Corporate Misconduct Accountability Project
Paramount Global · Class Action
Paramount Fires 300+ Workers Without Required Notice Under NY WARN Act
Paramount Global and CBS Interactive terminated over 300 employees on six days’ notice, allegedly violating New York labor law requiring 90 days’ advance warning for mass layoffs.
HIGH SEVERITY
TL;DR
On September 24, 2024, Paramount Global and CBS Interactive fired more than 300 employees at their Manhattan headquarters and another 50 to 60 at nearby locations. The terminations took effect September 30, giving workers only six days’ notice instead of the 90 days required under New York’s WARN Act. Workers lost paychecks, health benefits, and financial stability with virtually no time to prepare, and now seek 60 days of back wages and benefits through a class action lawsuit.
When corporations ignore worker protection laws, families pay the price. This case shows how profit-driven decisions can devastate hundreds of lives overnight.
300+
Employees terminated at Manhattan headquarters
6 days
Notice provided instead of required 90 days
7,000
Total Paramount employees in New York State
60 days
Wages and benefits owed under NY WARN Act
The Allegations: A Breakdown
Core Allegations
What they did · 8 points
| 01 | Paramount Global and CBS Interactive terminated Julian Hagins and more than 300 other employees who worked at or reported to their headquarters at 1515 Broadway in Manhattan on or about September 24, 2024. The termination became effective on or about September 30, 2024, giving workers approximately six days of notice. | high |
| 02 | The companies provided written notification of termination far less than the 90 days’ advance notice required under the New York WARN Act for mass layoffs. New York law defines a mass layoff as a reduction in force affecting at least 250 or more full-time employees at a single site during any 30-day period. | high |
| 03 | Approximately 50 to 60 additional employees who worked at surrounding worksites at 513, 518, 524, 530, or 555 West 57th Street in New York were also notified their employment was terminated without proper advance warning. All of these locations are in close geographic proximity to the headquarters. | high |
| 04 | Paramount Global employs more than 7,000 people in the State of New York, making the company large enough to clearly understand its obligations under the WARN Act. The scale of employment demonstrates the company had sufficient resources and legal expertise to comply with statutory requirements. | medium |
| 05 | Within 30 days of September 24, 2024, other employees who reported to Headquarters or Surrounding Facilities also had their employment terminated without NY WARN compliant notice. The terminations constituted a mass layoff as defined by New York Labor Law. | high |
| 06 | The plaintiff worked remotely from California but reported virtually to work at the Manhattan headquarters. His direct supervisors, including Jeremy Westphal, Andy Sarnow, and Steve Raizes, worked in person at headquarters and provided work assignments, supervision, and personnel evaluations. | medium |
| 07 | The lawsuit alleges Paramount Global and CBS Interactive are a single employer and integrated enterprise because they share the same facilities, the same employees, possess common financial ownership and control, and have common human resources and management personnel. | medium |
| 08 | The complaint seeks 60 calendar days of unpaid wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, accrued holiday pay, accrued vacation pay, pension, 401(k) and healthcare contributions, and other benefits for all affected workers. This represents the statutory remedy under the New York WARN Act when employers fail to provide required notice. | high |
Regulatory Failures
Why the law did not protect workers · 5 points
| 01 | The New York WARN Act exists specifically to prevent sudden mass layoffs by requiring 90 days’ advance written notice, yet Paramount proceeded with terminations after providing only about six days’ warning. The law’s protections failed to prevent immediate harm to hundreds of workers and their families. | high |
| 02 | Enforcement of the WARN Act depends on workers filing complaints or lawsuits after violations occur. No proactive government monitoring prevented Paramount from conducting mass terminations without proper notice, leaving newly unemployed workers to pursue their own legal remedies. | high |
| 03 | The complaint was filed in federal court under the Class Action Fairness Act because more than 100 putative class members were affected and more than five million dollars is in controversy. Workers must rely on private litigation rather than swift government intervention to seek relief. | medium |
| 04 | The lawsuit references a NYDOL WARN Notice filed by the defendants, indicating the company did notify the New York Department of Labor. However, this notification appears to have occurred simultaneously with or after employee terminations, not 90 days in advance as required. | high |
| 05 | New York Labor Law Section 860-g provides that employers who fail to give 90 days’ notice must provide affected employees with 60 calendar days of wages and benefits. This statutory remedy shifts the burden to workers to claim what they are owed through legal action rather than preventing violations upfront. | medium |
