After being fired or let go, many Londoners simply accept their employer’s severance offer—convinced getting on with the job hunt is a better use of their time than reviewing the package with a legal professional.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. A London employment lawyer can confirm that you’re not leaving any money on the table as you search for your next role.
READ MORE: 6 common employer mistakes that could lead to a bigger payout after termination
If you’ve received a severance offer from your boss, it’s in your best interest to seek legal advice before doing anything else. Here are three major pre-consultation mistakes that non-unionized workers 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 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 London, all hope isn’t lost. An employment lawyer can help you secure proper compensation if this type of dismissal wasn’t appropriate in your situation.
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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.
3. Don’t negotiate a new severance package on your own
Throughout my decades-long career, there’s been no shortage of non-unionized individuals who—prior to connecting with me—considered betting on themselves after determining that their employer’s severance offer was lacking.
In this situation, it’s natural to feel like you should advocate for yourself. However, your best course of action is to leave any severance 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.
READ MORE: Got a severance offer? Why you should speak with an employment lawyer before accepting it
One of my former clients in London, an administrative assistant, is a cautionary tale. Unimpressed with the severance offer she received after being let go during a restructuring, the individual decided to negotiate—outlining in an email to her employer why she believed she was entitled to another month of pay.
When management quickly agreed to her request, the administrative assistant couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong and turned to her spouse for guidance. She was encouraged to bring the new severance offer to me before accepting anything.
Thankfully, the administrative assistant did schedule a consultation. It only took me a couple of minutes to confirm that she was owed far more compensation than the negotiated amount.
Following a brief phone call with her employer, I was able to secure the correct severance package 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 London? Being pressured to sign your severance offer immediately?
Contact Samfiru Tumarkin LLP or call 1-855-821-5900 for a consultation with an Ontario 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.
