MetLife plans to close Lowell office, move some Boston jobs to North Carolina

By Todd Wallack, Globe Staff

Life insurance giant MetLife said it plans to close its Lowell office and relocate an unspecified number of jobs from Boston to North Carolina over the next three years.

The moves are part of MetLife’s broader plan, announced Thursday, to move 2,600 jobs from Massachusetts and other states to Charlotte and Cary, N,C. by the end of 2015. The company plans to invest more than $125 million in the new North Carolina offices.

But MetLife spokesman John Calagna said the company plans eliminate only a small number of jobs in Lowell. Calagna said the “overwhelming majority” of employees will be allowed to work from home.

Calagna said he didn’t know yet how many jobs would be cut in Boston, but said some workers will be moved to a new location in the city, some will be allowed to work from home, and some jobs will be moved to North Carolina.

“Those impacted employees in Boston can apply for jobs in North Carolina or for other open MetLife locations closer to where they currently live if they qualify for those positions,” Calagna said. He said the changes will affect information technology and retail sales support jobs.

Calagna said no other MetLife locations in Massachusetts will be affected. The company said it is also moving jobs to North Carolina from Warwick, R.I.; Bloomfield, Conn.; Somerset, N.J.; Johnstown, Pa.; and Irvine, Calif.