VMWARE CUTS 86 POSITIONS IN COLORADO

VMware notified the state labor department that it laid off 86 people in Broomfield and Colorado Springs this week as part of a companywide reduction of 800 workers.

The network virtualization company said it would cut 38 positions in Broomfield and 48 in Colorado Springs as of Jan. 26, according to the federalWorker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Affected workers will leave by March 28.

VMware, whose parent, EMC Corp., is being acquired by Dell Inc. for $ 67 billion, announced the job cuts Tuesday.

Caterpillar closing five plants. Caterpillar says it

plans to close five plants, causing a net reduction of about 670 jobs in Illinois and several other states, as part of a broader costcutting campaign announced last year.

Facebook cracks down on firearms sales B

san francisco » Facebook said Friday it is cracking down on online gun sales, with a new policy that bars private individuals from advertising or selling firearms.

Licensed gun retailers can still advertise their businesses on Facebook but aren’t allowed to accept orders or transact sales.

Xerox splitting in two.

Xerox Corp. is splitting off a services business it acquired a little more than five years ago.

By year- end, Xerox said Friday, it will separate into two publicly traded entities: an $ 11 billion document technology company and a $ 7 billion provider of services to government and industries such as health care and transportation.

Walmart worker awarded $ 31 million B

concord, n. h. » A jury has awarded more than $ 31 million damages to a formerWalmart pharmacist inNewHampshire.

MaureenMcPaddenwas a 13- year employeewho reported to management her safety concerns about co- workers dispensing prescriptionswhileworking inWalmart’s Seabrook pharmacy.