Layoffs in Tennessee

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.

Tennessee has its own rules (Tennessee WARN filing requirements):

• Private, for-profit and nonprofit employers with 50 or more full-time employees (or 50 or more employees who together work at least 2,000 hours a week) must file.
• A notice is required when a closure or layoff affects 50 or more people within 30 days, lower than the federal trigger.
• Notice is due at least 60 calendar days before the planned layoff or closure date.

Source: WARN Notice Questions and Answers, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Tennessee Plant Closing and Reduction in Operations Act). Checked October 11, 2026.

Where to get help

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