Maximus, the largest federally-contracted call center in the United States, has laid off 143 employees from its Hattiesburg location.
The call center, which provides customer relations services for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was the focal point of numerous worker strikes in 2022 due to employees demanding higher wages and better healthcare. In a company statement, Maximus explained that employees were laid off as a result of overstaffing and that those released were chosen based on scheduling and how long they had been with the company.
“Due to low attrition rates with employees in multiple Maximus facilities, we have experienced surplus staffing. As a result, Maximus will be releasing select employees in all locations where we provide customer relations services for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” Maximus stated. “In Hattiesburg, we are releasing 143 out of the 930 employees currently employed. Staff being released were selected based on their tenure and schedule.”
