When a large employer cuts hundreds of jobs at once, the question on every affected worker's mind is straightforward: what am I owed, and how long do I have to decide? Federal law gives laid-off employees two key protections. The WARN Act generally requires covered employers to give 60 calendar days of advance written notice before a qualifying plant closing or mass layoff, subject to limited statutory exceptions. When an employer violates that duty, affected workers can recover back pay and benefits for each day of the shortfall, up to 60 days. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act sets minimum review and revocation periods before anyone over 40 can sign away age-discrimination claims in a severance agreement. Understanding these timelines is the difference between signing under pressure and making an informed choice.

To see what these rules look like in practice, take Nadia, a 44-year-old senior product manager at Expedia's Seattle headquarters who learned on June 10, 2026, that her role was among the approximately 400 positions being eliminated. Nadia's situation is common across the tech industry right now, and the legal framework around her severance offer is the same one that protects every U.S. worker in a mass layoff. Her story will anchor the math examples throughout this guide.

What did Expedia actually announce?

On June 10, 2026, Expedia Group disclosed plans to eliminate approximately 400 roles. The company has not publicly disclosed the percentage of its workforce affected, the specific departments targeted, or the exact severance formula offered to departing employees. The layoff was tracked through industry reporting on Crunchbase's tech-layoff tracker. Low confidence Because Expedia has not filed a public 8-K with an Item 2.05 restructuring disclosure (or the filing has not yet appeared in SEC EDGAR as of this writing), the public record is limited to the headcount figure and announcement date.

For Nadia, the practical takeaway is simple: the specific dollar amount of her severance package is governed by Expedia's internal plan, not by statute. What the law does control is the process around that offer, including how much notice she should have received, how long she gets to review, and what happens if the company fell short.

Does the federal WARN Act apply to a 400-person layoff?

The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers with 100 or more full-time employees to provide 60 calendar days of written notice before a "mass layoff" or plant closing. [1] A mass layoff counts only when workers suffer an "employment loss": a termination, a layoff lasting more than six months, or a cut of more than 50% in work hours in each month of any six-month period. [1] Within a 30-day period at a single site, that employment loss triggers WARN when it hits at least 50 full-time workers who make up one-third or more of the active workforce, or when it hits 500 or more full-time workers regardless of the percentage. [1]

Expedia's 400-person reduction clears the 50-worker threshold. If 500 or more employees at a single site are affected, the one-third percentage test does not apply at all. [1] If the cuts are spread across multiple offices, each site is evaluated independently under WARN's single-site-of-employment rules. [2]

When an employer fails to provide the full 60 days of notice, each affected employee is entitled to back pay and benefits for each day of the violation, up to 60 days. [1] The employer may also face a civil penalty of up to $500 per day for failing to notify the local government. [2]

Which state mini-WARN laws add extra protection?

Several states impose stricter layoff-notice requirements than the federal WARN Act. Expedia has significant operations in Washington state (its headquarters), as well as offices in California and New York. Here is how the key state laws compare:

State	Threshold	Notice period	Key difference from federal	Source
California (Cal-WARN)	75 employees at a site	60 days	Lower employee threshold (75 vs. 100); covers relocations	EDD WARN page [3]
New York (NY WARN)	25 full-time employees at a site	90 days	90-day notice (vs. 60 federal); lower 25-employee threshold	NY DOL WARN FAQ [4]
Washington	No state mini-WARN statute	N/A (federal WARN applies)	Workers rely solely on federal 60-day requirement	N/A

New York's 90-day notice requirement is especially significant. [4] Any Expedia employees based in New York offices who received fewer than 90 days of notice could have additional state-law claims beyond the federal WARN remedy. California's lower 75-employee threshold means even smaller office closures at Expedia's Bay Area locations could trigger Cal-WARN obligations independently. [3]

If you work at an Expedia office outside these three states, check whether your state has its own mini-WARN law. You can estimate your total severance exposure using our severance calculator or the WARN Act calculator.

How do the OWBPA review and revocation periods work for workers 40 and older?

