If you were laid off from Oracle in Ontario during the recent rounds: does anyone have recommendations for a good employment lawyer?
I’ve heard former colleagues are getting lowballed on their packages, so I want to get a professional review before signing anything.
Oracle is brutal -> I know a IC who just got laid off from Dell with 20+ years was offered 55 weeks and is still negotiating more with a lawyer, so I suspect there's room to push back.
@f1 I paid $2k CAD when I went through it but didn’t go to court as they settled. For court fees you’re looking a lot more but they are claimed as part of the negotiations.
Common law in Canada is a month per year of service, capping at 24 months severance pay for 24+ years of service.
This has some variability based on the age and reeemployability of the laid off person.
Rare cases with older workers (60 or 65+) and very company specific skillsets have been over 24 months. Younger people, with redeployabale skills, somewhat lower.
Also variability out there as to whether all of the RSU's that someone would have had vested over the 24 months (so two years vesting) is included in the severance for long tenured employees.
The Employment Standards Act gives the really cr-ppy severance. The common law gives the month per year.
Up in the air what Oracle will offer for Canada, as someone likely is on the list in the coming weeks/months. You're able to go to court for the full pay-out, and Oracle will likely want to avoid that. But they'll pay just enough to make it enticing for you to take the money and avoid court.
And based on my understanding if you have 10 years they must pay you the 18 weeks and you can still negotiate for a fair settlement
@as sounds about right depending on age and position. Try checking out the court papers.... you'll see common law get you significantly more than ESA.
@OP Definitely get a lawyer. Do not sign anything until you've spoken to one. Don't do the 'I only take %%% if I win' contract unless you know you're going to court. When I went through this I paid by the action e.g. email, phone call etc. with the understanding if the Company wouldn't negotiate and it goes to court we'd redo the contract to % based contract at that time.... mine didn't go to court, I added $50k to the severance and it only cost be $1500.
How much do the lawyers take? Is it worth getting more severance just to hand it over to the lawyer?
@ed in canada it would be months. At minimum its 8 weeks to begin and then the worst case scenario would be 2 weeks on top per length of service.
so if you worked for 10 years before the layoff, the bare minimum is 18 weeks.
With a lawyer, you should get almost 12 months with 10 years length of service in Ontario
@as weeks, not months
Canadians are still more expensive than Indians H1Bs
@ch "LE Said ..." is a local meme on this board, forced meme by one guy. And no, it's not catching on.
@a8 this is less than ESA and Ontario common law. I knew initial offer would be terrible but didnt know it was that bad - obviously will need to lawyer up it
@aw when did he say this?
LE said about Canadian layoffs: “Good riddance!!”
@ad their calculator claims that for 5 years of work in Oracle you get 8-9 months severance
sounds like BS to me, sure Canada is not the US or India and got some labor protection, but that's way too much
https://stlawyers.ca/blog-news/oracle-canada-layoffs-severance-pay/
Per online sources I saw the following
4 weeks baseline + 1 week per year of service
Lawyer should get you 2-4 weeks depending on your level and years of service. Don't sign anything. Get a lawyer to look at it is my advice. Oracle will try to do less than minimum. With little pushback they will hand better offer. Don't be shy. They will try gaslighting. This is what I heard from ex 2025/2026 RIFs. Make sure you get what is rightfully yours by law, don't trust Oracle.