11 Oct Why should I hire a lawyer to review my severance package?
You may have just been terminated and have now received a severance package. You could be looking at the offer and thinking that the offer just doesn’t seem right. The good news is, “just making sure” your severance package is fair is a good enough reason to hire an employment lawyer.
If you are a non-unionized employee who has just received a severance package, there are many reasons why you should hire an employment lawyer to review this offer.
There is a possibility you are eligible to receive more notice pay. Your lawyer will look at your role and how many years you have worked in the position and compare it to others in a similar position. This allows your lawyer to understand what compensation is legally fair for your position and compare it to the amount the employer presented. If the amount your employer offered does not equate to what is reasonable, then your lawyer can provide a counter-offer.
If you are being offered the minimum severance pay as outlined in the Employment Standards Act, your employment lawyer can evaluate whether you are eligible to receive more than the required minimum.
It is against the law to fire someone for discriminatory reasons, and the ESA protects all employees from inequitable treatment. If this termination was a product of a human rights violation, your employment lawyer can help determine your next steps.
The ESA also protects employees from being terminated while you were on paternity leave, sick leave, or disability leave. If you have received a severance package because you have been terminated during one of these periods, your employment lawyer will know how to approach this situation.
It could help you with obtaining new employment. It is possible that this process could provide you with a reference from your previous employer.
This meeting could also ensure certainty that what you have received is fair. Employment lawyers can be used as a second set of eyes to confirm your severance package is reasonable. You don’t want to miss out on any possible compensation that is owed to you.
If you want an employment lawyer to review your severance package, please contact KCY at LAW by filling in an online consultation request or contact us by phone at 905-639-0999 to book your consultation today.