Understanding the WARN Act
Article: April 2025
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act is a federal law that requires certain employers to provide 60 days’ advance notice before a plant closing or mass layoff. This ensures employees have time to prepare, seek new jobs, or access retraining resources.
Who Must Comply? Employers with 100 or more full-time employees must follow WARN Act requirements when:
- A facility closes or an operating unit shuts down, affecting 50 or more employees at a single site.
- A mass layoff impacts at least 500 employees or 50 employees if they make up one-third of the workforce at a single location.
- The law also applies to employers who have a series of small layoffs that, when combined, meet the threshold for a plant closing or mass layoff.
Employer Responsibilities: When a WARN event occurs, employers must notify the following at least 60 days in advance:
- Affected Employees – Including expected separation dates.
- Local Chief Elected Official – Typically the mayor or another municipal leader.
- Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) – To facilitate reemployment support.
Non-Compliance Penalties: Employers failing to provide proper notice may face:
- Back pay and benefits owed to employees for up to 60 days.
- Fines up to $500 per day for failure to notify government agencies.
Why It Matters
Advance notice helps workers transition while allowing communities and local governments to respond effectively.
CHUMCAP is a partner HR program of the Southington Regional Chamber of Commerce and industry experts to provide information that helps you protect your business and your employees. Need Advice? Visit the CHUMCAP page at SouthingtonChamber.com or call the Chamber office 860.628.8036. (This content is a collaboration of the Southington Regional Chamber of Commerce and Tracy Aparo – Founder eGAGE HR Consulting and the Law Office of Allie Levene.)