Companies are requires to give 60 days notice if they’re going to lay off 50+ people. The only way to get around this is to lay off in smaller numbers or spread layoffs across different locations.
Since the Cigna is doing mass layoffs, it seems likely that more than 50 people will be laid off per location.
So why haven’t we seen any WARN notices?
Whole thing is a cr-p shoot.
They do give the 60-day working notice. Basically your role ends the day you are called, but you remain on payroll for 60 days without being actually required to work. Much better than warning you and then making you work for the 60 days before your last day.
@3ny ...and yeah, it's my understanding (some? all?) people being JEd are remaining on payroll through March!
Cigna is implementing roughly 2,000 job cuts, about 3% of its workforce, by the end of February 2026 without filing public Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices. They appear to avoid these mandates by spreading layoffs across many, separate, and smaller locations, ensuring no single site hits the 50-employee, 33% threshold, or by offering severance that keeps employees on payroll for 60 days. Thanks AI
Because big corporations are experts at getting around the WARN act.
Mass email sent out this morning stating a smaller workforce by end of year. The company will leverage AI and automation. Today around 2,000 people will be laid off. They made sure to say its less than 3% of the enterprise. I guess thats how they get around the WARN notice. Seems like there will be more layoffs to come, this is just tge start.
@ef Knowledge is power.
There are people who work at Cigna who are not aware that the layoffs have been happening.
WARN notices shed at least a little light on things.
Also, I don't like to see the company I work for breaking the law or skirting the law, when those laws are meant to protect workers.
If WARN notices are not a big deal, then why is the company going out of its way, and risking possible legal consequences, to avoid issuing the notices?
@ea laying off more than 500 people in one location
Please understand that WARN laws are by state. Some require 30 days, some are 60 days and some require 90.
Some of the state laws have overlaps with their stipulations. Some require severance, some do not. Some differ by the number of employee impacted, locations, etc.
I recommend checking in the state you are employed in.
@ef I believe the 2 main implications are:
1) Company layoffs subject to WARN require 60 days notice to employees who are being laid off. I think Cigna is handling this by paying workers who are notified on 1/29 through the end of March, even though 1/29 will be their last day working.
2) Companies have to notify state and local government officials. This creates a public relations headache for Cigna. In the past Cigna has done a slow drip of ongoing layoffs to avoid triggering this. But 1/29 is different since it will be thousands of people.
@ef Excellent question! This hang up on not having to announce WARN is perplexing and really not useful to the bigger picture conversation.
J may be missing something - but what exactly is the big deal regarding WARN? Sure you may know there are layoffs coming but you still wouldn’t know who or what area, right? If it is to call out that Cigna is laying off so the public knows and if so what does that impact exactly? We still wouldn’t get JE either way so why are we hung up on WARN?
@dw What do you mean Cigna doesn’t exceed 500 employees in a single location? Bloomfield and St. Louis have way more than 500 employees. I think there are a few other locations also.
(3) the term "mass layoff" means a reduction in force which—
(A) is not the result of a plant closing; and
(B) results in an employment loss at the single site of employment during any 30-day period for—
(i)(I) at least 33 percent of the employees (excluding any part-time employees); and
(II) at least 50 employees (excluding any part-time employees); or
(ii) at least 500 employees (excluding any part-time employees);
Simple explanation: It is PER SITE(location) and must be either:
-- 33% of the employees at the site(location) AND at least 50 employees (Cigna does not exceed 33% at a single location)
-- Over 500 employees at the site(location). Cigna does not exceed 500 employees at a single location)
As long as Cigna knows how to play the numbers they do not have to do WARN
@aa sorta true.
The way around it is you have a "notification day" and a "termination date".
As long as the space between the two are greater than or equal to WARN requirements, then the company is covered.
You are a full employee until "termination date". You may be home with no assets, but pay and benefits continue as if you are still working.
I hope that helps some of the misconception here.
@a9 the question was about the WARN act, not whether the 1/29 layoffs would happen. There will be layoffs on 1/29 and potentially more if they don’t get their VRP numbers. If they lay off over a certain number you are required to use WARN act. There are no exceptions.
@a5 Nope. 1/29 layoffs were decided weeks ago. People taking the VRP will be on top of that.
@OP Idk, but around this time a year ago another big insurer in my state laid off 550 people. No WARN notices. My guess is their position and Cigna's is that they qualify for a few of the exceptions to WARN, or else that they view the fines as part of the cost of doing business.
Maybe they are waiting on VRP numbers first.