Hawaii WARN Act and Layoff Notice Requirements
Hawaii has its own layoff-notice law in addition to federal WARN. Here's who's covered, how much notice is required, the penalties, where to find official notices, and what employees should do.
Hawaii has its own layoff-notice law in addition to federal WARN. The state rule may cover smaller employers, smaller layoffs, longer notice, additional recipients, or different penalties. Whether it applies depends on the employer, worksite, number of affected employees, event type, and timing.
For Hawaii: A business with 50 or more full-time workers (excluding workers with less than 6 months on the job or fewer than 20 hours/week). Covered events generally require 60 days' written notice of a covered plant closing or mass layoff.
At a glance
Federal WARN vs Hawaii
The federal WARN Act is the nationwide baseline: it generally requires 60 days' written notice for a covered plant closing or mass layoff at employers with 100+ employees, with remedies of back pay and benefits enforced through the courts. Hawaii's state law can be broader — for example, Hawaii Dislocated Workers Act (HRS § 394B; HAR § 12-506). The details below reflect the state rule.
Covered employers, events & thresholds
Covered employer: A business with 50 or more full-time workers (excluding workers with less than 6 months on the job or fewer than 20 hours/week).
plant closing
A closing or partial closing at a covered business.
Covered under the Dislocated Workers Act.
mass layoff
A layoff of at least one person at a single site by a covered business (or a combined 50+ workers across locations).
Notice period: 60 days' written notice of a covered plant closing or mass layoff.
Who must receive notice
Employees
- Affected employees
Government
- Director of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR)
Find official Hawaii WARN notices
Hawaii's DLIR / Workforce Development Council posts WARN notices and dislocated-worker information. Open the DLIR WARN page to review notices.
Open the official HI WARN noticesYou can also track recent filings in the LayoffNext WARN Radar — then confirm details against the official HI source above.
Penalties & employee remedies
Beyond notice, Hawaii requires a dislocated-worker allowance: a covered employer that fails to give the required notice may owe affected employees a supplement to bring pay up toward their former wage for a period. DLIR administers the Act.
Back pay
A dislocated-worker allowance (wage-differential supplement) for a period may apply where notice wasn't given — confirm the current amount/duration with DLIR.
How to raise it
Contact DLIR about a suspected violation of the Dislocated Workers Act.
Major exceptions & special cases
- The Act recognizes exceptions — confirm the specific application with DLIR.
Remote workers
Coverage follows the Hawaii site; remote-worker treatment can be fact-specific — verify with DLIR.
Temporary layoffs
Whether a temporary layoff or furlough triggers notice can depend on its expected length and the specific rule — verify with the agency for your situation.
What an employee should do in Hawaii
- 1Confirm your employer had 50+ qualifying full-time workers.
- 2Check the DLIR WARN page for your employer's notice.
- 3Contact DLIR if you got fewer than 60 days' notice — a dislocated-worker allowance may apply.
Hawaii scenarios
A small-site Hawaii layoff
Facts: A Hawaii business with 60 full-time workers lays off employees at one site with short notice.
Hawaii's Dislocated Workers Act covers businesses with 50+ full-time workers — below federal WARN's 100 — and can require 60 days' notice plus a dislocated-worker allowance if notice is short. So an employer not covered federally may still owe Hawaii obligations. Confirm the qualifying headcount.
The dislocated-worker allowance
Facts: You received little or no notice of a covered closing.
Unlike a pure notice law, Hawaii can require a wage-differential allowance to affected workers when required notice isn't given, in addition to reemployment help. Confirm the current amount and duration, and whether your situation qualifies, with DLIR.
Hawaii WARN Act FAQ
Does Hawaii have its own WARN law?+
What is Hawaii's dislocated-worker allowance?+
How much notice does Hawaii require?+
Which Hawaii employers are covered?+
Where can I find Hawaii WARN notices?+
Related
Sources & methodology
This page summarizes Hawaii's layoff-notice rules from official government sources and links to each. Coverage and outcomes depend on the employer, worksite, headcount, event, and timing, and rules can change. Where a specific figure wasn't confirmable this pass, the text says “verify.” Confirm the current rule with the agency and, where rights are at stake, an attorney.
- The WARN Act (Hawaii Dislocated Workers Act) — Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations — Workforce Development CouncilOfficial agency guidance. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- Dislocated Worker Laws (HRS §394B / HAR §12-506) — Hawaii DLIRThe state statute / legal basis. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (federal) — U.S. Department of LaborOfficial agency guidance. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
Important disclaimer
This page is educational only and is not legal advice or representation, and LayoffNext is not a law firm. Whether WARN applies, and any remedies, depend on the employer, worksite, headcount, event type, timing, and the current law, which can change. Nothing here is a conclusion that an employer did or did not comply. Verify details with the official sources above and consult a qualified attorney about your situation. See our full disclaimer.
Deepak Middha is the founder of LayoffNext and a Chartered Accountant (ICAI, India). A U.S. immigrant with nearly 20 years of experience — and 17 years in hedge fund and private equity administration, including as Vice President of Fund Accounting at NAV Fund Administration Group and Associate Director of Private Equity and Real Estate at SS&C Technologies — he builds free, plain-language layoff tools and guides for employees, H-1B workers, and immigrant families.