Layoffs in Hawaii

Notice rules

Under the federal WARN Act, employers with 100 or more employees generally must give 60 days’ written notice before a plant closing or mass layoff.

Hawaii has its own rules (Hawaii Dislocated Workers Act):

• Applies to businesses that employed 50 or more people at any time in the previous 12 months, half the federal threshold.
• Employers must give each employee and the state labor director written notice at least 60 days before a closing, divestiture (sale or transfer), partial closing or relocation out of Hawaii.
• An employer that fails to give notice owes each affected employee back pay and benefits for up to 60 days, and can face a civil penalty of up to $500 a day.

Source: HRS § 394B-9 Notification; penalty, Hawaii State Legislature (Haw. Rev. Stat. ch. 394B (§§ 394B-2, 394B-9)). Checked October 11, 2026.

Where to get help

• File for unemployment in Hawaii official state site
• Find an American Job Center near you job-search and training help (CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor)
• Hawaii’s Rapid Response team state help for workers after a layoff (U.S. Department of Labor directory)
• What to do in your first week