# Offer of employment

General information, not legal advice. Have an employment lawyer in your province review this before you send it. Delete every bracket and flag before sending.

[Company legal name] ([operating name, if different])
[Address] · [City, Province, Postal code]
[Date]

[Full name]
[Address]

Dear [First name],

We're happy to offer you the job of **[Job title]** at [Company name]. This letter sets out the main terms. [If you use a separate employment agreement: "The attached employment agreement has the full terms. If this letter and the agreement differ, the agreement applies."] **[LAWYER REVIEW 1: letter versus full agreement]**

## 1. The job

- **Title:** [Job title]
- **Reports to:** [Name, title]
- **Start date:** [Date]
- **Where you'll work:** [City, Province]. [Remote / Hybrid, X days in office / On-site]
- **Status:** Full-time, permanent employee. **[LAWYER REVIEW 2: if this is a fixed term, a lawyer needs to write the term and early-end wording]**
- **Hours:** [General description, for example "about 40 hours a week, Monday to Friday"]

## 2. Pay

- **Base salary:** $[Amount] a year, paid [every two weeks / twice a month] on [pay day], by direct deposit to an account you choose.
- **Bonus:** [None / Describe it: target, what it's based on, when it's paid, and whether it's discretionary] **[LAWYER REVIEW 3: bonus wording, especially what happens on resignation or termination]**
- **Equity:** [None / X stock options under the [Plan name]. The plan and your grant agreement set the terms, including vesting and what happens if you leave. Grants need board approval.] **[LAWYER REVIEW 4: equity terms and what happens to unvested equity on termination]**
- **Signing bonus:** [None / $X, paid on [date]] **[LAWYER REVIEW 5: any repayment term]**

## 3. Vacation

[X] weeks of paid vacation a year. This will never be less than the vacation time and vacation pay required in [Province].

## 4. Benefits

[Health, dental, vision, RRSP match, etc.], starting [date], under the terms of each plan.

## 5. Probation (optional)

[Leave this section out unless a lawyer writes it.] **[LAWYER REVIEW 6: probation period and wording]**

## 6. Ending employment

- **If you resign:** please give us [X] weeks' written notice.
- **If we end your employment without cause:** we will give you at least the notice, or pay instead of notice, plus any severance pay and benefit continuation, required by the employment standards law of [Province]. You may be entitled to more under the law. **[LAWYER REVIEW 7: the termination clause. Do not add "at any time", "sole discretion", "at will" or a "for cause" test without a lawyer.]**

## 7. Conditions

This offer depends on:

- proof that you are legally entitled to work in Canada, before your start date
- reference checks, done only with your written consent
- [a background check tied to the duties of this job, done only with your written consent] **[LAWYER REVIEW 8: whether any check is needed, and the consent wording]**
- signing our [Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Agreement] **[LAWYER REVIEW 9: keep IP terms to work done for us, and confidentiality terms reasonable]**

We will not ask you to sign a non-compete. **[LAWYER REVIEW 10: any non-solicit, and the rules outside Ontario]**

## 8. Accommodation

We support employees with disabilities. Our accommodation policy is [attached / at link]. Tell [name, email] if you need anything to start well.

## 9. Your employment information

- **Employer:** [Legal name] ([operating name])
- **Contact:** [Name], [phone], [email], [address]
- **Where you'll work:** [general description]
- **Starting pay:** $[Amount] a year
- **Pay period and pay day:** [every two weeks, on Fridays]
- **Expected hours:** [general description]

## 10. Law that applies

The laws of [Province] and Canada apply to this offer. [Quebec: give the French version first. See the notes.]

Please reply by **[date, a few business days from now]**. Call me with any questions.

