McDonald’s Canada: Severance Packages

McDonald’s Canada is the Canadian subsidiary of McDonald’s, a global fast-food restaurant chain that serves millions of customers every day. It is one of the largest food service chains in Canada, operating over 1,400 restaurants across the country and employing over 100,000 people.

The company’s key corporate offices are located in Toronto, Ontario, where it oversees all aspects of the business in Canada, including marketing, supply chain management, and restaurant operations. Additionally, the company has regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal.

Some of the different roles within the company include restaurant managers, crew members, marketing professionals, supply chain managers, and financial analysts.

The first McDonald’s restaurant in Canada opened in Richmond, British Columbia, in 1967. Since then, the company has grown to become a staple in Canadian culture, serving up classic fast-food favourites such as Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, and Chicken McNuggets.

The company’s current slogan is “I’m Lovin’ It,” which was introduced in 2003 as part of a global advertising campaign. In late 2019, McDonald’s then-CEO Steve Easterbrook was pushed out of the company following a consensual relationship with an employee.

Recent layoffs at McDonald’s Canada

• April 2023: McDonald’s has temporarily closed its U.S. offices and asked corporate employees to work remotely in advance of a round of layoffs that may impact workers internationally.

Severance for McDonald’s employees

In Canada, employees at McDonald’s 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 non-unionized workers in Canada receive 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.

SEE ALSO
• Severance packages in mass layoffs
• Rights to severance for provincially regulated employees
• Deloitte severance packages

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 numerous employees in the professional services sector over the years in severance package negotiations.

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

There is a general belief that severance is one week’s pay, two weeks’ pay, or a week for every year of service an employee has with a company.

The reality is that severance for non-unionized employees in Canada is calculated using a variety of factors, including age, length of service, position, bonuses, benefits, and your ability to find new work.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Severance Pay in Ontario
• Alberta severance packages
• Understanding severance in B.C.
• Layoffs in Canada

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.

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.

Don’t sign on the dotted line!

Do not accept any severance offer, termination papers, or exit agreement that you receive. Once you sign back these documents, you eliminate your ability to negotiate additional severance pay.

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.

Generally speaking, if an employee does not receive the proper amount of severance pay when they lose their job, they may be considered to have been wrongfully dismissed. An employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can analyze your situation and explain how much compensation you may be owed.

Talk to an employment lawyer

The experienced 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 team has 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, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.