After being fired or let go, many individuals in Oakville don’t give their employer’s severance offer a second thought—convinced getting on with the job hunt is a better use of their time than reviewing the package with a legal professional.
The reality is that an Oakville employment lawyer can make the difference following a dismissal, 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 seeking legal advice, here are three major mistakes that non-unionized employees should avoid at all costs.
1. Don’t lash out at your boss
While it can be extremely tempting to lose your temper during your termination meeting, keeping your cool pre-consultation is crucial.
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’ve been let go without severance pay in Oakville, all hope isn’t lost. An employment lawyer can confirm if this type of dismissal was appropriate in your situation and help you secure proper compensation if it wasn’t.
Get daily National news
2. Don’t sign your severance offer immediately
Contrary to popular belief, Ontarians aren’t legally obligated to accept their employer’s severance offer during their termination meeting or a few days after receiving it.
As long as you haven’t signed your company’s offer and returned it to them, you have two years from the date of your dismissal to pursue full severance pay.
READ MORE: Got a severance offer? Why you should speak with an employment lawyer before accepting it
3. Don’t negotiate a new severance package on your own
Shortly after reviewing your severance offer, it’s natural to be critical of the package—confident that you could obtain the “correct” amount of compensation from your employer.
However, you’re better off leaving any negotiations to the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. We’ll ensure there’s no “funny business” when your livelihood is on the line.
This was a mistake that one of my Oakville clients, a delivery truck driver, almost made after being laid off. Unimpressed with his severance package, the individual sent his employer an email—outlining why he believed he was entitled to three more weeks of pay.
When the company quickly agreed to his request, the delivery truck driver couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong and decided to bring the new offer to me.
Less than 15 minutes into his consultation, I confirmed that he was owed far more compensation than the negotiated amount. Following a brief phone call with my client’s employer, I was able to secure every cent of severance pay he deserved—no legal battle required.
READ MORE: Spotlight on Lior Samfiru after $157,000 court award exposes ‘legal time bomb’
Lost your job in Oakville? 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.
