Minimum Wage
Effective October 1, 2020, the minimum wage is $11.45 per hour.
On October 1, 2021, the minimum wage will change to $11.81 per hour.
Most employees must be paid at least minimum wage for each hour they are required or permitted to work, or are at the employer’s disposal.
Increases to the minimum wage are calculated using an indexation formula. Changes are announced on or before June 30 of each year and take effect on October 1 of the same year.
Employees Who Do Not Have to be Paid the Minimum Wage
Some employees do not have to be paid the minimum wage. These include:
farming, ranching or market garden labourers;
some care providers employed in private homes;
babysitters (only those that are of a very temporary or sporadic nature);
athletes while engaged in their athletic endeavour;
volunteers for non-profit organizations, and
individuals who have a physical or mental disability or impairment and work for a non-profit organization or institution in programs that are educational, therapeutic, or rehabilitative.
Due to the very limited application of a minimum wage exemption, check the legislation and/or contact the Employment Standards Division for more information.
Reporting for Duty Pay
Most employees receive a minimum payment (called reporting for duty pay) every time they report for work, other than for overtime. Employees who report to work must receive at least three hours pay at the employee’s hourly wage, even if there is no work to do or the employee works for less than three hours.
For example, if an employee earning $12 an hour is called in to work for two hours. The employee must be paid $36.
In another situation, an employer schedules an employee earning $12 per hour to work for two hours. The employer takes the employee off the schedule for that shift without telling the employee. The employee shows up for work as originally scheduled. In this case, the employee must be paid $36 in reporting for duty pay for reporting to work.
Reporting for Duty Pay and Overtime
Employees called in to work overtime receive their overtime pay rate for each hour worked. Reporting for duty pay rules do not apply to overtime work.
For example, an employee earning $12 per hour who is called in to work for one hour of overtime would receive $18 in overtime pay ($12 x the overtime rate of 1.5), not $36 in reporting for duty pay.
Reporting for Duty Pay and Work on Public Holidays
Regular reporting for duty pay rules apply on public holidays. However, the employee earns whichever is greater: reporting for duty pay or wages for the hours worked on the public holiday. (Pay for each hour worked on a public holiday is 1.5 times the employee’s hourly wage rate.)
For example, an employee earning $12 per hour who is required to work for one hour on a public holiday would receive $36 ($12 x 3 = $36) in reporting for duty pay because this is greater than $18 ($12 x 1.5 x 1 hr = $18) in wages for working on a public holiday. If the employee worked for three hours, the employee would earn $54 ($12 x 1.5 x 3 hr = $54) in wages for working on a public holiday because this is greater than $36 in reporting for duty pay.
Reporting for Duty Pay Exceptions and Special Rules
Reporting for duty pay is a minimum of one hour at the employee’s hourly wage for:
students working within the school term;
school bus drivers employed by a school board to transport students to and from school; and
noon hour supervisors employed by a school board.
For example, a primary or secondary student earning $12 an hour who is called in to work for 30 minutes on a school day must be paid at least $12. If the student works for two hours, they must be paid $24.
Regular reporting for duty pay rules apply to these employees during school breaks and vacations.
Regular reporting for duty pay rules apply to post-secondary students all year.