Overview
You have rights in the workplace. Employment standards are the minimum standards established by law that define and guarantee these rights. Each province and territory has its own legislation.
Most workers in Canada (about 90 percent) are protected by the employment laws of their province or territory. The remainder are in jobs covered by federal laws.
Employment standards legislation covers rights in areas such as hours of work, overtime pay, minimum wage, vacation time and vacation pay, public holidays, coffee and meal breaks, pregnancy leave and parental leave, personal emergency leave, family medical leave, termination notice, termination without cause and termination pay.
Human rights laws also protect against discrimination in the workplace.
You can find out more about your rights in the workplace on the Government of Canada website.
FAQs
Q – How do I find out if my company is federally regulated or provincially regulated?
A – Here is a list of federally regulated industries, followed by a list of provincially regulated industries. If your company is not in the list of federally regulated industries, then it is provincially regulated.
Q – What should I do if I think my workplace employment standards have been violated?
A – If you feel that your employment standards have been violated without your consent, contact the employment standards agency in your province or territory. Workershelp.ca has a listing of provincial/territorial employment standards and links to the corresponding agencies.
Resources
- Provincial and Territorial Human Rights Agencies
- Community Legal Education Ontario: Your Rights at Work
- Legal Aid Offices Across Canada — If you feel that your rights have not been upheld, contact a legal clinic near you by consulting this list from CanLaw, or contact your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP)/Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
- Rights in the Workplace – Government of Canada