The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, codified at 29 U.S.C. § 626(f), sets mandatory minimums before an employer can obtain a valid waiver of age-discrimination claims from any employee aged 40 or older. [5] A waiver that fails to meet these requirements is void and unenforceable. [6]

For an individual termination, the employee must receive at least 21 days to consider the agreement. [5] For a group layoff (called an "exit incentive or other employment termination program"), the minimum rises to 45 days. [5] In both cases, the employee retains a 7-day revocation period after signing, during which the agreement is not effective and the employee can change their mind. [5]

The EEOC's guidance further requires that the waiver be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the employee, that it specifically refer to rights under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and that the employer advise the employee in writing to consult an attorney. [6]

In a group layoff, the employer must also provide a written disclosure listing the job titles and ages of all individuals selected (and not selected) for the program within the "decisional unit." [5] If Expedia's agreement does not include this disclosure, the waiver of age claims is defective.

For more on how these timelines interact with severance negotiations, see our guide on how to negotiate severance.

How does Expedia severance interact with unemployment insurance?

This is where state law matters a great deal. Each state's unemployment-insurance program has its own rules about whether a lump-sum or periodic severance payment delays or reduces benefits.

New York can treat certain severance or "dismissal pay" as wages when it is allocated to a specific period after separation. In that case, the New York Department of Labor spreads the payment across the weeks it covers, and the claimant is ineligible for unemployment benefits during that period. [7] A lump-sum severance allocated to 12 weeks of pay means the worker waits 12 weeks before collecting unemployment. Payments not tied to a defined post-separation period may be treated differently.

Washington generally does not reduce unemployment benefits for lump-sum severance that is not allocated to specific work weeks, so workers receiving such a payment can typically file immediately after their last day of work. Certain separation pay attributable to specific weeks can still affect a weekly benefit, so confirm your own facts with the Employment Security Department. Low confidence

California often does not treat true severance as wages for unemployment purposes, so many laid-off workers can apply for benefits right away. How a payment is structured still matters: wages in lieu of notice or continued salary can be treated as disqualifying, so verify your specific arrangement with the EDD.

The U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance in UIPL 33-92 confirming that states have broad discretion in how they classify severance for unemployment purposes. [8] The practical advice: file your unemployment claim on the first day you are eligible in your state and let the state agency determine whether your severance creates a waiting period. Do not assume you are disqualified.

You can model how state taxes and severance timing affect your take-home pay with our severance tax calculator.

What terms in the severance agreement can you actually push back on?

Expedia has not publicly disclosed the terms of its 2026 severance offers, so the specific formula (weeks per year of service, bonus treatment, equity acceleration) is not part of the public record. What is well established is the set of terms that are commonly negotiable in tech-industry severance agreements. Keep in mind that none of these items are required by federal law unless WARN back pay or OWBPA compliance is at issue.

Cash severance. The total payout is the most obvious negotiation point. If the initial offer is, say, two weeks per year of service, there is often room to request a higher multiple, especially for long-tenured employees or those with specialized institutional knowledge.

COBRA and healthcare continuation. Under federal COBRA rules, employers with 20 or more employees must offer 18 months of continued group health coverage, but the employee typically pays the full premium plus a 2% administrative fee. Negotiating for the employer to subsidize COBRA premiums for several months is one of the highest-value asks in any severance discussion.

Equity treatment. For Expedia employees with unvested restricted stock units (RSUs), the agreement may address whether any additional vesting will be accelerated. Equity treatment is rarely standard and almost always worth raising.

Reference language and non-disparagement. A mutual non-disparagement clause protects both sides. If Expedia's agreement includes a one-sided clause, asking for mutuality is a reasonable counter.

Outplacement services. Some agreements include a budget for career coaching or job-placement assistance. The cost to the employer is low, making this an easy concession to win.

For a broader framework on these conversations, read our post on how to negotiate your severance package.

What should you do right now if you are inside the consideration window?

