British Columbia Severance Calculator
In British Columbia the statutory minimum when your job ends is "compensation for length of service" under section 63 of the Employment Standards Act. It is notice-based: written notice, pay in lieu, or a combination. There is no separate statutory severance pay on top. Enter your service and weekly pay to see the minimum.
Statutory minimum, British Columbia
$6,000
6 weeks total · statutory minimum only
Notice (pay in lieu)
6 weeks
$6,000
Statutory severance
None
Common-law reasonable notice (rough range)
4.5 to 7.5 monthsabout $19,500 to $32,500
For a non-unionized employee dismissed without cause, courts usually award far more than the statutory minimum, based on the Bardal factors (your age, length of service, the type of role, and how hard it is to find similar work). There is no formula, so this is a broad illustration, not a prediction. A valid termination clause in your contract can limit you to the statutory minimum, and awards rarely exceed roughly 24 months.
This tool estimates statutory minimums from each jurisdiction's employment-standards act (and the Canada Labour Code for federally regulated work), plus a rough reasonable-notice range (common law, or the Civil Code in Quebec). It is general information, not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm or a government body. Your actual entitlement depends on your contract, the reason for the dismissal, and your full circumstances; a court, tribunal, or your provincial employment-standards office makes the binding calculation.
Check the first question before anything else: if you work for a bank, airline, interprovincial transport company, telecom or broadcaster, Canada Post, or another federally regulated employer, the Canada Labour Code applies instead of British Columbia's law. Choose the federal option above.
Is There Statutory Severance Pay in British Columbia?
No. British Columbia's Employment Standards Act requires compensation for length of service, which the employer can satisfy with written notice, pay in lieu, or both. There is no additional statutory severance pay. Larger packages come from your contract or common-law reasonable notice.
British Columbia Notice Schedule
Minimum notice (or compensation in its place) under the Employment Standards Act (s. 63), by length of continuous service:
| Length of service | Minimum notice or payment |
|---|---|
| Under 3 months | None |
| 6 months | 1 week |
| 1.5 years | 2 weeks |
| 3 years | 3 weeks |
| 5 years | 5 weeks |
| 7 years | 7 weeks |
| 10 years or more | 8 weeks |
Worked Example
An employee in British Columbia with 6 years of service (72 months) and regular pay of $1,100 a week is dismissed without cause and without working notice:
- Statutory notice for that service: 6 weeks, so 6 x $1,100 = $6,600 in pay in lieu of notice.
- Statutory severance pay: none in British Columbia.
- Statutory total: $6,600, the legal minimum.
- Common-law reasonable notice (a broad illustration, not a prediction): roughly 4.5 to 7.5 months, about $21,450 to $35,750.
How the section 63 schedule works
After 3 consecutive months of employment the minimum is 1 week's wages; after 12 consecutive months, 2 weeks; after 3 consecutive years, 3 weeks plus 1 more week for each additional year, up to a maximum of 8 weeks.
The employer can meet the obligation by giving written notice of the same length, by paying the compensation, or by a combination of notice and pay.
Group terminations of 50 or more employees at a single location within 2 months carry an additional group notice requirement under section 64, on top of the section 63 compensation. That is still notice (or pay in lieu), not severance pay.
Compensation for length of service is not owed if you are dismissed for just cause, and it generally does not apply when employment for a definite term simply ends as agreed.
For the full picture, including exceptions and how disputes are decided, read British columbia severance pay: the full guide. To compare another province, use the Canada severance calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does BC have severance pay?
Not as a separate statutory entitlement. The Employment Standards Act requires compensation for length of service (up to 8 weeks), which can be given as notice, pay, or both.
Does a BC group termination mean severance pay?
No. Section 64 requires additional notice for group terminations, on top of section 63, and pay in lieu if that notice is not given, but it does not create a separate severance payment.
Sources
Law checked against these sources as of 2026-09-26. This calculator estimates statutory minimums and a rough reasonable-notice range. It is general information, not legal advice, and RecordingLaw.com is not a law firm or a government body. For advice on your situation, consult an employment lawyer licensed in British Columbia.
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