Employment Termination in Saskatchewan (2026)
What you're owed, what the employer must do, and what to do next, under the Saskatchewan Employment Act.
Saskatchewan employment rights checklist
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- ✓Your statutory notice entitlement under Saskatchewan 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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- ✓Everything in free
- ✓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)
Helps you understand your rights before signing any release
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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 Saskatchewan
Under the Saskatchewan Employment Act. These are statutory minimums, common law may entitle you to more.
| Length of employment | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 13 weeks | None |
| 13 weeks–1 year | 1 week |
| 1–3 years | 2 weeks |
| 3–5 years | 4 weeks |
| 5–10 years | 6 weeks |
| 10+ years | 8 weeks |
Notice can be working notice or pay in lieu.
Severance Pay in Saskatchewan
No statutory severance pay in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan does not have statutory severance pay separate from notice.
Group / Mass Termination
Group termination notice is required when 25 or more employees are terminated or laid off in a workplace (or workplaces in one community under a common employer) within any 4-week period. Notice scales with headcount: 4 weeks for 25-49 employees, 8 weeks for 50-99, and 12 weeks for 100 or more. Written notice must go to the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, each affected employee, and any union representing them. A layoff with no recall date, or of 26 weeks or more, counts as a termination for this purpose.
Official source →Temporary Layoff
Under the Saskatchewan Employment Act, a temporary layoff of 26 weeks or more within any 52-week period is treated as a termination, triggering notice or pay in lieu. A layoff with no specified recall date is likewise treated as a termination.
Common Law Reasonable Notice
Common law reasonable notice applies.
Just Cause in Saskatchewan
Just cause under the Saskatchewan Employment Act requires proof of serious misconduct proportionate to the sanction of dismissal without notice: theft, fraud, harassment, persistent insubordination after documented warnings, or a fundamental breach of employment duties. A single isolated incident, poor performance without a documented progressive discipline record, or personality conflicts generally do not meet the standard. The employer bears the full burden of proving cause is proportionate to dismissal.
Constructive Dismissal
If your employer unilaterally makes a substantial change to a fundamental employment term (a significant pay reduction, demotion, forced relocation, or creates a hostile work environment), you may be entitled to resign and claim constructive dismissal under Saskatchewan common law. Act promptly; working under the changed terms for an extended period without objection may constitute acceptance. Seek legal advice before resigning.
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
Do not sign any release before consulting a lawyer or understanding your full entitlements.
- 4
Calculate your Saskatchewan Employment Act notice entitlement based on your specific length of service.
- 5
Review the termination letter: if cause is alleged, get legal advice before accepting the employer's position.
- 6
Review your employment contract for any termination clause: SK courts may void clauses that fail to meet statutory minimums.
- 7
File with Saskatchewan Employment Standards (free) if statutory minimums aren't met.
- 8
Note: civil wrongful dismissal claims generally have a 2-year limitation period in Saskatchewan.
If You Are the Employer: What You Must Do
- 1
Provide a written termination letter specifying the effective date of termination and whether cause is alleged.
- 2
Provide notice or pay in lieu per the Saskatchewan Employment Act schedule.
- 3
Issue ROE within 5 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which the interruption of earnings occurs.
- 4
Pay final wages including vacation pay.
- 5
Advise the employee of any rights under group benefit plans.
Saskatchewan-specific things to know
- •No statutory severance in Saskatchewan.
- •Saskatchewan Employment Standards Officers can investigate ESC violations free of charge: no lawyer required.
- •Common law wrongful dismissal awards can significantly exceed statutory notice minimums for senior or long-tenure employees.
Common Questions
Can my employer terminate me without cause in Saskatchewan?
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 Saskatchewan?
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. How long the notice period must be depends on how long you worked there, and the minimum is set by the Saskatchewan Employment Act.
Does Saskatchewan have severance pay?
Saskatchewan does not have statutory severance pay separate from notice. 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?
Just cause under the Saskatchewan Employment Act requires proof of serious misconduct proportionate to the sanction of dismissal without notice: theft, fraud, harassment, persistent insubordination after documented warnings, or a fundamental breach of employment duties. A single isolated incident, poor performance without a documented progressive discipline record, or personality conflicts generally do not meet the standard. The employer bears the full burden of proving cause is proportionate to dismissal.
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
Saskatchewan Employment Standards Complaint (formal or anonymous). Filing with the employment standards office is free and does not require a lawyer.
Go to SK complaint portal →Official sources
- Saskatchewan Employment Act →
- Saskatchewan: Layoffs & Termination →
- Saskatchewan: Group Lay-off or Termination →
Last updated: June 2026
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