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Iowa WARN Act: who is covered and how much notice

Iowa has its own layoff notice law on top of the federal WARN Act. This is what it says, read from the state’s own pages as of 2026-10-27, with the sources.

The rule

Employers with 25 or more employees, not counting part-time employees. Written notice at least 30 days ahead of a business closing or a mass layoff of 25 or more employees at a single site in a 30-day period, to the affected employees or their representatives and to Iowa Workforce Development. If a collective bargaining agreement sets a different notice period, that period governs.

How it differs from the federal rule

A much lower employer size (25) and lower layoff counts than the federal Act, with a shorter notice period (30 days). The penalty stated is a civil penalty of up to $100 a day for violating the notice duty to the department, and the statute says a court may not enjoin a closing or layoff.

Check: Sections 84C.2 to 84C.5 were read. Later sections were not.

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

Iowa WARN Act questions

Does Iowa have its own WARN Act?
Yes. Employers with 25 or more employees, not counting part-time employees. Written notice at least 30 days ahead of a business closing or a mass layoff of 25 or more employees at a single site in a 30-day period, to the affected employees or their representatives and to Iowa Workforce Development. If a collective bargaining agreement sets a different notice period, that period governs.
How is Iowa's rule different from the federal WARN Act?
A much lower employer size (25) and lower layoff counts than the federal Act, with a shorter notice period (30 days). The penalty stated is a civil penalty of up to $100 a day for violating the notice duty to the department, and the statute says a court may not enjoin a closing or layoff.
How many days of notice does Iowa require?
30 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.

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