CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) -- Enterprise Rent-A-Car is laying off 200 employees, the company's first mass layoffs in its 51-year history.

The Clayton-based auto-rental company said Tuesday the slumping economy forced it to lay off 200 employees to preserve the greater number of jobs in the future.

Enterprise said it was doing what it can to ease their transition, including providing severance, outplacement and letters of recommendation.

Most of the laid off workers were in information technology or administration in the St. Louis suburbs of Clayton and Weldon Spring.

Enterprise employs more than 4,000 people in the St. Louis area and more than 75,000 employees worldwide.

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