The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act

I learn about this act when I read this article: Quiet Layoffs Sting Workers Without Notice on CNBC:

The notification law, known as the WARN Act, is a legacy of an era when the economy was more dependent on manufacturers and legislators were concerned about blue-collar workers being locked out of their factory. That kind of shutdown is hard to hide, while white-collar layoffs spread across many locations are not.

The WARN Act requires 60 days' notice, but the events that require notification are site-specific — a plant closing, a layoff of 500 or more people at one location, or a cut of at least one-third of the work force at a site.

If notification is not required, the standard practice at large companies is to give 30 days' notice before a layoff. Some states have passed their own WARN Acts to cover more layoffs. California, for example, now requires a WARN notice when a company cuts 50 or more workers in one place. Last month, New York enacted a law requiring 90 days' notice when laying off 250 or more workers at a site.

Using Google, I found additional information: U.S. Department of Labor: Fact Sheet - The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act