‘Quiet Quitting’: What employees need to know

What is quiet quitting?

Quiet quitting is a workplace trend where individuals only do what is necessary to stay employed to improve their work-life balance.

Instead of going above and beyond for their employer, workers are creating boundaries in a number of ways, including:

• Doing exactly what is outlined in their job description
• Rejecting extra assignments
• Leaving or logging off on time
• Not checking emails outside of office hours

The trend is gaining momentum on social media. The #QuietQuitting hashtag already has more than four million views on TikTok.

LEARN MORE
• ‘Loud Quitting’: What employees need to know
• What Canadians need to know about ‘quiet firing’
• ‘Quiet layoffs’ in Canada: Employee rights

Can my employer punish me for quiet quitting?

Your employer can’t punish you for quiet quitting. However, if you have a specific responsibility or there is an expectation for you to do something that could cause your employer loss or harm if you don’t, you could face punishment.

In Canada, provinces such as Ontario are already taking steps to help employees improve their work-life balance. The province’s right to disconnect legislation gives workers the ability to not participate in emails, phone calls, and other work-related communications outside the hours agreed upon with their employer.

LEARN MORE
• Toronto employment lawyer discusses right to disconnect at work
• Reprisals at work in Alberta

If your company punishes you or threatens to punish you for asserting your workplace rights, that is a reprisal and you should contact an employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP immediately.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains what employees need to know about reprisals at work on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Can I be fired for quiet quitting?

Your employer can fire you for engaging in quiet quitting. This is called a termination without cause.

In Canada, companies can let employees go for any reason, as long as:

• They are provided full severance pay
• The reasons for their dismissal are not discriminatory

What your employer can’t do in this situation is fire you for just cause, which would mean no severance package or access to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

To justify this, the company would have to prove progressive disciplinary measures were applied and that a less severe punishment would be insufficient.

This type of termination is reserved for the worst kinds of workplace offences, such as theft or insubordination.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• How to calculate severance pay
• Severance packages in Ontario
• Understanding severance entitlements in Alberta
• Severance Pay in B.C.

Instead of quiet quitting, should I just resign?

If you quit your job voluntarily, you typically don’t get a severance package. This is because severance is designed to provide you with financial support while you look for new work after being fired without cause or let go.

However, if you are forced to leave because of unwanted changes to your job, you could file a claim for constructive dismissal. This would allow you to resign and still receive full severance pay.

READ MORE
• Do I get severance if I quit?

Thinking about quiet quitting? Speak with an employment lawyer

If your employer expects you to go above and beyond during and after work hours, contact the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Our lawyers Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver, can review your situation and ensure that your workplace rights are properly enforced.

We have helped tens of thousands of individuals in Ontario, Alberta and B.C. get the compensation and justice they deserve.