Employment Lawyer in Toronto — Severance, Termination, and Workplace Rights

Employment law claims in Ontario are subject to limitation periods that can permanently bar your claim if you wait too long. The Limitations Act, 2002 generally requires you to commence a court claim within two years of discovering the claim. But other deadlines—ESA complaint periods, human rights application timelines, and contractual notice provisions—can be much shorter. UL Lawyers identifies the deadlines that apply to your specific situation so you don’t lose your right to pursue compensation.

• Two-year basic limitation period under the Limitations Act, 2002 for civil claims
• ESA complaint deadlines: generally two years from the date of the alleged contravention
• Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario: applications must generally be filed within one year of the last incident
• Contractual limitation clauses: some employment contracts shorten the limitation period—these may or may not be enforceable
• Do not wait for the employer to act: the clock often starts running before you receive a final response

When you’re terminated, the employer controls the narrative and the paperwork. Your termination letter and severance offer are drafted to limit the employer’s liability—not to protect you. UL Lawyers examines the documents that define your rights and identifies what the employer is hoping you’ll overlook.

• Your employment contract: termination clauses, notice provisions, and any restrictive covenants (non-compete, non-solicit) that may affect your next job
• The termination letter: whether cause is alleged, what reason is given, and whether the employer has followed its own policies
• The severance offer and release: what you’re being asked to sign away, including human rights claims, bonus entitlements, and benefit continuation
• Your compensation history: base salary, commissions, bonuses, stock options, RRSP contributions, and benefits that form part of your total loss
• Workplace correspondence, performance reviews, and any investigation records that may support or undermine a cause allegation

Many terminated employees in Toronto are told they’re receiving a generous package when, in reality, they’re being offered only the statutory minimum under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. Ontario common law often entitles employees to significantly more—sometimes months or years of additional pay—based on factors the ESA doesn’t consider. UL Lawyers calculates what you may be owed under both frameworks so you can make an informed decision.

• ESA minimums: generally one week per year of service up to a cap, plus benefit continuation during the statutory notice period
• Common-law reasonable notice: based on age, length of service, character of employment, and availability of similar work—often 1 month per year of service or more
• Bardal factors: the Ontario courts consider your age, tenure, position, and the labour market when determining common-law notice
• Bonus and commission entitlements during the notice period: you may be owed more than base salary if your compensation included variable pay
• Pension, RRSP, and benefit losses during the notice period: these form part of your damages and should be included in any settlement

Employers in Toronto sometimes label a termination as “for cause” to avoid paying severance altogether. But just cause is a high legal threshold in Ontario—wilful misconduct, serious insubordination, or dishonesty that fundamentally breaks the employment relationship. If your employer has alleged cause without a proper investigation or evidence, you may still be entitled to full common-law severance. UL Lawyers reviews the allegations, the investigation process, and the evidence to determine whether cause can be sustained.

• Whether the employer conducted a fair investigation before alleging cause
• Whether the alleged misconduct meets the Ontario legal test for just cause
• Whether progressive discipline was applied or the employer jumped to termination
• Whether the employer’s own policies and past practice support the termination
• Your options: negotiate a without-cause departure, pursue wrongful dismissal damages, or respond to the allegations

Not every termination comes with a letter. If your employer has substantially changed your job—cut your pay, demoted you, changed your hours, or created a hostile work environment—you may have been constructively dismissed. Ontario law treats a constructive dismissal like a without-cause termination, entitling you to severance. But the burden is on you to prove the change was fundamental. UL Lawyers reviews the timeline of changes and advises whether you have a constructive dismissal claim before you resign.

• Significant reduction in compensation, bonus, or benefits
• Demotion, change in title, or removal of core responsibilities
• Relocation to a different office or city without your agreement
• Hostile or poisoned work environment that makes continued employment untenable
• The critical step: do not resign before a lawyer reviews your situation—resigning can undermine your claim

Your employment contract doesn’t just govern your job—it can limit your next one. Non-compete clauses, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality provisions can restrict where you work, who you can contact, and what you can say after you leave. Ontario courts scrutinize restrictive covenants carefully, and many are unenforceable if they’re overly broad. UL Lawyers reviews your contract to determine which clauses are enforceable and which can be challenged.

• Non-compete clauses: whether the geographic scope, duration, and scope of activity are reasonable
• Non-solicitation clauses: whether you’re restricted from contacting clients, customers, or former colleagues
• Confidentiality and trade secret provisions: what you can and cannot use in your next role
• Termination clauses: whether the contract validly limits your severance to ESA minimums or preserves common-law rights
• Review before you start a new job: understanding your restrictions before you accept an offer can prevent litigation later

If you’ve experienced harassment, discrimination, or a failure to accommodate a disability or medical leave in your Toronto workplace, you may have rights under the Ontario Human Rights Code in addition to your employment law claims. These matters often involve overlapping forums—the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, a civil court, or a grievance under a collective agreement—and strict limitation periods. UL Lawyers helps you identify the right forum and the applicable deadlines.

• Harassment and discrimination based on protected grounds: race, sex, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, and others
• Failure to accommodate: medical leave, disability, family status, or religious observance
• Reprisal and poisoned work environment claims
• Choosing the right forum: Human Rights Tribunal, Superior Court, or a labour grievance
• Documenting the conduct: emails, messages, witness names, and timelines before you leave the workplace

The first step is a free 15-minute consultation where we review your documents, identify the key issues, and explain your legal options in plain language. We’ll tell you what deadlines apply, what your severance range may be, and whether negotiation, a demand letter, or litigation is the right next step. Our goal is to give you enough information to make a confident decision—whether that means negotiating a better package, challenging a cause allegation, or preparing for a wrongful dismissal claim.

• Free 15-minute consultation of your termination letter, contract, and severance offer
• Clear explanation of your ESA and common-law entitlements
• Identification of all applicable deadlines and limitation periods
• Strategy recommendation: negotiation, mediation, or litigation
• Virtual consultations available across the GTA, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton, and Kitchener-Waterloo