North Dakota Commerce Department lays off 13 workers

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota agency that promotes business development and tourism has laid off 13 workers as part of a reorganization.

North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Jay Schuler announced the cuts Thursday, which take effect immediately.

Schuler tells The Associated Press the cuts included duplicative jobs that were done to get the agency “right-sized.” He says the cuts will result in annual savings of about $750,000.

He says the agency now has 47 workers. Schuler says the laid-off workers have been offered a severance package that includes up to three months of pay, depending on the employee’s tenure.

The agency has a two-year budget of just more than $100 million, which included salary and benefits for 66 employees.