WARN notices and layoff law in West Virginia
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; West Virginia has no state notice law, but W. Va. Code § 21-5-4(d) requires all earned wages to be paid by the next regular payday after a layoff, with double the unpaid amount as liquidated damages if they are not. You can see mass layoffs reported in West Virginia on the state's official WARN list at workforcewv.org.
West Virginia has no WARN law of its own
The federal rule, who it covers, and what West Virginia and the other federal-only states add, on one page.
Just laid off? Five clocks started that day
Severance review, COBRA, unemployment, and the rest: every first-week deadline in one place. Free, no account needed.
West Virginia 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)
West Virginia state law
Follows federal WARN only
Public notice list
Yes, at workforcewv.org
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.
West Virginia WARN FAQ
How much notice must an employer give before a layoff in West Virginia?
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. West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
West Virginia publishes filed WARN notices on its official state workforce site at workforcewv.org. It lists employers, locations, and dates of reported mass layoffs and closings.
Does West Virginia have its own layoff-notice law beyond federal WARN?
No. West Virginia 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 West Virginia
The official West Virginia portal, the waiting week, and what to have ready.
Health coverage after a layoff in West Virginia
Where to enroll in West Virginia, 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 West Virginia site (workforcewv.org) or with an employment attorney before relying on them.