Vermont WARN Act: who is covered and how much notice

Vermont WARN Act questions

Does Vermont have its own WARN Act?

Yes. Employers with 50 or more full-time employees, or 50 or more part-time employees who each work at least 1,040 hours a year, or a combination of the two. A business closing, or a permanent loss of at least 50 employees at one or more Vermont worksites in a 90-day period, requires notice 45 days ahead to the Secretary of Commerce and Community Development and the Commissioner of Labor, and 30 days ahead to the municipality’s chief elected or administrative officer, the affected employees and any bargaining agent.

How is Vermont's rule different from the federal WARN Act?

Shorter notice (45 days to the state, 30 days to employees) than the federal Act, with a lower employer size and a 90-day window. An employer that breaks the rule owes each employee one day of severance pay for each day after the first day in the 45-day notice period, up to ten days, plus up to one month of continued medical or dental coverage.

How many days of notice does Vermont require?

45 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.