Can Severance Pay Ontario Be Used to Offset Wages?
Severance Pay Ontario Be Used to Offset Wages
Whether you’re a full-time employee or a contractor, you’re entitled to be paid for the work you’ve done and the time you spent at your job. Depending on how long you worked and the circumstances surrounding your termination, you may also be entitled to severance pay ontario.
The Employment Standards Act (ESA) entitles provincially-regulated workers to at least 1 week of pay per year of service up to a maximum of 8 weeks if they are dismissed without cause. This is called statutory severance pay Ontario, and it’s non-negotiable. However, severance packages are often greater than the minimum ESA amount. The criteria that determines what’s included in a severance package come from both common law and ESA, and are influenced by the employee’s years of service, position and other factors.
In addition to statutory severance pay, you might be eligible for a bonus or other compensation that’s part of your company’s severance package. The ESA requires larger companies to provide their terminated employees with more compensation than small businesses, so you’ll likely receive more severance pay if you work for a large corporation or a multinational business.
Can Severance Pay Ontario Be Used to Offset Wages?
If you’re a federally-regulated worker, like someone who works for a bank or telecommunications company, you’ll be subject to different rules. Your employer is required to comply with the Canada Labour Code instead of the Ontario ESA. However, it is still possible for a company to try to use an employment contract to reduce or eliminate your severance pay by including a clause that restricts your rights to the minimum ESA amount.
It’s important to note that if you have other sources of income, you may owe more tax than what your employer deducts from your severance pay. This is because the income tax rate that applies to your severance pay can vary between provinces. For this reason, it’s a good idea to have the right tax advice and prepare for your termination before receiving your severance package.
Your severance pay might be subject to a number of taxes, including income tax and employment insurance. This means that you might need to submit an income tax return in order to claim the money you’re owed. If you don’t have the correct information, you might face significant interest or penalties from your tax office.
If you’re being laid off for a legitimate reason that’s not related to misconduct, you should expect your employer to pay you the full amount of severance you’re entitled to under the ESA. However, if your termination is a result of misconduct or another cause that’s covered by the ESA, you may not be entitled to any severance pay. For this reason, it’s critical that you talk to a Toronto employment lawyer before terminating. They can help you understand your rights and protect you against any repercussions from the employer.