Willacy County prison operator loses state contract: But new company plans to hire current employees
HARLINGEN — A private prison operator in Willacy County has lost its state contract and has notified 157 workers they will face layoffs by Aug. 31.
But it doesn’t mean they are out of a job.
CoreCivic, formerly known as Corrections Corp. of America, issued the mandatory federal WARN notices to employees at the Willacy County State Jail and two other Texas facilities following the Texas Board of Criminal Justice’s decision to grant a new prison management contract to LaSalle Corrections.
“Anybody who’s working here now, we want to bring on as many employees as we can because they know the operation,” said Jay Eason, director of operations for LaSalle Corrections.
Eason, who was in Willacy County yesterday meeting with elected officials and business leaders, said LaSalle would have a transition team to meet with current prison employees the week of July 24 and LaSalle would take over Sept. 1.
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