Labor & Employment (Unemployment)

The Fair Warning Act of 2025 requires employers with 50 or more employees (or $2 million+ annual payroll) to provide 90 days' written notice before site closings or mass layoffs. This notice must include details about the layoff, recall dates, available benefits, and job opportunities at other locations, and must be provided to affected employees, state workforce agencies, and local governments. Exceptions include natural disasters, terrorist attacks, public health emergencies, and situations where new business or financing would be jeopardized by the notice. The bill creates a public database tracking all notices and increases penalties for non-compliance, including liquidated damages equal to 30 days of back pay.

This bill modifies state unemployment programs to help job seekers start businesses. It removes the requirement that participants must first exhaust regular unemployment benefits before accessing self-employment assistance. States must now approve business plans or require entrepreneurial training/counseling for participants, who must also certify weekly participation. The bill also raises the cap on program participants from 5% to 10% of unemployed individuals. These changes aim to expand access to business ownership support through state unemployment systems.

This bill establishes federal standards for unemployment insurance to increase consistency and support during economic downturns. It sets minimum requirements for benefit duration (26 weeks), wage replacement (75% of earnings), and maximum benefit amounts, while expanding eligibility for individuals separated due to compelling reasons like family care or workplace violence. The bill creates a new Jobseeker Allowance program providing weekly payments to unemployed individuals actively seeking work, with higher payments during periods of elevated unemployment. States would administer these programs with full federal funding for extended benefits and specific administrative support for the new allowance. The changes would take effect for unemployment claims beginning on or after January 1, 2027.