3. Try to get legal advice

If you're laid off or fired, it's a good idea to get legal advice.

A lawyer or paralegal with experience in employment law can help by giving you advice about:

• any rights you may have to notice of termination from your employer
• what you should do to protect your rights
• whether you should file a claim with the Ministry of Labour or go to court
• what other rights you may have

The Law Society Referral Service can give you the name of a lawyer or paralegal you can consult with for free, for up to 30 minutes.

Pro Bono Ontario has a legal advice hotline at 1-855-255-7256. You can get up to 30 minutes of free legal advice and help about employment law, Superior Court, and Small Claims Court.

JusticeNet helps people find legal services when their income is too high for legal aid and too low to pay regular legal fees. They have a list of lawyers and mediators who charge reduced fees based on your income and the size of your family.

There are community legal clinics across Ontario that provide free legal services to people with low incomes. Some clinics help people with work-related problems. And if a clinic cannot help you, they may be able to refer you to someone in your community who can.