Strauss Borrelli PLLC, a leading class action law firm, is investigating Stone Distributing Co. regarding its recent mass layoffs in San Marcos and Downey, California. The WARN Act is a federal law that requires certain employers to notify their employees, in writing, at least sixty days before a plant closing or mass layoff takes effect. As a result, we believe Stone Distributing Co. employees may be entitled to sixty days of severance pay and benefits.
WHAT HAPPENED?
On March 31, 2025, Stone Distributing Co. notified the California Employment Development Department of its decision to conduct mass layoffs at two of its facilities in Downey and San Marcos, California. The federal law, known as the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, requires covered employers to provide 60 days’ prior written notice to employees, their representatives, and certain government parties in the event of a mass layoff or plant closing. We are investigating whether Stone Distributing Co. failed to provide at least 60 days’ notice before laying off 190 employees in Downey and 180 employees in San Marcos, California and, therefore, violated the WARN Act.
ABOUT THE WARN ACT:
The WARN Act is a federal law passed in 1988 by Congress that requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide a 60-day notice of significant layoffs or plant closings. This notice gives workers and their families time to prepare for job loss, seek new employment, and pursue training or retraining opportunities. The WARN Act aims to reduce the impact of sudden job loss on workers and communities by ensuring they have sufficient time to transition. Generally, employees must receive a WARN Act notice if they are laid off or if their hours are cut by 50% or more in any six-month period because of a plant closing or mass layoff. It is possible that a temporary layoff may still violate the WARN Act if it ends up lasting longer than six months.
Employers who do not follow the WARN Act rules, either by giving notice too late or providing unclear notices, may have to pay employees back pay and benefits for the time they were in violation.
If you or someone you know were laid off from Stone Distributing Co., we would like to speak with you about your rights and potential legal remedies. Please fill out the form below or contact us at 872.263.1100 or sam@straussborrelli.com
ABOUT STONE DISTRIBUTING CO:
Stone Distributing Co., headquartered in San Marcos, California, is one of the largest independent distributors of premium craft beverages in Southern California. It operates warehouses in San Marcos and Downey, California, servicing bars, restaurants, and retailers across nearly all of Southern California.
If you or someone you know were laid off from Stone Distributing Co:
We would like to speak with you about your rights and potential legal remedies. Please fill out the form below or contact us at 872.263.1100 or sam@straussborrelli.com.
