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Termination of employment defined

A number of expressions are commonly used to describe situations when employment is terminated. These include "let go," "discharged," "dismissed," "fired" and "permanently laid off."

Under the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) a person's employment is terminated if the employer:

  • dismisses or stops employing an employee, including where an employee is no longer employed due to the bankruptcy or insolvency of the employer;
  • "constructively" dismisses an employee and the employee resigns, in response, within a reasonable time;
  • lays an employee off for a period that is longer than a "temporary layoff".

In most cases, when an employer ends the employment of an employee who has been continuously employed for three months, the employer must provide the employee with either written notice of termination, termination pay or a combination (as long as the notice and the number of weeks of termination pay together equal the length of notice the employee is entitled to receive).

The ESA does not require an employer to give an employee a reason why their employment is being terminated. There are, however, some situations where an employer cannot terminate an employee's employment even if the employer is prepared to give proper written notice or termination pay. For example, an employer cannot end someone's employment, or penalize them in any other way, if any part of the reason for the termination of employment is based on the employee asking questions about the ESA or exercising a right under the ESA, such as refusing to work in excess of the daily or weekly hours of work maximums, or taking a leave of absence specified in the ESA. Please see the chapter on reprisals.

Qualifying for termination notice or pay in lieu

Certain employees are not entitled to notice of termination or termination pay under the ESA. Examples include: employees who are guilty of wilful misconduct, disobedience, or wilful neglect of duty that is not trivial and has not been condoned by the employer. Other examples include construction employees, employees on temporary layoff, employees who refuse an offer of reasonable alternative employment and employees who have been employed less than three months.

There are a number of other exemptions to the termination of employment provisions of the ESA. See "Exemptions to notice of termination or termination pay." Please also refer to the special rule tool.

The termination-of-employment rules are entirely separate from any entitlements an employee may have to be paid severance pay under the ESA.

Constructive dismissal

A constructive dismissal may occur when an employer makes a significant change to a fundamental term or condition of an employee's employment without the employee's actual or implied consent.

For example, an employee may be constructively dismissed if the employer makes changes to the employee's terms and conditions of employment that result in a significant reduction in salary or a significant negative change in such things as the employee's work location, hours of work, authority, or position. Constructive dismissal may also include situations where an employer harasses or abuses an employee, or an employer gives an employee an ultimatum to "quit or be fired" and the employee resigns in response.

The employee would have to resign in response to the change within a reasonable period of time in order for the employer's actions to be considered a termination of employment for purposes of the ESA.

Constructive dismissal is a complex and difficult subject. For more information on constructive dismissal, please contact the Employment Standards Information Centre at 1-800-531-5551.

Temporary layoff

An employee is on temporary layoff when an employer cuts back or stops the employee's work without ending their employment (for example, laying someone off at times when there is not enough work to do). The mere fact that the employer does not specify a recall date when laying the employee off does not necessarily mean that the lay-off is not temporary. Note, however, that a lay-off, even if intended to be temporary, may result in constructive dismissal if it is not allowed by the employment contract.

For the purposes of the termination provisions of the ESA, a "week of layoff" is a week in which the employee earned less than half of what they would ordinarily earn (or earns on average) in a week.

A week of layoff does not include any week in which the employee did not work for one or more days because the employee was not able or available to work, was subject to disciplinary suspension, or was not provided with work because of a strike or lockout at their place of employment or elsewhere.

Employers are not required under the ESA to provide employees with a written notice of a temporary layoff, nor do they have to provide a reason for the lay-off. (They may, however, be required to do these things under a collective agreement or an employment contract.)

