@uig+1aOKqBDc - Yes there is a Federal requirement to give notice of a layoff, it's called the WARN Act (see below.) It could be they are going with December just in case things don't go as planned and it takes longer for the existing staff to train the new staff which is just speculation on my part.
What is the WARN Act?
The WARN Act is a law that protects workers from the impacts of unexpected loss of employment by requiring employers to give notice to employees. The WARN Act defines loss of employment as employment termination, a layoff exceeding six months or the reduction of working hours by 50% in six months.
The WARN Act requires employers to give employees 60-day notice when:
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Closing a facility will lead to loss of employment for at least 50 employees. However, this notice does not cover employees who are employed for 20 hours a week or less, or employees who have worked less than six months for a company.
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At least 500 employees who work on an employer’s site for 30 days will be laid off. The employees who will be laid off should comprise at least 33% of actively working employees at the employer’s site. The act does not cover employees who have worked for less than six months or those who work less than 20 hours a week.
The act also requires that employers notify employees affected by the sale of a business or one of its parts. In this case, the employer must provide at least 60 days’ notice. Other expectations include:
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The seller must provide notice before the sale date and time. The buyer must provide employees with a notice of a plant closure or mass layoff after the sale date and time.
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The employees of the seller will immediately become the employees of the buyer after the sale.
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The notice should also inform any affected areas of the sale date and time.
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If the sale of the business will not result in plant closure or mass layoff, employers are not required to give notice.
from https://www.indeed.com/hire/c/info/what-is-the-warn-act?aceid=&gclid=CjwKCAjwnPOEBhA0EiwA609ReRC1A6GXrN3ZwDWcJm3EvCXkp_qJoPbv-fBMK7QhRVajXsm1mLpBgxoCtIAQAvD_BwE#1