Ontario has a law called the Employment Standards Act, 2000, (ESA)
which sets minimum standards that Ontario employers and employees
must follow. The type of things regulated by this law include:
Work Hours
The general rule is that employees cannot be required to work morethan:
For more detailed information about work hours download the Ministry of Labour's fact sheet (PDF).
Wages
Most employees are entitled to be paid a minimum wage of $9.25 an
hour. If you are a student, a worker who serves liquor, a hunting or
fishing guide or a homeworker you are subject to a different
minimum wage.
To see a rate guide and for more information about wages click here.
Overtime
There are many rules about overtime, including who is entitled to
overtime and when they become entitled. The general rule is that an
employee is entitled to overtime pay once they have worked 44 hours
in a work week and the overtime pay must be at least 1½ times the
employee’s regular rate of pay.
For more detailed information about work hours download the
Ministry of Labour's fact sheet (PDF)
Vacation
The general rule is that most employees are entitled to two weeks of
paid vacation after 12 months.
Your employer can decide to start your vacation entitlement year on a
date other than the employee's date of hire. In this case the employee
is entitled to a pro-rated amount of vacation with pay for the period
before the vacation entitlement year begins. This period is known as
the "stub period."
For more information about vacation time and vacation pay click here.
Leave
There are a number of life situations when an employee may need
some time away from work without risking the loss of their job. The
ESA recognizes several of these situations and has created rules for
dealing with them.
Click on the above links to access the relevant Ministry of Labour Fact Sheets.
For a brief overview of each type of leave click here.
Severance Pay
An employer is entitled to dismiss an employee. However, if the
employer does not have just cause for doing so, then the employer
must provide the employee with a certain amount of notice before the
dismissal takes effect. In the alternative, the employer must pay the
employee in lieu of notice.
An employee's job can be terminated in three different ways under the
ESA.
1. The employer dismisses or stops employing someone.
2. The employee quits within a reasonable period in response to the
employer making a significant change to a fundamental term or
condition of the employment without the employee's consent.
3. The employee is laid off for a period that's longer than a temporary
layoff.
For more information about dismissal, notice periods and severance
pay visit the Ministry of Labour's website.
Has your employer failed to follow Ontario's employment standards.
If so click here.
which sets minimum standards that Ontario employers and employees
must follow. The type of things regulated by this law include:
 | Work Hours | |
| Wages | |
| Overtime | |
| Vacation | |
| Leave | |
| Severance Pay |
Work Hours
The general rule is that employees cannot be required to work more
| 8 hours a day (or the number of hours in an established work | |
| day if it is more than 8 hours in the case of shift work for instance.) | ||
| 48 hours a week. |
For more detailed information about work hours download the
Wages
Most employees are entitled to be paid a minimum wage of $9.25 an
hour. If you are a student, a worker who serves liquor, a hunting or
fishing guide or a homeworker you are subject to a different
minimum wage.
To see a rate guide and for more information about wages click here.
Overtime
There are many rules about overtime, including who is entitled to
overtime and when they become entitled. The general rule is that an
employee is entitled to overtime pay once they have worked 44 hours
in a work week and the overtime pay must be at least 1½ times the
employee’s regular rate of pay.
For more detailed information about work hours download the
Ministry of Labour's fact sheet (PDF)
Vacation
The general rule is that most employees are entitled to two weeks of
paid vacation after 12 months.
Your employer can decide to start your vacation entitlement year on a
date other than the employee's date of hire. In this case the employee
is entitled to a pro-rated amount of vacation with pay for the period
before the vacation entitlement year begins. This period is known as
the "stub period."
For more information about vacation time and vacation pay click here.
Leave
There are a number of life situations when an employee may need
some time away from work without risking the loss of their job. The
ESA recognizes several of these situations and has created rules for
dealing with them.
| Pregnancy Leave | |
| Parental Leave | |
| Personal Emergency Leave | |
| Family Medical Leave |
Click on the above links to access the relevant Ministry of Labour
For a brief overview of each type of leave click here.
Severance Pay
An employer is entitled to dismiss an employee. However, if the
employer does not have just cause for doing so, then the employer
must provide the employee with a certain amount of notice before the
dismissal takes effect. In the alternative, the employer must pay the
employee in lieu of notice.
An employee's job can be terminated in three different ways under the
ESA.
1. The employer dismisses or stops employing someone.
2. The employee quits within a reasonable period in response to the
employer making a significant change to a fundamental term or
condition of the employment without the employee's consent.
3. The employee is laid off for a period that's longer than a temporary
layoff.
For more information about dismissal, notice periods and severance
pay visit the Ministry of Labour's website.
Has your employer failed to follow Ontario's employment standards.
If so click here.
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Employment Standards
Home > Employment Law > Employment Standards
Home > Employment Law > Employment Standards
Statutory Holidays
New Years Day (January 1/08)
Family Day (February 18/08)
Good Friday (March 21/08)
Victoria Day (May 19/08)
Canada Day (July 1/08)
Labour Day (September 1/08)
Thanksgiving (October 13/08)
Christmas Day (Dec 25/08)
Boxing Day (December 26/08)
For more information about
Statutory Holidays visit the
Ministry of Labour's website.
Not Statutory Holidays
Easter Monday
August Civic Holiday
Remembrance Day
New Years Day (January 1/08)
Family Day (February 18/08)
Good Friday (March 21/08)
Victoria Day (May 19/08)
Canada Day (July 1/08)
Labour Day (September 1/08)
Thanksgiving (October 13/08)
Christmas Day (Dec 25/08)
Boxing Day (December 26/08)
For more information about
Statutory Holidays visit the
Ministry of Labour's website.
Not Statutory Holidays
Easter Monday
August Civic Holiday
Remembrance Day
| If a statutory holiday falls on a day that is not a normal work day, the employee is entitled to a substitute day off with pay. |
| MINIMUM WAGE On March 31, 2010, the minimum wage in Ontario will increase to $10.25 |
Contact the Ministry of Labour
1-800-531-5551
1-800-531-5551
For more information about your
rights as an employee, download
CLEO's easy to read guide.
rights as an employee, download
CLEO's easy to read guide.
Ministry of Labour Guides
Required Notice to Dismiss
595 Tecumseh Road East, Suite #3
Windsor, ON N8X 2S1
P. 519-253-3526 TTY 519-253-5393
F. 519-253-7874
Windsor, ON N8X 2S1
P. 519-253-3526 TTY 519-253-5393
F. 519-253-7874
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| Test your knowledge about employment standards. Read our interactive "The Ghost of ESA" |
| Has your employer failed to follow Ontario's employment standards. If so click here. |