Gov. Ferguson signs updated mass layoff notice requirements into law

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A new law protects the privacy of Washington workers and gives Tribes exemptions to the state’s mass layoff notice requirements.

With Senate Bill 6106, signed into law by Gov. Bob Ferguson on March 17, Washington state:  

  • Excludes Tribes from the definition of employer for the state notice requirements. 
  • Exempts the names and addresses of workers included in a notice from the Public Records Act.  
  • Removes the requirement that each impacted employee receive the names and addresses of all impacted employees. 

Read the law on the state Legislature website (PDF, 83KB). 

Gov. Ferguson stands with representatives from the state Legislature and Employment Security Department after signing SB 6106. From left to right: Stephanie Sams, Employment Security Policy & Legislative Manager; Kevin Gordon, Senator Cleveland's Legislative Assistant; Matt Buelow, Employment Security Customer Compliance Director; Senator Cleveland, the bill's prime sponsor; Josh Dye, Employment Security Government Relations; Governor Ferguson; Kaylene Flynn, Employment Security Audit Manager; Cami Feek, Employment Security Commissioner.
Gov. Ferguson stands with representatives from the state Legislature and Employment Security Department after signing SB 6106. From left to right: Stephanie Sams, Employment Security Policy & Legislative Manager; Kevin Gordon, Senator Cleveland's Legislative Assistant; Matt Buelow, Employment Security Customer Compliance Director; Senator Cleveland, the bill's prime sponsor; Josh Dye, Employment Security Government Relations; Governor Ferguson; Kaylene Flynn, Employment Security Audit Manager; Cami Feek, Employment Security Commissioner.

Both state and federal law require that employers provide notice of certain mass layoffs or business closures. In 2025, Washington state adopted the Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act (SB5525). Go to the Washington State Legislature’s website to read RCW 49.45. 

While state requirements closely mirror the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, the state enforces stricter penalties for businesses that do not comply and applies it to more organizations. Learn more about the federal WARN Act and about state requirements on the Employment Security website.   

Employment Security publishes the publicly available notices on the WARN database page of its website. The database lists: 

  • Name of the employer. 
  • Business location. 
  • Number of affected workers. 
  • Whether it’s a layoff or a closure. 
  • Date layoff or closure takes effect. 
  • Downloadable WARN notice (including job titles). 

You can subscribe to receive WARN notifications from Employment Security. You will receive an email when a notice is published on its website.