🇨🇦 ESA Severance Pay · Employment Standards Act · Ontario
Calculate Your Ontario Severance Pay
If you've been let go and want to know what you're owed under the ESA, enter your details below. This tool checks your eligibility, applies the statutory formula, and shows your estimated severance entitlement.
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Severance Pay Estimator
✓ESA formula·✓ 26-week cap·✓ Eligibility gate·✓ Part XV, Sections 63–66
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Your Ontario ESA Severance Estimate
What This Calculator Covers
This tool estimates your ESA minimum severance pay entitlement under Ontario's Employment Standards Act. It also provides a termination pay estimate (1–8 weeks based on service length) and a CRA lump-sum withholding estimate on your severance amount. Vacation pay payable on termination wages is noted where applicable.
These figures reflect statutory minimums only. Common law severance can exceed ESA entitlements significantly — an employment lawyer can assess your full position.
Severance Pay vs. Termination Pay
Termination pay is pay in lieu of the written notice your employer must give when ending employment — 1 to 8 weeks depending on length of service.
Severance pay is a separate ESA entitlement that compensates for long service and loss of accumulated job benefits. It applies when the employer meets the $2.5M payroll or 50-employee mass-layoff threshold and you have 5+ years of service, up to 26 weeks.
An employee may qualify for both. They are calculated independently under the ESA.
Withholding on Severance
The CRA withholding rates shown are estimates only. Actual withholding depends on how your employer structures the payment and your province of employment on the payment date.
Withholding is not your final tax bill. You may owe more or receive a refund when you file your annual return, depending on your total income and deductions for the year.
Example Scenarios
Example 1 — Hourly employee, 6 years of service
A worker earning $900/week with 6 years of service at an employer with a $3M Ontario payroll. ESA severance: 6 weeks × $900 = $5,400. Termination pay: 6 weeks = $5,400. CRA lump-sum withholding (30% on amounts over $15,000): ~$1,620.
Example 2 — Salaried employee, 28 years of service
A manager earning $2,100/week with 28 years of service. ESA severance: capped at 26 weeks × $2,100 = $54,600. Termination pay: 8 weeks (ESA maximum) = $16,800. CRA lump-sum withholding: ~$16,380.
Limitations
This calculator provides Ontario ESA minimums only. It does not estimate common law severance, which can substantially exceed statutory amounts based on age, position, and job market conditions.
Results are for informational purposes and do not constitute legal advice. Consult an Ontario employment lawyer for advice specific to your situation.