Can My Employer Fire Me by Text or Email?

Yes, your employer can fire you by text message or email in Canada. An employer may also inform you that you’re being terminated over the phone, on Zoom or during another video call. While these methods may seem unprofessional, they don’t automatically make a dismissal illegal.

What matters is whether your employer follows the law and provides the severance pay you’re owed. Being fired through a text, email or phone call doesn’t take away your employment rights.

If you’ve been dismissed in Ontario, Alberta or British Columbia, you may be entitled to significantly more compensation than your employer initially offers. The employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP can review your termination and explain your rights.

On This Page:

• 1. Fired by Text
• 2. Fired by Email
• 3. Fired by Phone
• 4. Fired by Zoom
• 5. Legal Notice Requirements
• 6. Severance Pay
• 7. What to Do
• 8. Common Questions

Can Your Employer Fire You by Text Message?

Yes. Being fired by text message is not automatically illegal in Canada. An employer can communicate its decision to terminate your employment through a text, but it must still comply with the applicable employment standards and other legal obligations.

For example, you might receive a message from your manager saying that your employment has ended and you’re no longer required to report to work.

That message may communicate the employer’s decision, but it doesn’t necessarily satisfy the legal requirements for providing working notice of termination.

Your employer must still provide any termination notice or compensation required by law, unless a valid exception applies.

Is It Illegal to Fire Someone Over Text?

Not simply because a text message was used. The legal questions include:

• Whether the dismissal violated employment standards or another workplace law
• Whether the employer provided proper notice or termination pay
• Whether the employee is entitled to additional severance under their contract or common law
• Whether the termination involved discrimination, retaliation or other prohibited conduct

An employer’s decision to dismiss someone by text may be inconsiderate, but the method alone doesn’t establish a wrongful dismissal claim or create an automatic entitlement to extra damages.

What Should You Do if You’re Fired by Text?

Save the message. Keep a screenshot showing the sender, date and full conversation. Ask for written confirmation of your termination date and details of any severance offer.

Don’t respond with threats or insults. Focus on preserving the evidence and understanding what you’re owed.

Can Your Employer Fire You by Email?

Yes. Employers can communicate an employee’s dismissal by email. In certain circumstances, an email can also satisfy the requirement to provide written termination notice.

For example, Ontario’s Employment Standards Act allows written termination notice to be provided by email, provided the applicable delivery requirements are met.

However, simply receiving an email saying you’ve been fired doesn’t mean your employer has met every legal obligation.

Does an Email Count as a Termination Letter?

It can, depending on the contents of the email and the legislation that applies to your employment.

An email intended to provide working notice must meet the applicable statutory requirements, including requirements about the notice period and communication of the termination date.

If your employment ends immediately instead, your employer may be required to provide termination pay in place of working notice.

Whether the employer sends an email or a formal letter, the method of communication doesn’t determine your full severance entitlement.

Should You Respond to a Termination Email?

You can acknowledge receipt and request clarification, but don’t feel pressured to immediately agree to a severance package or sign a release.

Keep copies of the termination email, any attached documents and subsequent messages. These records may be relevant if the employer disputes what was communicated or offered.

Can Your Employer Fire You Over the Phone?

Yes. An employer can tell you over the phone that your employment has ended. Canadian employment law does not automatically invalidate a dismissal because the employee learned about it during a telephone conversation.

However, a verbal conversation is not the same as the written working notice required under applicable employment standards legislation.

If your employer ends your job immediately, it may have to provide termination pay instead of working notice, along with any additional compensation you’re legally owed.

Is It Legal to Fire Someone Over the Phone Without Written Notice?

An employer may be able to terminate your employment immediately without making you work through a notice period, provided it meets the applicable requirements for termination pay and other entitlements.

That doesn’t mean an employer can avoid paying severance simply because the dismissal was communicated verbally.

For example, if your manager calls and tells you that you no longer have a job, you may still be entitled to:

• Termination pay under employment standards legislation
• Additional severance under your contract or common law
• Outstanding wages, vacation pay and other amounts owed
• Other remedies if the termination violated a protected workplace right

What if Your Employer Fires You During a Phone Call?

