General Motors laying off 500 white collar positions

General Motors layoffs coming for white collar workers

Some 500 positions will be eliminated by General Motors who is targeting reducing structural costs within the company as it pours billions of dollars into new electric vehicle projects.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - General Motors plans to cut 500 executive level and salaried jobs as it commits to reducing "structural costs" within the automaker, despite its CEO saying the company was not planning layoffs in January.

Mary Barra said in January that there were no plans to cut positions.

That has since changed as the company continues pouring billions of dollars into electric vehicle and battery projects. The industry-wide pivot is having big effects on Detroit's other two automakers as well.

The job cuts will be happening across the company, which includes its employees in both the U.S. and abroad.

GM is setting the stage to roll out its new electric Chevrolet Silverado, as well as mid-sized SUVs the Blazer and Equinox.

Before the layoffs were announced, Barra had said the company was trying to reduce the complexity of its products as it trimmed its hiring rate. It's unclear when the layoffs would come.

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