Santa Barbara County Layoffs

Employers have filed 3 WARN notices with the California Employment Development Department (EDD) for workplaces in Santa Barbara County, covering 39 workers at 3 employers. The most recent notice is from July 28, 2026.

WARN notices

Source: California EDD WARN reports. “Effective” is the layoff or closure date the employer reported. Search all California WARN notices.

Employers with WARN notices in Santa Barbara County

• Red Lobster Restaurants LLC37 workers
• Yerba Mate Co., LLC - Santa Barbara1 worker
• Yerba Mate Co., LLC - Santa Maria1 worker

Cities in Santa Barbara County with WARN notices

• Santa Maria39 workers

Your rights in a California layoff

• 60 days’ notice. California’s WARN Act (Labor Code sections 1400–1408) generally requires an employer to give 60 days’ written notice before a mass layoff, relocation or termination at a covered establishment: a facility that employs, or has employed in the past 12 months, 75 or more people.
• What counts. A mass layoff is a layoff of 50 or more employees at the facility within any 30-day period. A relocation is a move of all or substantially all operations 100 or more miles away. A termination is the shutdown of all or substantially all operations.
• What the notice must say. Since January 1, 2026, the notice must also say whether the employer plans to coordinate services, such as a rapid response orientation, through the local workforce development board, through another organization, or not at all. It must also include contact information for the local board and a description of its services, information about CalFresh food assistance, and a working email address and phone number for the employer.
• Pay if notice was not given. An employer that fails to give the required notice is generally liable to each affected employee for back pay and the value of lost benefits for up to 60 days (or half of the time the employee worked there, if that is shorter).
• Your final paycheck. When you are laid off, your final wages are generally due immediately (Labor Code section 201), including earned, unused vacation at your final rate of pay (Labor Code section 227.3).
• Late final pay. If an employer willfully fails to pay final wages on time, it can owe a waiting time penalty of up to 30 days’ wages (Labor Code section 203).
• Unemployment and severance. Laid-off workers can generally apply for unemployment insurance benefits with the EDD. If you are offered severance in exchange for signing a release, have the agreement reviewed before you sign it.

Read more: Cal-WARN notice rights · Severance agreement review · Final paychecks and waiting time penalties · Unemployment after a layoff or firing · California layoff tracker

Nearest Employees First Labor Law office

We serve workers throughout California, including Santa Barbara County, with consultations by phone or video. Our offices are in Pasadena, Irvine, Long Beach, Pomona, Riverside, Bakersfield and Fresno. Call (310) 853-3461 or contact us online.

Frequently asked questions

How many layoffs have been reported in Santa Barbara County?

Employers have filed 3 WARN notices with the California EDD for workplaces in Santa Barbara County, affecting 39 workers, most recently on July 28, 2026.

Which employers filed WARN notices in Santa Barbara County?

By number of workers affected: Red Lobster Restaurants LLC, Yerba Mate Co., LLC - Santa Barbara, Yerba Mate Co., LLC - Santa Maria. See the table above for every notice.

Do employers in Santa Barbara County have to give notice before a layoff?

California’s WARN Act generally requires employers with a covered establishment (75 or more employees in the past 12 months) to give 60 days’ written notice before a mass layoff of 50 or more employees within 30 days, a relocation or a termination. A notice on file means the employer reported the action to the EDD; it does not by itself mean the employer broke the law.

What am I owed if I am laid off in California?

Final wages, including earned, unused vacation, are generally due immediately on layoff. If an employer did not give the required WARN notice, affected employees may be owed back pay and the value of lost benefits for up to 60 days (or half the time they worked there, if that is shorter). Willfully late final pay can add a waiting time penalty of up to 30 days’ wages.

Related layoff pages

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At Employees First Labor Law, we represent California workers only, never employers. Our team has recovered more than $200 million for workers, and we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. We have offices in Pasadena, Irvine, Long Beach, Pomona, Riverside, Bakersfield and Fresno, and we serve workers throughout California. Meet our team.

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WARN notices are public filings with the California EDD. A notice does not mean an employer broke the law.