Maryland WARN Act Does Not Provide a Private Right of Action to Workers Terminated in Violation of the Law
On August 26, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland decided in Teamsters Local Union No. 355 v. Total Distribution Services, Inc., that the Maryland Economic Stabilization Act (“Maryland WARN Act” or “Act”) does not provide individuals with the right to file suit in their personal capacity to enforce a legal claim under the Act. The Maryland WARN Act still may be enforced by the Maryland Department of Labor. The Act is based, in part, on its federal counterpart, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, with important differences. Background The individual plaintiff formerly worked for defendants at an automobile distribution facility in Jessup, Maryland, known as the Annapolis Junction . During this time, Teamsters Local Union 355 represented employees, including the plaintiff, working at the Annapolis Junction in negotiations to establish an updated collective bargaining agreement for the bargaining unit. On May...