Illinois WARN Act and Layoff Notice Requirements
Illinois 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.
Illinois 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 Illinois: Employers with 75 or more full-time employees (a lower threshold than federal WARN's 100). Covered events generally require 60 days' written notice.
At a glance
Federal WARN vs Illinois
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. Illinois's state law can be broader — for example, Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (Illinois WARN Act) (820 ILCS 65). The details below reflect the state rule.
Covered employers, events & thresholds
Covered employer: Employers with 75 or more full-time employees (a lower threshold than federal WARN's 100).
mass layoff
A mass layoff of 25 or more full-time employees if they are at least one-third of the site's full-time workforce, or 250 or more full-time employees.
plant closing
A closing affecting 50 or more full-time employees at a single site.
Notice period: 60 days' written notice.
Who must receive notice
Employees
- Affected employees (and their representative, if any)
Government
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
- The chief elected official of each affected unit of local government
- The applicable local workforce board
Find official Illinois WARN notices
DCEO publishes Notices of Layoffs and Closures (WARN) on its website. Open the DCEO WARN page and review the current list for your employer.
Open the official IL WARN noticesYou can also track recent filings in the LayoffNext WARN Radar — then confirm details against the official IL source above.
Penalties & employee remedies
An employer that fails to give required notice is liable to each affected employee for back pay and benefits for the period of violation (up to 60 days), and may face a civil penalty of up to $500 per day. The Illinois Department of Labor's Conciliation and Mediation Division handles enforcement.
Back pay
Back pay and benefits for each day of violation, up to 60 days.
Civil penalty
A civil penalty of up to $500 for each day of violation may apply.
How to raise it
Contact the Illinois Department of Labor's Conciliation and Mediation Division about a suspected violation.
Major exceptions & special cases
- Faltering company, unforeseeable business circumstances, and natural disaster (similar to federal WARN). The Act does not apply to federal, state, or local governments.
Remote workers
Coverage follows the single site of employment; remote-worker treatment can be fact-specific — verify with DCEO.
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 Illinois
- 1Check DCEO's Notices of Layoffs and Closures (WARN) list for your employer.
- 2If you got fewer than 60 days' notice, note the dates — Illinois back pay is measured per day of violation.
- 3Contact the Illinois Department of Labor's Conciliation and Mediation Division if you believe required notice was not given.
Illinois scenarios
A 30-of-80 layoff at one site
Facts: An Illinois employer with 90 full-time employees lays off 30 at one site.
Illinois can require notice for a mass layoff of 25+ full-time employees when they are at least one-third of the site. With 30 of 90 (a third), the 60-day notice and Illinois recipients can apply even though federal WARN might not be triggered. Confirm full-time counts.
Below federal size but above Illinois size
Facts: A company has 80 employees — under the federal 100 threshold.
Illinois WARN covers employers with 75+ full-time employees, a lower bar than federal WARN's 100. So an employer that isn't covered by federal WARN may still owe Illinois notice. Check the Illinois thresholds, not just the federal ones.
Illinois WARN Act FAQ
Does Illinois have its own WARN Act?+
How does the Illinois 25-employee threshold work?+
How much notice does Illinois WARN require?+
Where are Illinois WARN notices published?+
What penalties apply under Illinois WARN?+
Does Illinois WARN apply to remote employees?+
Related
Sources & methodology
This page summarizes Illinois'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.
- Notices of Layoffs and Closures (WARN) — Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)Where official WARN notices are published. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) — Conciliation and Mediation — Illinois Department of LaborOfficial agency guidance. · 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.