Find Newly Available Talent From WARN Notices

Overview

When a company files a WARN notice, it publishes something rare: a specific number of skilled people, in a known function and location, with a known date they'll be available. For a recruiter with real roles to fill, that's the most useful signal there is — and for the people affected, a well-timed message from someone with an actual opportunity is a genuinely good thing to receive.

This Hound watches WARN notices in your markets, filters for the layoffs whose talent matches what you place, finds the affected professionals, and helps you reach out with something worth reading.

Two sides, one event: if you sell outplacement, benefits, or restructuring services to the employer, configure this same Hound to reach the company's HR lead instead of the affected workers — a different ICP and a different sequence off the same notice.

How to set it up

Four things to brief your Hound. This is the exact configuration behind this play.

A · Describe the opportunity

This is the brief every source is filtered against. You describe what you're looking for in plain language, add keywords to sharpen it, then set the structured criteria.

Tell Forest what you're looking for:

"I'm looking for WARN Act layoff notices in my markets where the affected roles match what I place — skilled professionals about to be available, with a known separation date. I want to reach out with actual open roles that fit their background, respectfully and without pressure. Prioritize functions I have live reqs for. Skip layoffs in functions I don't place, and anyone who has asked not to be contacted."

Keywords to watch for: WARN notice · layoff · workforce reduction · plant closing · separation date · affected employees · restructuring · [your specialty functions] · [your state]

Fields to extract: employer_name · location · affected_count · separation_date · roles_affected · industry · notice_date · closure_type

Match criteria:

• ✓ Affected roles match functions you actively place

• ✓ Location within your market

• ✓ You have live, relevant openings (don't reach out otherwise)

• ✗ Exclude functions you don't place

• ✗ Exclude anyone on a do-not-contact list

B · Choose the sources to monitor

WARN notices are published by each state's labor department — public and free. You point Forest at the states you recruit in.

State WARN notice pages (bring your own link) 🔵 free — public government pages

How to find yours: Search "[your state] WARN notices". Every state publishes WARN filings, usually as a list or downloadable file from the labor or workforce department. Paste the notices page for each state you cover.

Examples:

• California — edd.ca.gov/en/jobs_and_training/warn

• New York — dol.ny.gov/warn-notices

• Texas — twc.texas.gov (WARN notices)

• Illinois — dceo.illinois.gov (WARN reports)

News & Press 🟡 default source, always on — reads the open web against your brief for layoff coverage, which often breaks days before the formal WARN filing posts.

C · Define the ICP to reach

Who to reach. This is a direct-to-individual play, handled with care.

1. Affected professionals in your functions — people whose background matches your live roles — PRIMARY

2. (Employer-side variant: Head of HR, if you sell outplacement or restructuring services)

3. (No corporate fallback on the candidate side)

D · Email & LinkedIn sequence

Direct-to-individual and sensitive. Lead with the opportunity, never with their misfortune. Capped at two touches by design.

LinkedIn · Day 0 Hi {{first_name}} — I saw {{employer_name}} announced some changes affecting your team. I recruit {{function}} people in {{location}} and have a few roles open right now that line up well with your background. Happy to share them if useful — and equally happy to just be a contact if you'd rather handle your search yourself.

↓ Wait 4 days · no reply

Email · Day 4 · follow-up Following up once — here are the roles I mentioned: {{role_list}}. No pressure at all, and no need to reply if they're not a fit. If you'd rather I not reach out again, just say the word and I'll respect it.

(No further messages — this play caps at two touches.)

⏸ Any reply pauses the sequence immediately. Forest checks the Do Not Contact list before every message and honors "stop" instantly. This play is capped at two respectful touches by design.