What notice must an employer give before a mass layoff?

What the Law Says

The Canada Labour Code sets out mandatory notice requirements for large-scale job terminations in federally regulated industries.

If an employer is subject to the Canada Labour Code — meaning they operate in a federally regulated sector (e.g., banking, telecommunications, interprovincial transport, or federal Crown corporations) — special rules apply when laying off many employees at once.

Section 230 defines a 'group termination' as the termination of employment of 50 or more employees from a single establishment within any four-week period. When this occurs, the employer must provide written notice to affected employees and to the Minister of Labour.

This notice must be given at least 16 weeks before the first termination takes effect. The notice must include specific information such as the number of employees affected, the anticipated date of termination, and the reasons for the group termination.

Statutory Text

Employers must give 16 weeks' notice before terminating 50 or more employees from a single establishment.

— Canada Labour Code, s. 230 — Group termination

What to Do

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