Mass layoffs can be devastating for affected workers, their families, and communities. In an attempt to protect these workers, Congress passed the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act ("WARN" Act). The WARN Act requires most employers with 100 or more employees to provide notification 60 calendar days in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.
Advance notice gives workers and their families some transition time to adjust to the loss of employment, to seek and obtain other jobs, and, if necessary, to enter skill training or retraining that will allow them to compete successfully in the job market.
Federal vs. State WARN Act Laws
Federal WARN Act - as a federal law, the WARN Act protects employees across the country to ensure that they are given adequate notice about mass layoffs and plant closings. Learn more about the Federal WARN Act.
State WARN Acts - a number of states, including California, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York, have their own versions of the WARN act, which can differ from federal requirements.
Laid off without proper notice?
If an employer violates the WARN Act by failing to provide proper notification of a mass layoff, employees may be entitled to compensation, including back pay and benefits. Workers may bring individual or class action lawsuits against employers who have failed to comply with the WARN Act.
Free and confidential consultations are available with our employment lawyers by calling (866) 981-4800 or by filling out the form to the right
Why Girard Gibbs?
Girard Gibbs represents consumers, investors, employees, and businesses in cases involving consumer protection, personal injury, securities, antitrust, employment litigation and arbitration. The firm’s senior partners, Daniel Girard and Eric Gibbs, have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 and Northern California Super Lawyers, and have earned AV-Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, recognizing them in the highest class of attorneys for professional ethics and legal skills.
Eric Gibbs is a founding partner at Girard Gibbs LLP. Mr. Gibbs manages the firm's Employment Law Practice Group. He has dedicated his legal career to the protection of consumer and workers' rights. Mr. Gibbs has extensive experience litigating both employment class and collective action lawsuits. He has served as court appointed lead counsel, co-lead counsel, and class counsel in several major class action cases.
Mr. Gibbs has been court appointed class counsel in employment class actions alleging violations of the WARN Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as various state employment laws, including California labor law. He has lectured on class action litigation as a featured speaker in numerous venues including the Bridgeport 9th Annual Class Action Litigation Conference and the 2010 American Association for Justice (AAJ) Convention.
Most recently he has worked on the successful prosecution of the the following employment cases:
Mr. Gibbs has been selected for inclusion in Northern California Super Lawyers in 2010 and 2011 and earned an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbel, recognizing him in the highest class for professional ethics and legal skills. In addition, he was recently selected through an exhaustive peer-review process as among the best practioners in the field of class action and mass tort litigation by Best Lawyers in America, one of the most respected publications in the legal profession.
Dylan Hughes is a partner at Girard Gibbs and a member of the Employment Law Practice Group, representing employees who have had their rights violated by employers. Mr. Hughes has spent a large portion of his career dedicated to the protection of workers' rights. Through his work with the Employment Law Practice Group, Mr. Hughes has helped recover millions of dollars in unpaid wages and benefits.
Before joining Girard Gibbs LLP, Mr. Hughes served as a law clerk at the U.S. Department of Labor for the Honorable Paul A. Mapes, Administrative Law Judge. While working with the U.S. Department of Labor, Mr. Hughes worked on hearings involving contract disputes, minimum wage disputes, civil rights, and various disability compensation concerns, among other legal issues.
Since he began working at Girard Gibbs, Mr. Hughes has successfully prosecuted employment class action lawsuits dealing with various aspects of employment law, including the WARN Act, overtime law, and off-the-clock work.
Matthew B. George is an associate at Girard Gibbs LLP. His practice is primarily focused in employment law, specifically employment collective and class action lawsuits. Mr. George has represented employees in numerous cases alleging violations of workers' rights. He has experience representing employees in complex class and collective action lawsuits alleging violations of the WARN Act, the FLSA, and state and federal wage and hour laws.
Prior to joining Girard Gibbs LLP, Mr. George represented both labor unions and individual employees in evidentiary hearings, disciplinary investigations, and complex litigation. Currently, Mr. George represents employees in Smith v. Family Video Movie Club, LLC and Mitchell v. Acosta Sales and Marketing.
Mr. George was recently selected as a Rising Star by Northern California Super Lawyer, recognizing him as one of the best young attorneys practicing in Northern California. He was also a featured speaker at the Bridgeport 2010 Wage and Hour Conference (October 2010) addressing Developments in the Arbitration of Wage and Hour Disputes.
Scott is a 2011 graduate of the University of California, Davis School of Law, where he was the Chair of the Moot Court Board and the Executive Editor of the UC Davis Journal of International Law and Policy. Scott was the recipient of the Witkin Award for Legal Research and Writing, Best Brief and Best Advocate awards in his moot court class, and numerous awards at national moot court competitions. He was also a member of the Law School’s national mock trial team and the law school faculty named him as a member of the Order of the Barristers.
