Core Provisions: The Federal Oversight Reform and Enforcement of the WARN Act (Forewarn Act of 2007) would amend the WARN Act to give enforcement authority to the Department of Labor and state attorneys general, and would increase penalties. The bill lowers the threshold triggering applicability of the statute for a plant/operating unit closing from 50 to 25, reduces the minimum employer size from 100 to 50 employees and lowers the mass layoff threshold from 500 to 100 employees. The legislation would also expand the notice period from 60 to 90 days, and require employers to send written notice to the Department of Labor. Additionally, the House bill requires notice be provided to U.S. senators and representatives, state senators and representatives, the governor of the affected area and the federal Secretary of Labor. The House bill also requires employers to pay employees two days of pay for each calendar day the employer falls short of the notice period.

Status: H.R.3662 was introduced by Rep. McHugh (R-NY) on September 25, 2007 and was referred to the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections on October 17, 2007. S.1792 was introduced on July 16, 2007 by Sen. Brown (D-OH) and referred to the HELP Committee. H.R.3662 has one co-sponsor, while S.1792 has eight co-sponsors.