Sincerely,

________________________

[Name], [Title], [Company name]

## Acceptance

I accept this offer on the terms above. I had time to read it, ask questions and get advice before signing. **[LAWYER REVIEW 11: timing of signing. Get it signed before the start date.]**

Signature: ________________________

Date: ________________________

---

**Notes for the employer. Delete before sending. General information, not legal advice.**

**Province notes**

| Province | Notice when you end the job (minimum) | Vacation time | Vacation pay | Also know |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Ontario** | None in the first 3 months. Then 1 week under 1 year, 2 weeks for 1 to 3 years, then 1 more week per year to 8 weeks at 8 years. ESA ss. 54, 57. | 2 weeks a year. 3 weeks after 5 years. ESA s. 33. | 4%. 6% after 5 years. ESA s. 35.2. | Severance pay at 5 years if payroll is $2.5M or more. ESA s. 64. Non-competes are void, except for executives and some business sales. ESA s. 67.2. 25 or more employees: give written job info before day one (section 9 covers it). ESA guide. Tell the person about your accommodation policies when you offer. O. Reg. 191/11, s. 24. The employee picks the direct deposit account. ESA s. 11(4). |
| **BC** | 1 week after 3 months. 2 weeks after 12 months. 3 weeks after 3 years, then 1 more week per year to 8 weeks. BC ESA s. 63. | 2 weeks after 12 months. 3 weeks after 5 years. BC ESA s. 57. | 4% after 5 days. 6% after 5 years. BC ESA s. 58. | Don't ask about past pay. BC Pay Transparency Act s. 3. |
| **Alberta** | None at 90 days or less. 1 week up to 2 years. 2 weeks at 2 to 4. 4 weeks at 4 to 6. 5 weeks at 6 to 8. 6 weeks at 8 to 10. 8 weeks at 10 or more. AB Code ss. 55(2)(b), 56. | 2 weeks for each of the first 4 years. 3 weeks after 5 years. AB Code s. 34. | 4%. 6% with 3 weeks. Monthly-paid staff use a different formula. AB Code ss. 34.1, 34.2. | |
| **Manitoba** | None in the first 30 days. 1 week under 1 year. 2 weeks at 1 to 3. 4 weeks at 3 to 5. 6 weeks at 5 to 10. 8 weeks at 10 or more. MB Code ss. 61(2), 62(1). | 2 weeks for each of the first 4 years. 3 weeks after 5 years. MB Code s. 34(1). | 2% for each week of vacation, so 4% or 6%. MB Code s. 39(2). | |
| **Quebec** | None under 3 months. 1 week under 1 year. 2 weeks at 1 to 5. 4 weeks at 5 to 10. 8 weeks at 10 or more. QC Labour Standards ss. 82, 82.1. | 2 weeks after 1 year. 3 weeks after 3 years. QC Labour Standards ss. 68, 69. | 4%. 6% with 3 weeks. QC Labour Standards s. 74. | Draw up a written employment contract in French. Another language is allowed only if both of you expressly want it. For a standard-form contract, they must see the French version first. Job offers you publish must be in French too. Charter of the French language s. 41. Have a lawyer confirm how this applies to an offer letter. After 2 years, an employee can complain of dismissal without good and sufficient cause. QC Labour Standards s. 124. |

These are minimums. Courts can award more notice unless a valid contract clause limits it. A clause that breaks the minimum can sink every termination clause in the contract. Sources: *Waksdale*, 2020 ONCA 391, para. 10, and *Baker*, 2026 ONCA 568, para. 84.

Federally regulated employers follow the Canada Labour Code instead. This template does not cover it.

**Sources (checked October 29, 2026)**

- Ontario ESA: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/00e41
- Ontario ESA guide, mandatory information: https://www.ontario.ca/document/your-guide-employment-standards-act-0/mandatory-information-employees
- O. Reg. 191/11: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110191
- BC ESA: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/00_96113_01
- BC Pay Transparency Act: https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/23018
- Alberta Employment Standards Code: https://kings-printer.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/E09.pdf
- Manitoba Employment Standards Code: https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/e110.php
- Quebec Act respecting labour standards: https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/document/cs/N-1.1
- Quebec Charter of the French language: https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/document/cs/C-11
- Waksdale, 2020 ONCA 391: https://www.ontariocourts.ca/decisions/2020/2020ONCA0391.htm
- Dufault, 2024 ONSC 1029: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2024/2024onsc1029/2024onsc1029.html
- Baker and Li, 2026 ONCA 568: https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onca/doc/2026/2026onca568/2026onca568.html