Farmers New World Life, one of Mercer Island’s largest employers, eliminated 60 jobs here on Nov. 10.

Mark Toohey, spokesman for Farmers New World Life, said the layoffs were due to “projected economic and business conditions.” The company will still employ approximately 600 people at the Mercer Island facility, which is the headquarters for Farmers life insurance division. In 2005, 550 people were employed at Farmers New World Life.

“Farmers New World Life has had no previous workforce reductions and no additional workforce reductions anticipated at this time,” Toohey said.

“We will work closely with affected employees to help them get jobs with other companies,” Toohey said.

Toohey said there is potential that some of those who were laid off could get jobs with individual Farmers agents, who hire their own employees. Most are trained in servicing life insurance policies.

In the greater Seattle area there are other insurance companies that have a good size presence. Toohey said he hopes some of those companies will pick up some of the laid off employees.

Farmers New World Life is part of Farmers Insurance Company, which has offices across the United States.

It is the third largest insurance group in the U.S., servicing over 10 million households in 41 states. Farmers Group Inc. is headquartered in Los Angeles.