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Wrongful Dismissal Lawyers Toronto
Fired Unfairly? Speak With a Toronto Wrongful Dismissal Lawyer Today
If you’ve been dismissed without proper notice or severance, you may have a legal right to compensation. In Ontario, wrongful dismissal claims under the Employment Standards Act (ESA) and common law provide a path to recoup lost income, benefits, and more. At Greenwood Law, our wrongful dismissal lawyers in Toronto help you understand your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve.
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Meet Your Wrongful Dismissal Team in Toronto
Our Toronto wrongful dismissal lawyers at Greenwood Law bring local legal knowledge and focused advocacy to your case. We assist employees who’ve lost their jobs without proper notice, severance, or legitimate cause. Our approach is strategic, transparent, and responsive: we clarify your rights, tailor a plan suited to your situation, and take prompt action to preserve your options and maximize any compensation owed.
What Is Wrongful Dismissal?
Wrongful dismissal happens when an employer terminates your employment without providing either proper notice, adequate pay in lieu of notice, or legitimate cause. Unless “just cause” can be proven, you’re legally entitled to reasonable notice, severance pay (if ESA‑eligible), benefits continuation, and potential damages for misconduct in termination.
What Constitutes Wrongful Dismissal in Ontario?
A wrongful dismissal occurs when your employer:
Terminates you without cause or with inadequate notice or pay in lieu, or
Mislabels a dismissal as “with cause” without evidentiary support.
Under Ontario law, unless your employer proves serious misconduct (just cause), you’re entitled to reasonable notice or severance, based on factors like length of service, age, role, and the job market.
What Is Reasonable Notice?
Reasonable notice is a core component of your legal entitlement, it goes beyond the ESA’s statutory minimums and takes into account:
- Your age
- Length of service with your employer
- Position and responsibilities, managerial or highly specialized roles often receive longer notice
- Availability of comparable work in the Toronto job market
- The manner of dismissal, including whether it was conducted in bad faith or with improper cause
In typical wrongful dismissal cases in Toronto, reasonable notice ranges from several weeks to 24 months, depending on your individual circumstances. In exceptional cases, courts have awarded periods exceeding 24 months
Common Signs You’ve Been Wrongfully Dismissed
Constructive dismissal may include situations like:
- Major salary or benefit reductions
- Demotion with loss of responsibility or title
- Forced relocation or significant changes to duties
- Unpaid suspension without justification
- Toxic or hostile workplace conditions
Such changes must be unilateral and fundamental, leaving you no real choice but to resign. Courts evaluate objectively whether a reasonable person would consider the changes intolerable.
What Compensation Can You Claim?
Depending on your case, you may be entitled to:
- Pay in lieu of notice (working or lump-sum)
- Severance pay per ESA eligibility
- Benefit continuation during the notice period
- Damages for bad faith or employer misconduct
- Human rights or moral damages (if applicable)
Our lawyers will review your employment documents and situation to determine the full scope of compensation you may recover.
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Our employment lawyers in Toronto are ready to protect your rights and secure the compensation you deserve.
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Hear From Our Clients
Helping Clients Get Back to Work
Our employment lawyers in Toronto are ready to protect your rights and secure the compensation you deserve.
Why Chooose Greenwood Law - Toronto Employment Lawyers
Our legal team focuses on tailored strategies that reflect the unique details of your case, not cookie, cutter solutions.
15+ years of Toronto workplace law experience
Our wrongful dismissal lawyers have resolved cases across Toronto, applying deep legal knowledge and local insights to secure stronger settlements and outcomes.
Compassionate, employee-focused approach
Toronto employees trust our empathetic representation, we provide clear guidance and support at every stage of the wrongful dismissal process.
Clear and practical legal strategies
We offer direct, understandable advice tailored to Toronto employees navigating termination, severance negotiation, or litigation.
Swift and decisive action
Knowing the importance of prompt response in Toronto wrongful dismissal cases, we initiate contact early to protect your legal rights.
Wrongful Dismissal Lawyer in Toronto Frequently Asked Questions
How is “reasonable notice” calculated in a wrongful dismissal case?
Ontario courts evaluate reasonable notice using the Bardal factors: character of employment, length of service, employee’s age, and availability of similar employment. While notice typically ranges between a few weeks and 24 months, exceptional cases may go beyond that ceiling, especially for long-serving, specialized roles, or if dismissal was handled in bad faith.
What is the two-year limitation period for wrongful dismissal claims in Toronto?
In Ontario, you generally have two years from the date you were dismissed to file a wrongful dismissal claim, as governed by the Limitations Act, 2002. This period usually starts when notice of termination is given or when you discover the dismissal was legally inadequate.
What types of damages can be recovered in a wrongful dismissal claim?
Potential damages may include:
Pay in lieu of reasonable notice
Severance pay under ESA eligibility
Continued benefits during the notice period
Bad-faith damages for wrongful termination conduct
Human rights or moral damages if discrimination was involved
Under what circumstances is a dismissal considered “with cause”?
To establish cause, employers must prove serious misconduct, such as theft, violence, or insubordination with clear evidence or progressive discipline. Courts interpret cause narrowly, and many dismissals labeled as such are later ruled wrongful.
Does being on protected leave affect a wrongful dismissal claim?
Yes. If you were terminated during a protected leave (such as medical, parental, or disability leave), it may strengthen your wrongful dismissal claim or give rise to separate legal remedies under human rights or employment standards legislation.
If I didn’t receive any notice, am I automatically wrongfully dismissed?
Not necessarily. You may have received working notice (continued employment for a notice period). Wrongful dismissal occurs when notice, statutory or reasonable is legally insufficient. If you received nothing or inadequate notice, it’s likely wrongful dismissal
Talk to a Wrongful Dismissal Lawyer in Toronto Now
You don’t have to face unfair dismissal alone. Greenwood Law can help you reclaim your rights and move forward with confidence.
Areas We Serve
At Greenwood Law, we proudly serve clients across Ontario & throughout Canada, including:
