In general, the federal WARN Act and the Vermont Notice of Potential Layoffs Act apply specifically to employers who:
- Intend to lay off more than 50 employees, or
- Intend to lay off a significant percentage of their workforce, or
- Intend to close a site or facility that results in the layoff of employees.
Below are the requirements under these two pieces of legislation.
STATE
VERMONT NOTICE OF POTENTIAL LAYOFFS ACT REQUIREMENTS:
The State of Vermont requires all employers who are closing or conducting mass layoffs of 50 or more employees over a 90-day period to notify the Secretary of Commerce and Community Development and the Commissioner of Labor 45 days prior to the effective closing or layoff date that reaches the required thresholds. Employers must send the Secretary and Commissioner the approximant number of employees affected along with their job titles and the anticipated date of job loss. Additionally, employers are required to pay all unpaid wages and compensation owed to any laid off worker.
Employers are also required to give a 30-day notice to all local chief elected officials or administrative officers, the municipality and any bargaining unit.
- Workforce Development Rapid Response: The Vermont Department of Labor Workforce Development division provides Rapid Response services to employers transitioning through downsizing, laying off workers and/or closing a facility by coordinating services and providing immediate assistance both on and off site to affected employers and workers.
- Unemployment Insurance Mass Claims Program: The Vermont Department of Labor Unemployment Insurance division provides employers support in the case of a business slowdown, temporary or permanent employee layoffs of five or more employees to open claims for affected employees.
Notices of Potential Layoff should be sent to:
Vermont Department of Labor
Commissioner's Office
5 Green Mountain Drive
P.O. Box 488
Montpelier, VT 05601-0488
labor.commissioner@vermont.gov
Questions regarding Notices of Potential Layoff should be directed to:
Robert L. Depper III, Department General Counsel
Vermont Department of Labor
robert.depper@vermont.gov
Cindy Robillard, Workforce Development Division
Vermont Department of Labor
cindy.robillard@vermont.gov
FEDERAL
WORKER ADJUSTMENT AND RETRAINING NOTIFICATION (WARN) ACT REQUIREMENTS:
The Federal WARN Act requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide a 60-calendar day notice of business closing or mass layoffs of employees to managers, supervisors, hourly and salaried employees. This notice must also be given to all associated employee representatives such as labor unions, the local elected officials as well as the state’s dislocated worker unit if laying off 500 or more employees or 33 percent of the employer’s active workforce.
Advanced notice of job loss allows impacted employees to seek alternative employment and take advantage of training programs and other support programs to successfully reenter the workforce.
Federal Exceptions to WARN:
Employers are not required to provide notice if the layoff is for six months or less, if hours worked are not reduced to 50 percent each month during a six month period, if the business closing or layoffs are a result of unforeseeable circumstances at the time the 60-day notice would have been required or if an employer is required to close or layoff due to a natural disaster.
https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/termination/plantclosings
List of WARN Notices: https://www.vermontjoblink.com/search/warn_lookups/new