if you do find yourself laid off this week, do NOT sign anything while sitting in the room with HR! Everything you sign is legally binding. So take the night to go home and read it, hopefully with someone (a partner or friend) with an outside set of eyes. Especially if a package is being offered to you. They cannot threaten you and demand you sign anything. Take a day. Compose yourself. Make sure you are getting the best leaving option possible.
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Just as a brief aside, Canadian labour law stipulates that to be acting legally the minimum severance is 1 week per year of service, prorated for an incomplete final year, to a maximum of 26 weeks.
https://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/severance.php
Now that doesn't mean a judge wouldn't deem it insufficient. It's still a legally valid offer, but then it becomes a civil discussion about fairness rather than legality.
Yes, packages can be negotiated - the first offer looks firm but it doesn't have to be the last. And usually negotiation is what you bring in a lawyer to do. But some of my colleagues went this way in the last couple rounds and they discovered that there isn't much more to eke out. Enbridge packages are generous by design so they aren't bogged down in a hundred court arbitration actions.
As for suing, you gotta really believe the package isn't close to fair before you start throwing thousands at a lawyer. The court will weigh the package against the time it could take to find employment and likely do little more than tweak it.
Sue for what? Cause you're butt hurt? Get over yourself.
If it's anything like previous they will not ask you to sign anything and advise you to review with a financial planner and lawyer. You will also meet with a person from an out placement service and get all that contact information before you go.
now HR guy in this forum...coz they came to know now... employees visit this page than elink... good suggestion...mr. hr.
It is all but nothing Unless you hire an emoloyment lawyer to sue the company.
It's the package or nothing.
Is there any negotiating room on a severance package? Does it matter now that it is a Canadian company but we work in Texas? Does age matter?