A WARN is a layoff notice from an employer. These notices provide protection to employees, their families and their communities by requiring 60 days’ notice of layoffs or plant closings, giving employees time to look for other work, file for unemployment or take care of other items that could be affected by their employment status.
In California, employers must file a WARN if they are a “covered establishment” with 75 or more employees (part-time or full-time). Employees must have been employed for at least 6 months of the 12-month period preceding the WARN date. Any plant closure or layoff that affects 50 or more workers within a 30-day period must be reported, regardless of the size of the company as a whole. Notification of layoffs and plant closures must occur at least 60 days in advance, or be subject to fines and worker compensation. Visit the Employment Development Department (EDD) for more information.
An employer must first notify employees of the upcoming layoff. Then, the employer must submit a WARN to the local Workforce Development Board (San Benito Workforce Development Board), local elected officials (chief elected officials of the city and county governments in which the employer is located) and EDD. For a list of WARN recipients in San Benito County, click here.
