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The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity​ and Local Workforce Innovation Areas (LWIAs) provide services to employers in the state of Illinois who are planning or have gone through a layoff. Along with providing services, they, along with individuals and employers, have the ability to report layoffs in Illinois.

A WARN layoff is a plant closure or mass layoff. Under state law, employers must notify the state when they plan to lay off workers. This law is known as the WARN Act. This section gives detail on the law and how to comply with it. Visit this page to find:

• Federal and State WARN definitions.
• How to submit a WARN Notice.
• Illinois WARN Contacts.
• WARN Downloads.
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WARN Layoff

The Illinois law is very similar to the Federal WARN act. However, there are some important differences between the two laws:

Federal WARN - Applies to employers with 100 or more full-time workers.

Definition of “Mass Layoff” triggering notice requirements:

• 50 or more full-time employees are laid off if they constitute one-third or more of the full-time employees at the site, or
• 500 or more full-time employees.

Illinois WARN - Applies to employers with 75 or more full-time workers.

Definition of “Mass Layoff” triggering notice requirements:

• 25 or more full-time employees are laid off if they constitute one-third or more of the full-time employees at the site, or
• 250 or more full-time employees.

Another important difference is in the enforcement of the Act. Under federal WARN, neither the Federal nor the State may initiate actions for alleged non-compliance. Only employees and local government officials may initiate action in federal court.

On the other hand, the Illinois WARN Law maintains that the Director of the Illinois Department of Labor is to make rules with “provisions that allow the parties access to administrative hearings for any actions of the Department under this Act.” Furthermore, in “any investigation or proceeding under this Act,” the Director has authority to “examine the books and records of an employer” in order “to determine whether a violation of this Act has occurred.”

Exceptions to the notice requirements are permitted for unforeseen circumstances such as, for example, a strike or lockout, or physical calamities at the site.

Submit a WARN Notice

Notice Must Be Provided To Illinois’ Dislocated Worker Division:

Office of Employment and Training
ATTENTION:  John Ray
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
500 East Monroe, 9th Floor
Springfield, IL 62701-1643

What the notice must contain:

• The name and address of the employment site(s) where the plant closing or mass layoff will occur.
• Whether the planned action is expected to be permanent or temporary and if the entire plant is to be closed, a statement to that effect.
• The expected date of the first separation, and the anticipated schedule for making separations.
• The job titles of positions to be affected, and the number of affected employees in each job classification (for multiple sites, list per site).
• A statement as to the existence of any applicable bumping rights.
• The name of each union representing affected employees, and the name and address of the chief elected officer of each union. If none, please state.
• The name and telephone number of a company official to contact for further information.

(Please include the employer's federal identification number, or FEIN, for the dislocating company on WARN correspondence.)

Illinois WARN Complaints

To file a complaint regarding the Illinois WARN Act, please contact:
Jeff Naville, Division Manager
Conciliation & Mediation
Illinois Department of Labor
(217) 785-4420

Filing a WARN Notice or Illinois WARN Complaint (PDF).

The Business Economic Support Act (BESA)

In the State of Illinois, Public Act 87-130 Section 15 requires that any business or industry required to provide notice under WARN and receiving State or local economic development incentives for doing or continuing to do business in this State, in addition to the notice required under WARN, shall also provide at the same time a copy of that notice to the Governor, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, the President and Minority Leader of the Senate, and the Mayor of each municipality where the private entity has locations in this state. Review BESA and the WARN Employer Guide (PDF).

IL WARN Contacts

For more information on WARN reports and the WARN Act, contact the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Bureau of Workforce Development:    

John Ray
(217) 558-2432

Reporters please call:

Jacquelyn Reineke

(312) 814-5341

Materials

Downloads

Filing a WARN Notice or Illinois WARN Complaint (PDF)

WARN Employer Guide (PDF)

WARN Reports

2018 and Prior Year

• Mar 31, 2018 WARN (PDF)
  
• Feb 28, 2018 WARN (PDF)
  
• Jan 31, 2018 WARN (PDF)
• Dec 31, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Nov 30, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Oct 31, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Sep 30, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Aug 31, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Jul 31, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Jun 30, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• May 31, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  
• Apr 30, 2017 WARN (PDF)
  

View archived WARN Reports here.

 

FAQs