Philips Canada: Severance Packages
Philips Canada is the Canadian arm of Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Philips), which is a Dutch multinational conglomerate corporation. The health technology company offers a variety of products, including electric toothbrushes and grooming tools.
Founded 1891, Philips employs a global workforce of more than 72,000 people, according to LinkedIn. Headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the company’s Canadian head office is in Markham, Ontario. Philips claims on its website that it generated more than $25-billion in sales in 2022.
Recent layoffs at Philips
- January 2023: Philips plans to eliminate approximately 6,000 jobs globally over the next few years as it works to improve the safety of its products following a recall of respiratory devices. The company said half of the cuts are taking place in 2023, while the remainder will be completed by 2025. It remains unclear how many Canadian employees are affected by the reduction.
- October 2022: Philips announced that it’s cutting approximately 4,000 jobs globally after lower-than-expected third-quarter results. During a call with investors, the company’s CEO said the move is “subject to consultations with the relevant workers’ councils and social partners.” The company didn’t disclose how many Canadian employees are affected by the reduction.
- March 2018: Philips Healthcare has informed the government officials in Ohio that it’s laying off at least 65 employees. The company told the state’s Department of Job and Family Services that the reduction is due to a business reorganization.
Severance for Philips Canada employees
In Canada, non-unionized employees at Philips may get up to 24 months of severance pay when they are fired or laid off from their job. This applies to individuals working in any capacity—full-time, part-time, or hourly—in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Contractors may also be entitled to severance pay due to employee misclassification.
Severance is the compensation provided to non-unionized workers in Canada by their employer when they are terminated without cause.
Even if an employee is fired for cause, they may still be eligible for full severance pay. This is due to the high standards required to legally justify for-cause dismissal.
LEARN MORE
• Severance for provincially regulated employees
• Severance packages in mass layoffs
• How severance pay works by company
• Severance for federally regulated employees
The right to severance pay is consistent regardless of economic conditions, company downsizing, business closures, or significant 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.
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, your employment contract, 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.
About the Author
Lior Samfiru
Lior Samfiru is a Founding Partner at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and the Practice Leader of the firm’s Labour & Employment Law Group. Known for his advocacy and success representing both employees and employers, Lior exclusively serves clients in Ontario, where his extensive experience has made him one of Canada’s most sought-after employment lawyers.
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