WARN Act Mandates 60-Day Notice for Mass Layoffs, Outlines Worker Rights
The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires covered employers to provide a 60-day advance written notice to affected workers before a mass layoff or plant closing. This notice must also be given to the state dislocated worker unit and the chief elected official of the local government where the layoff occurs. The WARN Act applies to employers with 100 or more full-time employees and covers plant closings affecting 50 or more workers, or mass layoffs meeting specific thresholds. However, coverage is not universal, and some states have their own 'mini-WARN' laws with lower thresholds. If a notice is not given, workers are advised to investigate whether an exception applies or if the employer violated the law. Exceptions for shorter notice include faltering companies, unforeseeable business circumstances, and natural disasters, but these do not excuse giving no notice at all.
