Amendments to the WARN Act

(a)

Definitions

(1)

Employer, plant closing, and mass layoff

Paragraphs (1) through (3) of section 2(a) of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. 2101(a) (1)–(3)) are amended to read as follows:

(1)the term employer means any business enterprise that employs 75 or more employees and includes any parent corporation of which such business enterprise is a subsidiary; (2)the term plant closing means the permanent or temporary shutdown of a single site of employment, or of one or more facilities or operating units within a single site of employment, which results in an employment loss at such site, during any 30-day period, for 25 or more employees; (3)the term mass layoff means a reduction in force at a single site of employment which results in an employment loss at such site, during any 30-day period, for 25 or more employees;

(2)

Secretary of labor

(A)

Definition

Paragraph (8) of section 2(a) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2101(a)(8)) is amended to read as follows:

(8)the term Secretary means the Secretary of Labor or a representative of the Secretary of Labor.

(B)

Regulations

Section 8(a) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2107(a)) is amended by striking of Labor. (3)

Conforming amendments

(A)

Notice

Section 3(d) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2102(d)) is amended by striking out , each of which is less than the minimum number of employees specified in section 2(a)(2) or (3) but which in the aggregate exceed that minimum number, and inserting which in the aggregate exceed the minimum number of employees specified in section 2(a) (2) or (3). (B)

Definitions

Section 2(b)(1) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2101(b)(1)) is amended by striking (other than a part-time employee). (b)

Notice

(1)

Notice period

Section 3 of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. 2102) is amended by striking 60-day period and inserting 90-day period each place it appears. (2)

Recipients

Section 3(a) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2102(a)) is amended— (A)in paragraph (1), by striking or, if there is no such representative at that time, to each affected employee; and and inserting and to each affected employee;; and (B)by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3) and inserting after paragraph (1) the following:

(2)to the Secretary and the Governor of the State where the plant closing or mass layoff is to occur; and

(3)

Notice Excused Where Caused by Terrorist Attack

Section 3(b)(2) of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. 2102(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(C)No notice under this Act shall be required if the plant closing or mass layoff is due directly to a terrorist attack on the United States.

(4)

Content of notice

Section 3 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2102) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Content of Notices

An employer who is required to provide notice as required under subsection (a) shall include— (1)in each notice required under such subsection— (A)a statement of the number of affected employees; (B)the reason for the plant closing or mass layoff; (C)the availability of employment at other establishments owned by the employer; (D)a statement of each employee’s rights with respect to wages and severance and employee benefits; and (E)a statement of the available employment and training services provided by the Department of Labor; and (2)in each notice required under such subsection except for the notice provided to individual employees, the names, addresses, and occupations of the affected employees.

(5)

Information regarding benefits and services available to workers and DOL notice to Congress

Section 3 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2102) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

(f)

Information regarding benefits and services available to employees

Concurrent with or immediately after providing the notice required under subsection (a)(1), an employer shall provide affected employees with information regarding the benefits and services available to such employees, as described in the guide compiled by the Secretary under section 13. (g)

Access of rapid response teams

An employer who is required to provide notice under subsection (a) shall permit, during work hours, reasonable on-site access to any Federal, State, or local rapid response team under section 134(a)(2)(A) of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2864(a)(2)(A)) responsible for providing reemployment, training services, and related services to affected employees. (h)

DOL Notice to Congress

As soon as practicable and not later than 15 days after receiving notice under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary of Labor shall notify the appropriate Senators and Members of the House of Representatives who represent the area or areas where the plant closing or mass layoff is to occur.

