If a big employer cut a lot of jobs at once without enough warning, the WARN Act may entitle you to pay for the notice you didn't get. Here's how to tell, and where to check.
60 days
The federal WARN Act generally requires employers with 100 or more employees to give 60 calendar days' written notice before a mass layoff or plant closing. If they skip it, they can owe affected workers back pay and benefits for the missing notice, up to 60 days.
Does it apply to you?
Roughly: WARN can apply when a single site lays off 50+ employees at once (or a large share of the workforce), at a company with 100 or more employees. There are exceptions (genuinely unforeseen business circumstances, natural disasters), and many states have their own stricter "mini-WARN" laws with lower thresholds. The details decide whether you're actually owed anything, so confirm yours before assuming either way.
Check it out
WARN Act (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
The official rules: who's covered, the 60-day notice, the exceptions, and the penalties.
Layoffs.fyi, the layoff tracker
See whether your company's cuts were part of a larger round. Size and timing can matter for WARN.
National Employment Law Project
Worker-side explainers on layoff notice and your rights, in plain language.
When to get a lawyer
Worth a lawyer's eyes if…
Your site cut a lot of people with little or no notice. The federal WARN Act usually requires about 60 days' notice for mass layoffs and closings, and some states are stricter.
No notice was given, and no pay in place of it.
HOW TO FIND ONE, AFFORDABLY
You may need a lawyer less often, and more affordably, than you think. Many employment lawyers give a free first consultation, and wage and discrimination cases are often taken on contingency, meaning you pay nothing up front.
Find an employee-side employment lawyer (NELA)
Your state bar's lawyer referral service
Free or low-cost legal aid (income-based)
Facing discrimination? Start with the EEOC
This isn't legal advice. It's a nudge to get a professional's read when the stakes are real.
General information, not legal advice. WARN coverage, exceptions, and state mini-WARN laws are fact-specific. If you think you were owed notice, talk to an employment attorney. Many will assess a WARN claim at no upfront cost.
Common questions
How much notice must an employer give before a mass layoff?
Under the federal WARN Act, employers with 100 or more employees generally owe 60 calendar days' written notice before a mass layoff or plant closing. Skip it and they can owe back pay and benefits for the missing days, up to 60. Many states have stricter mini-WARN laws with lower thresholds.
Does the WARN Act apply to my layoff?
Federal WARN can apply when a worksite cuts 50 or more people at once, or a large share of its workforce, at a company with 100 or more employees. State mini-WARN laws may cover smaller cuts. It's fact-specific, so confirm yours with the state or an employment attorney.
What if my employer didn't give 60 days' notice?
If WARN applied and they skipped it, they can owe you back pay and benefits for the missing notice, up to 60 days. There are narrow exceptions (genuinely unforeseen circumstances, disasters), but most layoffs don't qualify. An employment attorney can tell you whether you have a claim.
Are there exceptions to the WARN notice rule?
A few: genuinely unforeseen business circumstances and natural disasters can shorten or excuse the notice. Most ordinary layoffs don't meet that bar, so if you got little or no notice, it's worth asking an attorney whether you were owed it.