California Expands WARN Requirements: New Rules Take Effect January 2026

California has once again expanded its employee-protection framework — this time by broadening the content employers must include in the state's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices.

Effective Jan. 1, 2026, employers must include new disclosures in notices issued under the Cal-WARN Act. Senate Bill (SB) 617 amends Labor Code § 1401 to add specific informational requirements for employers conducting a mass layoff, relocation or termination at a covered establishment. Read more on our Labor & Employment blog.