Add Comment Question: How long after being fired can an employee start legal action for wrongful termination if they accepted and cashed the termination pay Answer: Thank you for reaching out to our firm. Typically speaking, an employee will have 2 years to commence legal proceedings through civil court. If they signed a valid release prior to accepting the money and the money was more than their Employment Standards Act minimums, then the employee will likely not have a case. However, these scenarios can be quite complex and require a significant amount of review. If you would to discuss this further with an employment lawyer, please contact the number below. Your Comment * Your Email * Your Name * Your City Note, your name, city and email is not displayed on the website. It is used to notify you that we have approved your comment.