At a Glance

• New Ohio Revised Code § 4113.31 requires employers to provide 60 days’ advance notice of “plant closings” or “mass layoffs” to employees, unions, the state, and local government officials.
• Although the law mostly incorporates and tracks the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (Fed WARN), it adds requirements for the information that must be included in the notices.

On July 1, 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill No. 96, most of which related to the state’s operating budget for fiscal year 2026-2027. However, the bill also added a new code section that includes a state mini-WARN Act requiring employers to provide 60 days’ advance notice to employees, unions, and certain government officials whenever a “mass layoff” or “plant closing” occurs. The provision goes into effect on September 29, 2025.

The Triggers for the Ohio WARN Track Fed WARN

Section 4113.31 incorporates the requirements of Fed WARN and states that “the requirements specified in this section do not establish a different standard than that established by federal statutes and regulations.” Ohio Rev. Code § 4113.31(B). The statute also incorporates the meanings of “employer,” “mass layoff,” and “plant closing” from Fed WARN.

In one section, the statute interprets Fed WARN as requiring notice if: (1) the employer employs 100 or more employees who in the aggregate work at least 4,000 hours a week; and (2) the employer lays off 50 or more employees at a single site of...

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