EOR & Compliance Digest, July 14: Nebraska’s Mini-WARN Act Adds a 90-Day Layoff Clock

If you run payroll for 100 or more people in Nebraska, mark July 18 on your calendar. The Nebraska mini-WARN Act takes effect that day. It forces employers to give 90 days’ notice before a mass layoff or closing. Meanwhile, three visa stories are reshaping who you can hire and what it costs. The UK opened a fresh Youth Mobility Scheme ballot. Japan quintupled its visa fees. And India’s EB-2 green card line went fully dark for the rest of the fiscal year. None of these changes wait for you to catch up.

Nebraska’s Mini-WARN Act Requires 90 Days’ Notice Before Layoffs

What Changed

Nebraska’s governor signed LB 921 into law this spring. The Nebraska mini-WARN Act becomes enforceable on July 18, 2026. Employers with 100 or more workers, not counting part-time staff, must now give 90 days’ advance notice. That applies before any mass layoff or business closing. (Source: Ogletree Deakins)

The law defines a mass layoff as a reduction that hits 100 or more employees at one site. That threshold applies within any 30-day window. Notice has to go to affected employees, applicable union representatives, and the Nebraska Department of Labor. It must include the worksite address, a company contact, and whether the action is permanent or temporary. In addition, it needs the expected date of job loss and the affected job titles. (Source: Seyfarth Shaw)

What To Do This Week

With this move, Nebraska joins a growing list of states writing their own WARN-style rules, and the Nebraska mini-WARN Act is now one more line item on your multi-state compliance calendar. The penalty structure is lighter than some peers: up to $100 per day of violation, with no private right of action. Still, $100 a day adds up fast if a layoff drags on. And the compliance paperwork is not optional. If you have a Nebraska site anywhere near 100 employees, run the headcount now. Build the 90-day notice into your HR calendar before you plan any 2026 restructuring. A rushed layoff without proper notice becomes a self-inflicted penalty.

UK Reopens Youth Mobility Scheme Ballot for Hong Kong and Taiwan

The UK Home Office opened the second 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme ballot at 00:01 on July 14. It closes 00:01 on July 16. This round is reserved for Hong Kong SAR Chinese and Taiwanese nationals aged 18 to 30. About 200 places remain in each nationality’s quota, after 800 went out in February. (Source: Fragomen)

In particular, applicants need savings of at least GBP 2,530 and no dependent children under 18. Winners hear back by July 30. Then they get 90 days to apply, pay the fee, and complete biometrics. For distributed teams, this is a two-year, low-friction route into a UK entity, without full visa sponsorship. If you’re courting candidates from either market, flag the ballot window now. It won’t reopen until 2027.

Japan Quintuples Visa Fees, First Change in 48 Years

Japan raised its visa issuance fees fivefold, for any application submitted on or after July 1, 2026. A single-entry visa now costs JPY 15,000, up from JPY 3,000. A multiple-entry visa jumps from JPY 6,000 to JPY 30,000. (Source: CNBC)

It’s the first fee revision since 1978. Specifically, the government says the extra revenue helps administer Japan’s foreign resident population, which hit 4.13 million at the end of 2025. The fee itself won’t break a hiring budget the way the Nebraska mini-WARN Act could, but it’s a signal. If you’re relocating staff to Japan or sponsoring new hires there, rebudget visa costs for the rest of 2026. Confirm your immigration counsel is quoting the new rate, not the old one.

EB-2 India Green Cards Go Fully Unavailable Through Fiscal Year End

The State Department’s July 2026 Visa Bulletin marked the EB-2 India Final Action Date as “Unavailable” for the rest of FY2026. India’s pro-rated annual limit has already been used up. As a result, no new EB-2 India adjustment-of-status approvals will happen until at least October. (Source: Ogletree Deakins)

Meanwhile, EB-1 India also moved backward two months in the same bulletin. For companies sponsoring Indian nationals through the green card process, this means a hard stop on approvals. That’s especially true for EB-2 NIW petitions. The freeze lasts until the new fiscal year opens in October, and even then movement depends on demand. If you have Indian employees mid-process, tell them now so they can plan accordingly. Between this freeze and the Nebraska mini-WARN Act, July is a heavy month for compliance deadlines on two different continents.

Quick Hits

• Maine’s new pay transparency law takes effect July 29, 2026. Employers with 10 or more employees must post a pay range on every job listing, printed or online. They must also disclose pay ranges to current employees on request. (Source: Fisher Phillips)
• Romania is rolling out a unified work permit and long-stay visa system, through a new online portal called WorkinRomania.gov.ro. It’s expected to be fully operational by August 8, 2026. Even so, expect transition friction before it gets easier. (Source: Fragomen)

Action Items This Week

If you employ 100+ people in Nebraska: Confirm your current headcount at each site. Build 90-day layoff notice into any 2026 restructuring plan. The Nebraska mini-WARN Act’s notice requirements kick in July 18. Retrofit your HR playbook against US employment law requirements before then.

If you’re recruiting Hong Kong or Taiwanese talent for a UK entity: The Youth Mobility Scheme ballot closes July 16. Point candidates to it now. Review your UK work permit and visa process so you’re ready once results land July 30.

If you sponsor employees in Japan: Update your 2026 mobility budget for the new fivefold visa fee. Check your Japan hiring compliance steps before submitting new applications.

If you have Indian employees on EB-2 green card petitions: Communicate the FY2026 freeze clearly. Revisit your EB-2 NIW visa timeline planning for the October reset.

These four stories share a theme. Compliance windows are getting shorter and more specific, whether it’s the Nebraska mini-WARN Act’s 90-day layoff clock or a two-day visa ballot in the UK. If juggling country-specific deadlines across four continents sounds like a full-time job, Asanify’s Global HRMS centralizes multi-country compliance tracking, so nothing slips through in the noise of a normal week.

FAQ: Nebraska Mini-WARN Act and Global Hiring Deadlines

Q: What does the Nebraska mini-WARN Act require?
A: Employers with 100 or more workers, excluding part-time staff, must give 90 days’ advance notice before a mass layoff or business closing in Nebraska. Notice goes to affected employees, applicable union representatives, and the state labor department. The rule starts July 18, 2026.

Q: What happens if an employer violates Nebraska’s mini-WARN Act?
A: Violators face fines of up to $100 per day of noncompliance. There’s no private right of action. Enforcement runs through the state rather than employee lawsuits.

Q: Can I still hire Hong Kong or Taiwanese nationals in the UK after this ballot closes?
A: Not through the Youth Mobility Scheme until 2027. Only two ballots run per year, and this is the second and final one for 2026. Still, other UK visa routes, like Skilled Worker sponsorship, remain open in the meantime.

Q: Does Japan’s visa fee increase apply to all visa types?
A: Yes, mostly. The fivefold increase applies to standard single-entry and multiple-entry visa issuance fees, for applications submitted on or after July 1, 2026. Some visa-exempt travel arrangements are unaffected.

Q: When will EB-2 India green card processing resume?
A: New approvals should resume when the FY2027 visa year opens in October 2026. The pace after that depends on demand from Indian applicants relative to the new annual limit.

Not to be considered as tax, legal, financial or HR advice. Regulations change over time so please consult a lawyer, accountant  or Labour Law  expert for specific guidance.