Navigating the employment standards act can be tricky. As an employee, we want to make sure we’re given a fair deal, but we don’t always know what the rules are. You’ve seen some people swear up and down that they had been wronged and that people were going to pay for the transgression, only to find out rules were followed properly. It happens. What’s important is that everyone knows the rules and no one feels slighted.

5 employment standards rights at work.

Regular payment of wages and wage statements

You must be paid on the same day every period, whether it’s every one or two weeks and you must receive a wage statement that shows the breakdown.

Work hour Limits

In general, your employer cannot force you to work more than 8 hours a day or your regular work day if you have signed off on it and no more than 48 hours in a week. Additionally, you are entitled to a full 24 consecutive hours off per week and 48 consecutive hours off every two weeks.

Overtime pay

Overtime kicks in for most jobs at 44 hours and is payable at 1.5 times your regular rate.

Vacation with pay

It’s important to note that you do get two weeks holidays after you work for 12 months. This means it cannot be taken away after the fact since you’ve already earned them. Also, once you hit five years at your job, every year you get three weeks of vacation.

Termination notice and /or pay instead of notice

Unless you have done something against the rules, you have a right to notice of termination of your employment after you’ve worked for at least three months. That can come in the form of notice while you are working, pay instead of working, or a combination of the two.

Everyone should know their labour rights. Next week we will talk about your rights with respect to health and safety. In any case, you should protect your rights, but remember that most employers don’t knowingly cross the line. The best thing to have is open communication which will build trust between employer and employee.