Layoff notices go out to AmEx employees in SLC

American Express on Tuesday notified an unspecified number of call center employees in Salt Lake City they will be laid off by the end of this year.

"We did notify a number of employees .... that their roles were affected [but] I cannot confirm any specific number," Christa Burkhalter, an AmEx spokeswoman in Phoenix said.

About 2,000 people work in several AmEx business units in Salt Lake City. However, only employees at its call center were affected, Burkhalter said.

In January, the credit card company announced it would cut 5,400 jobs across the corporation by the end of 2013. The layoffs will reduce its total workforce of 63,500 by 4 percent to 6 percent. They will occur across all levels and groups of the New York-based company.

Burkhalter said she didn't know whether more layoffs in Salt Lake City are planned before the end of the year.

"I don't have any information about that; I don't know of anything," she said.

The corporate-wide layoffs will be partially offset by hiring. Burkhalter said Salt Lake City employees who are laid off will be allowed to apply for any open positions.

Those who aren't hired will receive severance packages, she said.

pbeebe@sltrib.com

Twitter: @sltribpaul