Texas WARN Act and Layoff Notice Requirements
Federal WARN sets the layoff-notice rules in Texas. Here's how it works, where TX publishes WARN notices, the Rapid Response help available, and what employees should do.
No separate general state mini-WARN law was identified through the official sources reviewed as of July 24, 2026. Covered layoffs may still fall under the federal WARN Act (generally 60 days' notice at employers with 100+ employees).
Federal WARN is enforced through private lawsuits in U. Texas Workforce Commission / Texas Workforce Solutions (Rapid Response) receives or publishes WARN notices and may provide Rapid Response services.
At a glance
Federal WARN vs Texas
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. Texas does not add a separate general layoff-notice law, so federal WARN is the governing standard here.
Who must receive notice
Employees
- Affected employees or their representative (under federal WARN)
Government
- State dislocated-worker unit (Texas Workforce Commission)
- Chief elected local official (under federal WARN)
Find official Texas WARN notices
The Texas Workforce Commission publishes a list of WARN notices (mass layoffs and closures) as a downloadable file. Open the TWC WARN notice page and search the current list for your employer.
Open the official TX WARN noticesYou can also track recent filings in the LayoffNext WARN Radar — then confirm details against the official TX source above.
Penalties & employee remedies
Because Texas relies on federal WARN, remedies are federal: an employer that violates WARN can be liable to each affected employee for back pay and benefits for the violation period, and to the local government for a civil penalty. Federal WARN is enforced through the courts, not by the U.S. DOL.
Back pay
Federal WARN: back pay and benefits for each day of violation, up to 60 days (subject to federal limits).
Civil penalty
Federal WARN: a civil penalty of up to $500 per day payable to the local government may apply (avoidable by paying employees within three weeks).
How to raise it
Federal WARN claims are pursued in federal court; the Texas Workforce Commission provides Rapid Response and reemployment services.
Major exceptions & special cases
- Federal WARN exceptions: faltering company, unforeseeable business circumstances, and natural disaster.
Remote workers
Federal WARN coverage follows the single site of employment; remote-worker treatment can be fact-specific.
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 Texas
- 1Check the TWC WARN notice list to see whether your layoff was reported.
- 2Contact your local Workforce Solutions office for Rapid Response and reemployment help.
- 3Because there's no separate Texas WARN law, evaluate any notice shortfall under federal WARN — consider an attorney, since federal WARN is enforced in court.
Texas scenarios
No WARN notice for a large Texas layoff
Facts: A Texas employer with 300 workers lays off 150 at one site with no advance notice.
There's no separate Texas mini-WARN law, so the question is whether federal WARN applied (site size, headcount, 33%/500 tests). If it did, affected employees may have federal back-pay remedies pursued through federal court. TWC can provide Rapid Response regardless.
Finding a Texas filing
Facts: You want to confirm whether your employer filed a WARN notice.
Texas doesn't have its own WARN statute, but the TWC still collects and publishes WARN notices (from federal filings) in a downloadable list. Search the TWC WARN page for your employer and date.
Texas WARN Act FAQ
Does Texas have a mini-WARN law?+
Where does Texas publish WARN notices?+
Does a Texas employer have to give 60 days' notice?+
Does federal WARN apply to Texas layoffs?+
What can a Texas employee do if no WARN notice was provided?+
Does WARN cover a remote employee living in Texas?+
Related
Sources & methodology
This page summarizes Texas'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.
- Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification Notices (WARN) — Texas Workforce CommissionWhere official WARN notices are published. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- Rapid Response — Texas Workforce CommissionOfficial 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.