Layoffs, furloughs, and terminations are never easy to face. No matter the size of the company or the level of seniority, these events can change the company culture. Employees start asking questions. “Am I next?” “Who will be let go now?” These questions breed fear – panicking in the search for additional jobs, or a replacement for the main one. Maybe fear overrides everything else, so much where the work suffers for it. In the mad dash to gather your previous work to show your expertise, you may not have the wherewithal to look up your company’s WARN notices. In fact, you may not know what a WARN notice is, but most layoffs come with a WARNing.
What is a WARN notice?
WARN notices are quite common. WARN stands for Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, and it stems from the similarly named federal law from 1988. It is a labor law that requires employers with more than 100 employees to report any mass layoffs with 60 days of advanced warning. The purpose of the law is to ensure that employees and their families have ample notice to prepare for the impending layoffs. Along with the employees of the company, WARN notices must also be reported to various state and federal entities, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Where can you find WARN notices?
WARN notices are required, in some format, in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other territories. Similarly, many states and local municipalities have their own versions of the WARN Act of 1988. Some states, like Wisconsin, New York, and Tennessee, require that employers with more than 50 employees make the same reports.
So, with that said, you can find WARN notices in a variety of different places. State and local municipalities websites may have announcements posted online or on social media. Federal agencies, like the Department of Labor, will also keep tabs on those reports. Visit those sites periodically to find out more, as they could impact your employment. In times of economic uncertainty, examining those reports every month might be a good idea. It is never too early to stay ahead of the curve.
WARN Notice Resources
Aside from federal, state, or local government websites, there are a variety of other resources available to employees potentially impacted by the layoffs. Websites like the Employment Law Handbook, or WARNTracker.com, might be good starting points. While they are not required to report these WARN announcements, local chamber of commerce websites, or business associations’ websites, might also keep readers up to date on any mass layoffs coming to local companies. Local media might have a inkling of the pulse of the economy.
Likewise, when layoffs are announced, the company will often give employees some notice; maybe two weeks at most. This is not a hard and fast rule – the two week notice is not always a two way street. Don’t be surprised if you or your coworkers are terminated or furloughed without much advance notice.
If you are fearing a layoff, make sure you are prepared. Do you have your network in place, like recommendations and contact information, if applicable? Are your files in order, or is that something you need to attend to ASAP? Figure out what you need to do to set yourself up for success, with or without your current employer. They are ensuring their own survival – you need to do the same.
