UWindsor Layoffs: 10 employees cut amid $5.6M budget shortfall

What’s happening at UWindsor?

The University of Windsor has announced the layoff of 10 staff members and the closure of its University Players production arm as part of an effort to address a $5.6 million budget shortfall. Additionally, the Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation (EPI) Centre will be restructured to better integrate with the university’s broader innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives.

Official statements and context

• In a statement, the university explained that the layoffs and closures are necessary to balance the base budget amid escalating operating costs and years of budget realignments.
• The university cited several factors contributing to the budget pressures, including ongoing domestic tuition freezes, provincial policy and funding impacts, competitive forces, and fluctuating enrolment.
• “With escalating operating costs and several years of budget realignments, the university will continue to identify revenue opportunities, along with operational efficiencies and staffing adjustments to ensure that the university continues to fulfil its academic mission and safeguards the institution’s financial sustainability,” read the university’s statement.

Industry reaction

Paul Fraser, president of CUPE 1393, the union representing workers at the University of Windsor, criticized the cuts, calling them “short-sighted and self-defeating” given the university’s strategic plan to serve as an engine of economic diversification and urban vitality in the Windsor-Essex region.

• “At a time when the university’s strategic plan emphasizes its role as an engine of economic diversification, urban vitality, and civic engagement in the Windsor-Essex region, these cuts appear short-sighted and self-defeating.”
• “Bringing the expertise of our faculty and students to bear has been of great benefit to our local economic ecosystem, and it will be a shame if we cut these ties at such a crucial time in our regional development,” Fraser added.

Your next step

If you are a non-unionized employee affected by the layoffs at the University of Windsor, continue reading to find out what your rights are, and why you need to contact the employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

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Termination agreements for University of Windsor employees

In Canada, non-unionized employees at the University of Windsor are owed full severance pay when they lose their jobs due to downsizing, corporate restructuring, or the closure of the business.

This applies to individuals working in any capacity — full-time, part-time, hourly, or potentially even independent contractors — in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Severance is the compensation provided to non-unionized workers in Canada by their employer when they are terminated without cause, and can be as much as 24 months’ pay, depending on a number of factors.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains why you are still owed severance if you have been downsized on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Severance offers and deadlines

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.

In addition to your salary, make sure to factor in any other elements of your compensation (i.e. bonuses, commission, etc.).

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.

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.

LEARN MORE
• Severance pay for provincially regulated employees
• Rights to severance during mass layoffs
• Severance entitlements in a recession

Major layoffs continue

The job cuts at the University of Windsor come amid a flurry of layoffs in 2024.

Big names, including Vancity, Stifel, WillScot of Canada, Netflix, McKinsey & Co, EXL Service, Best Buy, Relic Entertainment, Ubisoft, Intel, Amazon, Telus, Canada Goose, Dell, Unilever, IBM, and TC Energy, have pulled out the axe as they continue to navigate challenging economic conditions.

SEE ALSO
• Shell to lay off 20% of deals division, part of restructuring
• Walmart Canada cuts jobs amid restructuring, shift to Spark: Reports
• Where are layoffs happening in Canada?

Lost your job? Talk to an employment lawyer

If you have been fired or let go for any reason, contact the experienced employment lawyers for Windsor at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

Our lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C. have successfully represented tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals.

In addition to severance package negotiations, we can assist you on a broad range of employment matters, including:

If you are a non-unionized employee who needs help with a workplace issue, contact us or call 1-855-821-5900 to get the advice you need and the compensation you deserve.