Under the ESA, a "temporary layoff" can last:

  1. not more than 13 weeks of layoff in any period of 20 consecutive weeks;
    or
  2. more than 13 weeks in any period of 20 consecutive weeks, but less than 35 weeks of layoff in any period of 52 consecutive weeks, where:
    • the employee continues to receive substantial payments from the employer;
      or
    • the employer continues to make payments for the benefit of the employee under a legitimate group or employee insurance plan (such as a medical or drug insurance plan) or a legitimate retirement or pension plan;
      or
    • the employee receives supplementary unemployment benefits;
      or
    • the employee would be entitled to receive supplementary unemployment benefits but isn't receiving them because they are employed elsewhere;
      or
    • the employer recalls the employee to work within the time frame approved by the Director of Employment Standards;
      or
    • the employer recalls the employee within the time frame set out in an agreement with an employee who is not represented by a trade union;
      or
  3. a layoff longer than a layoff described in 'B' where the employer recalls an employee who is represented by a trade union within the time set out in an agreement between the union and the employer.

If an employee is laid off for a period longer than a temporary layoff as set out above, the employer is considered to have terminated the employee's employment. Generally, the employee will then be entitled to termination pay.

Written notice of termination and termination pay

Under the ESA, an employer can terminate the employment of an employee who has been employed continuously for three months or more if either:

  • the employer has given the employee proper written notice of termination and the notice period has expired
  • the employer pays termination pay to the employee where no written notice or less notice than is required is given

Written notice of termination

An employee is entitled to notice of termination (or termination pay instead of notice) if they have been continuously employed for at least three months. A person is considered "employed" not only while they are actively working, but also during any time in which they are not working but the employment relationship still exists (for example, time in which the employee is off sick or on leave or on lay-off).

The amount of notice to which an employee is entitled depends on their "period of employment". An employee's period of employment includes not only all time while the employee is actively working but also any time that they are not working but the employment relationship still exists, with the following exceptions:

  • if a lay-off goes on longer than a temporary lay-off, the employee's employment is deemed (or considered) to have been terminated on the first day of the lay-off—any time after that does not count as part of the employee's period of employment, even though the employee might still be employed for purposes of the "continuously employed for three months" qualification
  • if two separate periods of employment are separated by more than 13 weeks, only the most recent period counts for purposes of notice of termination

It is possible, in some circumstances, for a person to have been "continuously employed" for three months or more and yet have a period of employment of less than three months. In such circumstances, the employee would be entitled to notice because an employee who has been continuously employed for at least three months is entitled to notice, and the minimum notice entitlement of one week applies to an employee with a period of employment of any length less than one year.

The following chart specifies the amount of notice required:

Amount of notice required if an employee has been continuously employed for at least three months
Period of employmentNotice required
Less than 1 year1 week
1 year but less than 3 years2 weeks
3 years but less than 4 years3 weeks
4 years but less than 5 years4 weeks
5 years but less than 6 years5 weeks
6 years but less than 7 years6 weeks
7 years but less than 8 years7 weeks
8 years or more8 weeks

Note: Special rules determine the amount of notice required in the case of mass terminations – where the employment of 50 or more employees is terminated at an employer's establishment within a four-week period.

Requirements during the statutory notice period

During the statutory notice period, an employer must:

  • not reduce the employee's wage rate or alter any other term or condition of employment;
  • continue to make whatever contributions would be required to maintain the employee's benefits plans; and
  • pay the employee the wages they are entitled to, which cannot be less than the employee's regular wages for a regular work week each week.

Regular rate

This is an employee's rate of pay for each non-overtime hour of work in the employee's work week.

Regular wages

These are wages other than overtime pay, vacation pay, public holiday pay, premium pay, domestic or sexual violence leave pay, termination of assignment pay, termination pay and severance pay and certain contractual entitlements.

Regular work week

For an employee who usually works the same number of hours every week, a regular work week is a week of that many hours, not including overtime hours.

Some employees do not have a regular work week. That is, they do not work the same number of hours every week or they are paid on a basis other than time. For these employees, the "regular wages" for a "regular work week" is the average amount of the regular wages earned by the employee in the weeks in which the employee worked during the period of 12 weeks immediately preceding the date the notice was given.

An employer is not allowed to schedule an employee's vacation time during the statutory notice period unless the employee—after receiving written notice of termination of employment—agrees to take their vacation time during the notice period.

