Trusted by 1000+ clients
Losing your job is one of the most stressful things that can happen. And the severance offer on the table is rarely what the law actually requires. Wrongful dismissal is straightforward: it’s being let go without cause and denied the full notice or pay you’re owed. Most first offers don’t come close.
Almost every termination without cause is potentially wrongful if the notice or pay offered falls below your common-law entitlement. The minimums set by Alberta’s Employment Standards Code are almost always far less than what you are actually owed. Whether you work in Calgary’s energy sector, finance, healthcare, tech, or the trades, the first offer from your employer is rarely the right one. What makes a dismissal wrongful is not the termination itself — it is the failure to pay your full severance. We make sure that doesn’t happen.
It is a myth that severance is calculated by a simple rule of thumb like one or two weeks per year of service. Your full financial entitlement is determined by the Bardal factors: your age, your length of service, your job title, and the availability of similar work in the current Calgary market. The older and more senior you are, and the harder your role is to replace, the longer the notice period owed. Don’t accept the first offer. It is almost always well below your true legal entitlement.
Too many terminated employees simply accept what they’re given — without asking whether it’s what they’re truly owed. This is one of the most important financial decisions you will make. Take 30 minutes to talk to an expert. Make the right decision about your future.
our services
Workplace challenges can be difficult to navigate alone. Our firm is committed to helping employees understand their rights and find the right path forward.
We start by reviewing your full employment situation — your contract, your compensation history, your termination letter, and any performance records. From that review, we build a clear picture of what you are owed and a customized plan to get it. Every file is different. A senior manager in Calgary’s energy sector with 12 years of service has a very different case than a recent hire in tech. We will customize our approach to your specific circumstances.
Once we know what you’re owed, we take the lead. We negotiate directly with your employer or their counsel to recover your full compensation — base salary, bonuses, benefits, stock options, pension contributions — for the complete severance period. Our fees are contingency-based where appropriate: we only get paid if we get you more.
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Employment Law Advocates made a stressful situation so much easier to navigate. Their team was responsive, knowledgeable, and fought hard to secure the outcome I deserved.
Employment Law Advocates made a stressful situation so much easier to navigate. Their team was responsive, knowledgeable, and fought hard to secure the outcome I deserved.
We work with employees from all backgrounds who need trusted legal guidance during difficult workplace situations, including severance package reviews and wrongful dismissal claims.
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