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State mini-WARN law

Wisconsin WARN Act and Layoff Notice Requirements

Wisconsin 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.

Quick answer

Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin: Employers that employ 50 or more persons in Wisconsin. Covered events generally require 60 days' written notice before a covered business closing, mass layoff, or reduction.

Wisconsin WARN notices filed in the last 24 months

Collected directly from Wisconsin DWD. Each row is a notice the state published, not an estimate — search it by employer to see whether your own company has filed.

Filings, last 24 months

154

Workers affected

10,925

Employers

116

Most recent filing

8 Sep 2026

Showing all 154 filings

Wisconsin WARN notices from the last 24 months
LocationTypeEffective
8 Sep 2026Sparhawk Trucking Inc. / Sparhawk Truck and Trailer Inc.Transportation and WarehousingWisconsin RapidsWood74—8 Sep 2026
24 Aug 2026Foremost Farms USAManufacturingMarshfieldWood68Closure15 Dec 2026
12 Aug 2026Durr CTS, Inc.<br/></a><a><em style="font-size:80%; text-decoration:none !important; color:#000">* The company provided a separate communication clarifying that the number impacted is 75.</em>ManufacturingDe PereBrown75Closure13 Oct 2026
5 Aug 2026Samuel Pressure Vessel GroupManufacturingTomahawkLincoln76Closure4 Aug 2026
4 Aug 2026UnityPoint HealthHealth Care and Social AssistanceMadisonDane1Layoff28 Feb 2027
4 Aug 2026UnityPoint HealthHealth Care and Social Assistance—17Layoff28 Feb 2027
30 Jul 2026Sparhawk Trucking Inc. / Sparhawk Truck and Trailer Inc.Transportation and WarehousingWisconsin RapidsWood77——
28 Jul 2026School Specialty, LLCWholesale TradeFort AtkinsonJefferson59Closure25 Sep 2026
21 Jul 2026Wisconsin Green, LLC<br/></a><a><em style="font-size:80%; text-decoration:none !important; color:#000">* Notice outlines multiple scenarios for layoffs. Information displayed reflects the worst-case scenario.</em>ManufacturingWashingtonWashington59Closure22 Jul 2026
20 Jul 2026Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. Shullsburg CreameryManufacturingShullsburgLafayette43Closure20 Jul 2026
20 Jul 2026Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. White Hill CheeseWholesale TradeShullsburgLafayette54Closure14 Aug 2026
14 Jul 2026Centers for Independence-MCFI Home CareHealth Care and Social AssistanceMilwaukeeMilwaukee43Closure31 Oct 2026
8 Jul 2026PPD d/b/a Thermo Fisher ScientificProfessional, Scientific, and Technical ServicesMiddletonDane69Layoff28 Sep 2026
1 Jul 2026GW Mireles Inc.Accommodation and Food ServicesMilwaukeeMilwaukee26Closure1 Sep 2026
29 Jun 2026Conduent Commercial Solutions, LLCAdministrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services—6Layoff28 Aug 2026
18 Jun 2026Artisans Inc.Retail TradeGlen FloraRusk46—31 Jul 2026
29 May 2026Sparhawk Trucking Inc. / Sparhawk Truck and Trailer Inc.<br/></a><a><em style="font-size:80%; text-decoration:none !important; color:#000">* Received from the Ch 11 Trustee but notice is addressed to employees. DWD emailed Trustee requesting more details.</em>Transportation and WarehousingWisconsin RapidsWood———
20 May 2026Unity Point HealthHealth Care and Social AssistanceMadisonDane3—7 Aug 2026
15 May 2026Parkhurst Dining, LLC<br/></a><a><em style="font-size:80%; text-decoration:none !important; color:#000">* Layoff Begin Date: 05/21/26 (temporary layoff through 05/28/26); 07/03/26 (permanent layoff)</em>Accommodation and Food ServicesKenoshaKenosha160Closure3 Jul 2026
14 May 2026Cree LightingManufacturingRacineRacine28Layoff15 May 2026
5 May 2026Cell.Plus, LLCRetail TradeRichland CenterRichland3Closure31 Jul 2026
5 May 2026Cell.Plus, LLCRetail TradeAdamsAdams4Closure31 Jul 2026
5 May 2026Cell.Plus, LLCRetail TradeChiltonCalumet4Closure31 Jul 2026
5 May 2026Cell.Plus, LLCRetail TradeBaraboo, Wisconsin Dells, Spring Green, ReedsburgSauk22Closure31 Jul 2026
5 May 2026Cell.Plus, LLCRetail TradeBlack River Falls, Mauston, La Crosse, Holmen, Sparta, ViroquaJackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon21Closure31 Jul 2026

Source: Wisconsin DWD — official Wisconsin WARN listing. Covers the last 24 months and is current to 8 Sep 2026. States revise and re-publish their listings, so treat this as a reliable index of what has been filed rather than a legal record — verify any specific notice against the official listing. 3% of these filings do not disclose a worker count, so the total above understates the period.

At a glance

Status
State mini-WARN law
Covered employer
Employers that employ 50 or more persons in Wisconsin.
Notice period
60 days' written notice before a covered business closing, mass layoff, or reduction.
Who must be notified
Affected employees (and their representative, if any); Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD); The highest official of the municipality where the site is located; The local workforce development board
Official WARN notices
Published (see below)
Enforcement
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD).
Law last verified
Jul 24, 2026
Filings data
Newest notice Sep 8, 2026

Federal WARN vs Wisconsin

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. Wisconsin's state law can be broader — for example, Wisconsin Business Closing and Mass Layoff Law (Wis. Stat. § 109.07). The details below reflect the state rule.

