The provision of support services information to employees who are affected by a business closing or mass layoff and providing a penalty

What it does

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, any employer employing 50 or more persons in this state (employer) who decides upon a permanent or temporary shutdown that affects 25 or more employees (business closing) or upon a reduction in force affecting at least 25 percent of the employer's workforce or 25 employees, whichever is greater, or affecting at least 500 employees (mass layoff) must notify, among others: 1) the Department of Workforce Development (DWD); and 2) any employee who loses, or who may reasonably be expected to lose, his or her employment with the employer because of the business closing or mass layoff (affected employee). The notice must be provided no later than 60 days before the business closing or mass layoff. DWD must provide a copy of the notice to the Department of Commerce and the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and cooperate with those agencies to provide certain types of assistance to the employer and affected employees and information regarding health insurance options available to affected employees.

This bill requires the business closing or mass layoff notice to an affected employee to include contact information for the local workforce development board serving the area in which the employment site is located. The bill requires DWD to provide a copy of the notice to that local workforce development board and requires the board, no later than 30 days after receipt of the notice, to provide to the employer a list of resources available in that area that provide career planning, job search, job skills training, and other support services for affected employees. The employer must provide a copy of this list to an affected employee no later than 14 days after an affected employee's last day of work or the date of the final payment of the affected employee's wages, whichever is earlier.

Who's behind it

14 representatives are its authors⁠. 12 are Democrats and 2 are Republicans.

9 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From COMM
• Fiscal Estimate From DWD
• Fiscal Estimate From OCI

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment AA1-AB266
• LC Amendment Memo