Hudson’s Bay closing two stores in Alberta after corporate layoffs

Canadian retailer Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) announced that it is closing two department store locations in Alberta:

• The store at 125 Banff Avenue in Banff
• The store located in Londonderry Mall in Edmonton

The company says the decision to shutter both in August was made in response to “market changes” and to reflect its “vision for the future.”

“While these decisions are difficult, they are the rights ones for our business,” said a spokesperson for HBC in a statement provided to CBC News.

The closures follow the revelation that HBC laid off 2 per cent of its total workforce – about 250 employees – in January. The positions included both corporate and in-store positions.

HBC has had a department store in Banff for the last 80 years, with the chain moving to the 125 Banff Ave. location in 1947.

Rights for HBC employees affected by closures

HBC employees are owed severance pay when they lose their job or are fired. This includes instances where the company decides to close a specific location.

As along as an employer does not declare bankruptcy, they must provide full severance – as much as 24 months’ pay – to staff who are left without employment. If you don’t receive the proper amount of severance, you have been wrongfully dismissed.

LEARN MORE
• Severance when a business closes
• Can you be fired without warning?
• Termination without cause in Alberta

When you lose your job, you have a right to have your termination package or severance offer reviewed by an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Your employer can’t make you sign back an offer before leaving a termination meeting, or by an arbitrary deadline set by the company. You have two years from the moment of termination to pursue a claim for full severance.

Can HBC move me to a new store?

Your employer can’t force you to work at another store if the location significantly increases the length or difficulty of your commute. This would represent in a major change to the terms of your employment. The company is essentially terminating the work relationship, meaning that you can pursue full severance through a constructive dismissal claim.

LEARN MORE
• Can my employer in Alberta force me to relocate?
• Forced back to the office from remote work in Alberta

Job impacted by HBC closures in Alberta?

Get a consultation with an employment lawyer in Alberta at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP to find out what your rights are, and how to enforce them. As Canada’s most positively reviewed law firm, our experienced team knows how to give you the advice you need, and the compensation you deserve.