Distinguishes statutory vs common law
Many employers offer only government minimums (1 week/year) when common law frequently awards 3–4 weeks per year of service.
Canadian Severance Offer Checker
Find out if your Canadian severance package is fair. Compare employer offers against statutory minimums and common law reasonable notice (Bardal factors).
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How to use Canadian Severance Offer Checker
- 1
Select your province and enter your years of completed service and age.
- 2
Choose your job role tier (Executive / Director, Senior / Specialized, Mid-Level, or Non-Managerial).
- 3
Indicate current job market conditions in your industry.
- 4
Enter the number of severance weeks your employer has offered.
- 5
Review the comparison between statutory minimums, expected Common Law notice range, and your employer's offer.
- 6
Read the negotiation checklist before signing any employer release or deadline.
Why use this tool?
Bardal factor weighting
Applies judicial precedents weighing age, seniority, tenure, and hiring difficulty to produce realistic settlement ranges.
Negotiation leverage checklist
Actionable questions and red flags to review with an employment lawyer before your employer's arbitrary deadline.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between statutory severance and common law severance in Canada?
Statutory severance is the bare minimum required by provincial law (such as Ontario's Employment Standards Act, which provides up to 8 weeks notice and up to 26 weeks severance). Common law severance (reasonable notice) is established by court decisions and is almost always significantly higher—often 3 to 4 times the statutory minimum.
What are the Bardal factors used to calculate common law severance?
Established in the landmark 1960 Canadian case Bardal v. Globe & Mail Ltd., reasonable notice depends on four primary factors: (1) Age of the employee, (2) Length of service, (3) Character of employment (seniority and specialized responsibility), and (4) Availability of similar employment in the market.
Can my employer force me to sign a severance release within a few days?
No. Employers frequently impose artificial deadlines (e.g. 48–72 hours) to pressure employees into signing releases without legal counsel. Canadian courts regularly view these short deadlines as duress. You are legally entitled to reasonable time to seek independent legal advice.
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