Write down what was said as soon as possible, including who called, when the conversation occurred, the reason given and whether severance was discussed.

Ask your employer to confirm the dismissal and any termination offer in writing. Don’t agree to resign or give up your rights during the conversation.

Can You Be Fired Over Zoom, Microsoft Teams or a Video Call?

Yes. An employer can communicate a termination through Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another video conferencing platform. A face-to-face meeting is not always legally required.

Video calls have become a common way for employers to communicate with remote employees, including when announcing job cuts or terminations.

Whether the employer conducts the meeting in person or online, it must still comply with the law and provide any compensation owed.

Is Being Fired Over Zoom Wrongful Dismissal?

Not automatically. A dismissal over Zoom isn’t wrongful simply because the employee wasn’t told in person.

However, the termination may give rise to a wrongful dismissal claim if the employer fails to provide sufficient notice or compensation.

Additional legal issues may also arise if the employer acts in bad faith during the dismissal. For example, deliberately humiliating an employee, making damaging false allegations or engaging in other seriously inappropriate conduct may have legal consequences in some circumstances.

An uncomfortable or impersonal video meeting, by itself, doesn’t guarantee additional damages.

What Should You Ask During a Virtual Termination Meeting?

If you’re told that your employment is ending during a video call, ask for:

• Your termination date in writing
• A copy of your severance offer
• Details about outstanding pay, vacation and benefits
• Information about your Record of Employment
• Time to review any documents before signing

You don’t need to accept a severance offer during the meeting. Have the terms reviewed before signing a release.

What Are the Legal Rules for Termination Notices in Canada?

The legal requirements for ending employment depend on where you work and which employment laws apply.

The distinction is between communicating a termination and providing legally sufficient notice or compensation.

Ontario: Written Notice or Termination Pay

Under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, an eligible employee who is terminated must receive the required written working notice, termination pay instead of notice, or a combination of both.

Written notice may be provided by email when the applicable requirements are met and delivery can be verified.

A verbal phone call or Zoom meeting does not, on its own, provide the written working notice required by the legislation.

Employees may also be entitled to substantially more compensation under common law than the statutory minimum.

Learn more about severance pay in Ontario.

Alberta: Written Termination Notice Requirements

Alberta employment standards legislation requires employers to provide qualifying employees with written termination notice, termination pay or a combination of both.

A valid written working notice must meet the applicable requirements, including identifying the employee and specifying the termination date.

Communicating the dismissal through a text or phone call doesn’t eliminate these obligations.

For a full explanation of the compensation rules, see severance pay in Alberta.

British Columbia: Notice or Compensation for Length of Service

In British Columbia, employers must provide qualifying employees with written working notice, compensation for length of service or a combination of both, unless a legal exception applies.

An employer may communicate its decision by email, text, phone or video call, but must still satisfy the applicable notice or compensation requirements.

The method used to deliver the news does not determine the employee’s full entitlement.

Read our guide to severance pay in BC.

Are You Entitled to Severance if You’re Fired by Text, Email or Phone?

Yes, many non-union employees fired through these methods are entitled to severance pay. The fact that an employer sent a short message or ended your job during a phone call doesn’t reduce the compensation you’re legally owed.

In Canada, employers can often terminate non-union employees without cause, provided they comply with applicable laws and pay the required compensation.

However, an employer’s initial severance offer may be much less than the employee’s full entitlement.

How Much Severance Pay Could You Receive?

Your severance may depend on several factors, including:

• Age: Your age at the time of termination
• Length of service: How long you worked for the employer
• Position: Your job responsibilities and level of seniority
• Availability of comparable employment: The prospects of finding a similar job
• Employment contract: Whether an enforceable agreement affects your entitlement

For some employees, common-law severance can reach up to 24 months’ pay, including applicable components of their compensation.

A short termination message doesn’t mean you’re only entitled to a few weeks’ pay or the minimum listed on a government website.

Find out what your severance could be worth using our Severance Pay Calculator.

What if Your Employer Says You’re Fired for Cause?

