Tennessee WARN Act and Layoff Notice Requirements
Tennessee 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.
Tennessee 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 Tennessee: Employers with at least 50 but not more than 99 employees (filling the gap below federal WARN's 100-employee coverage). Covered events generally require 60 days' written notice of a covered plant closure or mass layoff.
At a glance
Federal WARN vs Tennessee
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. Tennessee's state law can be broader — for example, Tennessee Plant Closing and Reduction in Operations law (Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-601 et seq.). The details below reflect the state rule.
Covered employers, events & thresholds
Covered employer: Employers with at least 50 but not more than 99 employees (filling the gap below federal WARN's 100-employee coverage).
mass layoff
A plant closing or reduction in operations affecting 50 or more employees at a workplace.
plant closing
A plant closure affecting 50 or more employees.
Notice period: 60 days' written notice of a covered plant closure or mass layoff.
Who must receive notice
Employees
- Affected employees (or their representatives)
Government
- Tennessee State Dislocated Worker Unit (Department of Labor and Workforce Development)
- The chief elected official of the local government
Find official Tennessee WARN notices
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development posts WARN notices on its website. Open the Tennessee WARN notices page and review the current list for your employer.
Open the official TN WARN noticesYou can also track recent filings in the LayoffNext WARN Radar — then confirm details against the official TN source above.
Penalties & employee remedies
Tennessee's law fills the coverage gap below federal WARN for employers with 50–99 employees, requiring 60 days' notice. Confirm current remedies/penalties with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
How to raise it
Contact the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development about a suspected violation.
Major exceptions & special cases
- The law recognizes exceptions — confirm the specific application with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Remote workers
Coverage follows the Tennessee workplace; remote-worker treatment can be fact-specific — verify with the agency.
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 Tennessee
- 1Confirm your employer's size — Tennessee's law covers the 50–99 employee band; 100+ is federal WARN.
- 2Check the Tennessee WARN notices page for your employer.
- 3Contact the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development if required notice wasn't given.
Tennessee scenarios
A 60-employee Tennessee employer
Facts: A Tennessee company with 70 employees lays off 55 at a workplace.
Federal WARN generally doesn't apply below 100 employees, but Tennessee's law covers employers with 50–99 employees, requiring 60 days' notice when 50 or more are affected. So a Tennessee employer too small for federal WARN can still owe state notice. Confirm the counts and coverage.
Above the Tennessee band
Facts: A Tennessee employer has 250 employees.
Tennessee's Plant Closing and Reduction in Operations law is aimed at the 50–99 employee band; an employer with 100+ employees is generally covered by federal WARN instead. Check which framework applies to your employer's size when evaluating notice.
Tennessee WARN Act FAQ
Does Tennessee have a mini-WARN law?+
How much notice does Tennessee require?+
Does federal WARN or Tennessee's law apply to me?+
Where are Tennessee WARN notices published?+
What should a Tennessee employee do about a missing notice?+
Related
Sources & methodology
This page summarizes Tennessee'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.
- WARN Notices — Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentWhere official WARN notices are published. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- WARN Act Technical Assistance Guide — Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentOfficial 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.