Quitting, getting fired or laid off
Last updated on January 31, 2024Both employees and employers can end employment. Employees should consider whether they are eligible for a job-protected leave of absence if they need to take time off work to deal with illness or life situations.
Employees can quit their job at any time. If an employee quits their job, they're not paid compensation for length of employment.
Employers can end an employee's job by giving written working notice or pay (called compensation for length of service). They can also choose to give a combination of both notice and pay.
A temporary layoff is when an employee earns less than 50% of their regular weekly wages – with the plan that the employee will return to a regular work schedule.
If the employee won't be returning to work, the layoff is a termination of employment.
If circumstances require terminating 50 or more employees at a single location within a two-month period, the employer must give written notice of group termination to each employee affected, the Minister of Labour, and any trade union that represents the employees.
What you can do
If you're having issues at work, find out what you can do: