About This Calculator

Ontario ESA severance pay calculated from the statutory formula — with eligibility gates, the 26-week cap, and employer thresholds.

What This Tool Actually Calculates

This is an ESA severance pay calculator, not a generic termination estimator. The distinction matters. Many online tools blend severance pay, termination pay, and common law notice into a single figure. This calculator isolates the statutory severance pay entitlement under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, Part XV (Sections 63–66).

The result is a transparent view of your ESA severance entitlement: whether you qualify, how many weeks you're owed, and the dollar amount based on your regular wages.

Eligibility: Two Gates

ESA severance pay requires both of the following:

  1. 5 or more years of service with the employer (including partial years)
  2. One of two employer thresholds:
    • The employer's total Ontario payroll is $2.5 million or more, OR
    • 50 or more employees were severed within a 6-month period

Only one employer threshold needs to be met. If either is satisfied and you have 5+ years, you qualify. If neither threshold is met, or you have fewer than 5 years, you are not eligible for ESA severance pay.

The Formula

Severance pay = years of service × weekly regular wage, capped at 26 weeks.

severance_weeks = MIN(years_of_service, 26)
severance_pay = severance_weeks × weekly_regular_wage

Weekly regular wage = base wages only. Annual salary is divided by 52. Overtime, bonuses, commissions, vacation loading, benefits, allowances, and tips are all excluded by the ESA.

Severance Pay vs. Termination Pay

These are two separate ESA entitlements. This calculator covers severance pay only.

You may be entitled to both. They are calculated separately and paid separately.

Data Sources

All rules and thresholds used in this calculator come from:

This calculator is maintained by the Calc-HQ.ca network — an independent Canadian financial utility publisher.

Limitations

Results are estimates based on the ESA statutory formula. The following are not modelled and may affect your actual entitlement:

For precise severance calculations, consult an employment lawyer. ESA severance pay represents the minimum statutory floor — you may be entitled to more under common law or your contract.

Privacy

No income or employment figure you enter is transmitted, stored, or logged. All calculations run entirely in your browser. No account is required. See the Privacy Policy for details.