Macy Shifts 300 L.A. Jobs to Phoenix

R.H. Macy & Co. said Monday that it will eliminate about 300 support service jobs at its regional office in Los Angeles on Aug. 1 and transfer those operations to Phoenix.

The move will affect about half of those employed at the regional office--located at 800 S. Hope St.

Macy, which has been reorganizing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since January, 1992, has been looking for ways to lower operating costs and searching for means of generating new income. The company expects to save costs by moving some of its operations to Phoenix.

Among the local jobs to be eliminated are workers who handle payments from suppliers, employees who maintain store sales records and customer relations specialists who handle complaints and questions.

Other employees who also provide administrative services to stores and buyers--employees who select some of the goods Macy sells--will not be immediately affected, the company said.

The New York-based retailer will try to accommodate those who want transfers to Phoenix but there are no job guarantees, said spokeswoman Laura Melillo.

The company might decide to close the division office building completely and shift remaining operations to other sites, Melillo said.