Your rights when leaving a job

If you have been temporarily laid off or terminated, the Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA) outlines your rights and responsibilities related to these scenarios.

• Termination of employment

• Temporary layoff

In Canada, the Employment Insurance (EI) program provides temporary income support to eligible unemployed workers.

If you voluntarily decide to resign from your job, the ESA doesn’t outline your rights and responsibilities in this scenario. However, there is common law (derived from judicial decisions) that covers specific obligations, such as providing adequate and reasonable notice to your employer.

When deciding whether to resign from your job voluntarily, there are many factors to consider, and each case is unique. If you have questions or need advice, please review your organization's employment policies, speak with your Human Resources department and/or seek legal counsel.

If you’re a student in a co-op program at the University of Waterloo please refer to the Co-op Rights and Responsibilities – Work term agreements section for more information about leaving a work term early, terminations and layoffs. If you find yourself in one of these situations, please contact your co-op advisor as soon as possible.

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