WARN Notices Give Laid-Off Workers 60 Days to Prepare for Their Next Job

Under the federal WARN Act, employers generally must give 60 days' notice before a plant closing or mass layoff, and that window can be used to prepare for a job search. Workers typically remain employed and paid during the notice period, which affects unemployment eligibility and severance decisions, so the notice's terms should be checked in writing. Practical early steps include gathering pay and benefits records, planning for health coverage through COBRA or a marketplace plan, and not rushing to sign severance releases. Free Rapid Response services and state workforce centers offer job search and training help. Because WARN filings report planned actions rather than confirmed job losses, workers should treat them as a signal to prepare rather than a certainty.