ApplyBoard Layoffs: 4% of Ontario workforce cut in latest restructuring

What’s happening at ApplyBoard?

ApplyBoard, the Kitchener-based educational technology platform, has announced a new round of layoffs as part of a broader restructuring effort. Approximately 4% of the company’s global workforce, primarily based in Ontario, are affected by the cuts.

ApplyBoard’s CEO and Co-Founder, Meti Basiri, addressed the restructuring in a company release, stating: “Today, we made the tough but necessary decisions to ensure ApplyBoard’s future success. We deeply appreciate and thank every departing team member for their contributions to ApplyBoard. We continue to actively invest in our technology, teams, and global expansion.”

Samfiru Tumarkin LLP reported being contacted by multiple employees in May regarding a major layoff earlier this year.

Additional details

• ApplyBoard secured a $100-million CAD credit facility from RBCx, Canada’s largest bank, just days before announcing layoffs, according to BetaKit.
• CEO Meti Basiri explained the funding will support international expansion, focusing on non-English-speaking countries.
• ApplyBoard aims to expand into 20 new destinations by 2030, with plans to fully launch in Germany next year and add 10 more countries within two years.
• The layoffs come amid broader challenges in the EdTech sector, including new federal restrictions on international students and post-graduation work permits, which could impact ApplyBoard’s core business model.

Your rights

In Canada, non-unionized employees at ApplyBoard are owed full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing, corporate restructuring, or the closure of the business.

This applies to individuals working in any capacity — full-time, part-time, hourly, or potentially even independent contractors — in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Severance is the compensation provided to non-unionized workers in Canada by their employer when they are terminated without cause, and can be as much as 24 months’ pay, depending on a number of factors.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains why you are still owed severance if you have been downsized on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Severance offers and deadlines

Before accepting a severance offer, double-check the amount using our firm’s free Severance Pay Calculator. It has helped millions of Canadians determine their entitlements.

In addition to your salary, make sure to factor in any other elements of your compensation (i.e. bonuses, commission, etc.).

If your employer’s offer falls short of what our Severance Pay Calculator says you are owed, it’s very likely that you have been wrongfully dismissed and should contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Non-unionized employees in Canada have up to two years from the date of their dismissal to pursue proper severance pay. An employer’s deadline to sign back a severance offer is not legally enforceable or binding.

LEARN MORE
• Severance pay for provincially regulated employees
• Rights to severance during mass layoffs
• Severance entitlements in a recession

Major layoffs continue

The job cuts come amid a flurry of layoffs in 2024.

Big names, including Intuit, UiPath, Dyson, Vancity, Stifel, SAP Canada, Netflix, AmDocs, EXL Service, Best Buy, Relic Entertainment, Ubisoft, Intel, Amazon, and Telus, have pulled out the axe as they continue to navigate challenging economic conditions.

SEE ALSO
• Shell to lay off 20% of deals division, part of restructuring
• Walmart Canada cuts jobs amid restructuring, shift to Spark: Reports
• Where are layoffs happening in Canada?

Lost your job? Talk to an employment lawyer

If you have been fired or let go for any reason, contact the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. have successfully represented tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals.

In addition to severance package negotiations, we can assist you on a broad range of employment matters, including:

If you are a non-unionized employee who needs help with a workplace 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, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.