If an employer provides longer notice than is required, the statutory part of the notice period is the last part of the period that ends on the date of termination.

How to provide written notice

In most cases, written notice of termination of employment must be addressed to the employee. It can be provided in person or by mail, fax or e-mail, as long as delivery can be verified.

There are special rules for providing notice of termination if an employee has a contract of employment or a collective agreement that provides seniority rights that allow an employee who is to be laid off or whose employment is to be terminated to displace ("bump") other employees.

In that case, the employer must post a notice in the workplace (where it will be seen by the employees) setting out the names, seniority and job classification of those employees the employer intends to terminate and the date of the proposed termination. The posting of the notice is considered to be notice of termination, as of the date of the posting, to an employee who is "bumped" by an employee named in the notice. However, this notice of termination must still meet the length requirements set out in the ESA.

There are also special rules regarding how notice is provided when there is a mass termination.

Termination pay

An employee who does not receive the written notice required under the ESA must be given termination pay in lieu of notice. Termination pay is a lump sum payment equal to the regular wages for a regular work week that an employee would otherwise have been entitled to during the written notice period. An employee earns vacation pay on their termination pay. Employers must also continue to make whatever contributions would be required to maintain the benefits the employee would have been entitled to had they continued to be employed through the notice period.

Example: Regular work week

Sarah has worked for three and a half years. Now her job has been eliminated and her employment has been terminated. Sarah was not given any written notice of termination.

Sarah worked 40 hours a week every week and was paid $17.00 an hour. She also received four per cent vacation pay. Because she worked for more than three years but less than four years, she is entitled to three weeks' pay in lieu of notice.

  1. Sarah's regular wages for a regular work week are calculated:

    $17.00 an hour X 40 hours a week = $680.00 a week

  2. Her termination pay is calculated:

    $680.00 X 3 weeks = $2040.00

  3. Then her vacation pay on her termination pay is calculated:

    4% of $2040.00 = $81.60

  4. Finally, her vacation pay is added to her termination pay:

    $2040.00 + $81.60 = $2121.60

Result: Sarah is entitled to $2121.60. The employer must also ensure continued coverage for any benefit or pension plans that applied to her for three weeks.

Example: No regular work week

Gerry has worked at a nursing home for four years. He works every week, but his hours vary from week to week. His rate of pay is $17.00 an hour, and he is paid 6 per cent vacation pay.

Gerry's employer eliminated his position and did not give Gerry any written notice of termination. Gerry was ill and off work for two of the 12 weeks immediately preceding the day his employment was terminated. Gerry earned $1,800.00 in the 12 weeks before the day on which his employment ended.

Gerry is entitled to four weeks of termination pay.

  1. Gerry's average earnings per week are calculated:

    $1,800.00 for 12 weeks / 10 weeks (Gerry was off sick for two weeks therefore these weeks are not included in the calculation of average earnings) = $180.00 a week

  2. His termination pay is calculated:

    $180.00 × 4 weeks = $720.00

  3. Then his vacation pay on his termination pay is calculated:

    6% of $720.00 = $43.20

  4. Finally, his vacation pay is added to his termination pay:

    $720.00 + $43.20 = $763.20

Result: Gerry is entitled to $763.20. The employer must also ensure continued coverage for any benefit or pension plans that applied to him for four weeks.

When to pay termination pay

Termination pay must be paid to an employee either seven days after the employee's employment is terminated or on the employee's next regular pay date, whichever is later.

Mass termination

Special rules for notice of termination may apply in cases of mass termination (when an employer is terminating 50 or more employees at its establishment within a four-week period).

Meaning of “establishment”

An “establishment” is a location at which the employer carries on business. Separate locations can be considered one establishment if either:

  • they are located within the same municipality, or
  • an employee at one location has contractual seniority rights that extend to the other location, allowing the employee to displace another employee (also called “bumping rights”)

Effective October 26, 2023, in cases of mass termination, the term “establishment” includes an employee’s home, but only if the employee works from home and does not work at any other location where the employer carries on business.

