Illinois WARN Act: who is covered and how much notice
The rule
Employers with 75 or more full-time employees (or 75 or more employees working at least 4,000 hours a week) must give 60 days’ written notice to affected employees, their representatives, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the local chief elected official. A mass layoff is 25 or more full-time employees who are at least one third of the site, or 250 or more.
How it differs from the federal rule
Lower employer size (75) and lower mass-layoff counts than the federal 500.
This is general information, not legal advice. The federal WARN Act applies in every state as well; see the WARN Act in plain language.
Sources
Illinois WARN Act questions
- Does Illinois have its own WARN Act?
- Yes. Employers with 75 or more full-time employees (or 75 or more employees working at least 4,000 hours a week) must give 60 days’ written notice to affected employees, their representatives, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the local chief elected official. A mass layoff is 25 or more full-time employees who are at least one third of the site, or 250 or more.
- How is Illinois's rule different from the federal WARN Act?
- Lower employer size (75) and lower mass-layoff counts than the federal 500.
- How many days of notice does Illinois require?
- 60 days is the longest notice period the state's law sets for the employer's notice. The federal Act requires 60 days, and the federal rule applies in every state.
Using this
- Employers: draft the WARN notices and see the Illinois deadline and check whether notice is likely required.
- Workers: Illinois layoff notices on file and Illinois unemployment benefits, severance rules and how to file.
- Layoffs in 2026, by month, state and company.
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