Virus-Driven Mass Worker Layoffs Could Soon Require Notice (1)

The 60-day window of time that federal law requires of many employers to provide notice of “mass layoffs” is testing new bounds as industries such as restaurants, retailers, and airlines prepare to shed workers as part of shutdowns caused by the novel coronavirus.

Apple Inc. and Nike Inc. are among a growing number of retailers that have closed stores, while some grocery chains have reduced operating hours and restaurants have shuttered or turned to “to-go” models. Airlines also have dramatically reduced traveling capacity, with Delta Air Lines Inc. and several European carriers announcing layoffs.

Federal officials have predicted that unemployment ...