If you received a severance agreement from Expedia on or around June 10, 2026, here is a concrete checklist:

Write down your last day of work, the date you received the agreement, and the stated deadline to sign. Confirm the deadline matches the OWBPA minimums (21 days individual, 45 days group). [5]
Read the WARN notice (if any) and compare the notice date to your separation date. If the gap is fewer than 60 days (or 90 days in New York), you may have a WARN back-pay claim. [1] [4]
Check whether the agreement asks you to waive age-discrimination claims. If you are 40 or older, verify that the agreement includes the OWBPA-required disclosures: job titles and ages of those selected and not selected within the decisional unit. [5]
File for unemployment benefits in your state on day one. Let the agency determine whether your severance creates a waiting period. Do not self-disqualify.
Consult an employment attorney before signing. OWBPA itself requires that the employer advise you to do this. [6] Many employment lawyers offer free initial consultations for severance review.
Run the numbers. Use our layoff calculator to estimate your total separation value, including WARN back pay, severance, and unemployment benefits.

Frequently asked questions

Does federal law require Expedia to pay severance?

No federal statute requires any private employer to pay severance. Severance is a contractual benefit, not a legal entitlement. The WARN Act generally requires covered employers to give 60 calendar days of advance written notice before a qualifying mass layoff or plant closing, subject to limited statutory exceptions; if that notice requirement is violated, affected employees may recover back pay and benefits for each day of the shortfall, up to 60 days, but that remedy is separate from a voluntary severance package. [1] If your Expedia employment agreement or offer letter references a severance plan, the plan's terms control. Otherwise, the only mandatory payment is any unpaid wages and accrued vacation required by state law.

How long do I have to review the Expedia severance agreement before signing?

If Expedia's layoff is treated as a group termination under OWBPA (which a 400-person reduction almost certainly is), employees aged 40 and older must receive at least 45 calendar days to consider the agreement, followed by a 7-day revocation period after signing. [5] Workers under 40 are not covered by OWBPA and should check their agreement for a stated deadline. Signing early does not waive the 7-day revocation window.

Can I collect unemployment benefits while receiving severance from Expedia?

The answer depends on your state. New York allocates severance to the weeks it covers when the payment relates to a defined post-separation period, delaying eligibility for that stretch. [7] Washington generally does not offset benefits for lump-sum severance that is not tied to specific weeks. California often does not treat true severance as disqualifying wages, though wages in lieu of notice can be. File your claim on the first day you are eligible and let the state agency make the determination. The U.S. DOL's UIPL 33-92 confirms that states set their own rules on this question. [8]

What happens if Expedia did not give 60 days of WARN Act notice?

Each affected employee is entitled to back pay and benefits for every day of the notice shortfall, up to 60 days. [1] The employer may also face a civil penalty of up to $500 per day for failing to notify the local government. [2] If you are in New York, the state mini-WARN law requires 90 days of notice, so the shortfall and potential back-pay remedy could be larger. [4]

Should I hire a lawyer to review my Expedia severance agreement?

OWBPA itself requires the employer to advise employees in writing to consult an attorney before signing a waiver of age-discrimination claims. [6] Even if you are under 40, an employment lawyer can identify whether the agreement's non-compete, non-solicitation, or IP-assignment clauses are broader than necessary and whether the offered amount is reasonable given your tenure and role. Many employment attorneys offer a flat-fee severance review. The cost is almost always less than the value of a single additional week of severance pay.

What is the difference between WARN Act back pay and severance pay?

WARN Act back pay is a statutory remedy: if the employer failed to provide 60 days of notice before a qualifying mass layoff, each affected worker is owed pay and benefits for the shortfall period, up to 60 days. [1] Severance pay is a voluntary contractual benefit the employer chooses to offer. The two are independent. An employer that owes WARN back pay cannot count voluntary severance toward that obligation unless the severance agreement explicitly says so and the employee agrees. Use our WARN Act calculator to estimate your exposure.

Sources & verification

96 / 100 verifiedReviewed July 18, 2026

Every numeric claim, statute citation, and factual assertion in this post was verified against primary sources. Indexed dollar figures (wage bases, contribution limits, supplemental rates) were checked against our internal registry of agency-published values; all other claims were checked by an automated AI fact-checker. The 4-point gap reflects 4 passageswhere the fact-checker’s reading of the primary source differed from ours; the disputed reading is attached to the source it concerns below.

The score reflects the state of verification on the review date, not a permanent guarantee, since statutes get amended and agency guidance changes. See how we score accuracy for the full process.