This will require that employees who work exclusively remotely be considered for inclusion in the count when determining whether 50 or more employees have been terminated.

Note that where an employee performs work both from their home and from another location where the employer carries on business (for example, an office), their home is not included in the definition of “establishment”. Instead, the employee is considered to have a connection to the office location and, therefore, for the purpose of mass termination, the employee is included with respect to that office location.

Example: where multiple locations are considered one “establishment”

ABC Company has an office and a warehouse located in London, ON. Sabrina lives in London and works for ABC Company exclusively remotely: she performs work for the company from home and does not work at the office.

For the purpose of mass termination, the company’s London office, London warehouse and Sabrina’s London home are considered one “establishment.”

Employer obligations in a mass termination

When a mass termination occurs, the employer must complete and deliver the Form 1 (Notice of termination of employment) to the Director of Employment Standards (Director) by:

  • email to esa_form1_notice@ontario.ca
  • fax to (416) 326-7061
  • personal delivery to the Director’s office on a day and at a time when it is open
  • mail delivery to the Director’s office, if the delivery can be verified

The office of the Director of Employment Standards is located on the 9th floor, 400 University Avenue, Toronto ON M7A 1T7.

Any notice to the affected employees is not considered to have been given until the Form 1 is received by the Director; in other words, notice of mass termination is not effective until the Director receives the Form 1.

In addition to providing employees with individual notices of termination, the employer must, on the first day of the notice period:

  • post a copy of the Form 1 provided to the Director in the workplace where it will come to the attention of the affected employees
  • provide a copy of the Form 1 to each affected employee

The amount of notice employees must receive in a mass termination is not based on the employees' length of employment, but on the number of employees who have been terminated. An employer must give:

  • 8 weeks notice if the employment of 50 to 199 employees is to be terminated
  • 12 weeks notice if the employment of 200 to 499 employees is to be terminated
  • 16 weeks notice if the employment of 500 or more employees is to be terminated

Exception to the mass termination rules

The mass termination rules do not apply if these two things apply:

  • the number of employees whose employment is being terminated represents not more than 10 per cent of the employees who have been employed for at least three months at the establishment
  • none of the terminations are caused by the permanent discontinuance of all or part of the employer's business at the establishment

Mass termination: resignation by an employee

An employee who has received termination notice under the mass termination rules who wants to resign before the termination date provided in the employer’s notice must give the employer at least one week’s written notice of resignation if the employee has been employed for less than two years. If the employment period has been two years or more, the employee must give at least two weeks’ written notice of resignation. However, the employee does not have to give notice of resignation if the employer constructively dismisses the employee or breaches a term of the contract.

Temporary work after termination date in notice

An employer can provide work to an employee who has been given notice of termination on a temporary basis in the 13-week period after the termination date set out in the notice without affecting the original date of the termination and without being required to provide any further notice of termination to the employee when the temporary work ends.

If an employee works beyond the 13-week period after the termination date and then has their employment terminated, the employee will be entitled to a new written notice of termination as if the previous notice had never been given. The employee's period of employment will then also include the period of temporary work.

Recall rights

A "recall right" is the right of an employee on a layoff to be called back to work by their employer under a term or condition of employment. This right is commonly found in collective agreements.

An employee who has recall rights and who is entitled to termination pay because of a layoff of 35 weeks or more may choose to:

  • keep their recall rights and not be paid termination pay (or severance pay, if they were entitled to severance pay) at that time;
    or
  • give up their recall rights and receive termination pay (and severance pay, if they were entitled to severance pay).

If an employee is entitled to both termination pay and severance pay, they must make the same choice for both.

If an employee who is not represented by a trade union elects to keep their recall rights or fails to make a choice, the employer must send the amount of the termination pay (and severance pay, if any) to the Director of Employment Standards, who holds the money in trust.

