WARN notices and layoff law in Massachusetts
The federal WARN Act covers employers with 100 or more full-time employees. It requires 60 calendar days' written notice before a plant closing that costs 50 or more full-time workers their jobs at one site, or a mass layoff at one site within 30 days of either 500 or more full-time workers, or 50 to 499 who make up at least a third of that site's workforce. Follows the federal WARN Act only for mandatory advance notice; the Massachusetts plant-closing law (M.G.L. c. 151A Sec. 71A to 71G) defines advance notice to workers as voluntary. What it does require of a facility with 50+ employees that closes is prompt notice to the state, which unlocks reemployment assistance, and up to 90 days of continued group health coverage. You can see mass layoffs reported in Massachusetts on the state's official WARN list at www.mass.gov.
Massachusetts has no WARN law of its own
The federal rule, who it covers, and what Massachusetts and the other federal-only states add, on one page.
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Massachusetts layoff notice, at a glance
Federal WARN
Employers of 100+; 60 days' notice before a plant closing (50+ jobs at a site) or a mass layoff (500+ at a site, or 50 to 499 who are at least a third of it)
Massachusetts state law
Follows federal WARN only
Public notice list
Yes, at www.mass.gov
If notice is skipped
Back pay + benefits for the missing days, up to 60
If your employer skipped required WARN notice, you may be owed back pay and benefits for the missing days, up to 60. There are narrow exceptions (genuinely unforeseen circumstances, disasters), and most layoffs don't qualify.
This is general information, not legal advice. If you think you were owed notice, an employment attorney can tell you whether you have a claim, often with a free first consultation.
Massachusetts WARN FAQ
How much notice must an employer give before a layoff in Massachusetts?
The federal WARN Act covers employers with 100 or more full-time employees. It requires 60 calendar days' written notice before a plant closing that costs 50 or more full-time workers their jobs at one site, or a mass layoff at one site within 30 days of either 500 or more full-time workers, or 50 to 499 who make up at least a third of that site's workforce. Massachusetts follows the federal WARN Act only. If an employer skips required notice, it can owe back pay and benefits for the missing days.
Where can I see WARN notices filed in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts publishes filed WARN notices on its official state workforce site at www.mass.gov. It lists employers, locations, and dates of reported mass layoffs and closings.
Does Massachusetts have its own layoff-notice law beyond federal WARN?
No. Massachusetts follows the federal WARN Act only, so notice is owed only when a layoff meets the federal thresholds (an employer of 100 or more, and a plant closing or mass layoff at one site). This is general information, not legal advice.
Keep going
The full WARN guide
How the 60-day rule works, who's covered, and what you're owed if it's violated.
File for unemployment in Massachusetts
The official Massachusetts portal, the waiting week, and what to have ready.
Health coverage after a layoff in Massachusetts
Where to enroll in Massachusetts, your 60-day window, and the Medicaid rules.
WARN in another state
The official notice list and layoff law for every other state.
Reviewed September 2026, unchanged since September 2026. WARN rules and state laws change; confirm the current details on the official Massachusetts site (www.mass.gov) or with an employment attorney before relying on them.