Call center cutting hundreds of jobs

PETERSBURG - A company that handles customer service calls for telecommunications clients says it is laying off more than 450 people at its facility in Petersburg.

Denver-based StarTek said Wednesday it will cease operations at the call center on Dec. 27, laying off 454 employees, because its client no longer needed those specific services.

Site director Lu Flowers said the company is providing assistance to employees to help them find new jobs.

The facility first opened in Petersburg in 2006. It closed once before, in January of last year, but re-opened in the summer of 2007 after getting a new client.