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Termination and Severance
Package Reviews

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When you’re let go, your employer may offer you a severance or termination package — but the amount offered is often far less than what you’re legally entitled to.

Under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act (ESA), employees are entitled to minimum notice or pay in lieu of notice. However, most employees are owed significantly more under common law, which is judge-made law based on factors such as:

  • Your age;
  • Length of service;
  • Position and responsibilities; and,
  • Availability of comparable employment.

What You May Be Owed

Depending on your situation, you may also be owed:

Continuation of benefits including health, dental, and insurance coverage through the notice period.

Bonus and commission payments that would have been earned during the notice period — even if your employer says otherwise.

Stock options or equity that may have vested during the notice period.

Human rights damages if your termination involved discrimination or harassment.

How We Help

Step 1:  Review your package. Send us your termination letter and severance offer. We assess what you were given against what you’re actually owed.

Step 2:  We tell you where you stand. If the offer is fair, we’ll tell you. If it isn’t — and it usually isn’t — we tell you exactly what you should be asking for and why.

Step 3: We negotiate on your behalf. We engage your employer directly, backed by legal knowledge and a credible threat of litigation if they refuse to cooperate.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long do I have to respond to my employer?
    Your employer may pressure you to sign quickly — but in most cases you have time to get legal advice. Do not sign anything until you've spoken to a lawyer.
  • Does negotiating mean I have to sue my employer?
    No. The vast majority of severance negotiations resolve outside of court.
  • My employer says the offer is final. Is that true?
    Rarely. The "Final Offer" is often a negotiating position — not a legal reality. The strength of your position depends on the facts of your case and your willingness to litigate.

Contact Pinto Shekib LLP, Your Toronto Severance Package Negotiation Lawyers

Call 416.901.9984 or email info@pintoshekib.ca for a confidential consultation.