Santa Barbara Layoffs
California WARN Act filings
Intelligence shows 508 employees affected across 5 companies in the Santa Barbara market. RGNext represents the largest single event with 400 positions eliminated. Additional restructuring confirmed at Bluewater Grill and Red Lobster Restaurants LLC, with Unknown departments showing elevated exposure. Effective dates range from November 30 through August 31.
What is happening in Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County has 1 active WARN filing covering 37 workers. The largest is Red Lobster Restaurants, which filed for 37 workers.
The filings are concentrated in Lompoc, which accounts for 81 percent of affected workers in the county. The most affected places are Lompoc (411 workers), Santa Maria (50 workers), Santa Barbara (47 workers).
Professional Scientific and Technical Services accounts for the largest share of affected workers in Santa Barbara County, 79 percent of the total. Accommodation and Food Services is next.
The largest filings on record in Santa Barbara County are RGNext, 400 workers, effective 2025-11-30; Bluewater Grill, 47 workers, effective 2026-02-05; Red Lobster Restaurants, 37 workers, effective 2026-08-31.
Upcoming and recent layoffs
Filings with an effective date in the future or within the last 90 days.
4 earlier filings in Santa Barbara County have already taken effect and are no longer listed above. They are included in the figures above.
Bluewater Grill·CommUnify - Chapel Office·CommUnify - Chestnut Office·RGNext
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Know Your Rights
These programs exist for exactly this situation.
Under the California WARN Act, employers with 75 or more employees must provide 60 days advance notice before a mass layoff, relocation, or plant closure. If you were affected by a filing in Santa Barbara, the following resources can help.
Apply online through the California Employment Development Department. You may be eligible before your last day.
California's food assistance program for individuals and families experiencing income loss.
Losing employer-sponsored health coverage qualifies you for a special enrollment period.
Free career counseling, job search assistance, and retraining programs in your county.
About WARN Act Filings
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 calendar days advance written notice of a plant closing or mass layoff. California's WARN Act (Labor Code sections 1400-1408) extends this to employers with 75 or more employees. All data on this site is sourced from filings published by the California Employment Development Department.