What is a collective dismissal?

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General information, not legal advice. A collective dismissal happens when, over a period of 2 consecutive months, an employer ends the employment of 10 or more people in the same establishment, or lays them off for a temporary period of 6 months or more. The employer must then send a notice to the ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, 8, 12 or 16 weeks before the departure depending on the number of people affected. For you, this means a notice posted or distributed in the company, the payment of the amounts owed to you and, if the notice is not given on time, a compensatory indemnity.

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Key facts

Definition: 10 or more people in the same establishment, within 2 consecutive months (end of employment, or a temporary layoff of 6 months or more).
Notice period to the Ministry: 8 weeks (10 to 99 people), 12 weeks (100 to 299) or 16 weeks (300 or more), between receipt of the notice and the departure date.
Who receives the notice: The ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale, and the certified association (union), where applicable. The notice is also posted or distributed in the company.
Reclassification assistance committee: When 50 or more people are affected.
If the notice is missing or late: Compensatory indemnity equal to the usual salary for the part of the notice period not respected, not counting overtime; not cumulative (the highest one applies).

Your procedure, step by step

Start the official procedure Official page: Collective dismissal (CNESST) (opens in a new tab)https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/fr/conditions-travail/fin-demploi/licenciement-collectif

Check whether your situation matches the definition: over a period of 2 consecutive months, the employer ends the employment of 10 or more people in the same establishment, or lays off 10 or more people in the same establishment for a temporary period of 6 months or more.
Look for the collective dismissal notice. The employer must post it in a visible and easily accessible place in the company, or distribute it by technological means (intranet, email). If you are represented by a certified association (for example a union), the notice must also be sent to it.
Find the time limit that applies between the Ministry's receipt of the notice and your departure: 8 weeks for 10 to 99 people, 12 weeks for 100 to 299 people and 16 weeks for 300 people or more.
At the time of the dismissal, or on the regular pay that follows, your employer must give you all the amounts owed to you, such as salary, amounts related to overtime and vacation pay. They must also give you a written notice of termination of employment within the required time limits.
If the employer does not give the notice to the Ministry, gives it too late or cannot keep you employed for the whole notice period, they must pay you a compensatory indemnity. The indemnities linked to the notice of termination and to the collective dismissal notice are not cumulative: you receive only the highest one you are entitled to.
When 50 or more people are affected, a reclassification assistance committee is set up with the Ministry. It offers information, support and job-search services to the dismissed people.
For more details on your situation, contact the CNESST or, for the notice to the Ministry, the Ministry's customer communication centre (contact details on the Québec.ca page).

Start the official procedure Official page: Collective dismissal (CNESST) (opens in a new tab)https://www.cnesst.gouv.qc.ca/fr/conditions-travail/fin-demploi/licenciement-collectif

Your progress is kept on this device only: nothing is sent to Demande au Québec. Some steps only apply in certain situations: skip the ones that do not concern you.

General information drawn from official sources. It does not replace legal, medical or financial advice. For your situation, contact the organization concerned or a professional.

Sources

Licenciement collectif (CNESST)
Licenciement collectif (Québec.ca (ministère de l'Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale))

Checked on October 6, 2026. Rules, deadlines and fees can change: always confirm on the official page above. Demande au Québec is an independent website, not a government site.

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