Online WARN Submission


​​Who must provide notice?

The Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) requires applicable employers to provide advanced notification of a plant closure or mass layoff. This applies to employers with 75 or more full-time workers.

  • Definition of “Mass Layoff" triggering notice requirements:
    • 25 or more full-time employees are laid off, and they constitute one-third or more of the full-time employees at the site, OR
    • 250 or more full-time employees are laid off at a single site.
  • Definition of “Plant Closure" triggering notice requirements:
    • Closure of a site that employs 50 or more employees, impacting all workers.
Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.




Illinois WARN Requirements

Notice Must Be Provided to Illinois' Dislocated Worker Unit:

  • Option 1: Illinois WorkNet Account Online Portal
    • Create an Illinois WorkNet account and log in to submit a WARN through the Illinois WorkNet WARN Portal[EB1] . An account is recommended if you plan to submit multiple WARN notices or need to file a supplemental notice for an existing layoff.
  • ​Option 2: Online Portal
    • Submit a WARN through Illinois WorkNet WARN Portal[EB2] .
    • No account is required, but without signing in, you cannot view past submissions.
  • Option 3: Email and Mail
    • WARN correspondence can be submitted via email at CEO.WARNSubmission@illinois.gov and mailed to:
      • ​Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
      • Office of Employment & Training
      • Attn: WARN Processing Unit
      • 1011 South Second Street
      • Springfield, IL 62704


​​ [EB1]Link to be provided by IWN                                 [EB2]Link to be provided by IWN​​


What the Notice must contain:
  • The name and address of the employment site(s) where the plant closing or mass layoff will occur.
  • Whether the planned action is expected to be permanent or temporary and if the entire plant is to be closed—a statement to that effect.
  • The expected date of the first separation, and the anticipated schedule for making separations.
  • The job titles of positions to be affected, and the number of affected employees in each job classification (for multiple sites, provide a list per site).
  • A statement as to the existence of any applicable bumping rights.
  • The name of each union representing the affected employees, and the name and address of the chief elected officer of each union—if none exist, so state; and
  • The name and telephone number of a company official to contact for further information.

Also, please include the employer's Federal Identification Number, or FEIN, for the dislocating company on all WARN correspondence.​




Illinois WARN Complaints
The Illinois WARN Law maintains that the Director of the Illinois Department of Labor is to make rules with “provisions that allow the parties access to administrative hearings for any actions of the Department under the Act." Furthermore, in “any investigation or proceeding under this Act," the Director has the authority to “examine the books and records of an employer" in order to determine whether a violation of this Act has occurred." For information about compliance, please visit the Illinois Department of Labor at Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) - Conciliation and Mediation Division
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