Losing your job is hard—full stop. And when the way it happened doesn’t sit right or leaves you with more questions than answers, it can feel even worse. Maybe you’re wondering, “Was my dismissal even legal?” or “Did my employer follow the rules?” If you’re stuck, know this: you do have rights here in Alberta. Talking to an employment lawyer can help you sort through what happened and figure out if something wasn’t handled the way it should’ve been.
Termination Types: What Makes a Dismissal Legal in Alberta?
In Alberta, there are generally two ways someone might lose their job. These are termination with cause and termination without cause.
A termination with cause happens when an employer ends a role because of serious issues like stealing, lying, or poor performance that doesn’t change despite multiple warnings. A termination without cause can happen for almost any reason as long as no discrimination or illegal behavior was involved.
Not all terminations are treated the same. If you were fired with cause, your employer has to meet a high standard to prove it. They need clear, solid evidence that you did something serious enough to justify letting you go without notice.
Without cause terminations are more common, and while they might feel just as upsetting, they do come with certain legal protections. In most cases, your employer has to either give you advance notice or pay you severance. How much you’re owed depends on things like how long you worked there and what kind of role you had.
If your employer didn’t follow these guidelines when letting you go, you might be entitled to compensation. Speaking with a wrongful dismissal lawyer can help you understand your next steps.
How Do You Know if Your Dismissal Was Unfair?
Your dismissal or termination may not have been handled properly if:
- You weren’t given any notice or severance pay
- The reason for your dismissal doesn’t line up with your actual performance
- You weren’t given an opportunity to explain yourself or defend your actions
- Your job was suddenly changed (e.g., less responsibility, lower pay), and soon after, you were let go
- You felt forced to resign due to difficult or unreasonable working conditions
If any of this is hitting close to home, it’s probably worth speaking to an employment lawyer. They can go over what happened and help you figure out if your dismissal crossed a legal line.
How Can a Wrongful Dismissal Lawyer Help?
A wrongful dismissal lawyer specializes in helping people who’ve been laid off in a way that raises red flags. They can assist you by:
- Reviewing your case, termination letter, employment contract, and any other documents to determine if your dismissal was legal
- Calculating what you’re owed if you’ve been let go without proper notice or severance
- Negotiating a severance package (on your behalf if needed) and ensuring that it’s fair
- Taking legal action if your employer won’t settle or acknowledge their mistake
In order to ensure that you get the compensation you are entitled to, it’s important that you do not sign any severance agreements without getting legal advice first. A lawyer will make sure that your offer is fair and not a lowball.
Don’t Go Through It Alone
Losing your job can feel like the ground’s been pulled out from under you, especially if you’re questioning the legality of it all. You shouldn’t have to sort through it all on your own. A quick conversation with an employment lawyer can give you some clarity. They’ll walk you through your rights, help you make sense of what happened, and talk through your actual options.
At JSB Employment Law, we understand how stressful and personal job loss can be. We’ve helped plenty of folks in Calgary to get fair treatment and compensation.
Book a confidential consultation, and we’ll go over your situation together so you can take your next step with a bit more confidence and a lot more support.
