Daryle Scott, founder and president of Jacksonville, FL-based swimsuit and sportswear merchant Venus Swimwear, says some published reports announcing layoffs of 240 employees at his company are inaccurate.
Venus Swimwear and Venus Manufacturing did file notice with the state of Florida this week, saying it might have to lay off 240 employees. But Scott says: “There have been no layoffs. No layoffs are imminent.”
But layoffs remain a possibility, and that’s why “we were legally required to file,” he says. “We have a full staff working today, this weekend, and they’ll be in on Monday”
The filing occurred after Venus, the parent company, had its financing pulled by American Capital Bank. In the filing, the layoff date is May 15. Scott says the company employs 300 people.
Venus Swimwear has published catalogs since 1984. Besides catalogs, Venus sells its swimsuits and women’s clothing through its Website and some retail stores.
Venus Swimwear has manufacturing facilities in Dexter and Jacksonville, FL. According to a published report, Venus workers in Dexter say they were told by the company last week that their jobs might be in jeopardy.
The Jacksonville companies are part of Venus Holdings Division, which was bought in 2006 by Golden Gate Capital, a private equity investment firm based in San Francisco.
Scott could not say what sort of timetable exists to resolve the company’s financing problems. “We’re working hard with Golden Gate and the financial institution to find a solution,” he says. “We’re all still working, and doing the best we can.”