Profit Over People
The corporate calculation · 5 points
| 01 | By terminating more than 300 employees with only six days’ notice instead of 90 days, Paramount avoided paying approximately 84 days of wages and benefits per employee. This immediate cost reduction came at the expense of worker financial security and violated state law designed to protect employees. | high |
| 02 | The lawsuit alleges Paramount Global and CBS Interactive calculated that ignoring WARN Act requirements would be more profitable than compliance. Even if found liable, the companies may have concluded that statutory penalties cost less than maintaining employees on payroll during the required notice period. | high |
| 03 | Paramount’s decision to conduct mass layoffs without proper notice allowed the company to quickly reduce overhead costs and potentially improve quarterly financial metrics. This prioritization of short-term cost savings over legal obligations and employee welfare reflects a profit-maximization strategy. | high |
| 04 | The complaint describes how management personnel located at headquarters orchestrated the layoffs while impacted employees, scattered between Manhattan locations and remote positions, had virtually no ability to collectively push back. This structural advantage enabled the company to execute terminations with minimal resistance. | medium |
| 05 | Workers who believed they had several months to line up new opportunities, budget for gaps in health insurance, or plan for childcare and housing costs instead found themselves adrift in a matter of days. The company externalized the financial and social costs of its restructuring decision onto employees and their families. | high |
Economic Fallout
The ripple effects · 6 points
| 01 | More than 300 employees lost their paychecks with six days’ notice, stripping them of time needed to find new employment or make contingency plans. Workers who expected 90 days to prepare suddenly faced immediate unemployment, creating severe financial instability for individuals and families. | high |
| 02 | Affected employees immediately lost employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, leaving them and their families vulnerable to medical expenses and gaps in healthcare access. The loss of benefits compounded the financial crisis caused by sudden unemployment. | high |
| 03 | The complaint seeks recovery of 60 days of unpaid wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, accrued holiday pay, accrued vacation pay, pension contributions, 401(k) contributions, and healthcare benefits. These lost earnings and benefits represent substantial economic harm that workers must now pursue through lengthy litigation. | high |
| 04 | The plaintiff worked for Paramount from approximately March 2022 through September 2024, demonstrating that even employees with more than two years of service received no protection from abrupt termination. Long-term employment provided no buffer against sudden job loss. | medium |
| 05 | Local economies around Manhattan headquarters and surrounding facilities experienced a sudden reduction in consumer spending as hundreds of workers lost income. Restaurants, retail establishments, and service providers that counted on Paramount employees for clientele faced reduced business. | medium |
| 06 | Workers living paycheck to paycheck faced potential eviction, inability to pay mortgages, struggles with medical bills, and other immediate financial crises. The six-day warning provided insufficient time to arrange alternative income sources or access emergency assistance. | high |
Worker Exploitation
How employees were treated · 6 points
| 01 | Paramount and CBS Interactive terminated the employment of Julian Hagins and more than 300 other workers without cause as part of a mass layoff. Workers lost their jobs not due to performance issues but as part of a corporate restructuring decision made at the executive level. | high |
| 02 | The complaint describes how the companies stripped workers of their last lines of defense and coping mechanisms by failing to provide advance warning. Employees had no opportunity to prepare financially, seek new employment, or make arrangements for health insurance coverage. | high |
| 03 | Remote workers like the plaintiff, who worked from California but reported to Manhattan headquarters, were terminated alongside on-site employees. Geographic distance provided no protection, as all workers who reported to the affected locations lost their jobs regardless of physical work location. | medium |
| 04 | Direct supervisors working at headquarters provided work assignments, general employment supervision, and personnel evaluations to class members, establishing clear employer-employee relationships. Despite these established management structures, the company provided virtually no advance notice before severing those employment relationships. | medium |
| 05 | The mass layoff affected workers across multiple job functions and departments who worked at or reported to headquarters and surrounding facilities. The breadth of terminations demonstrates that Paramount prioritized cost reduction across the organization rather than strategic, performance-based decisions. | medium |
