The federal WARN Act sets a national minimum: 60 days' notice from employers with 100 or more staff. But it is a floor, not a ceiling. Roughly a dozen states have passed their own "mini-WARN" laws that go further, and in those states the stronger rule wins. (Barnes & Thornburg)
Here is how four of the most significant compare.
California (Cal-WARN)
California lowers the bar on who is covered: its rules can apply to employers with as few as 75 employees, and that count includes part-time workers employed for at least 6 of the prior 12 months. The notice period stays at 60 days. (California EDD) See current filings on the California page.
New York
New York covers employers with 50 or more workers and requires 90 days of notice, a full month more than the federal standard. (state mini-WARN guide) Browse the New York page.
New Jersey
New Jersey is the strongest in the country for workers. Its amended law requires 90 days' notice and mandatory severance of one week of pay per full year of service for every affected worker. No other state ties guaranteed severance to its WARN equivalent as a baseline. (state mini-WARN guide) See the New Jersey page.
Illinois
Illinois covers employers with 75 or more full-time employees and keeps the 60-day notice period, but its lower headcount threshold catches mid-size employers that federal WARN would miss. (state mini-WARN guide) See the Illinois page.
Why this matters
Two workers laid off on the same day by the same national company can have very different rights depending on which state they worked in. A New Jersey worker may be owed weeks of severance that a Texas worker is not. Because these rules change and the details matter, always confirm your situation with your state labor agency or an employment lawyer.
To see what has already been filed where you live, start at the states directory.