Ugh, that sucks. I can't give you any specific answers -- not only do you need to know Canadian law, but probably also your specific province and your company contracts/policies -- but I can tell you this practice is extremely common in much of the US. It may also make a difference whether your payment would truly be just a "bonus" or actually a "commission." At my last job, our bonuses were earned based on individual performance from October 1 to September 30, but not paid out until January 31. There was a specific statement in the bonus policy that in order to be eligible to receive the bonus, the employee must be still employed and in good standing on January 31. Like I said, it's super-common in the US to have to be still employed and in good standing on the date that bonuses get paid, even if the earning period is already over. This doesn't mean you should stop digging for possible recourse, just that many of us can empathize with you.