Quick Hits

• Washington State is on track to enact a “mini-WARN Act” requiring employers with fifty or more employees to provide at least sixty days’ notice before business closures or mass reductions in force.
• The Washington bill’s notice requirements would go beyond the federal WARN Act.
• The legislation includes protections for employees on paid family or medical leave, preventing them from being included in mass reductions, except in limited situations.
• Employers that fail to comply with the notice requirement could face significant financial penalties, including back pay plus the cost of benefits for affected employees and civil penalties for violations.

On April 27, 2025, the Washington State Legislature delivered Senate Bill (SB) 5525 to Governor Bob Ferguson’s desk for signature. The bill, titled the “Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act,” would provide employee protections in the context of business closings and mass reductions in force (RIF) similar to the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

The legislation would require most covered employers to provide notice and information beyond what is required by the WARN Act before closing a business location or undertaking a “mass layoff” and protect employees from being included in a reduction while they are taking Washington’s paid family or medical leave. The bill would also grant the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD), aggrieved...

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