(c)

Enforcement

(1)

Amount

Section 5(a)(1) of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(1)) is amended— (A)in subparagraph (A)— (i)by striking back pay for each day of violation and inserting two days’ pay multiplied by the number of calendar days for which the employer was required but failed to provide notice before such closing or layoff; and (ii)in clause (ii), by striking and at the end thereof; (B)by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); (C)by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

(B)interest on the amount described in subparagraph (A) calculated at the prevailing rate; and

; and

(D)by striking the matter following subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated). (2)

Conforming amendment

Section 5(a)(3) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(3)) is amended by inserting , the Secretary, or the Governor after unit of local government. (3)

Exemption

Section 5(a)(4) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(4)) is amended by striking reduce the amount of the liability or penalty provided for in this section and inserting reduce the amount of the liability under paragraph (1) and reduce the amount of the penalty provided for in paragraph (3). (4)

Administrative complaint

Section 5(a)(5) of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2104(a)(5)) is amended— (A)by striking may sue and inserting may,; (B)by inserting after both, the following: (A) file a complaint with the Secretary alleging a violation of section 3, or (B) bring suit,; and (C)by adding at the end thereof the following new sentence: A person seeking to enforce such liability may use one or both of the enforcement mechanisms described in subparagraphs (A) and (B).. (5)

Action by the Secretary

Section 5 of such Act (29 U.S.C. 2104) is further amended— (A)by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (d); and (B)by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsections:

(b)

Action by the Secretary

(1)

Administrative action

The Secretary shall receive, investigate, and attempt to resolve complaints of violations of section 3 by an employer in the same manner that the Secretary receives, investigates, and attempts to resolve complaints of violations of sections 6 and 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 206 and 207). (2)

Subpoena powers

For the purposes of any investigation provided for in this section, the Secretary shall have the subpoena authority provided for under section 9 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 209). (3)

Civil action

The Secretary may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to recover on behalf of an employee the backpay, interest, benefits, and liquidated damages described in subsection (a). (4)

Sums recovered

Any sums recovered by the Secretary on behalf of an employee under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (a)(1) shall be held in a special deposit account and shall be paid, on order of the Secretary, directly to each employee affected. Any such sums not paid to an employee because of inability to do so within a period of 3 years, and any sums recovered by the Secretary under subparagraph (C) of subsection (a)(1), shall be credited as an offsetting collection to the appropriations account of the Secretary for expenses for the administration of this Act and shall remain available to the Secretary until expended. (5)

Action to compel relief by secretary

The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction, for cause shown, over an action brought by the Secretary to restrain the withholding of payment of back pay, interest, benefits, or other compensation, plus interest, found by the court to be due to employees under this Act. (c)

Limitation

An action may be brought under this section not later than 2 years after the date of the last event constituting the alleged violation for which the action is brought.

(d)

Posting of notices; penalties

Section 11 of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (29 U.S.C. 2101 note) is amended to read as follows:

11.

Posting of notices; penalties

(a)

Posting of notices

Each employer shall post and keep posted in conspicuous places upon its premises where notices to employees are customarily posted a notice to be prepared or approved by the Secretary setting forth excerpts from, or summaries of, the pertinent provisions of this Act and information pertinent to the filing of a complaint. (b)

Penalties

The Secretary may impose a civil penalty on any person who willfully violates this section of not more than $500 for each separate offense.

(e)

Non-Waiver of rights and remedies; Information regarding benefits and services available to employees

Such Act (29 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.) is further amended by adding at the end the following:

12.

Rights and remedies not subject to waiver

(a)

In general

The rights and remedies provided under this Act (including the right to maintain a civil action) may not be waived, deferred, or lost pursuant to any agreement or settlement other than an agreement or settlement described in subsection (b). (b)

Agreement or settlement

An agreement or settlement referred to in subsection (a) is an agreement or settlement negotiated by the Secretary, an attorney general of any State, or a private attorney on behalf of affected employees.

13.

Information regarding benefits and services available to workers

The Secretary of Labor shall maintain a guide of benefits and services which may be available to affected employees, including unemployment compensation, trade adjustment assistance, COBRA benefits, and early access to training services and other services, including counseling services, available under title I of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2801). Such guide shall be available on the Internet website of the Department of Labor and shall include a description of the benefits and services, the eligibility requirements, and the means of obtaining such benefits and services. Upon receiving notice from an employer under section 3(a)(2), the Secretary shall immediately transmit such guide to such employer.