WARN Act

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. § 2101 et seq.) is a federal statute that requires larger employers (more than 100 employees) to give 60 days notice of any plant closing or mass layoff (involving more than 50 employees at a location). Failure to give the 60 days notice entitles the employees to damages for wages and benefits they would have earned during the notice period. Details >

Several states have their own plant closing/mass layoff laws (sometimes referred to as “baby WARN Act” laws.) Some of the statutes are nearly identical to the federal law, but others have more stringent requirements. For example, New York’s WARN Act requires 90 days notice. See requirements for other states >

Employees who are laid off as a result of a plant shut-down or mass layoff may also be entitled to other forms of compensation, such as:

• unpaid wages;
• accrued, unused vacation pay;
• severance;
• deferred compensation.