Can I be fired for discussing my salary on social media?

No, you generally can’t be fired for talking about your salary – especially with coworkers. In fact, in many parts of Canada, it’s illegal for an employer to punish you for sharing how much you make.

However, if you publicly disclose your salary or compensation details on social media or other public platforms, your employer may try to terminate your employment – but that doesn’t mean they’re legally in the clear.

In non-unionized workplaces, employers can fire someone without cause for almost any reason, as long as it doesn’t break the law and they provide full severance pay.

This means:

• You can’t legally be fired just for discussing your salary with coworkers
• If you’re let go for talking about pay, you may have a claim for wrongful dismissal
• Sharing salary details on social media could still lead to discipline, but termination “for cause” is unlikely

If you’ve been punished or fired after discussing your salary, especially in Ontario, Alberta, or B.C., contact our team. We’ll help you understand your rights and determine if your employer broke the law.

Duty of Loyalty: Could social media posts lead to termination?

Employees in Canada have an implied duty of loyalty to their employer. This includes protecting the company’s confidential information, trade secrets, and reputation.

If you post about your salary on social media – especially alongside sensitive or private business information – your employer might argue that you’ve breached that duty.

Even in Canada, public posts that could harm your employer might lead to a termination, but proving just cause for dismissal is rare. In most cases, you would still be owed full severance – as much as 24 months’ pay.

ℹ️ LEARN MORE
• How to calculate severance pay
• Severance for federally regulated employees
• Severance for provincially regulated employees

Is it illegal to discuss your salary in Canada?

No, it is not illegal to discuss your salary, either privately or publicly.

There is no federal or provincial law in Canada that prohibits employees from talking about how much they earn.

In fact, most provinces have pay transparency laws or pay equity legislation that specifically protect your right to share salary details.

Pay equity legislation matters

• Ontario’s Pay Equity Act prohibits employers from punishing or firing workers for disclosing their compensation.
• British Columbia introduced a Pay Transparency Act in 2023 that also protects employees.
• Alberta does not currently have its own pay equity law, but protections may still exist under human rights legislation.

What if my employment contract includes a confidentiality agreement?

Some employers include confidentiality clauses in their employment contracts to prevent staff from publicly sharing company information – including compensation.

However, if you live in a province with pay equity legislation or human rights protections, a confidentiality agreement that prevents you from sharing your own salary may not be enforceable.

Employers can’t contract out of your legal rights.

• SEE ALSO: Employment Law Show: 5 things you need to know about employment contracts

Can my employer punish me for discussing my salary on social media?

If you live in a province like Ontario or B.C. with pay equity or pay transparency legislation, your employer can’t punish you for discussing your salary publicly – including on social media.

That means your employer can’t legally:

• Cut your pay or hours
• Demote you
• Reduce your commission
• Reassign you to a lesser role

These actions may be considered a constructive dismissal, which allows you to resign and pursue full severance pay.

• READ MORE: Do I get severance if I quit?

WATCH: Facts About the Termination Process in Canada on the Employment Law Show.

Were you fired for discussing your salary? Know your rights

If you were terminated or punished for discussing your salary in Ontario, Alberta, or B.C., our experienced employment lawyers can help.

At Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, we’ve helped over 50,000 non-unionized employees across Canada enforce their rights and secure the severance pay they’re legally owed.

With offices in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, and Vancouver, we’ll review your situation, determine if your rights were violated, and help you get the compensation you deserve.