Sears laying off 250 at headquarters outside Chicago Sears has told the state of Illinois it's laying off 250 employees at its corporate headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears has told the state of Illinois it's laying off 250 employees at its corporate headquarters in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates.

Sears said in a notice last week to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity that the employees have been placed on paid leave and their jobs will be terminated over a 14-day period starting about Oct. 28.

Company spokesman Larry Costello says the affected employees were placed on paid leave last week.

Sears was once the largest retailer in the country but filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last October. In February, Transform Holdco, controlled by former Sears chairman Edward Lampert , bought the retailer and 425 stores in a bankruptcy auction.