Just use this time to find a new job. Tomorrow or someday in Sept, layoff is coming. Guessing just makes the matter worse.
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Because it was in 2012 and yes it was Obama.
How did president Obama manage that if he did not take office until 2009?
You can thank Obama for that. In 2008 he began allowing employers to ignore the requirements law of the WARN Act. Companies used to be penalized.
The WARN act has NO enforcement.
According to this government page (https://www.doleta.gov/programs/factsht/warn.htm), the WARN act applies if a site with more than 50 people closes or if there's a "mass layoff" at a site. A "mass layoff" is
-- >500 people laid off
or
-- >33% of the site and >50 people laid off.
I don't think the WARN act applied to the January layoff, and doubt the WARN act applies to this layoff except perhaps at an isolated site or two. Also, if the WARN act did apply, each affected worker would have to be notified specifically -- I don't think the emails they've sent out are specific enough to meet the WARN act requirements. If your interpretation differs, please explain what I missed.
What loophole allowed the January 5 2016 layoff to occur only 47 days after notice on November 19 2015?
The email notification of the Honeywell Layoff was sent out on July 13th. This notification follows the WARN Act, 20 CFR 639.2. The employer is required by this law to give 60 days notice before a mass layoff or plant closure. (29 USC, 2102; 20 CFR 639.5) This places the date of the layoff after September 11th. There are some exemptions to this which are:
There is an offer to transfer employee to a different site within a reasonable commuting distance.
(29 USC, 2101 (b) (2); 20 CFR 639.5)
The closure is due to unforeseeable business circumstances, a natural disaster.
(29 USC, 2103; 20 CFR 639.9)
The closing or layoff constitutes a strike or constitutes a lockout not intended to evade the requirement of this chapter. [29 USC, 2103 (2)]
With reference to one of the above items, this is why your manager in the mid-year review asked the question was asked if you were willing to relocate.
The email notification and 60 day duration is definitely producing the hoped for demoralizing results. If the employee leaves, then that is one less severance package that is required to be payed out. The attrition has already started.
An employer who violates the WARN provisions is liable to each employee for a financial penalty. [29 USC; 2104 (a)]. This is why HR has brought in the Lawyers. Honeywell HR has to verify that they are in compliance to each states WARN Act in which the layoff is happening. This also applies for Canada.
There will probably be a third and forth quarter furlough to boost the profits for each quarter. So, get ready for the next rounds.
Benefits have been on the decline for a few years, so expect some more decreases to come.
Not before September 13 makes the most sense, since it is 60 days after the announcement on July 13, per the WARN Act.