Twitch: Severance Packages
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Twitch is an American livestreaming platform that allows users to watch various broadcasts, such as video game playthroughs, and chat with individuals who are streaming.
Launched in 2011, Twitch was acquired by Amazon for approximately US$970 million in 2014.
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, the company employs a total workforce of more than 13,800 people, according to LinkedIn. Over 600 workers are located in Canada.
Roles at Twitch include system engineers, product designers, marketing professionals, sales representatives, administrative staff, human resources employees, and customer service representatives.
Recent layoffs at Twitch
- January 2024: Twitch is reducing its headcount by “just over 500 jobs” in an effort to “rightsize” the business.
- October 2023: Twitch is reportedly eliminating an undisclosed number of positions just weeks before TwitchCon kicks off in Las Vegas.
- March 2023: More than 400 Twitch employees have been let go as part of Amazon’s decision to reduce its workforce by approximately 9,000 jobs.
- November 2022: Twitch has reportedly reduced the size of its recruiting team as the company looks for ways to cut costs.
Severance for Twitch employees
In Canada, non-unionized employees at Twitch can get up to 24 months of severance pay when they are fired or laid off from their job.
This includes individuals working full-time, part-time, and hourly in Ontario, Alberta, or B.C.
Severance is the compensation a non-unionized worker in Canada receives from their employer when they are fired without cause.
Even if you are fired for cause, it’s very likely that you are still entitled to full severance pay because employees often don’t meet the conditions necessary for this type of dismissal.
LEARN MORE
• Severance for provincially regulated employees
• Rights to severance for tech sector staff
• Severance packages in mass layoffs
• Amazon Canada Layoffs and Severance Pay
Regardless of a company’s grasp on employment law, they are legally required to provide proper compensation following a termination.
This concept applies during challenging economic conditions, downsizing, the closure of a business, or major public health events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains everything you need to know about severance pay on an episode of the Employment Law Show.
The employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP have represented tens of thousands of employees over the years in severance package negotiations.
- LEARN MORE: Severance pay by company
We have successfully secured much larger amounts for individuals employed across a variety of positions, from entry level jobs to executives.
How to properly calculate severance pay
Employers often incorrectly calculate severance pay. There is a belief that severance pay is one week’s pay, two weeks’ pay, or a week for every year of service an employee has with the company.
For non-unionized employees, the main factors of termination or severance pay include age, length of service, position, bonuses, benefits, and the ability to find new work.
To figure out how much compensation you may be entitled to, use our firm’s Pocket Employment Lawyer.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Severance Pay in Ontario
• Alberta severance packages
• Understanding severance in B.C.
• Layoffs in Canada
Don’t sign on the dotted line!
Do not accept any severance offer, termination papers, or exit agreement that Twitch may provide you with.
Once you sign back these documents, you eliminate your ability to negotiate a fair and proper severance package.
Generally speaking, if an employee doesn’t receive the proper amount of severance pay when they lose their job, it’s possible that they have been wrongfully dismissed.
An employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can review your situation and explain how much compensation you are legally entitled to.
Talk to an employment lawyer
The knowledgeable employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals across the country.
In addition to severance package negotiations, our lawyers have experience securing solutions for the following employment matters:
Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. stand ready to help you solve your workplace issues.
If you are a non-unionized employee who needs help with an employment issue, contact us or call 1-855-821-5900 to get the advice you need, and the compensation you deserve.
Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and should not be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer.