What would three, six or twelve months of pay look like in dollars? Use the Ontario severance pay chart below to compare salary amounts, follow a calculation example and understand what your employer’s offer includes.
A chart can help you check the numbers. Your age, service, position, employment contract and prospects of finding similar work help determine how much severance you may actually be owed.
Looking for eligibility rules or the difference between government minimums and common law? Read our complete guide to severance pay in Ontario.
On This Page:
- 1. Severance Pay Chart
- 2. Compare An Offer
- 3. ESA Severance Formula
- 4. Use The Calculator
- 5. Check Your Package
Ontario Severance Pay Chart: Months Of Salary In Dollars
Find your annual base salary in the chart to see its equivalent over different periods. The columns are examples, not a prediction of how many months you should receive. All figures are before tax and exclude benefits, bonuses and other compensation.
| Annual Salary | 3 Months | 6 Months | 12 Months |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| $60,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| $80,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 | $80,000 |
| $100,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| $120,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 | $120,000 |
For another salary or period: annual base salary ÷ 12 × number of months = the base-salary amount for that period.
Can A Chart Tell Me My Severance By Years Of Service?
Years of service alone cannot establish your full common-law entitlement. Two people with ten years at the same company may be owed different amounts. There is no automatic one-month-per-year rule. Our Bardal factors guide explains what affects the notice period.
Calculation Example: Compare An Eight-Week Offer
Suppose you earn $78,000 a year and your employer offers eight weeks of base salary. Here is how to compare that offer with an illustrative six-month period:
| Calculation | Amount Before Tax |
|---|---|
| Weekly salary: $78,000 ÷ 52 | $1,500 |
| Eight-week offer: $1,500 × 8 | $12,000 |
| Six months of salary: $78,000 ÷ 12 × 6 | $39,000 |
| Difference: $39,000 − $12,000 | $27,000 |
This example shows why the period covered by an offer matters. It does not establish that this employee is entitled to six months. A review must assess the appropriate period and any additional compensation.
How To Calculate ESA Severance Pay
Ontario’s Employment Standards Act has a specific statutory severance formula for eligible employees:
Regular weekly wages × (completed years + completed additional months ÷ 12)
The maximum is 26 weeks. Eligibility generally requires at least five years of service plus the employer payroll or business-closure conditions.
Example: Seven Years And Six Months
Assume an eligible employee earns $1,200 in regular weekly wages and has seven years and six completed months of service for the statutory calculation, including the required termination notice period.
$1,200 × (7 + 6 ÷ 12) = $9,000 in ESA severance pay.
This excludes any separately owed ESA termination pay. A larger common-law award generally includes statutory amounts rather than adding them on top — it can reach as much as 24 months’ pay.
For the full distinction, see termination pay vs. severance pay in Ontario.
Use The Ontario Severance Pay Calculator
For an estimate based on your circumstances, use the Samfiru Tumarkin Severance Pay Calculator. Have your age, job details, length of service and pay information ready.
- Complete the calculator. Enter your details as accurately as possible.
- Save the estimate. Compare the period and compensation with your employer’s written offer.
- Have the offer checked. Your contract, benefits and payment terms may change the assessment.
The result is a starting point, not a guaranteed settlement or a legal review of your documents. An offer that falls within an estimated range can still leave out important compensation.
Check What Is Included In Your Severance Package
Before comparing your offer with a chart or calculator estimate, check these four details:
- Base pay: Is the offer calculated using your correct salary or regular earnings?
- Other compensation: How does it treat bonuses, commissions, benefits, pension contributions or equity?
- Amounts already owed: Are outstanding wages or earned vacation pay being presented as part of the severance offer?
- Payment conditions: Is it a lump sum or salary continuance? Can payments stop or shrink if you find another job?
For payment-structure questions, see our guide to salary continuance, severance taxes and EI. Remember, a severance package can reach as high as 24 months’ pay.
Before You Sign, Always Check First.
A calculator helps you ask the right questions. Our Ontario employment lawyers can review your offer and contract, explain what may be missing and help you pursue the compensation you are owed.