| 06 | Class members had no ability to collectively organize or respond to the terminations due to the sudden nature of the announcement and the geographic dispersion of workers. The six-day window prevented employees from consulting attorneys, forming group consensus, or planning coordinated responses. | high |
Public Health and Safety
The human cost · 4 points
| 01 | Sudden job loss stripped workers of employer-sponsored health insurance coverage, leaving them and their families without access to healthcare during the critical transition period. Loss of health benefits created immediate risks for workers with ongoing medical needs or chronic conditions. | high |
| 02 | The complaint specifically seeks recovery for healthcare contributions that would have been covered had employment continued for the statutory 60-day notice period. Workers lost not only wages but also the medical coverage they and their families depended on for routine and emergency care. | high |
| 03 | Abrupt unemployment with minimal warning creates severe emotional and psychological stress for affected workers and their families. The sudden loss of financial stability and health coverage can trigger anxiety, depression, and other mental health crises that strain social support systems. | high |
| 04 | The six-day notice period provided insufficient time for workers to arrange alternative health insurance through COBRA, private markets, or government programs. Gaps in coverage left workers vulnerable to untreated medical issues and potentially catastrophic healthcare expenses. | high |
Community Impact
Beyond individual workers · 4 points
| 01 | The mass layoff of more than 350 workers in Manhattan suddenly removed hundreds of consumers from the local economy. Restaurants, shops, and service businesses near Paramount headquarters and surrounding facilities lost regular customers, creating secondary economic harm. | medium |
| 02 | Families throughout the New York area and beyond experienced immediate disruption as breadwinners lost income and health insurance. Children, spouses, and dependents bore the consequences of corporate decisions that prioritized cost savings over worker stability. | high |
| 03 | The sudden influx of unemployed workers strained local unemployment services, job placement resources, and social support systems. Government agencies and nonprofits faced increased demand for assistance from workers who lost income with minimal warning. | medium |
| 04 | Paramount employs over 7,000 people in New York State, making the company a significant presence in the state economy. Mass layoffs at such a large employer create ripple effects throughout communities where workers live and spend their earnings. | medium |
Corporate Accountability Failures
Where responsibility breaks down · 6 points
| 01 | Paramount Global and CBS Interactive, both Delaware for-profit corporations headquartered in New York City, allegedly violated clear statutory requirements under New York Labor Law. Despite having access to sophisticated legal counsel, the companies proceeded with mass layoffs that violated worker protection laws. | high |
| 02 | The complaint alleges both defendants are a single employer and integrated enterprise, sharing facilities, employees, financial ownership, and human resources. This corporate structure creates confusion about accountability while enabling coordinated actions that harm workers. | medium |
| 03 | No regulatory agency prevented the mass layoffs from occurring despite the existence of clear legal requirements for advance notice. Workers must now pursue justice through class action litigation, a lengthy and uncertain process that does not undo immediate harm. | high |
| 04 | The defendants filed a WARN Notice with the New York Department of Labor but allegedly did so without providing the required 90-day advance notice to affected employees. This suggests the company went through the motions of compliance while failing to fulfill the law’s actual protective purpose. | high |
| 05 | The lawsuit seeks class certification to hold Paramount accountable on behalf of all similarly situated workers. Individual employees lack the resources to challenge a multi-billion-dollar corporation, making collective action the only viable path to accountability. | medium |
| 06 | Corporate executives who made the decision to conduct mass layoffs without proper notice face no personal liability or criminal consequences. The corporate structure shields individual decision-makers while the company itself treats potential penalties as a business expense. | high |
The PR Machine
Controlling the narrative · 4 points
| 01 | Paramount conducted the mass layoffs on September 24, 2024, with an effective termination date of September 30, timing the announcement to minimize worker response time. The quick turnaround between notification and termination left employees with minimal opportunity to organize, consult attorneys, or challenge the decision. | medium |
| 02 | The companies distributed responsibilities across Paramount Global and CBS Interactive, creating fragmentation that can deflect accountability. The complaint specifically names both entities as defendants and alleges they function as a single integrated enterprise despite separate corporate identities. | medium |
