Yes, you can. In Ontario, the law allows employers to terminate employees without cause, which means they don’t need to give a specific reason. But they don’t get to walk away without meeting their legal obligations. If you’ve been let go, your employer must provide either reasonable notice or pay in lieu of notice, commonly referred to as severance.
Too often, employees are handed a severance letter and feel pressured to accept it on the spot, assuming it’s final and fair. But that initial offer may fall well short of what you’re truly entitled to. Severance pay under common law isn’t the same for everyone; the amount depends on a variety of factors, things like your age, your length of service, and your role. If any of those factors point to a longer road to re-employment, you may be owed significantly more. At Whitten & Lublin, we can help you determine what you’re really owed and make sure your employer delivers it.

When you’re handed a termination letter or severance package, it may include a clause that asks you to sign away your right to take legal action. What many employees don’t realize is that depending on the terms, the act of signing may prevent you from later challenging the fairness of that termination. That’s why timing and understanding are so important.
The moment right after a dismissal can feel overwhelming. You may be tempted to just sign and move on. But even if your employer insists the offer is generous or time-sensitive, you are under no legal obligation to accept it without reviewing it first. In fact, that’s where we often find opportunities.
At Whitten & Lublin, we carefully examine the fine print, assess whether the compensation offered reflects your true legal entitlements, and help you decide whether it’s in your best interest to accept, revise, or reject it altogether.

In most cases, you have up to two years from the date of termination to file a wrongful dismissal claim in Ontario. That might seem like a long time, but that doesn’t mean you should wait. Over time, details become harder to recollect, emotions change, and what once felt urgent starts to feel less clear. But make no mistake: your right to compensation doesn’t disappear just because your employer moved on quickly.
We always encourage clients to seek legal advice sooner rather than later. The earlier you understand where you stand, the more control you have over your options. And even if you’re not sure whether your dismissal qualifies as wrongful, having that conversation with a legal expert can be the difference between quietly walking away and confidently securing what you deserve.

If you were terminated without proper notice or without fair severance, you could be entitled to much more than what your employer initially offered. That includes the salary you would have earned during a proper notice period, plus the value of any benefits, bonuses, commissions, or vacation time you lost as a result of the termination.
In some cases, if the termination was handled with bad faith or undue stress, there may also be grounds for additional compensation. Every situation is unique, which is why a cookie-cutter severance offer rarely reflects the full picture.
At Whitten & Lublin, we take the time to understand the full scope of your employment and what’s at stake. Then we fight for the compensation that truly reflects your worth.