WARN Act Compliance Toolkit

WARN counting is where employers get caught. The toolkit runs every window, reads every test as an exposure flag routing to counsel, and drafts the notices, never a clearance.

Six files from the first count to the last letter

The guide to understand the rules, the calculator to run the windows, and the letters to deliver the notice, built to be used together on one reduction.

• Start Here. How the pieces fit and the order to work in, with the counsel instruction front and center.
• WARN Act Compliance Guide. The counting rules in plain language: coverage and the employment-loss definitions, the threshold math and the 90-day aggregation trap on a worked example, the four-state mini-WARN table, the notice recipients and required content per audience, remote workers as dated risk guidance, and the exceptions and penalties.
• WARN Threshold and Aggregation Calculator. Log employment losses by date; every row computes the qualifying losses in the rolling 30-day and 90-day windows, with short layoffs under 6 months zero-weighted, the 33% share test, five federal reads, and a per-state read for California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey. A timeline tab counts the notice clock back from the separation date. Opens on a worked example.
• WARN Notice Letter Templates. Four letters carrying the required content elements per recipient class: affected employees, union representatives, the state dislocated worker unit with the short-form option, and the chief elected official, plus the California SB 617 addendum, each with a delivery-record prompt. Opens in Word or Google Docs.

The method in the order a compliant reduction runs

Count first, calendar second, letters third. Every step routes to counsel where the law turns on facts.

• Log the losses and run the windows. Every contemplated separation goes in with a date; the calculator computes each rolling 30-day and 90-day window, applies the 33% test, and zero-weights short layoffs so logging them never inflates the math.
• Read the exposure. Five federal reads plus the state read for your jurisdictions, each an exposure flag with the reasoning visible, and never a clearance.
• Build the timeline. The notice clock counts back 60 or 90 calendar days from the separation date, adds a send-by cushion for delivery, and marks the counsel milestone before either.
• Draft and deliver the notices. One letter per recipient class with the required elements, the California addendum where it applies, and a delivery-record prompt on each, with counsel review before anything is sent.

Built to flag exposure, never to clear you

A spreadsheet that says you are clear is how employers get caught. Every read in this toolkit is an exposure flag that routes to counsel, and every threshold is dated.

• Exposure profiles, not clearances. Every read says where the risk is and routes to counsel; no output anywhere says you are clear, because that is not a spreadsheet call.
• Every threshold dated. Federal and state thresholds carry their checked date and a verify-current-law banner, because these laws change and pending bills exist.
• The aggregation trap built in. The 90-day windows compute for every row automatically, which is exactly the math employers skip when they slice a reduction into rounds.
• Remote workers handled with candor. The single-site question is unsettled; the guide ships it as dated risk guidance with the litigation named, not as a rule.

Who it is built for and where to go if that is not you

Built for

• An operator or HR lead planning a reduction anywhere near the thresholds and wanting the counting done before counsel starts the clock.
• A lean HR team that needs the notice letters and the timeline in one place under deadline.
• A consultant supporting a client through a restructure.

If you are looking for

• The selection and severance side of the reduction. The RIF and Restructure Planning Kit covers defensible selection, adverse impact, and releases.
• The whole reduction in one purchase. The RIF Complete System bundles this toolkit with the planning kit and the savings planner.

Before you buy

Does the calculator tell me whether WARN applies?

It computes the windows and reads every federal and state test on your numbers, as exposure flags with the reasoning visible. It never outputs a clearance, because coverage turns on facts a spreadsheet cannot see; the flags exist to make the counsel conversation fast and specific.

Which state laws does it model?

California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey, each with its own read and dated thresholds, plus an other-state prompt that tells you to check rather than assume. The stricter rule wins, and the reference says which dimension each state tightens.

What is in the notice letters?

One letter per recipient class carrying the content elements the regulations require for that audience: affected employees, union representatives, the state dislocated worker unit including the short-form option, and the chief elected official, plus the California SB 617 addendum items effective 1 January 2026. Each carries a delivery-record prompt and a counsel-review instruction.

How does it handle remote workers?

As unsettled law, which it is. The guide dates the conflicting rulings and the pending litigation, notes that New York counts site-based remote workers by statute, and describes the cautious practice, framed as risk management for a counsel conversation.

Is it a subscription?

No. One-time purchase, no recurring fee. You keep the files.

Will it stay current as the rules change?

Each file carries a last-reviewed date so you can see how current it is, every threshold and test is dated in the text, and meaningful updates are released as the rules change.

What is the refund policy?

Digital products are covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee. See the refund policy for the full terms.

What happens after I buy?

Your files are delivered as a digital download, and your receipt arrives by email. Open the Start Here page first; it tells you the order to work in. Questions or want a hand getting set up? Email support@truestephr.com.

Can I expense this purchase to my business?

Most customers buy TrueStep HR tools for business use, and a tool you use for work often qualifies as a deductible business expense. Whether it does for you depends on your situation, so confirm with your accountant. Your receipt arrives by email at checkout and works as documentation.

General information, not legal advice. Have qualified employment counsel review any classification decision, agreement, or notice before you act on it.

How the download works

Your files arrive as a single ZIP download, best opened on a computer: save it, extract it (right-click and Extract All on Windows, double-click on a Mac), and open the Start Here file first. PDFs open in any reader, and the editable files work in Microsoft Word and Excel or their free equivalents, including LibreOffice and Google Docs and Sheets. No other software is needed. Step-by-step help for every device is at truestephr.com/pages/download-help.