California Expands WARN Act to Require AI and Automation Disclosures in Layoff Notices
California employers planning layoffs will soon need to provide additional disclosures to workers and government agencies regarding the role of artificial intelligence and automation in those decisions.
The state has amended its Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act to add new requirements for notices involving AI systems. Under the updated law, employers must disclose whether AI or automation will be utilized in connection with a covered layoff event—defined as affecting 50 or more workers within a 30-day period.
The amendments bring California in line with growing legislative attention to workforce impacts from automation. Similar federal proposals have been discussed in Congress, though California's action represents a concrete regulatory step in this direction.
Employers operating in California should review their layoff notification procedures to ensure compliance with the new disclosure requirements when they take effect.