Ontario Severance Pay Calculator 2026
Estimate ESA statutory minimum and common-law reasonable notice severance for Ontario. Enter years of service and salary.
In Ontario, the Employment Standards Act (ESA) requires statutory severance when certain conditions are met: 5+ years of service, employer payroll ≥$2.5M or 50+ employees laid off within 6 months. ESA severance = 1 week per year, up to 26 weeks. Common law reasonable notice often awards more. Use this Ontario severance calculator to estimate both.
Estimate your severance — Ontario
Common-law estimate (ballpark)
$26,923
~20 weeks ($1,346/week)
Based on ~1 month per year. Actual common law varies by Bardal factors (age, tenure, position, re-employment).
ESA statutory minimum
$6,731
5 weeks
ESA applies if employer payroll ≥ $2.5M or 50+ employees laid off within 6 months.
This is an estimate. Consult an employment lawyer for advice. ESA is the legal floor; common law often awards more.
ESA severance in Ontario
Ontario's Employment Standards Act requires employers (payroll ≥$2.5M or 50+ employees laid off in 6 months) to pay 1 week of pay per year of service, up to 26 weeks, for employees with 5+ years. This is the legal minimum. Common law often awards significantly more—typically 1–2 months per year based on Bardal factors.
Common law vs ESA
ESA is the floor. Courts can award common law reasonable notice in addition to or instead of ESA minimums. Factors include age, tenure, seniority, and job market. Use the calculator above to compare ESA and common-law estimates. For EI after severance, use our EI Benefits Calculator Canada.