As you look to exit post-secondary education and enter the job market, it's important that you know your legal rights in Ontario as an employee. Centennial College’s Career Services and Co-operative Education works to set you up with the career you want, and also keeps you informed of your rights, which every worker looking to get into the workforce after school should know. One important note, though: These tips only apply to most employees. Don't let that discourage you, though, as they all still likely apply to you. Just be sure to read up on them on the Ontario Ministry of Labour’s website, which is where these bits of information come from.
1. Different provinces and territories have different standards.
We're talking about your rights in Ontario here, but if you're going to work in a different part of Canada, you have to be aware of the possibly different rights in each province. Luckily, certain policies are there to help you with that, including that…
2. Your company has to place an Employment Standards Act poster where you can see it.
Not only that, but it has to be printed in the majority language of that workplace as well.
3. That Employment Standards Act is there to protect you.
Worker's rights in Ontario are defined by it. It discusses wages, holidays, work hours, overtime, and other important rights. Read more about it here: ontario.ca/ESAguide.
4. Whether temporary or permanent, your basic rights are the same
A common mistake young or new employees make is assuming that because they're temporary workers, they have fewer rights, or aren't covered by the ESA, when in reality, you mostly have the same rights.
5. You're always entitled to a break
Most employees can't work for longer than five consecutive hours without getting a 30 minute break for food. You can also get that split into to 15-minute short breaks.
6. Overtime!
In most jobs, if you're working more than 44 hours a week, you’re entitled to overtime pay, meaning for every extra hour you work, you get one-and-a-half of your normal hourly wage.
7. You can get paid for public holidays
There's a select group of holidays that you can take time off work from, and still get paid for. Here’s the holidays that this applies to:
- New Year's Day
- Family Day
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- Labour Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
- December 26th (Boxing Day)
8. If you work a public holiday, you can get another day off (with pay!)
If you agree to work on one of the days from the list above, not only are you entitled to your wages, you're also entitled to get another day off to make up for the one you missed, with the public holiday pay from it intact.
9. You get vacation pay
Every 12 months of employment, you're entitled to two weeks of paid vacation time, letting you get time off without suffering a financial hit.
10. You can't be let go without warning
Once you work for an employer for three months unbroken, you can't be suddenly let go without written notice, or termination pay. How much notice depends on how long you’ve been there.
11. You can let the government know if something shady is happening
If you think an employer isn't following the ESA's guidelines, do something! A story from Global News last year pointed out that the number one reason for employers to not follow the ESA is simply that employees won't do anything, and allow them to get away with it. So what do you do? Well, you can call the Employment Standards Information Centre at 416-326-7160 or toll free at 1-800-531-5551 to get more info on how to file a complaint, which the government will investigate. The important thing is to take action!
By Anthony Geremia