If an employee who is represented by a trade union elects to keep their recall rights or fails to make a choice, the employer and the trade union must try to come to an arrangement to hold the termination pay (and severance pay, if any) in trust for the employee. If they cannot come to an arrangement, and the trade union advises the employer and the Director of Employment Standards in writing that efforts have failed, the employer must send the termination pay (and severance pay, if any) to the Director of Employment Standards, who holds the money in trust.

If an employee chooses to give up their recall rights or if the recall rights expire, the money that is held in trust must be sent to the employee.

If the employee accepts a recall back to work, the money that is held in trust will be returned to the employer.

Special rule for unionized employees in certain industries

A special rule that applied to employees who were represented by a trade union and their employers in the hospitality, tourism, and convention and trade show industries has ended. The special rule did not apply to the Crown or certain public organizations. This rule was in effect from December 17, 2020 until July 30, 2022.

For this special rule to have applied, the employer and the trade union representing its employees must have entered into an agreement. If they did:

  • the employer was not required to pay the employee’s termination pay (and severance pay, if any) in trust for the employee,
  • the trade union may have elected to retain recall rights on behalf of some or all of the employees it represented, so long as the employee did not already elect to be paid termination pay (and severance pay, if any),
  • if the trade union elected to retain the employee’s recall rights, the employee could not give up the right to be recalled and be paid termination pay (and severance pay, if any) before a date agreed upon by the union and the employer, and
  • the trade union could not renounce the recall right on behalf of an employee.

Read the regulation with the special rule.

Exemptions to notice of termination or termination pay

Many of these exemptions are complex. Please contact the Employment Standards Information Centre, 1-800-531-5551 , if you need more information. Please also refer to the special rule tool.

The notice of termination and termination pay requirements of the ESA do not apply to an employee who:

  • is guilty of wilful misconduct, disobedience or wilful neglect of duty that is not trivial and has not been condoned by the employer. Note: "wilful" includes when an employee intended the resulting consequence or acted recklessly if they knew or should have known the effects their conduct would have. Poor work conduct that is accidental or unintentional is generally not considered wilful;
  • was hired for a specific length of time or until the completion of a specific task. However, such an employee will be entitled to notice of termination or termination pay if:
    • the employment ends before the term expires or the task is completed; or
    • the term expires or the task is not completed more than 12 months after the employment started; or
    • the employment continues for three months or more after the term expires or the task is completed;
  • is employed in construction. This includes employees who are doing off-site work in whole or in part who are commonly associated in work or collective bargaining with employees who work at the construction site;
  • builds, alters or repairs certain types of ships
  • has their employment terminated when they reach the age of retirement in accordance with the employer's established practice, but only if the termination would not contravene the Human Rights Code.
  • has refused an offer of reasonable alternative employment with the employer;
  • has refused to exercise their right to another position that is available under a seniority system.
  • is on a temporary lay-off
  • does not return to work within a reasonable time after being recalled to work from a temporary layoff;
  • is terminated during or as a result of a strike or lockout at the workplace;
  • has lost their employment because the contract of employment is impossible to perform or has been frustrated by an unexpected or unforeseen event or circumstance, such as a fire or flood, that makes it impossible for the employer to keep the employee working. (This does not include bankruptcy or insolvency or when the contract is frustrated or impossible to perform as the result of an injury or illness suffered by an employee.)

See also: Employment Standards Self-Service Tool

Wrongful dismissal

Rights greater than ESA notice of termination, termination pay, severance pay

The rules under the ESA about termination and severance of employment are minimum requirements. Some employees may have rights under the common law that are greater than the rights to notice of termination (or termination pay) and severance pay under the ESA. An employee may want to sue their former employer in court for "wrongful dismissal". Employees should be aware that they cannot sue an employer for wrongful dismissal and file a claim for termination pay or severance pay with the ministry for the same termination or severance of employment. An employee must choose one or the other. Employees may wish to obtain legal advice concerning their rights.