Free tool · US + Canada
Find out whatyou’re actuallyowed.
Most employees sign their severance offer without knowing if it’s fair. Find out in 60 seconds — free, no account needed.
Takes 60 seconds · No signup required
See how LayoffMath scores your severance.
From your salary to your state — here’s how your score is calculated, step by step.
- 1Enter your salary and years of service
These two numbers drive most of your score. The longer you stayed and the more you earned, the higher your expected severance range.
- 2Tell us about your role and situation
Your industry, role level, state or province, and reason for separation all affect your benchmark. A VP in tech in California gets a very different range than a retail associate in Texas.
- 3Get your score — instantly
We compare your profile against market data for your exact situation. Your score (0–100) tells you where you stand. If you enter their offer, we calculate exactly how much you may be leaving on the table.
- 4Know your rights before you sign
Your full result includes your WARN Act or ESA rights, ADEA 21-day review period if you’re over 40, and the exact dollar gap between their offer and the market rate.
Your details
How severance pay is calculated in the US and Canada
Severance isn’t one number — it’s a range driven by tenure, role level, industry, and jurisdiction. In the US, no federal law mandates severance for most employees; offers are voluntary and contractual, which is precisely what makes them negotiable. The WARN Act sets a 60-day floor for mass layoffs at companies with 100 or more employees, and the ADEA gives workers 40 and over a 21-day review window (45 days for group layoffs) before signing a separation agreement.
In Canada, provincial Employment Standards Acts set a statutory minimum — typically one week per year of service, capped at eight. Common law notice, which is what courts actually award, can be three to four times higher; most negotiated settlements land between the two. The table below shows our base typical-week range by role level. LayoffMath layers in industry multipliers and provincial floors to produce your personalized number.
Severance pay by state and province
Jurisdiction-specific guides. Severance rules and norms vary — California is not Texas, Ontario is not Quebec.
United States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Frequently asked questions about severance pay
Is severance pay legally required in the US?+
No federal law requires US employers to pay severance. The exception is the WARN Act, which requires 60 days of pay or notice for mass layoffs at companies with 100+ employees. Otherwise, severance is contractual or discretionary — meaning it is negotiable.
Is severance pay legally required in Canada?+
Yes — but the framework is split. Provincial Employment Standards Acts set statutory minimums (typically 1 week per year of service, capped at 8). On top of that, Canadian common law often entitles employees to "reasonable notice," which can be much higher: 3–4 weeks per year for long-tenured employees. The provincial minimum is the floor, not the ceiling.
How does LayoffMath estimate my number?+
Your typical range is calculated from your role level, industry, and tenure. Higher seniority and higher-paying industries (tech, finance, consulting) push the upper bound up. If you are in Canada, the provincial statutory minimum is applied as a floor. The gap is the dollar value between the high end of your typical range and what you were offered.
I am over 40. Does that matter?+
In the US, yes. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) require employers to give workers 40+ at least 21 days to review a separation agreement and 7 days to revoke after signing. For group layoffs, the review window is 45 days. Signing before then can waive significant rights.
What if I was terminated for cause?+
Termination for cause is contested more often than it stands. Many "for cause" terminations are reclassified as without cause after legal review, which may unlock severance you were originally denied. If your situation feels off, document the timeline and talk to an employment lawyer before signing anything.
Do you sell my data?+
No. We never sell email addresses or submission data. You can unsubscribe from any email in one click. Submissions are stored in encrypted databases used only to deliver your result and any reports you request.