What the Law Requires Your Employer to Provide

If your employment is ending, your employer must provide you with advance notice — or compensation instead. In Ottawa, as in the rest of the province, this is known as notice of termination, and it plays a key role in determining whether your dismissal is lawful or not.

There are two main types of notice in Ontario:

• Working notice – You’re told in advance that your job will be ending and you continue to work until a set end date
• Pay in lieu of notice – You’re let go immediately and receive a lump sum or continued salary payments (sometimes referred to as Ontario termination pay or severance)

Statutory vs. Common Law Notice

Most employees in Ottawa are covered by both:

• Statutory notice, which is the minimum set out by the Employment Standards Ontario legislation
• Common law reasonable notice, which is often much more generous and based on case law

You’re always entitled to at least the statutory minimum. But depending on your position, age, and how long you’ve worked, you may be eligible for significantly more through common law notice.

Courts generally assess:

• Your years of service
• Your age at termination
• Your seniority and skill level
• The job market and how easily you can find similar work in Ottawa

Before accepting a severance package, make sure you understand which type of notice applies to you — and whether your employer is meeting their obligations.

What to Do If You’ve Been Dismissed

Being terminated without cause can feel overwhelming — especially when it comes out of nowhere. But if you’ve just been let go in Ottawa, don’t panic. You have legal rights under Ontario’s employment laws, and in many cases, you may be entitled to wrongful dismissal compensation.

Here’s what we recommend you do first:

1. Don’t sign anything under pressure
   Employers often hand over a termination agreement with a tight deadline to get your signature. Before signing, speak to a lawyer. These are usually starting offers, not final ones.
2. Document what happened
   Write down everything:
   • The date of termination
   • How the news was delivered
   • What was said and by whom
   • Any emails, texts, or memos you received

   This documentation can help establish the nature of the dismissal and whether it was done fairly.

3. Gather your documents
   Pull together:
   • Your employment contract
   • Any performance reviews (good or bad)
   • Bonus letters or commission agreements
   • Workplace policies

   These records will help us assess your severance rights and see if constructive dismissal or other legal issues are in play.

Let us review your case and fight for the severance you deserve.

Does Your Severance Package Cover Everything?

When you’re terminated without cause in Ottawa, your employer might offer you a severance package — but don’t assume it’s fair or complete.

We’ve seen countless cases where the initial offer didn’t match what the employee was legally entitled to under Ontario’s employment laws.

A severance package may include:

• Unused vacation pay
• Base salary continuation
• Bonus and commissions (if applicable)
• Continuation of benefits
• Entitlements under the Employment Standards Act

But here’s the catch — most offers don’t account for your full common law entitlements, which are based on factors like your age, tenure, position, and the current job market. That means wrongful dismissal compensation is often significantly more than the employer’s first offer.

Don’t Fall for These Myths

• Myth 1: “If I wasn’t fired in writing, it doesn’t count.”
  Reality: A verbal dismissal or even an action (like cutting off your access to work systems) may still legally count as termination — and could qualify as wrongful dismissal in Ontario.
• Myth 2: “They said I was ‘let go,’ so I must not be eligible for anything.”
  Reality: Termination without cause in Ottawa often requires notice or severance. Don’t confuse wording with legality.
• Myth 3: “If I signed the termination letter, I can’t fight back.”
  Reality: Even after signing, you may still have options — especially if you signed under pressure or weren’t told about your full employment standards Ontario entitlements.
• Myth 4: “Only long-term employees get severance.”
  Reality: While tenure matters, Ontario termination pay laws also consider age, job type, and how easy it is to find similar work.

Bottom Line: Don’t assume. Don’t guess. And definitely don’t rely on what your employer tells you at face value.