Reasonable Notice is a legal term that refers to how much notice or time an employer must give you, the employee, of the date your job will be terminated. In some cases, employers may choose to pay out a severance package in lieu of reasonable notice.

What is considered reasonable notice will vary from situation to situation and is dependent on a variety of factors.

Example: Today you were notified by your employer that your employment is being terminated, effective immediately. Instead of giving you reasonable notice, your employer has opted to pay you 3 months salary (severance pay).

Our lawyers will determine if 3 months of pay is reasonable based on a variety of factors.

Reasonable notice/severance packages entitle you to all aspects of your compensation, including:

Regular salary, commissions, and bonuses
Pension contributions
RRSP contributions
Medical and dental benefits
Fringe benefits (allowances for vehicles, cellphones, gym memberships, etc.)
Vacation pay

It is important for you to understand that most employees are entitled to substantially more reasonable notice or severance than the Alberta Employment Standards Code.

Example: Your employment is terminated after 2.5 years of service. Your employer has offered to give you 2 weeks’ notice as found in the Alberta Employment Standards Code. This is a wrongful dismissal. In fact, you are entitled to additional notice or severance under what is called the common law.

As each case is unique, our lawyers will assess yours to determine the appropriate amount of notice or severance you are entitled to.