ResourcesWARN Act

Reference Guide

WARN Act: State-by-State Reference

11 state mini-WARNsLaws current as of 2024

Federal WARN Act thresholds plus every state mini-WARN law — notice periods, employee thresholds, mandatory severance, and key exceptions.

Federal baseline

Federal WARN Act

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. § 2101)

Applies in all 50 states

Employer minimum

100+ employees

Notice required

60 days

Triggers when

50+ AND 33% of workforce, or 500+ regardless

Look-back window

90 days

Safe harbors (exceptions)

Faltering companyUnforeseeable business circumstancesNatural disaster

All states

11 states have their own WARN laws. The rest follow federal. Click any row for the full breakdown.

StateLawEmployer minNoticePart-timeSeverance req.
CaliforniaCACal-WARN Act (Labor Code § 1400–1408)75+60d
ConnecticutCTCT Business Closing and Mass Layoff Act (CGS § 31-51o)100+60d
HawaiiHIHawaii Dislocated Workers Act (HRS § 394B)50+60d
IllinoisILIllinois WARN Act (820 ILCS 65/1 et seq.)75+60d
IowaIAIowa WARN Act (Iowa Code § 84C)25+30d
MaineMEMaine Severance Pay Law / Plant Closure (26 M.R.S.A. § 625-B)100+60d
MarylandMDMaryland Economic Stabilization Act (Md. Code, Labor & Employment § 11-301)50+60d
MassachusettsMAFederal only100+60d
MinnesotaMNFederal only100+60d
New HampshireNHFederal only100+60d
New JerseyNJNJ WARN Act (N.J.S.A. 34:21-1 et seq., as amended 2023)100+90d+30d
New YorkNYNY WARN Act (Labor Law § 860)50+90d+30d
TennesseeTNTennessee Plant Closing and Reduction in Operations Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-601)50+60d
WisconsinWIWisconsin Business Closing Law (Wis. Stat. § 109.07)50+60d
Notice > 60 days (stricter than federal)Requirement appliesClick any row for the full state breakdown

Common questions

Does WARN apply to every layoff?

No. Federal WARN only applies to employers with 100+ employees, and only when 50+ employees representing at least 33% of the workforce at a single establishment are affected within a 90-day window — or 500+ regardless of percentage. Many layoffs fall below these thresholds, but state mini-WARN laws often catch smaller ones.

What happens if we miss the WARN notice deadline?

Under federal WARN, employers who fail to provide timely notice owe back pay and benefits to affected employees for each day of violation, up to 60 days. They may also owe a civil penalty of up to $500 per day to the unit of local government. New Jersey adds a 4-week pay penalty per affected employee on top of mandatory severance.

Can we use the 'unforeseeable business circumstances' exception?

Possibly. The unforeseeable circumstances safe harbor applies when the layoff was caused by sudden, dramatic, and unexpected business conditions — not just a difficult quarter. Courts apply it narrowly. You must still give as much notice as practicable and explain why you couldn't give full notice. Consult employment counsel before relying on it.

How do staggered layoffs affect WARN obligations?

Both federal and most state WARN laws include aggregation rules: employment losses within a 90-day look-back window count together. A company that lays off 30 employees in January and 30 in March may trigger WARN even if neither round alone crossed the threshold. This is one of the most common compliance mistakes.

This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change — always verify with qualified employment counsel before a reduction in force.

People Plan

WARN compliance built into your RIF workflow

People Plan checks federal and all state thresholds automatically as you build your selection, flags obligations before you finalize, and generates compliant notice letters.