Ohio’s WARN notices are expanding - are you ready?

Layoffs and site closures are tough decisions, but mishandling them invites legal risk and reputational damage.

Under the federal WARN Act, employers with 100+ full-time workers must give 60 days’ notice before mass layoffs or plant closings. In Ohio this year, that framework is evolving.

House Bill 96, effective Sept 29 2025, keeps the same numeric triggers (closures or layoffs affecting 50+ workers or 33% of the workforce) but broadens the audience and content of notices. Employers must now notify not only the state’s Rapid Response unit but also the chief elected official of the city or county where the event occurs and give more detailed information on timing, job titles, union contacts, and bumping rights.

Notices should reach employees or their bargaining representatives by mail or hand delivery at least 60 days in advance. Failing to comply can mean back pay, benefits, and civil penalties, so review your templates and distribution lists now.

Compliance in a flexible world

When the federal WARN Act passed in 1988, most employees were 9-to-5 office workers. Not anymore. Nearly half of U.S. job postings today offer hybrid or remote options, and 76% of workers say flexibility influences whether they stay with their employer.

Your layoff plans should account for remote staff across multiple jurisdictions. Track headcount by location and contract type to know whether a shutdown triggers state or federal thresholds. Document the job title, worksite (including home-office addresses), and union status for each affected employee.

For remote layoffs, deliver WARN notices by certified mail or secure e-mail, and verify receipt well in advance.

AI and automation: friend or foe in workforce transitions?

HR automation isn’t a future fantasy; it’s a current reality. One in three organizations already uses AI in recruitment and hiring, and 42% customize job postings with AI tools.

Automated résumé screening can shorten time-to-hire by up to 45%, and chatbots like Chipotle’s have pushed application completion rates past 80%. Embrace these tools during restructure planning.

Use predictive people analytics to forecast attrition and model alternative staffing scenarios. Chatbots can answer employee questions about severance, open roles, or redeployment options, providing a more humane experience at scale.

Just remember that AI augments - not replaces - human judgment; 93% of recruiters see automation as a complement, not a cost-cutter.

The contingent workforce boom

Freelancers now make up roughly 46.6% of the global workforce, representing about 1.57b people. Two-thirds of companies plan to increase their use of contingent workers in the next two years.

The gig economy is a $646.77b market in 2025 and is projected to top $2t by 2033. Meanwhile, 28% of skilled U.S. knowledge workers earn their living through freelance or non-traditional arrangements, often making $85,000 or more.

This shift means many “workers” affected by layoffs are contractors rather than employees, so the WARN Act may not apply. Yet reputational risk remains.

Treat contingent workers with transparency, provide advance notice where possible, and coordinate with staffing agencies. To manage the growing contingent workforce, 72% of HR managers now use digital talent platforms. Consider investing in vendor management systems that offer workforce analytics and cost controls.

Wellness programs: more than an employee perk

Layoffs often amplify stress. Robust wellness programs cushion the blow.

By 2025, 87% of companies offer formal wellness initiatives, up from 61% in 2020, and 77% of employees say these initiatives improve company culture. Organizations with strong wellness strategies report 28% fewer sick days, 2.5x ROI through higher productivity and lower healthcare costs, and a 24% boost in employee satisfaction.

As you prepare for workforce changes, invest in mental-health resources and wellness stipends. Transparency and empathetic communication can mitigate anxiety - key for remote teams, where 81% say hybrid or remote work improves their mental wellbeing.

Empathetic leadership saves money

Empathy isn’t touchy-feely; it’s a bottom-line necessity. Businessolver’s 2025 State of Workplace Empathy Report shows that 27% of employees consider their organization unempathetic.

Those employees are 1.5x more likely to quit within six months, costing U.S. companies $180b annually. Unempathetic organizations also see 3x higher toxicity and 1.3x more mental health issues, driving absenteeism and lost productivity.

Conversely, CEOs who cultivate empathy experience 2.4x fewer benefit cuts, invest twice as much in employee wellness, and recruit more aggressively. Practical empathy includes active listening, frequent feedback, and flexible work policies.

For example, 60% of remote/hybrid workers and 74% of HR professionals say they would resign if forced back to the office full-time. During reorganizations, offering remote or hybrid alternatives can retain top talent.

CSR & DEI: good deeds drive good business

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer optional. Companies with strong CSR programs see up to a 6% increase in market value over 15 years.

Over 80% of global consumers prefer brands that support causes they care about, and nearly 75% would boycott businesses that take opposing stances. In the labor market, 70% of job seekers consider a company’s social impact before accepting an offer.

