak linked to the facility. The event was held at the Virginia Career Works building in Emporia, where students were offered jobs at local public schools, local jails, and retail stores.
“Well, there were 450 to 500 boar’s head jobs that were lost, and people are looking to get back to work,” said Sherry Pearson, president and co-owner of the Job Assistance Center. spoke. “Additionally, many employers are looking to rehire and fill positions that have been vacant for quite some time.”
Aaron Thomas is a former employee of a closed factory in Jarratt and hopes the fair will help him find a new job.
“You go to work, you give it your all, and then one day you show up and say you don’t have a job,” said a former Boar’s Head employee.
The company is currently facing multiple lawsuits. The company was the largest employer in Jarratt, a town of about 600 people.
“It’s actually the most heartbreaking thing, especially for people who have families and are actually taking care of their families… it’s devastating to lose your job,” Thomas said.
Pearson said about half of the people who signed on to the job fair were former Boar’s Head employees.
“This is across the board in terms of helping both businesses and job seekers,” Mr Pearson said.
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