| 03 | By terminating employment effective September 30, the companies executed the layoffs at the end of the month and close to a fiscal quarter end. This timing allows corporations to improve quarterly financial metrics while minimizing disruption to earnings announcements. | low |
| 04 | The lawsuit was filed on October 3, 2024, indicating that workers moved quickly to seek legal recourse. However, the complaint acknowledges that the precise number of affected class members is unknown and that facts needed to calculate damages are within the sole control of the defendants. | medium |
Wealth Disparity
Who benefits, who suffers · 5 points
| 01 | Paramount Global, a multi-billion-dollar media conglomerate with over 7,000 employees in New York alone, allegedly prioritized cost savings over legal obligations to workers. The financial benefits of eliminating hundreds of positions flow to executives and shareholders while workers bear the costs. | high |
| 02 | The complaint seeks wages, benefits, and healthcare contributions for 60 days per affected employee, representing substantial collective damages. However, this amount likely pales in comparison to Paramount’s overall revenues and the total cost savings achieved by eliminating 350-plus positions permanently. | medium |
| 03 | Workers who lost their jobs include individuals who worked for Paramount since 2022 or earlier, demonstrating that even employees with years of service received no protection or consideration. Long-term loyalty provided no buffer against corporate decisions driven by financial priorities. | medium |
| 04 | The lawsuit notes that amounts at stake for many individual class members, while substantial, are not great enough to enable them to maintain separate suits against defendants. This wealth disparity forces workers into collective action as their only viable means of seeking justice. | high |
| 05 | Even if the class action succeeds and workers receive compensation, the penalty represents only a fraction of what Paramount saved by avoiding the 90-day notice period. The corporate profit equation makes law-breaking financially rational when penalties are smaller than compliance costs. | high |
The Bottom Line
What this reveals · 6 points
| 01 | Paramount Global and CBS Interactive allegedly fired more than 350 employees with six days’ notice instead of the 90 days required under New York law. This mass layoff stripped workers of wages, benefits, and the time needed to prepare for unemployment, demonstrating how profit priorities can override legal worker protections. | high |
| 02 | The complaint alleges the defendants are a single employer with over 7,000 New York employees and extensive resources, yet they proceeded with terminations that violated clear statutory requirements. This suggests deliberate disregard for labor law rather than inadvertent error. | high |
| 03 | Workers must now pursue relief through a class action lawsuit seeking 60 days of back wages and benefits. The burden falls on unemployed individuals to vindicate their rights through costly, time-consuming litigation while the company has already achieved its cost savings. | high |
| 04 | No regulatory agency prevented these mass layoffs despite the existence of the New York WARN Act. The law’s protections depend entirely on after-the-fact enforcement through private lawsuits, leaving workers vulnerable to corporate misconduct. | high |
| 05 | This case exemplifies how large corporations can treat worker protection laws as optional when compliance costs more than potential penalties. Without robust enforcement and meaningful deterrence, statutory protections become hollow promises that fail to prevent immediate harm. | high |
| 06 | The Paramount mass layoffs demonstrate a pattern in which corporations externalize the costs of restructuring onto workers and communities while privatizing the financial benefits. This wealth transfer exacerbates inequality and undermines economic stability for working families. | high |
Timeline of Events
March 2022
Plaintiff Julian Hagins begins full-time employment with Paramount, working remotely from California and reporting to Manhattan headquarters
September 24, 2024
Paramount Global and CBS Interactive notify more than 350 employees that their employment is terminated, with termination effective in approximately six days
September 30, 2024
Mass termination takes effect. Over 300 workers at 1515 Broadway headquarters and 50 to 60 at surrounding Manhattan facilities lose their jobs without the 90-day notice required by New York WARN Act
October 3, 2024
Julian Hagins files class action complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, seeking 60 days of back wages and benefits for all affected workers
Direct Quotes from the Legal Record
QUOTE 1
The scope and speed of terminations
allegations
“On or about September 24, 2024, Defendants Paramount Global and CBS Interactive Inc. terminated the employment of Julian Hagins and more than 300 other employees who worked at and/or reported to their headquarters at 1515 Broadway in Manhattan, as well as other operating locations in close geographic proximity to Headquarters. Defendants provided written notification of the termination, which was effective on or about September 30, 2024, i.e., far less than the 90 days’ advanced notice required under New York WARN.”
