New York has quietly become the first state to require employers to disclose when artificial intelligence contributes to layoffs. As of March 2025, amendments to the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act require companies to indicate whether job reductions were influenced by “automation or technological advances,” including AI.

The update does not change when or how employers must issue WARN notices but adds a new transparency requirement. Covered employers—those with 50 or more employees planning mass layoffs, closures, or significant hour reductions—must now check a box on their WARN filing if AI played a role in the decision. The New York Department of Labor has also requested a short explanation when the AI box is selected, though formal guidance remains limited.