An employer might accuse you of poor performance, misconduct or breaching workplace policies, then claim you’re entitled to no severance.

Don’t assume that your employer’s allegation is legally justified. The threshold for dismissal without notice or compensation can be difficult for employers to establish, and the applicable legal tests matter.

You may still be entitled to substantial severance even if your employer says you’ve been fired for cause.

Read more about termination without cause in Canada and wrongful dismissal.

Can You Receive Extra Compensation for How You Were Fired?

Possibly, but extra damages are not automatic.

Employers have a legal obligation to act in good faith in the manner of dismissal. In some circumstances, dishonest, misleading or unduly insensitive conduct that causes compensable harm may support additional damages.

Discrimination or unlawful retaliation may also create separate legal claims.

However, being fired by text, email, phone or Zoom doesn’t automatically entitle you to additional compensation simply because the method was impersonal.

What Should You Do if You’re Fired by Text, Email, Phone or Zoom?

If your employer has terminated you electronically or over the phone, take the following steps to protect your rights.

1. Save the Termination Message

Keep the text message, email or termination documents. If you were fired over the phone or through a video call, make a written record of what was said and when the conversation occurred.

2. Ask for Written Confirmation

Request confirmation of your termination date, details of any severance offer and information about outstanding pay and benefits.

3. Don’t Resign or Agree to a Different Reason for Leaving

If your employer fired you, don’t casually agree to describe the departure as a resignation. That distinction may affect your employment rights and other entitlements.

4. Don’t Sign a Severance Release Immediately

Your employer may send an agreement and ask you to sign it within a few days.

An employer’s signing deadline is not the legal deadline for pursuing your severance entitlement. The particular offer may expire or be withdrawn, but that doesn’t automatically eliminate your right to claim compensation owed under the law.

5. Find Out What Your Severance Is Worth

Use the Severance Pay Calculator to estimate your possible entitlement. Don’t rely solely on the amount offered in your employer’s termination email or letter.

6. Have an Employment Lawyer Review Your Termination

An employment lawyer can review the circumstances of your dismissal, determine whether your employer provided enough compensation and explain your options.

If you’ve received a severance offer, our Severance Package Review page explains what to check before signing.

Fired by Text, Email or Phone: Common Questions

Can you fire someone over text in Canada?

An employer can communicate a dismissal by text message. However, it must still meet applicable employment standards requirements and provide any termination notice, pay or other compensation owed.

Is it legal to fire someone over email?

Yes. Email can be used to communicate a termination. It may also satisfy written notice requirements when the applicable legal and delivery conditions are met. An email alone doesn’t determine whether the employee received enough severance.

Can you get fired over the phone in Canada?

Yes. An employer can inform an employee by phone that their employment has ended. However, a phone call doesn’t replace statutory written working notice when that form of notice is required. The employer may instead owe termination pay and additional severance.

Is it legal to fire someone over Zoom?

Yes. An employer may announce a termination over Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another video platform. The employer must still comply with employment laws and provide any compensation owed.

Does an employer have to give you a termination letter?

The rules depend on the applicable employment legislation and whether the employer is providing working notice or ending employment immediately with pay instead of notice. Employees should request written confirmation of their dismissal and the terms of any severance offer.

Can you sue your employer for firing you by text?

The text message itself doesn’t automatically create a legal claim. However, you may have a wrongful dismissal claim if your employer failed to provide sufficient notice or severance. Discrimination, prohibited retaliation or bad-faith conduct may raise additional issues.

Can you get severance if you’re fired without a meeting?

Yes. Your right to severance does not depend on whether your employer held an in-person termination meeting. The amount you’re owed depends on your employment circumstances and applicable law.

What if my employer fires me by text and blocks my number?

Preserve the termination message and any other relevant communications. The employer’s refusal to communicate further doesn’t automatically eliminate its legal obligations. An employment lawyer can help assess your severance and next steps.

Fired by Text, Email or Phone? Know What You’re Owed.

However your employer delivered the news, your severance rights remain important.

The employment lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP help non-union employees in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia understand their rights after termination and pursue the compensation they’re legally owed.

Before you sign a severance offer, always check first.

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