What is the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)?
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) is a United States federal law that requires employers to provide employees with at least 60 days notice before a plant closure or mass layoff. The intention of the act is to provide employees and their families with protection against sudden and unexpected job loss. The WARN Act was enacted by Congress in 1988 to protect workers, their families, and communities by requiring employers to provide notification 60 days in advance of covered plant closings and mass layoffs. This advanced notification allows workers to find alternate employment, seek retraining, or begin planning their financial future. In California, employers with 75 or more full-time workers must provide notice if they plan to lay off 50 or more within a 30-day period. However, if an employer plans to layoff fewer than 50 workers, they must still provide 45-days notice, regardless of the total number of employees. Finally, employers in California must also provide notice if they close a facility that employs less than 75 workers, but at least 50 still lose their job. Employers who fail to adhere to WARN Act requirements may be subject to a fine, and the affected employees may be entitled to back pay and other benefits. In California, it is a violation of the WARN Act to fail to provide employees with the required advance notice.
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