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Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) and Other Dislocation Notices - Division of Workforce Development & Adult Learning

Employers must notify the Maryland Department of Labor (MD Labor) of certain layoff and closure events, and if you are an employer facing the prospect of laying off even a single worker, MD Labor and local partners are here to help support you and your impacted employees.

This page explains reporting requirements for layoff and closure events, how to notify MD Labor, and the support services we can provide to organizations of all sizes. At the bottom of the page, you will find a log of formally submitted WARNs, as well as other notifications of dislocation required under state or federal law.

Economic Stabilization Act (ESA)

Alert: Regulations have been posted!

During the 2020 legislative session, Senate Bill 780 (Chapter 407) passed into law and amended the Maryland Economic Stabilization Act (ESA). The Economic Stabilization Act requires employers to provide a 60 day notice of a reduction in operations to certain individuals and entities including the employees at the workplace that is subject to the reduction in operations and the Maryland Department of Labor’s (MD Labor) Dislocation Services Unit when certain criteria are met.

The revised regulations are effective Oct. 13, 2025.

Should you have any questions or interest in this topic, we encourage you to check the Maryland Economic Stabilization Act regulations or contact the MD Labor Dislocation Services Unit at sheila.bouloubassis@maryland.gov.

Employer FAQs

What services are available to employers and impacted workers?

MD Labor can offer employers and their impacted workers a wide range of services. These offerings are called Rapid Response services, because we strive to get employers and workers the help they need as quickly as possible, to minimize the negative impacts of layoffs and closures.

Rapid Response services may include:

Support Services for Employers

  • Strategic planning and analysis designed to prepare and manage economic change
  • Information and access to unemployment insurance programs that can allow businesses to resume full operations more quickly, such as Work Sharing
  • Strategic measures to help employers avoid layoffs that support workers and prevent or minimize the duration of unemployment
  • Funding, and management support to upskill the existing workforce to prevent layoffs
  • Strategies to maintain employee morale and productivity

Support Services for Impacted Workers

  • Direct reemployment services and resources such as career guidance, resume preparation, interview practice, job fairs, and job search assistance
  • Assistance with unemployment insurance claims
  • Information on healthcare coverage and other benefits
  • Training to support reemployment efforts
  • Information on Pell Grants, the GI Bill, and other education resources
  • Labor market information on market demand, salary expectations, and more to help workers fine-tune their job search
  • Guidance and support on benefits available through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program for workers whose jobs have been impacted by foreign trade

For more information on how we can help impacted workers, visit MD Labor’s Employment Benefits Guide for the Worker in Transition.

Am I required to notify the state of a layoff or closure event?

In Maryland, the requirements and process for notifying the state of a layoff or closure event differ depending on the size of the organization and the number and percentage of employees impacted (see below). We offer Rapid Response activities for any layoff or closure event.

I am a medium- or large-sized employer anticipating layoffs. What should I do?

First, determine the appropriate type of notification required for your business or organization.

If your business or organization employs 50+ individuals and you are anticipating layoffs of at least 25% of your workforce or 15+ employees, (whichever is greater) over a 3-month period, you must follow the state requirements for Maryland’s Economic Stabilization Act (ESA). Submit notification to MD Labor’s Dislocation Services Unit as well as any employee representatives, and the chief local elected official of the impacted area 60 days prior to termination date.

Notifications to MD Labor’s Dislocation Services Unit must be emailed to dlwdalwarn-labor@maryland.gov or mailed to:
Maryland Department of Labor
Dislocation Services Unit
100 S. Charles Street
Tower 1, Suite 2000
Baltimore, MD 21201

If your business or organization has over 100 employees and is anticipating layoffs or 50+ workers or at least 33% of your active workforce, you must follow the federal requirements for a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN). Submit notification to MD Labor’s Dislocation Services Unit by email to dlwdalwarn-labor@maryland.gov or by mail to the Maryland Department of Labor Dislocation Services Unit at the address above.

For more information on layoff and closure notifications, see the Employer’s Guide for Advance Notice of Layoffs and Closures

I represent a Federal agency that anticipates laying off 50 or more employees through a Reduction in Force (RIF) action. What are my obligations?

When a federal agency separates 50 or more employees by RIF, the agency must notify MD Labor’s Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning, which serves as the State Workforce Agency. Submit notification to dlwdalwarn-labor@maryland.gov. There are also notice requirements to the Office of Personnel Management and to other Federal and non-Federal organizations.

My organization doesn’t meet the criteria for a WARN or ESA and isn’t a federal agency. Does that mean I don’t notify the state if I am laying off employees?

Even if you are an employer facing a layoff or closure event that is not subject to WARN, ESA, or RIF requirements, we still encourage you to notify MD Labor of a dislocation so that your organization and your impacted workers can take advantage of Rapid Response services. This includes larger organizations laying off a small number of people, smaller organizations laying off any number of people, and others. Notifications can be submitted using the Notice of Dislocation Event Form.

Note The information contained on this page is intended to provide general information and guidance regarding the reporting requirements under State and federal law. Employers should review the law and seek legal advice to ensure compliance with all of its legal obligations.


Additional Resources

Dislocation Notice Log: WARN, ESA, and Other Dislocations

This log includes all formal notices that employers have submitted to the Maryland Department of Labor in connection with requirements under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) and the Economic Stabilization Act (ESA). Please note that many notices meet both WARN and ESA requirements. Other types of dislocation events that do not meet WARN or ESA thresholds, but which we have received notification of, are also included in the log. Federal Reduction in Force (RIF) notices are listed in a separate log, below this section.

WARN / ESA / Other Dislocations Log

Notice Date NAICS
Code		 Company Location Local Area
 Total
Employees		 Effective
Date		 Type
1/2/2026 541512 BAE Systems, Inc. 306 Sentinel Drive, Suite 500, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 Anne Arundel County 55 03/02/2026 - 04/02/2026 Mass Layoff

Archive of WARN and other dislocation notices: 2021-2024 records include WARN and voluntary ESA notices, and 2020 and earlier records include WARN notices but not ESA, as that was prior to passage of Maryland’s Economic Stabilization Act. Click below to access prior years' records.

Work Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARN) archive: Click to access prior years' records



Federal RIF Log

When a federal agency has a Reduction in Force (RIF) in which 50 or more employees are separated, the agency must notify:

  • The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
  • Other OPM-specified federal and non-federal organizations
  • The Maryland Department of Labor, for RIFs at Maryland work locations

To submit a RIF notification to MD Labor, send an email to dlwdalwarn-labor@maryland.gov.

The RIF log below includes all formal notices federal agencies have submitted to MD Labor beginning in 2025, in connection with the requirements for RIFs. Prior to 2025, RIFs were not included on the posted list of dislocation events on our webpage. MD Labor did not receive any RIFs between 2015 and 2025.

RIF Log

Archive of RIF and other dislocation notices:

Federal RIF Log