“This notice does not represent a new announcement or layoff notice.” That is how Hasbro describes the federal WARN notice it sent to Rhode Island employees, covering 587 positions in Pawtucket. The toy and game company says the filing is part of the move of its Rhode Island-based roles to a new corporate headquarters in Boston, which it announced more than a year ago.
December 24 is the last day in Pawtucket. For anyone who does not take a job in Boston, that is the day the job ends.
What the filing says
Hasbro sent the notice to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training on October 8, according to Rhode Island Current. The notice covers 587 workers. Boston start dates for those who relocate begin January 4, 2027. Hasbro’s chief people officer, Holly Barbacovi, sent employees an email about it, the outlet reported.
WJAR, the NBC station in Providence, reported the same count and the same December 24 effective date. Hasbro told the station that all affected positions were offered another position in Boston. The company has not said how many employees accepted.
The roles run the length of the company. Rhode Island Current reported that they include an intern, a clerk and a carpenter, along with dozens of senior and management jobs in marketing, finance, product development and engineering.
The choice facing each of those workers is narrow. A worker who accepts the Boston offer starts there in January. A worker who does not loses the Pawtucket job on December 24. Hasbro has about 4,500 employees worldwide, and it had about 1,000 in Rhode Island when it announced the move in September 2025, so the 587 in the notice are a large share of its Rhode Island workforce.
The 587 positions in Hasbro’s filing is the number to watch, because the company has not said how many employees took Boston jobs.
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The company’s explanation
Hasbro spokesperson Abby Hodes called the filing a “formality” under relocation plans that were already public. She said: “We communicated the move to employees on September 1, 2025 and have been providing support throughout the transition.” Hasbro has said it will complete the move by the end of 2026 and then list its Newport Avenue headquarters in Pawtucket for sale.
The September 2025 announcement is the date the company points to. Employees have known about the move since then, Hasbro says, so the WARN notice formalizes a timeline rather than adding a new cut. What it does add is a filed date, December 24, for the end of the Pawtucket jobs.
Hasbro reported an operating profit of $11 million for 2025, according to Rhode Island Current. Neither report says anything about severance or pay terms for employees who stay in Rhode Island.
Pawtucket’s reaction
Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien, who lost the September Democratic primary to Adam Greenman, criticized the company. “Hasbro has an obligation to engage with the community that has supported it for generations,” he said. His office said the city wants a meaningful conversation about the future of the circa-1900 industrial building.
WJAR reported that Grebien also urged Hasbro to meet with his administration and the incoming one, saying it was “deeply disappointing that the company continues to remain silent and unresponsive.” Jennifer Almeida, a spokesperson for his office, told Rhode Island Current the city has not said when it last contacted Hasbro. Hodes did not respond to the mayor’s statement, the outlet reported.
Greenman, the incoming mayor, met with Hasbro to start a conversation about the Pawtucket property, according to WJAR. He called the departure “another body blow to the city.” He told the station he does not think the buildings can be turned into housing, and he raised concern for nearby small businesses.
Notice, unemployment and the next two months
Federal law requires employers with more than 100 full-time workers to give at least 60 days’ notice of a plant closing or mass layoff, Rhode Island Current noted. December 24 is 77 days after October 8. The U.S. Department of Labor says the WARN Act exists to help ensure advance notice in cases of qualified plant closings and mass layoffs, and it lists questions for its policy office at 202-693-3079.
Workers who end up without a job after December 24 can look to the state for unemployment insurance. The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training says the program gives temporary income support to workers who lost jobs through no fault of their own, and that claims are filed through UI Online or by phone at (401) 415-6772. The call center is closed on Wednesdays. The department’s page does not address how a declined relocation offer is treated, so that is a question for the department.
Before December 24, the dates to keep are the January 4 Boston start for those who accept and the date health coverage ends, which has not been reported. A worker can ask Hasbro’s human resources office for that date in writing.
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This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by The Financial Wire’s editorial team.
Warren Cohen is a finance writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, covering personal finance topics including credit, banking, and beginner investing. He earned his degree in business administration from Arizona State University and began his career working in consumer finance, where he gained direct experience with lending and credit systems. He now writes for personal finance websites and fintech platforms, focusing on clear, practical content that helps readers make informed financial decisions.
