According to two former employees, laid off last week, yes. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires companies with 100 or more employees give 60 days' notice before mass layoffs. Foxtons don't appear to have given any notice at all. The employees have retained a lawyer and are gearing up for a suit. Foxtons point to exceptions (natural disasters, unforeseen changes in the business climate, circumstances in which notice might jeopardize attempts to gain financing) but it's hardly clear which of these might apply. If the suit's successful, they might be looking at a bill of $4m to cover lost wages. More here.

Breaking news... Foxtons US will file for bankruptcy [October 4, 2007]
Lessons to be learned from Foxtons USA's disaster [October 3, 2007]
Foxtons US - going bust? [September 27, 2007]

Technorati Tags: estate agents, Foxton's, Foxtons, real estate agents