Covered employers, events & thresholds

Covered employer: Employers that employ 50 or more persons in Wisconsin.

mass layoff

A mass layoff (as defined by the statute) at a Wisconsin employment site.

Confirm the exact affected-employee test in Wis. Stat. § 109.07.

plant closing

A business (plant) closing at a Wisconsin site.

Covered under the state law.

hours reduction

A reduction in hours can be covered — verify the current threshold with DWD.

Reduction coverage exists; confirm the exact test.

Notice period: 60 days' written notice before a covered business closing, mass layoff, or reduction.

Who must receive notice

Employees

  • Affected employees (and their representative, if any)

Government

  • Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
  • The highest official of the municipality where the site is located
  • The local workforce development board

Find official Wisconsin WARN notices

DWD collects business-closing and mass-layoff notices and lists dislocated-worker notice information on its website. Open the DWD notice page to review notices and requirements.

Open the official WI WARN notices

You can also track recent filings in the LayoffNext WARN Radar — then confirm details against the official WI source above.

Browse the WI notice list

Wisconsin posts notices as a web page rather than a searchable database, so you are scanning rather than querying.

  1. 1Open the notices page and use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) on your employer's legal name.
  2. 2Check whether the page is split by year — older filings often move to a separate archive page that the find function will not reach.
  3. 3Compare the notice date against your own last day. A notice filed after you were told is a different situation from one filed weeks before.
  4. 4Save a copy of the entry, since these pages are edited in place.
Open the official WI noticesHow federal WARN worksWhat a WARN notice means for you

Penalties & employee remedies

An employer that fails to give required notice can be liable to each affected employee for back pay and benefits for the period of violation, up to 60 days. DWD administers the law and Rapid Response.

Back pay

Back pay and benefits for each day of violation, up to 60 days.

How to raise it

Contact DWD about a suspected violation of Wisconsin's Business Closing and Mass Layoff Law.

Major exceptions & special cases

  • The state law recognizes exceptions — confirm the specific application with DWD.

Remote workers

Coverage follows the Wisconsin employment site; remote-worker treatment can be fact-specific — verify with DWD.

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 Wisconsin

  1. 1Check DWD's business-closing / mass-layoff notice information for your employer.
  2. 2If you got fewer than 60 days' notice, note the dates — Wisconsin back pay is measured per day of violation.
  3. 3Contact DWD if you believe required notice was not given.

Wisconsin scenarios

Below federal size but above Wisconsin size

Facts: A Wisconsin employer with 60 employees closes a site.

Wisconsin's law covers employers with 50+ employees in the state — below the federal 100 threshold — so a closing that isn't federally covered may still require 60 days' Wisconsin notice. Check the state thresholds, not just federal WARN.

Finding a Wisconsin notice

Facts: You want to confirm your employer filed.

Wisconsin's DWD collects and lists business-closing and mass-layoff notice information for dislocated workers. Review the DWD notice page for your employer and the reported dates.

Wisconsin WARN Act FAQ

Does Wisconsin have its own layoff-notice law?+
Yes. Wisconsin's Business Closing and Mass Layoff Law (Wis. Stat. § 109.07) generally requires employers with 50 or more persons in Wisconsin to give 60 days' written notice before a covered business closing, mass layoff, or reduction. Because the 50-employee threshold is lower than federal WARN's 100, events not covered federally can still be covered in Wisconsin.
How much notice does Wisconsin require?+
Wisconsin generally requires 60 days' advance written notice of a covered business closing or mass layoff, given to affected employees, DWD, the highest municipal official, and the local workforce development board. Certain exceptions can allow shorter notice, but 60 days is the default under Wis. Stat. § 109.07.
What penalties apply under Wisconsin's law?+
If an employer fails to give required notice, affected employees may recover back pay and benefits for each day that notice was required but not provided, up to 60 days. The Department of Workforce Development administers the law, so contact DWD if you believe a required notice was not given for your layoff.
Where can I find Wisconsin WARN notices?+
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development collects business-closing and mass-layoff notices and provides dislocated-worker notice information on its website. Open the DWD notice-requirements page to review notices and the rules, and confirm whether your employer filed for your layoff date.
Does Wisconsin's law cover smaller employers than federal WARN?+
Yes. Wisconsin covers employers with 50 or more persons in the state, whereas the federal WARN Act generally applies at 100 employees. So a Wisconsin employer that isn't covered by federal WARN may still owe 60 days' notice under state law. Check the Wisconsin thresholds when evaluating your situation.
Does Wisconsin's law apply to remote employees?+
Coverage generally follows the Wisconsin employment site, which for remote workers is often the location they're assigned to or report to rather than their home. It can be fact-specific. If you worked remotely for a Wisconsin site, confirm how your worksite is treated with DWD when evaluating whether the state law applied.

Nearby states

Wisconsin unemployment

Related

All states: WARN Act by stateWhat a WARN notice means for employeesWARN Radar: recent layoff filingsLayoff letter examplesUnemployment benefits in WisconsinLaid off today? First steps

Sources & methodology

This page summarizes Wisconsin'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.

  1. Wisconsin Statutes § 109.07 — Business closings; mass layoffs — Wisconsin State LegislatureThe state statute / legal basis. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
  2. Overview of Wisconsin's Business Closing and Mass Layoff Law — Wisconsin Department of Workforce DevelopmentOfficial agency guidance. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
  3. Layoff Notice Requirements (dislocated worker) — Wisconsin Department of Workforce DevelopmentWhere official WARN notices are published. · Last verified Jul 24, 2026
  4. 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, Founder of LayoffNext
Founder of LayoffNext

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.

Published July 24, 2026Updated July 24, 2026
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