Bitwise Industries employed approximately 1,000 workers at facilities in disadvantaged communities like those of California's Central Valley. The company offered access to the tech labor market for those who were underrepresented in the industry and got nationwide attention for its inclusive mission.

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But the company collapsed because of financial mismanagement. At the end of May 2023, its founders and board of directors ordered an immediate company-wide closure. Without notice or compensation, the entire workforce was unemployed.

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Federal and state law require employers to give workers notice before a mass layoff. In most cases, this is the rule: employers have to tell their workers 60 days before they will lose their job, and if they don't, they need to compensate the workers 60 days' pay. This is called the WARN Act.

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EKO, along with the Fresno-based Bonakdar Law Firm and Whelan Law Group, represent workers in a class action against Bitwise and its directors. The case is Garza v. Bitwise Industries, Case No. 23CECG02098, and is filed in Fresno County Superior Court.

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When a company closes its doors, it has to give notice or compensation to its workers under the WARN Act. If you lost your job in a mass layoff and didn't get what the law requires, contact an EKO attorney to discuss your rights.