Former Ottawa Police executive Jeff Letourneau files Wrongful Dismissal

Chief administration office alleges wrongful dismissal after termination last year

Jeff Letourneau, former chief administrative officer of the Ottawa Police Service, is claiming wrongful dismissal after being dismissed due to allegations that he was not claiming his vehicle as a taxable benefit. Letourneau is seeking $2.7 million for back pay, lost pension, and damage to his reputation and health.

Fired after an anonymous tip

In March 2021, an anonymous email was sent to members of Ottawa’s city council, as well as the Mayor, claiming he wasn’t paying taxes on his take-home vehicle. The source claimed Letourneau had been driving a company car since May 2019 but hadn’t declared the taxable benefit in either 2019 or 2020, according to the Sunshine List.

What is a wrongful dismissal in Ottawa?

A wrongful dismissal occurs in Ottawa when a non-unionized employee is let go without cause and is not provided enough severance pay as per Ontario law; when an employee is let go ‘for cause’ and is not given severance; or, when an employee’s salary, duties, hours have changed significantly and they are ‘constructively dismissed‘, without being issued compensation from their employer.

How to properly calculate severance pay

Severance pay is calculated by considering several factors, including an employee’s age, length of service, type of employment. Since severance is meant to provide workers with financial support between jobs, how much severance you are entitled to will also depend on the amount of difficulty an employee will have in securing new employment. Individuals in high-level positions, like Letourneau, must consider additional aspects that go into an executive severance package.

Use our Severance Pay Calculator to get a quick and easy understanding of how much severance pay should be. 

GET THE FACTS
• How much severance should I get in Ontario?
• Is severance pay mandatory in Alberta? 
• How much is severance pay in BC?

Lost your job? Contact Samfiru Tumarkin LLP

If you believe you’ve been wrongfully dismissed in or around the Capital Region, talk to a wrongful dismissal lawyer in Ottawa today. The team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can explain your rights, how much severance you might be owed, and how to secure the compensation you are entitled to. Our firm is the most positively reviewed law firm in Canada, and our results prove it.