WA State “Mini WARN Act” will benefit WA workers.
Posted: May 28, 2025
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed the Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act into law on May 13, 2025. The Washington State Legislature passed the law on April 27, 2025, and took it effect on July 27, 2025.
A considerable number of states now have “Mini WARN Acts.” They buttress and at times exceed the protections offered to employees by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. Notably, California, New York, and New Jersey.
In the State of Washington, employers with fifty or more full-time employees (the Federal WARN Act applies to employers with 100+ full-time employees) must furnish at least 60-days’ notice to their employees and the state before ordering a mass reduction in force or business closure. Failure to provide the required notice to employees may make a business liable for damages and civil penalties.
Employees on family or medical leave, per Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Law, may not be included in a mass reduction unless the notification is excused.
Exceptions to the WA WARN notice requirement exist. For example, if an employer is actively seeking capital or business and a WARN notice would reasonably preclude the company’s ability to obtain funding or business. Or, if the shutdown or mass layoff is the direct result of a natural disaster, among other examples.
Please contact a member of our staff via our contact us form for questions about the Washington State “Mini WARN Act.” Additionally, use our contact us for more information about employees’ rights.