Several employees forced to find new jobs after Flexsteel shuts down

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- Furniture maker Flexsteel is closing for good in Starkville.

Flexsteel reported a financial loss of more than $5 million since January.

The home office said they employed roughly 170 workers at its Starkville facilities.

Now all of those workers are forced to find new jobs, including Tasha Beckum.

“I hate to say I was depending on it, but that was my source of income,” said Beckum, who’s worked at the facility since September. “I was waiting to go back to work. I don’t have a second job, that was my main job.”

The company closed temporarily in late March, but Beckom said she never thought things would become permanent.

When the HR department called on Monday, she thought it was a call telling her she could come back to work.

Instead, they were notifying her the company is shutting down.

“This is something we’ve never experienced before, this is different, and to have family and friends that have actually died from the virus, and now not having a job, it’s a lot all at one time.”

“It hurt,” said Charlie Douglas, former Flexsteel employee. “I don’t know how I’m going to take care of my family after this unemployment stops. It’s hard, it’s real hard.”

Douglas said he’s yet to receive a phone call about the closing, he heard of the news through a co-worker.

The Starkville native said he’s not only disappointed to lose his job, but also the way Flexsteel is handling the entire situation.

“I still have vacation hours, I want to know what I need to do to get those, I’ve got a 401(k), I need to know,” he expressed. “I need a call.”

Douglas has worked at Flexsteel for more than a decade, and said his worst fear is not being able to find another job due to the global pandemic.

“I made bills for myself because I thought we were going to be a company that was going to last,” said Douglas. “I thought Flexsteel, was going to be here when my son turned 44, but this was a surprise.”

Both Beckum and Douglas said they don’t know what’s next, but in the meantime, they are going to lean on their faith to get them through these uncertain times.

“I’ve got to travel now to make that kind of money, that’s the hardest part of all of this, having to travel,” the Starkville man said.

“I’m going to take this time to go back to school,” said Beckum. “I know a lot of people are not hiring right now, so I’m not sure about work, and I don’t qualify for regular unemployment so. I’m just making do with what I have.”

The company said it’s going to help workers receive financial benefits through the CARES Act to help get them through this tough time.

Flexsteel has been a staple in the Starkville community for roughly 50 years.

The company said its facilities in Dubuque, Iowa and Starkville could close as early as June.