After being fired or let go, the last thing on the minds of many individuals in Mississauga is to seek legal advice.
Instead, workers simply accept their employer’s severance offer and begin searching for another job—convinced there’s no point in getting a “second opinion.”
The reality is that a Mississauga employment lawyer can make the difference following a termination, especially when it comes to confirming proper compensation is being provided by your company.
READ MORE: 6 common employer mistakes that could lead to a bigger payout after termination
Prior to scheduling a consultation with a legal professional, here are three major mistakes that non-unionized employees should avoid at all costs.
1. Don’t lash out at your boss
In my decades-long career, there’s been no shortage of clients who’ve told me that they almost flew off the handle during their termination meeting. While it can be extremely tempting to unleash your rage on your employer, keeping your cool is crucial after losing your job.
Severance in Ontario can be as much as 24 months’ pay. Getting angry or doing something to hurt the company could affect the amount of compensation you’re legally entitled to.
If you’re fired in Mississauga without severance pay, remain calm and contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. We can determine if this type of dismissal was appropriate in your situation and help you secure proper compensation if it wasn’t.
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2. Don’t sign your severance offer immediately
A common misconception is that Ontarians have to accept their employer’s severance offer as soon as possible.
If you receive a severance offer from your boss, hold off on signing anything until you speak with my firm. The company can’t force you to accept it on the spot or a few days after it was provided to you.
READ MORE: 5 things employees should never do before talking to an employment lawyer
As long as you didn’t sign the offer and return it to your employer, you have two years from the date of your dismissal to pursue full severance pay.
3. Don’t negotiate a new severance package on your own
While it might seem like a good idea to bet on yourself, the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP will ensure there’s no “funny business” when your livelihood is on the line.
This was a mistake that one of my Mississauga clients, an administrative assistant, almost made after being laid off during an “organizational restructuring.”
Unimpressed with her severance package, the individual sent her employer an email—outlining why she believed she was entitled to two more weeks of pay.
When the company quickly agreed to her request, the administrative assistant couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong and decided to bring the new offer to me.
Less than 10 minutes into her consultation, I confirmed that she was owed far more compensation than the negotiated amount. Following a brief phone call with the administrative assistant’s employer, I was able to secure the correct amount of severance pay for my client—no legal battle required.
READ MORE: Spotlight on Lior Samfiru after $157,000 court award exposes ‘legal time bomb’
Lost your job in Mississauga? Being pressured to sign your severance offer immediately?
Contact Samfiru Tumarkin LLP or call 1-855-821-5900 for a consultation with an employment lawyer. Get the advice you need and the compensation you deserve.
Lior Samfiru is an employment lawyer and co-founding partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, Canada’s most positively reviewed law firm specializing in employment law and long-term disability claims. He provides legal insight on Canada’s only Employment Law Show on TV and radio.