The Robert Allen Duralee Group has announced the permanent layoff of 82 Morganton employees following the recent merger of companies, according to a notice filed with the state Commerce Department.

The Robert Allen Duralee, or RAD, Group filed a WARN Act to announce that Duralee Ltd. is permanently laying off 82 employees on May 30, 2017, or the 14-day period commencing on that date.

Duralee, a luxury furniture company, recently merged with the Robert Allen Group, and certain positions are being relocated to the facility in Gaffney, South Carolina. Employees being terminated may apply for suitable positions at the Gaffney facility.

Employees in the warehouse, samples and memos departments are most affected by the termination.

The Morganton facility will not be closing.

The Robert Allen Duralee Group is now one of the largest companies in the industry and claim to be an unparalleled resource for luxury home décor, according to a press release.

Long-time Duralee executive Lee Silberman has been appointed chief executive officer for the RAD Group.

This notice was filed pursuant to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which must be filed 60 days in advance of a plant closing that affects more than 50 employees in a 30-day period or a mass layoff of at least 500 employees or between 50-499 employees if they make up at least one-third of the employer’s workforce.