On October 1, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation (Senate Bill (SB) 617) that requires employers to include additional information in their notice for mass layoffs, terminations, and relocations under the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (Cal-WARN) Act.

Quick Hits

• California Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 617 on October 1, 2025, requiring employers to include additional information in their Cal-WARN notices for mass layoffs, terminations, and relocations.
• Starting January 1, 2026, Cal-WARN notices must disclose whether employers plan to coordinate services, such as a rapid response orientation, through the local workforce development board or another entity, and include specific contact information and descriptions of available services.
• Employers may want to update their Cal-WARN notice templates to ensure compliance with the new requirements to avoid potential legal issues.

Cal-WARN prohibits employers, with certain exceptions, from instituting mass layoffs, terminations, or relocations at covered establishments without giving prescribed written notice to affected employees, the state Employment Development Department, and other local agencies. Notices must include the elements required by the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act as well as Cal-WARN-specific components.

Beginning January 1, 2026, Cal-WARN written notices also must include information on whether the employer plans to coordinate...

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