Washington WARN Act and Layoff Notice Requirements
Washington 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.
Washington 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 Washington: Employers with 50 or more employees (as defined in Ch. 49.45 RCW). The covered event is a business closing or mass layoff affecting 50 or more workers at a single site. Covered events generally require 60 days' written notice before a covered mass layoff or business closing.
At a glance
Federal WARN vs Washington
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. Washington's state law can be broader — for example, Washington mass-layoff notice law (“Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act”) (Chapter 49.45 RCW). The details below reflect the state rule.
Recent change: Washington's state WARN requirements took effect July 27, 2025 (SB 5525). An updated mass-layoff notice measure was signed in 2026 — confirm the current effective date and any changes that apply to layoffs occurring on or after that date with ESD before relying on specifics.
Covered employers, events & thresholds
Covered employer: Employers with 50 or more employees (as defined in Ch. 49.45 RCW). The covered event is a business closing or mass layoff affecting 50 or more workers at a single site.
mass layoff
A mass layoff affecting 50 or more full-time workers at a single site of employment during a 30-day period.
plant closing
A business closing affecting 50 or more full-time employees at a single worksite.
Notice period: 60 days' written notice before a covered mass layoff or business closing.
Who must receive notice
Employees
- Affected employees (and their representative, if any)
Government
- Washington Employment Security Department (ESD)
- The chief elected official of the community where the layoff or closure will occur
Find official Washington WARN notices
ESD publishes the WARN layoff-and-closure database on its website, listing employer name, business location, number of affected workers, type of action (layoff or closure), and the effective date. Search it for your employer.
Open the official WA WARN noticesYou can also track recent filings in the LayoffNext WARN Radar — then confirm details against the official WA source above.
Penalties & employee remedies
An employer that orders a covered closing or mass layoff without required notice is liable to each affected employee for back pay and benefits, and is subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 per day payable to ESD (avoidable by paying employees within three weeks).
Back pay
Back pay for each day of violation, up to 60 days, at the employee's final rate of pay or their last three-year average rate, whichever is higher.
Benefits
The value of benefits the employee would have received, including medical expenses incurred because of the loss of the benefit plan.
Civil penalty
Up to $500 for each day of violation, payable to ESD — not owed if the employer pays affected employees the amounts due within three weeks of ordering the action.
How to raise it
Contact ESD about a suspected violation; ESD administers Washington's WARN requirements.
Major exceptions & special cases
- Faltering company — where notice would have precluded obtaining needed capital or business
- Unforeseeable business circumstances — sudden, dramatic, and unexpected action or condition outside the employer's control
- Natural disaster
Remote workers
Coverage follows the single site of employment; remote-worker treatment can be fact-specific — verify with ESD.
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 Washington
- 1Search ESD's WARN layoff-and-closure database for your employer and date.
- 2Note whether the layoff occurred on or after July 27, 2025, and confirm which rule applies given the 2026 update.
- 3Contact ESD if you believe required notice was not given; ESD administers Washington's WARN requirements.
Washington scenarios
A 60-person layoff after the 2025 law
Facts: A Washington employer lays off 60 workers at one site in September 2025.
Because Washington's state WARN requirements took effect July 27, 2025, a 50+ worker mass layoff at a single site can require 60 days' notice to ESD, affected employees, and the local elected official — with back pay and a potential $500/day penalty if notice wasn't given. Confirm the current rule for the layoff date.
Timing around a 2026 change
Facts: Your layoff date is in 2026 and you're unsure which version of the law applies.
An updated Washington mass-layoff notice measure was signed in 2026. The rule that applies can depend on whether your layoff occurred before or after the update's effective date, so verify the current effective date and requirements with ESD rather than assuming.
Washington WARN Act FAQ
Does Washington now have a mini-WARN law?+
When did Washington's state WARN requirements take effect?+
Does Washington require 60 days' notice?+
Where can employees search Washington WARN notices?+
What penalties can apply in Washington?+
How do the 2026 changes affect employees?+
Related
Sources & methodology
This page summarizes Washington'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.
- Chapter 49.45 RCW — Mass Layoffs and Business Closings — Washington State LegislatureThe state statute / legal basis. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- WARN requirements — Washington Employment Security DepartmentOfficial agency guidance. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
- WARN layoff and closure database — Washington Employment Security DepartmentWhere official WARN notices are published. · 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.