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WARN Act Deadline Checker
The federal WARN Act requires employers with 100+ full-time employees to give 60 calendar days' advance written notice before a qualifying plant closing or mass layoff. Enter your details to check coverage and the notice deadline.
Example: A 150-employee company laying off 60 workers (40% of a 150-person site) triggers a WARN determination of "WARN Applies" — with 60 calendar days' notice legally required before the layoff date.
What can change the math
- Federal WARN only requires 60 days' notice for full plant closings or qualifying mass layoffs — smaller layoffs and temporary layoffs under 6 months are generally not covered.
- Several states have their own 'mini-WARN' laws with lower thresholds — for example, California's Cal-WARN applies to employers with 75+ employees and requires notice for a layoff of 50+ employees, regardless of the 33% test.
- Certain exceptions can shorten the 60-day requirement, including 'faltering company,' 'unforeseeable business circumstances,' and natural disaster exceptions — those require specific proof.
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Frequently asked questions
What counts as a 'mass layoff' under WARN?
A reduction affecting 500+ employees at a site, or 50–499 employees if that's at least 33% of the site's active workforce, generally within a 30-day period.
Does WARN apply to small businesses?
No — federal WARN only applies to employers with 100 or more full-time employees. Many states have their own laws covering smaller employers.
Can an employer give less than 60 days' notice?
Only under specific, narrow exceptions — unforeseeable business circumstances, a faltering company seeking capital, or a natural disaster — and even then, some notice and an explanation are still required.