Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act: A Comprehensive Guide

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act is a federal law that requires employers to provide advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closures. The purpose of the WARN Act is to give workers and communities time to prepare for job losses and to help them find new employment or training opportunities.

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act

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History of the WARN Act

The WARN Act was enacted in 1988 in response to the increasing number of mass layoffs and plant closures that occurred in the 1980s. These layoffs and closures often left workers with little or no notice, making it difficult for them to find new jobs or to adjust to their job loss.

The WARN Act was designed to provide workers with advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closures so that they would have time to prepare for their job loss. The Act also requires employers to provide workers with information about available training and retraining programs.

Requirements of the WARN Act

The WARN Act applies to employers with 100 or more employees. The Act requires employers to provide 60 days' notice of a mass layoff or plant closure that will result in the loss of 50 or more employees at a single site of employment.

The 60-day notice period begins on the date that the employer decides to conduct the mass layoff or plant closure. The notice must be provided to the following entities:

• Affected employees
• The state dislocated worker unit
• The chief elected official of the local government

The notice must contain the following information:

• The date of the planned layoff or closure
• The number of employees who will be affected
• The location of the layoff or closure
• A statement of the reasons for the layoff or closure
• Information about available training and retraining programs

Exceptions to the WARN Act

There are a few exceptions to the WARN Act's notice requirements. These exceptions include:

• Layoffs that are due to an unforeseen business circumstance, such as a natural disaster or a sudden loss of a major customer
• Layoffs that are due to a strike or other labor dispute
• Layoffs that are due to the sale of a business

Penalties for Noncompliance

Employers who fail to comply with the WARN Act may be subject to civil penalties of up to $500 per day for each affected employee. In addition, employees who are harmed by a WARN Act violation may be entitled to back pay and benefits, as well as damages for emotional distress.

The WARN Act is an important law that protects workers from the harmful effects of mass layoffs and plant closures. The Act requires employers to provide advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closures so that workers have time to prepare for their job loss. Employers who fail to comply with the WARN Act may be subject to civil penalties and other remedies.

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	226 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	13 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE