Ohio has passed a “mini-WARN” act, requiring employers with 100 or more employees who in the aggregate work at least four thousand hours a week to provide proper notice when laying off 50 or more employees at a single site of employment during any 30-day period (i.e., a plant closing or mass layoff).
Notice must be provided to affected employees’ authorized representatives or, if there are no such representatives at the time, to each affected employee, within 60 days before the date a plant closing or mass layoff begins.
The employer must include all of the following in a notice provided to affected employees’ authorized representatives:
- The location of the facility affected by the plant closing or mass layoff;
- A detailed statement explaining the reason for the plant closing or mass layoff and whether it will be permanent or temporary;
- The expected date when the plant closing or mass layoff will commence and the anticipated date on which the employees’ employment will cease; and
- The total number of employees affected by the plant closing or mass layoff, including the employees’ job titles or positions and any department or division impacted.
The employer must include all of the following in a notice provided to affected employees’ who do not have an authorized representative at the time the notice is sent:
- A detailed statement explaining the reason for the plant closing or mass layoff and whether it will be permanent or temporary;
- The expected date when the plant closing or mass layoff will commence and the anticipated date on which the employees’ employment will cease;
- An indication as to whether an affected employee has bumping rights or other reemployment rights under a collective bargaining agreement or a company policy, including any procedures for exercising those rights;
- Information on how affected employees can access unemployment insurance benefits and other assistance programs;
- The name, title, and contact information of an employer representative who can answer questions about the plant closing or mass layoff; and
- Information about any available services for an affected employee, including job placement assistance, retraining programs, or counseling services.
The employer must also provide notice to the director of job and family services and to the chief elected official of the municipal corporation and the county where the plant closing or mass layoff is to occur. The written notice must include the same information described above, as well as all of the following:
- A description of any action taken or planned to mitigate the impact of the plant closing or mass layoff, including any efforts to secure alternative employment or training for affected employees;
- The name of each employee organization representing affected employees, and the name and address of the chief elected officer of each organization; and
- A copy of the notice provided to affected employees or their representatives, as applicable.
You can access the enacted bill here (see Section 4113.31). The requirements are effective on September 29, 2025.