Employment Termination in Quebec (2026)
What you're owed, what the employer must do, and what to do next, under the Act Respecting Labour Standards (LNT / Loi sur les normes du travail).
Quebec employment rights checklist
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- ✓Your statutory notice entitlement under Quebec law
- ✓What your employer must give you in writing
- ✓EI application and ROE timeline
- ✓What to do in the first week after termination
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Statutory notice minimums worksheet for your province
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- ✓Statutory notice minimums (ESA minimum notice + severance where applicable)
- ✓Employee rights summary for your province
- ✓Sample termination letter (reference: what your employer should give you)
- ✓What to do next: checklist (EI, ROE, legal options)
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Built by Nathan, nine years in the Canadian Army, paperwork done the hard way first.
Federally regulated employee? Read this first ▸
FEDERALLY REGULATED? If you work for a bank, telecommunications or broadcasting company, an airline, interprovincial or international transport/trucking, a federal Crown corporation, or another federally regulated industry, you are covered by the Canada Labour Code, NOT your provincial Employment Standards Act. Federal notice and severance rules are different, and federally regulated employees with 12+ months of service have an unjust-dismissal remedy that can include reinstatement. The provincial figures shown here do not apply to you. See canada.ca for the Canada Labour Code standards.
Minimum Notice in Quebec
Under the Act Respecting Labour Standards (LNT / Loi sur les normes du travail). These are statutory minimums, common law may entitle you to more.
| Length of employment | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 months | None |
| 3 months–1 year | 1 week |
| 1–5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5–10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10+ years | 8 weeks |
Notice or pay in lieu. Quebec also has "unjust dismissal" protection (recours à l'encontre d'un congédiement sans cause juste et suffisante) for employees with 2+ years of uninterrupted service.
Severance Pay in Quebec
No statutory severance pay in Quebec
Quebec does not have a statutory severance pay concept separate from notice. However, additional damages may be awarded for unjust dismissal (reinstatement or indemnity).
Group / Mass Termination
Collective dismissal: 10+ employees from the same establishment in a 2-month period (including layoffs exceeding 6 months): 8 weeks' notice (10–99 employees); 12 weeks (100–299); 16 weeks (300+).
Official source →Temporary Layoff
A layoff lasting more than 6 months is treated as a termination; notice or indemnity is required. Employees with 2+ years of service can also file an unjust-dismissal complaint within 45 days of the effective termination date.
Common Law Reasonable Notice
Quebec's civil law system uses the "unjust dismissal" recourse at the CNESST (Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail) for employees with 2+ years of service. Remedies include reinstatement or indemnity. This is different from common law provinces.
Just Cause in Quebec
In Quebec, dismissal must be for "sufficient and just cause." The employer must demonstrate the reason was proportionate and justified. An employee can contest any dismissal (not just no-cause) at the CNESST.
Constructive Dismissal
Significant changes to essential working conditions without consent may constitute constructive dismissal (résiliation implicite).
Record of Employment (ROE)
The ROE must be issued within 5 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption of earnings occurs. Apply for EI at canada.ca within 4 weeks of your last day.
If You Were Terminated: What to Do
- 1
Request your ROE.
- 2
Apply for EI at canada.ca within 4 weeks of your last day. The 1-week waiting period is currently waived until October 10, 2026 (temporary measure). Benefits may begin sooner.
- 3
If you have 2+ years of service, you may file an unjust dismissal complaint at CNESST within 45 days: this deadline is strict; missing it forfeits the right.
- 4
Do not sign any release or settlement before consulting a lawyer or notaire.
- 5
File with the CNESST (Commission des normes) for labour standards violations if minimum entitlements are not met.
- 6
If you are unionized, contact your union immediately: unionized employees file grievances through their collective agreement, not through the CNESST unjust dismissal process.
- 7
If the dismissal may involve discrimination (age, pregnancy, disability, or other protected grounds), you may also have recourse under Quebec's Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms at the CDPDJ.
If You Are the Employer: What You Must Do
- 1
Provide notice or pay in lieu per the Act Respecting Labour Standards.
- 2
Issue ROE within 5 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption of earnings occurs.
- 3
Pay final wages including all vacation pay: 4% for employees with 1-3 years of service; 6% for 3+ years of gross annual wages.
- 4
Be aware that employees with 2+ years of service can file an unjust dismissal complaint within 45 days.
- 5
Cooperate with any CNESST investigation or mediation process: the unjust dismissal process can result in reinstatement orders.
Quebec-specific things to know
- •Quebec's unjust dismissal recourse (2+ years service) must be filed within 45 days of dismissal: do not miss this deadline.
- •Quebec is a civil law jurisdiction: wrongful dismissal works differently from common law provinces.
- •Reinstatement is an available remedy under Quebec's unjust dismissal process (unlike most other provinces).
- •Vacation pay: Quebec employees are entitled to 4% (1–3 years) or 6% (3+ years) of gross wages as vacation pay.
- •CNESST (Commission des normes) handles both ESA complaints and unjust dismissal complaints.
Common Questions
Can my employer terminate me without cause in Quebec?
Yes, employers can terminate "without cause" but must provide proper notice or pay in lieu. "Without cause" does not mean without compensation. Employees terminated without cause are entitled to statutory minimums plus potentially common law notice.
What is pay in lieu of notice in Quebec?
Instead of having you work through your notice period, your employer can end the job immediately and pay you a lump sum covering that period: that is "pay in lieu of notice". Working notice or pay in lieu. Notice period may be extended by a collective agreement. How long the notice period must be depends on how long you worked there, and the minimum is set by the Act Respecting Labour Standards (LNT / Loi sur les normes du travail).
Does Quebec have severance pay?
Quebec does not have a statutory severance pay concept separate from notice. However, additional damages may be awarded for unjust dismissal (reinstatement or indemnity). That is not the same as getting nothing: notice pay, or pay in lieu of it, still applies, and a common law claim can go beyond the statutory minimum.
What is "just cause" and how does it affect my payout?
In Quebec, dismissal must be for "sufficient and just cause." The employer must demonstrate the reason was proportionate and justified. An employee can contest any dismissal (not just no-cause) at the CNESST.
Should I sign the severance offer right away?
Most employment lawyers advise against signing immediately. Once you sign a release, you typically cannot pursue further claims. Review the offer against your statutory minimums. If it exceeds statutory minimums, consider whether it reflects common law reasonable notice. Most employment lawyers offer free initial consultations and many work on contingency for wrongful dismissal claims.
Does my employment contract limit what I can get?
It might, but many termination clauses in employment contracts are poorly drafted and have been struck down by courts for failing to meet statutory minimums. Even if your contract has a termination clause, have a lawyer review it before assuming it limits your entitlements.
File an Employment Standards Complaint
CNESST Wage Complaint (labour standards). For unjust dismissal (2+ years of service), file the unjust-dismissal complaint within 45 days, separate from the wage/ESA complaint process. Filing with the employment standards office is free and does not require a lawyer.
Go to QC complaint portal →Official sources
- Act Respecting Labour Standards (LNT / Loi sur les normes du travail) →
- CNESST: Notice of Termination & Indemnity →
- CNESST: Collective Dismissal →
Last updated: June 2026
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