Just a few weeks after Meta announced layoffs, another tech giant, Salesforce, has scaled back its staffing levels in 2026—affecting hundreds of jobs.
According to reports, the workforce reduction comes as the company navigates an executive shake-up.
READ MORE: Asking AI for severance advice? Why you’re better off with a real employment lawyer
Here are three things that non-unionized workers in Canada shouldn’t do if they’re laid off as part of their employer’s restructuring plan.
1. Don’t lash out at your boss
While it can be extremely tempting to “fly off the handle” during your termination meeting, keeping your cool is crucial.
Severance 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.
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READ MORE: 5 ways to determine if your severance package is fair
If you’re fired 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.
2. Don’t sign your severance offer immediately
Contrary to popular belief, Canadians don’t have to accept their employer’s severance offer on the spot.
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 during your termination meeting 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
When your livelihood is on the line, you can’t leave anything up to chance. The experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has a proven track record of successfully resolving severance disputes.
One of our clients, a data analyst in Mississauga, was unimpressed with the severance package she received after being laid off during a company-wide restructuring.
The individual sent her employer an email—explaining why she believed she was entitled to another two weeks of pay. To her surprise, the request was approved less than an hour later.
Just as the data analyst was about to sign the new severance offer, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be a mistake to do so and decided to bring it to Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. This proved to be the right call as the amount she’d negotiated wasn’t even close to what she was legally entitled to.
Following a brief phone conversation with the data analyst’s employer, we were able to secure every cent of compensation that our client was owed without getting the courts involved.
READ MORE: Tech exec’s severance victory: Turning termination into triumph
Lost your job? Boss pressuring you to sign a severance offer immediately?
Contact the firm 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.