Lam Research Corp. of Fremont said it...

Lam Research Corp. of Fremont said it is firing about 500 employees, or 15% of its work force, in a previously disclosed plan to reduce costs amid plunging sales at the semiconductor equipment maker. Lam is paring its work force to 2,800. That’s down from 5,500 in January, before another set of job cuts left it with 3,300 employees. The company plans to take a restructuring charge in the fiscal second quarter.