If a California employer downsizes, conducts a mass layoff, closes a facility, or otherwise cuts a significant number of jobs, employees have certain rights.
Unfortunately, employees don’t have a legal entitlement to keep their jobs, nor to be hired into other positions with the company or be considered for rehire. Employers are not prohibited from letting go off workers when financial times get tough.
Employees do have the right to a certain amount of notice before a plant closing or large-scale layoff. If the employer fails to give proper notice, employees are entitled to damages.
The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act gives employees these rights.
Almost half of the states have similar laws, and California is one of them. Although it doesn’t go as far as a few states, which require employers to pay a small severance or continue health benefits following a layoff, California law does expand the employers and employees who are entitled to advance notice of a layoff.
David Payab, Esq. from The Law Offices of Payab & Associates can be reached @ (800) 401-4466 or by visiting http://payablaw.com
