What Does It Mean If I Receive a WARN Notice?

Receiving a WARN notice and losing your job can feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you. Here are the 5 steps you need to take after receiving a WARN Notice:

1. Take a moment for yourself
2. Get your paperwork in order
3. Keep the WARN notification
4. Network
5. Start the job search, training, or retraining program

Read on to learn more about each step and how you can get back on your feet.

Getting laid off may feel like a betrayal from the company you have dedicated so much time and hard work to. Whether you showed up to the plant to find that the doors were locked or you’ve been notified that your next paycheck has been put on hold, this time can be incredibly frustrating and confusing. 

If you received a WARN notice that you have lost employment, you might be wondering what this means for you. In the following, we break down what it means to receive a WARN notice, what steps to take now that you’re faced with unemployment, and how we at Truck Driver Institute can be of service to you. 

Though you have received a WARN notice, you might have several questions on the topic. Here are some common questions about the WARN Act and what it means if you have received a WARN notice. 

What Is a WARN Notice? 

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires companies of a certain size to inform their employees 60 days written notice prior to a mass layoff or a plant closing that impacts 50 or more employees. 

The WARN Act is intended to help workers so that they have time to adjust to the loss of income, to find new work, or enter any skills training or retraining program. 

If you are a manager, supervisor, hourly wage worker, or salaried worker, you are covered by the WARN Act. 

What Causes a WARN Notice?

Circumstances that cause a WARN notification are as follows:

• Plant Closing: an employer closes a facility or permanently discontinues operations. These situations must affect at least 50 workers for a WARN notice to be distributed.
• Mass Layoffs: an employer lays off 500 or more workers at a single site of operation during a 30-day period or two layoffs of 50-499 workers if the layoff constitutes 33% of the employer’s total workforce at the single site of employment.  

What Happens If I Don’t Receive a WARN Notice?

There are a few situations that give reason to why you have not received a WARN notice:

• If you are an employee who has worked for fewer than six of the last twelve months
• If you are an employee who works fewer than 20 hours per week. 

If these situations do not apply to you, your employer might be in violation of the WARN Act, and may be liable to pay the impacted employees for each day the act is violated. This includes the cost of health insurance benefits. 

What Does It Mean If I Receive a WARN Notice During COVID-19?

In general, your employer must ensure that you are notified of termination 60 days prior from the closing or layoff date. However, there are exceptions to this rule. If your company is a faltering company, there are unforeseeable business circumstances, or in the event of a natural disaster, the company does not need to notify employees. 

Because COVID-19 progressed at an exponential rate in the United States and caused significant disruption to business operations across the country, the situation is considered an unforeseeable circumstance. 

5 Steps to Take After Receiving a WARN Notice 

Now that you know what it means to have received a WARN notice, here are five steps for what to do during unemployment:

Step 1 After Receiving a WARN Notice: Take a moment for yourself

As we’ve mentioned, losing a job can feel like the rug has been pulled out from under you. It’s often unexpected and can cause a lot of stress about what the future holds. 

Take a day for yourself. Grab a drink or dinner with a friend, spend quality time with the family, or spend the day at your favorite spot in town. Taking the time to recuperate after an unpleasant event will get you ready for the next steps in becoming employed again. 

Step 2 After Receiving a WARN Notice: Get your paperwork in order

Be sure to collect your final paycheck or ensure the direct deposit goes through. There’s a possibility that you’ll need to get your unemployment paperwork and health insurance paperwork filled out and squared away. Be sure to find out if your employer will extend your health coverage or if you will be offered alternative coverage.

Step 3 After Receiving a WARN Notice: Keep the WARN notification

The WARN notification indicates that your unemployment was due to your employer’s decision to discontinue operations. If the time comes, the WARN notice tells a future employer that the termination was no fault of your own. 

Step 4 After Receiving a WARN Notice: Network

Begin reaching out to friends, old employers and coworkers, and contacts to let them know that you are looking for new work. There’s no need to be embarrassed about being out of work: layoffs are a fact of life. 

Step 5 After Receiving a WARN Notice: Start the job search, training, or retraining program

Start researching into different job finders, either online or in the newspaper. If you are unable to find work in the profession that you have experience in, training and retraining programs will offer a whole new career opportunity.  

Truck Driver Institute Offers Exceptional, Time-Sensitive Training 

We know that getting a job can be time sensitive. We all have bills to pay and mouths to feed. Since 1973, Triver Driver Institute has offered an exceptional training program that can be completed in no time. Here are some highlights of our program:

• Receive your truck driver’s license in just three weeks
• Graduates have a job placement of over 80%
• Competitive financial aid options
• Great pay and benefits in the trucking industry
• Classes offered at 11 locations across seven states

At Truck Driver Institute, we believe in quality, efficient training for those who want to get out onto the open road. Starting a career as a truck driver can help turn your life around, no matter your professional background. 

If becoming a truck driver sounds like the right opportunity for you, contact us today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.