💡 This establishes that Paramount fired over 300 workers with only about six days’ notice instead of the required 90 days, the core violation alleged in the lawsuit
QUOTE 2
The legal threshold for mass layoffs
allegations
“Under NY WARN, a ‘mass layoff’ means a reduction in force which is not the result of a plant closing and which results in an employment loss at a single site of employment during any 30-day period for at least 250 or more full-time employees.”
💡 This defines the law Paramount allegedly violated and shows the terminations clearly exceeded the threshold requiring 90-day notice
QUOTE 3
Paramount’s scale of operations
accountability
“Defendants employed and/or employs more than 7,000 people in the State of New York.”
💡 This demonstrates Paramount is a major employer with extensive resources and should have understood its legal obligations under WARN
QUOTE 4
Additional terminations at nearby sites
allegations
“On or about September 24, 2024, Plaintiff and the other approximately 294 employees who worked at or reported (either in-person or remote) to Headquarters as well as another approximately 50-60 employees who worked out of surrounding worksites at 513, 518, 524, 530, or 555 W. 57th St., New York, New York were notified by Defendants that their employment was terminated, effective on or about September 30, 2024.”
💡 This shows the layoffs spanned multiple locations in close proximity, supporting the argument that this was a coordinated mass layoff requiring WARN notice
QUOTE 5
The continuing pattern of terminations
allegations
“Within 30 days of September 24, 2024, other of Defendants’ employees who reported to Headquarters or Surrounding Facilities also had their employment terminated without NY WARN compliant notice.”
💡 This indicates the violations continued beyond the initial September 24 announcement, affecting even more workers over the following month
QUOTE 6
Required compensation for WARN violations
economic
“NY WARN states that if an employer provides any employee with less than 90 days advanced notification of a plant shutdown or mass layoff, the employer shall provide that employee with 60 calendar days of wages and benefits.”
💡 This explains the legal remedy workers are entitled to when companies violate WARN notice requirements
QUOTE 7
Single employer status
accountability
“Defendants are together a single employer and an integrated entity, in that they share the same or similar facilities (Headquarters and Surrounding Facilities), the same or similar employees, possessed common financial ownership and control, and common human resources and management personnel.”
💡 This prevents Paramount and CBS Interactive from claiming they are separate entities to evade the mass layoff threshold
QUOTE 8
Remote workers included in layoffs
workers
“Plaintiff worked remotely from his home in Orange California and reported virtually to work at Headquarters in Manhattan. At all relevant times, Plaintiff’s direct supervisors (including Jeremy Westphal, Andy Sarnow and Steve Raizes) worked in-person at Headquarters and provided work assignments, general employment supervision and personnel evaluations to Plaintiff.”
💡 This shows that remote workers who reported to Manhattan headquarters were terminated alongside on-site employees, expanding the scope of workers affected
QUOTE 9
Lack of advance warning
allegations
“Defendants failed to provide Plaintiff and the Class Members with the 90-days written notice that is required by NY WARN for the mass layoff that occurred at Headquarters and Surrounding Facilities on September 24, 2024 and within 30 days thereof.”
💡 This is the central allegation that Paramount knowingly violated the law by conducting mass terminations without proper notice
QUOTE 10
Class definition
accountability
“Plaintiff brings Count I on behalf of himself and on behalf of all other similarly situated former employees, pursuant to NYLL § 860-g, who worked at, reported to, or received assignments from Defendants’ Headquarters at 1515 Broadway, New York, New York or surrounding sites at 513, 518, 524, 530, or 555 W. 57th St., New York, New York, and were terminated without cause beginning on or about August 25, 2024 through October 24, 2024.”
