Severance Package Lawyers in Ontario

Yes. You may think that the severance package you received is unfair and want help negotiating a better package, especially if you were a long-time employee.

If you reject the severance package, it does not mean that you are not entitled to any money.

If your employer offers you a severance package, you should contact a lawyer to find out what your rights are as an employee and if your severance package is fair, as you could be entitled to more.

Many employers will try to get you to accept a severance package within a certain amount of time; like, for example, 48 hours or one week. However, in Ontario, the statute of limitations for wrongful dismissal is two years. This means that you can actually wait two years before accepting a severance pay offer from your employer.

There are three options that an employer can choose from when terminating an employee:

1. Working notice. The employee is given notice that they will lose their job at a later date. This could be weeks later, months later or a year later.
2. Pay in lieu of notice. The employee is terminated and offered a severance package.
3. A combination of notice and pay.

Regardless, you should always contact an employment lawyer before agreeing to or signing anything.

Yes. An employer may choose to pay the severance package over a period of time (called salary continuance) or in one lump sum. This can often be negotiated by your employment lawyer.

The amount of severance you are entitled to depends on a number of factors. Some of these include:

• Length of employment
• Position held
• Salary
• Age
• Reason for dismissal

An employment lawyer will be able to help you fully determine what you are entitled to. You can get an idea of severance pay owed through the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s calculator, although this is very general and should not be taken at full face value.