Employment · 7 min read · Published September 2026
Termination from a job in Ontario: first steps
What to preserve and ask after a termination, layoff, resignation pressure, or change to your job in Ontario.
Short answer
After a termination, save the termination letter, employment agreement, pay records, benefits information, and relevant messages before signing anything. Employment Standards Act minimums may not be the entire analysis, and deadlines can apply, so get advice before accepting a release or waiting.
What documents should you preserve?
The wording and timing of the termination matter. Save documents from before and after the termination, including bonus plans, policies, performance reviews, and any new offer or release.
- Termination or layoff letter
- Employment contract and amendments
- Recent pay statements, bonus records, and benefits details
- Performance, accommodation, complaint, or leave records
What should you ask before signing?
Ask what payments, notice, benefits, references, and obligations the proposal covers. A release may limit future claims, while a deadline in the letter may be a negotiation deadline rather than the legal deadline.
- Which amounts are statutory minimums and which are additional?
- How long do benefits continue?
- Are equity, commission, bonus, or vacation amounts included?
- What claims or rights would a release affect?
Common questions
Should I sign a termination package immediately?
Do not assume you must sign immediately. Ask for time to review it and obtain advice, while checking any stated deadline and preserving your employment records.
Can I be terminated while on leave?
A leave does not answer every termination question. The facts, reason, timing, human-rights protections, and employment standards rules may all matter.
Official sources to check
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