💡 This defines the broad class of workers affected, potentially including terminations over a two-month period spanning August through October 2024
QUOTE 11
Impact on workers
economic
“Plaintiff and Class Members have suffered damages by Defendants’ failure to comply with NY WARN’s requirements.”
💡 This acknowledges the real harm workers experienced from sudden job loss without adequate notice
QUOTE 12
Relief sought
economic
“A judgment against Defendants in favor of the Plaintiff and Class Members in an amount equal to the sum of their unpaid wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, accrued holiday pay, accrued vacation pay, pension, 401(k) and healthcare contributions and other benefits for a period of 60 calendar days, that would have been covered and paid under the then-applicable employee benefit plans had that coverage continued for that period.”
💡 This details the full scope of compensation workers lost including wages, benefits, retirement contributions, and healthcare coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the New York WARN Act?
The New York Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires employers to provide 90 days’ advance written notice before conducting mass layoffs. A mass layoff is defined as terminating 250 or more full-time employees at a single site during any 30-day period. The law is designed to give workers time to prepare for unemployment, find new jobs, and arrange for healthcare coverage.
How many Paramount employees were affected by these layoffs?
More than 350 employees were terminated. The complaint specifies approximately 294 employees who worked at or reported to the headquarters at 1515 Broadway in Manhattan, plus another 50 to 60 employees who worked at surrounding locations on West 57th Street. Additional employees were terminated within 30 days of the initial September 24 announcement.
How much notice did Paramount actually provide?
Paramount provided approximately six days’ notice. The company notified employees on September 24, 2024, that their employment would be terminated effective September 30, 2024. New York law required 90 days’ advance written notice for a mass layoff of this size.
What compensation are the workers seeking?
The workers are seeking 60 days of back wages and benefits as required by the New York WARN Act. This includes unpaid wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, accrued holiday pay, accrued vacation pay, pension contributions, 401(k) contributions, healthcare benefits, and other compensation they would have received during the 90-day notice period.
Were only New York-based employees affected?
No. The plaintiff in this case, Julian Hagins, worked remotely from California but reported to the Manhattan headquarters. Remote workers who reported to Paramount’s New York headquarters or surrounding facilities were terminated alongside on-site employees, demonstrating that geographic location did not protect workers from the sudden layoffs.
Why are both Paramount Global and CBS Interactive named as defendants?
The lawsuit alleges that Paramount Global and CBS Interactive function as a single employer and integrated enterprise. They share the same facilities, employees, financial ownership and control, and human resources personnel. This prevents the companies from claiming they are separate entities to avoid the 250-employee threshold that triggers WARN Act requirements.
Did Paramount file any notice with the state?
Yes, the complaint references a NYDOL WARN Notice filed by Paramount with the New York Department of Labor. However, the lawsuit alleges this notice was filed around the same time as employee terminations rather than 90 days in advance, meaning it did not fulfill the law’s requirement to provide workers with adequate advance warning.
How large is Paramount as an employer in New York?
Paramount employs more than 7,000 people in the State of New York according to the complaint. This demonstrates the company is a major employer with significant resources and legal expertise, making the alleged WARN Act violation even more difficult to attribute to inadvertent error or lack of knowledge.
What happens if Paramount is found liable?
If Paramount is found to have violated the New York WARN Act, the company must pay each affected worker 60 days of wages and benefits. This includes all compensation and benefits the workers would have received had they been given the required 90-day notice period. The workers are pursuing this remedy through a class action lawsuit.
What can I do if I was affected by these layoffs?
If you were terminated from Paramount Global or CBS Interactive in late September 2024 or shortly after, and you worked at or reported to the Manhattan headquarters or surrounding facilities, you may be part of the class action. Contact the attorneys listed in the complaint (Goodley McCarthy LLC) to learn whether you qualify as a class member and how to participate in the lawsuit. Document all correspondence about your termination, calculate your lost wages and benefits, and preserve any evidence of your employment and termination date.
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