Caterpillar Lays Off Illinois Workers Early

Caterpillar is speeding up layoff plans at a Decatur, Illinois plant, letting go of more than 1,000 workers two weeks early with pay.

The Peoria, Illinois-based heavy equipment manufacturer started sending workers from its Decatur plant home on Thursday. The company had planned to keep them on through April 13th.

The workers will be paid through that date.

Layoffs in Decatur are part of more than 24,000 job cuts the company is making worldwide.