Bill > AB2530

This bill, amending the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (Cal/WARN Act), expands protections for employees facing plant closings and mass layoffs by including "public agencies" as employers and covered establishments, meaning government entities are now subject to the same notice requirements as private companies. The bill clarifies that in the event of a business sale, the seller is responsible for providing notice up to the sale date, and the buyer is responsible thereafter. It also strengthens the notice requirements by specifying that employers must provide 60 days' written notice before a mass layoff or plant closing to affected employees, the Employment Development Department, and local officials, and outlines penalties for non-compliance, including back pay and benefits for employees, and civil penalties for violations related to local government notification. The bill also encourages employers not covered by the act to voluntarily provide notice and requires the Employment Development Department to develop regulations and report on the act's impact.