Federal Lawsuit in New York Raises Questions About Remote Workers’ Rights Under State WARN Laws
The media companies Paramount Global and CBS Interactive, Inc., are facing a class-action lawsuit in federal court over recent layoffs, which allegedly occurred without the proper warning. The outcome of the case may shed light on when remote workers who live out of state can have standing to sue under state laws requiring advance notice before a mass layoff. Quick Hits Employees sued Paramount Global and CBS Interactive after mass layoffs in New York in 2024. Employees claim the companies did not provide ninety days’ notice under New York’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act . But the companies argue they fulfilled their legal duty because the workers stayed on payroll and benefits for ninety days. Some of the laid-off employees worked remotely in other states, and the parties disagree as to whether remote workers may sue under the New York WARN Act. On September 24, 2024, about 350 employees, mostly based in New York City, were notified that their last day ...