2025 Session Last amended: 2004 session

§ 116L.976 — Early Warning System

Plain-Language Summary

This section encourages businesses that are planning to close, lay off workers, or move operations to give early notice to the commissioner, employees, unions, and local governments. Employers must also report the names, addresses, and jobs of workers being let go. This is in addition to federal WARN Act requirements.

116L.976 EARLY WARNING SYSTEM.

Subdivision 1.Notice.

(a) The commissioner shall encourage those business establishments considering a decision to effect a plant closing, substantial layoff, or relocation of operations located in this state to give notice of that decision as early as possible to the commissioner, the employees of the affected establishment, any employee organization representing the employees, and the local government unit in which the affected establishment is located. This notice shall be in addition to any notice required under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, United States Code, title 29, section 2101.

(b) For purposes of this section, “plant closing” means the announced or actual permanent or temporary shutdown of a single site of employment, or one or more facilities or operating units within a single site of employment, if the shutdown results in an employment loss at the single site of employment during any 30-day period for 50 or more employees excluding employees who work less than 20 hours per week. §

Subd. 2.Employer responsibility.

An employer providing notice of a plant closing, substantial layoff, or relocation of operations under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, United States Code, title 29, section 2101, or under subdivision 1 must report to the commissioner the names, addresses, and occupations of the employees who will be or have been terminated.

History:

1989 c 282 art 2 s 178; 1993 c 369 s 102; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1999 c 107 s 66; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2001 c 175 s 50; 1Sp2001 c 4 art 2 s 41; 2002 c 380 art 2 s 20; 1Sp2003 c 4 s 1; 2004 c 206 s 47,52

History: History: 1989 c 282 art 2 s 178; 1993 c 369 s 102; 1994 c 488 s 8; 1999 c 107 s 66; 2000 c 343 s 4; 2001 c 175 s 50; 1Sp2001 c 4 art 2 s 41; 2002 c 380 art 2 s 20; 1Sp2003 c 4 s 1; 2004 c 206 s 47,52

Practical Notes

If your employer is planning a plant closing or major layoff (50 or more workers), they should notify the commissioner and other parties as early as possible. Employers giving federal WARN Act notice must also report affected workers’ information to the commissioner.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes