The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, enacted in 1988, is a U.S. federal law that requires certain employers to provide advance notice of plant closing and mass layoffs. Specifically, employers with 100 or more employees must notify affected workers, their representatives, and state and local government officials at least 60 days in advance if they plan to lay off 50 or more employees due to a plant closing or if they will lay off 500 or more employees at any location. Additionally, if layoffs affect 50 to 499 employees and comprise 33% or more of the workforce, WARN notifications are also required.
WARN protections apply to employees who work at least 20 hours a week and have been employed for at least six months within the past year. Failure to comply with WARN requirements may result in employers being liable for back pay to affected employees for each day the notice was not provided, as well as potential daily penalties from government agencies that were not informed. The act aims to give employees time to prepare for job loss, seek new employment, or pursue retraining opportunities, thereby facilitating economic adjustment for communities facing job losses.
For more general information on employment law, see the Wex entry for employment law.
See also: 29 U.S. Code Chapter 23 - Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification
- U.S. Department of Labor - WARN Act Compliance Assistance
- New York State Department of Labor - WARN - New York State WARN Notices
- State of California - Employment Development Department - Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN)
[Last updated in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]