7-Eleven layoffs 2026: what to do if you're affected by the store closures

Yes, the plan to close 645 North American locations in fiscal 2026 is confirmed based on fourth-quarter earnings filings published by parent company Seven and i Holdings. However, specific store locations have not been publicly identified, so whether your particular store is affected has not been confirmed. Monitor official communications from your store operations team and consult public disclosures for updates.

As of mid-April 2026, 7-Eleven and Seven and i Holdings have not publicly named any specific Canadian stores in the closure plan. The 645-store figure covers all of North America. If you work at a Canadian location, watch for formal notice from your employer and consider checking provincial employment ministry websites for any mass termination filings in your area.

Severance entitlements in Canada depend on your province, your length of service, your role, your age, and other factors. Most employees are entitled to at least the minimums set out in their provincial employment standards legislation, such as Ontario's ESA. However, non-union employees may potentially be owed significantly more under common law depending on their circumstances. This is a general overview only - consult an employment lawyer before accepting any severance offer.

In many cases, yes. Initial severance offers from employers often reflect only the statutory minimum, which may be less than what you could be entitled to under common law. Factors such as tenure, age, seniority, and the difficulty of finding a comparable job may support a higher amount. Consider having an employment lawyer review your offer before signing any release, as signing typically waives your right to pursue additional compensation.

If you are a Canadian resident and your employment ends due to a store closure, you may generally be eligible to apply for Employment Insurance (EI) provided you meet Service Canada's hours-worked requirements for your region. Apply as soon as your final day of employment is confirmed, as there is typically a waiting period before payments begin. Visit canada.ca/ei for eligibility details specific to your situation.

The federal WARN Act generally requires employers in the United States to provide at least 60 days advance notice to employees when a plant closes or a mass layoff affecting 50 or more employees at a single location occurs. Whether it applies to a specific 7-Eleven location depends on the number of employees affected at that site and whether any state mini-WARN laws impose additional obligations. Consult your state labor department for guidance specific to your location.

No public announcement about transfer policies for affected employees has been made as of mid-April 2026. Whether transfers are offered may depend on individual store circumstances, proximity of other locations, and the company's internal policies at the time of closure. Raise the question directly with your district manager or HR contact as early as possible if this is a priority for you.

This question is difficult to answer definitively with public information available. The 645 planned closures across North America in fiscal 2026 are larger in scale than the roughly 444 closures reported in fiscal 2024, making this the most significant single-year contraction in recent disclosed history for the chain. Whether it is the largest ever in Canada specifically cannot be confirmed from current public disclosures.