CSR is also a powerful engagement tool: 88% of employees say volunteering contributes to their personal and professional growth. Pair CSR with DEI efforts: 76% of Gen Z employees are more likely to stay when DEI is active, and organizations with diverse leadership generate 19% more innovation revenue.

Measure success with metrics like volunteer hours, diversity ratios, and promotion rates for underrepresented groups.

Upskilling & reskilling: the next competitiveness frontier

According to the World Economic Forum, 40% of core skills will change for workers by 2025, and 50% of all employees will need reskilling.

A Deloitte survey found 74% of organizations say reskilling is crucial to their success in the next 12-18 months, while 79% of L&D professionals agree it’s less expensive to reskill existing employees than to hire new ones. Yet only 36% of companies qualify as “career development champions,” with robust programs that deliver measurable business outcomes.

Those companies are 42% more likely to be generative-AI frontrunners. Encourage managers to identify skill gaps, create personalized learning plans, and link training to career pathways. Use skills-mapping analytics to predict future needs and align reskilling with business strategy. Offering apprenticeships, stretch assignments, and micro-credentials can help redeployed employees thrive after a layoff.

People analytics: turning data into decisions

HR analytics is booming - the global market is projected to grow from $14.85b to $68.09b in 2025. Predictive analytics, once reserved for finance, is now an HR staple: 49% of HR leaders say the “future of work” is a top priority and 46% are increasing investment in future-of-work initiatives.

Employee-experience analytics is another rising field, with 47% of HR leaders focusing on it and 53% of employees reporting change fatigue. DEI analytics is critical too; 82% of executives are satisfied with their organization’s DEI progress, yet only 56% of employees agree - an insight only data can reveal.

Adopt dashboards that track turnover drivers, wellness participation, and career development metrics. Use those insights to proactively adjust workforce plans and avoid last-minute layoffs.

Framework: an HR compliance checklist for Ohio WARN events

1. Identify the event: Determine whether a plant closing, mass layoff, or relocation will occur, and tally all full-time and part-time employees across worksites (remote included).
2. Evaluate thresholds: The WARN Act triggers at 50 or more employees at a single site, or 500 employees across the enterprise, or 50 employees representing 33% of the workforce.
3. Map stakeholders: Create a distribution list that includes all affected employees, union representatives, the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services (Rapid Response Unit), and now the chief elected officials of the municipality and county.
4. Draft compliant notices: Include the event’s nature (layoff or closure), anticipated date(s), job titles and number of affected workers, an explanation of bumping rights, contact details for union leaders, and information on unemployment benefits.
5. Deliver timely: Send notices at least 60 days before the first separation. For layoffs below the threshold, consider voluntary notice to preserve goodwill and align with Ohio’s encouragement to inform the state for events affecting 50 or more people.
6. Coordinate support: Partner with local Rapid Response teams to provide employees with job fairs, resume workshops, and retraining programs. Offer internal redeployment or reskilling opportunities where feasible.
7. Track outcomes: Use people analytics to monitor attrition, engagement, and diversity metrics during and after the event. Adjust future workforce plans accordingly.

Example scenario: a plant closure done right

Consider an Ohio auto supplier planning to close a facility employing 75 people due to automation.

HR partners with legal counsel to confirm WARN thresholds and drafts 60-day notices detailing closure dates, reasons (automation), job titles, bumping rights, and union contact information. They send notices to employees, union leaders, the mayor’s office, county commissioners, and the state’s Rapid Response unit.

Meanwhile, HR deploys AI-driven skills assessments to identify which workers can be retrained for roles at other plants or remote positions. For those facing separation, the company hosts a virtual job fair with local manufacturers and offers resume coaching. Employees receive mental-health support and financial counseling.

Post-closure metrics show voluntary attrition remained low and two-thirds of displaced workers transitioned into new roles within the company or its supply chain.

Bringing it all together

Ohio’s evolving WARN landscape is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. HR leaders today must juggle legal compliance, workforce flexibility, technology adoption, wellbeing, DEI, CSR, empathy, reskilling, and analytics. Ignoring any of these pieces can jeopardize talent, productivity, and brand reputation.

Start by auditing your layoff procedures against the new mini-WARN rules. Then build a proactive people strategy: embrace hybrid work, use AI wisely, care for employee wellbeing, champion diversity and social impact, invest in reskilling, and turn data into foresight.

Finally, lead with empathy - because employees at empathetic companies stay longer, perform better, and help organizations thrive in an unpredictable world.