Overtime Pay Laws: A Guide for Employees

Whenever the employee works more than 40 hours, then it means that they work overtime. Let’s check the common overtime pay laws in Canada.

What Is Overtime Pay?

Employment law is about protecting worker’s rights, including fair wages and overtime pay as well.

Overtime pay in Canada means that employees get additional compensation when they work more than the expected working hours. The laws regarding overtime pay vary across Canada since laws may be different from province to province.

Generally, the working hours are from 37.5 to 40 hours in Canada, any work done beyond this range, is considered overtime.

How Much Do You Get Paid for Overtime Work?

In Canada, whenever you work more than the standard hours, you will get:

• More Money: You get 1.5 times your fixed salary for each extra hour you’ve worked. Let’s say your work is $10 per hour, then for every overtime hour, you’ll get $15.
• Extra Time: Some companies offer time off as an alternative. You have the option to choose to take time off later rather than receiving more money. You receive 1.5 hours of free time for every additional hour that you work. So, you can take 7.5 hours off with full compensation if you work 5 hours overtime.

Work Hours and Overtime Across Canada

When it comes to clocking in and out in Canada, there’s a range of rules that shape our workdays and paychecks. Here’s a guide to help you wrap your head around how work time is counted from province to province:

• Standard Working Hours:

First, you need to understand wage and hour laws, which define the standard working hours. For most of us, the working hours are expected to last 8 hours, capping off at around 40 hours from Monday to Friday. But it’s not the same everywhere, for instance, employees in Ontario might find themselves working up to 48 hours in a week.

• Counting the Days:

The typical working days are from Monday to Friday, giving us the weekend to recharge.

How Much is Too Much?

In Ontario, you might be clocking in up to 48 hours before hitting overtime, while in Alberta, the threshold is a bit lower at 44 hours. And yes, there are jobs out there with hours above the norm, especially in higher-up roles, but these need to play by the rules of fair wageswage and overtime pay.

• Part-Time Work:

What counts as part-time isn’t set in stone. While some places keep it at 30 hours a week, it really varies from job to job.

• Overtime Pay:

Overtime kicks in differently depending on where you are. Getting paid time and a half for those extra hours is common, but when those hours start accumulating varies — 44 hours in Ontario and 40 in Quebec, for starters.

• Weekend Work:

Working weekends isn’t off the table. In some spots like Ontario, the law only asks that employers give you a day off after a 6-day work.

What to Do If You’re Not Paid Overtime

Taking care of unpaid wages or wage theft? This is a common question that bothers every employee, “What to do when you deserve your hard-earned overtime pay but you don’t get it?”

• The first step you should follow is chatting with your employer about it. Not paying you for your overtime work is a clear violation of the rule. So, try to understand the reason and get compensation for your work.
• Then, if the issue is not resolved, record all the hours that you worked and didn’t get paid and report it to the provincial or territorial labour standards office. You can file a complaint and explain your situation showing how your company neglected the overtime pay.

Protecting Your Rights

Employees can protect their rights by:

• Understanding Minimum Wage Laws: Minimum wage laws set the lowest pay that your boss can legally give you for your work. These rules are super important because they help figure out how much you should get paid when you work extra hours, like overtime. Basically, overtime pay is often a bit more than your usual pay, and it’s based on what the minimum wage is. Knowing about these laws helps make sure you get paid fairly for the time you put in at work.
• Recognize Your Local Rules: Work regulations vary by region in Canada. Your guidebook for what’s fair and what isn’t is the labourlabor laws in the area where you live or work, so be sure you understand them.
• Monitor Your Time: Pay particular attention to the hours you’re recording. If there’s ever any doubt as to how much you worked, having a daily log of your start and end hours may be really helpful.
• Speak Up When Needed: Try to discuss any issues you have with your employer first if they seem to be related to your hours or compensation. If it doesn’t work, you may always get in touch with someone at your local labourlabor standards office. They are there to assist in putting things right.

Why Do You Need a Legal Professional?

You may wonder how legal professionals can help you in these challenging times. Let’s see why you need a legal professional:

• Expertise in the Law: Legal pros know employment laws inside and out. They can easily navigate the complex rules surrounding overtime pay.
• Identification of Violations: They are trained to identify when employers may not comply with labourlabor laws, safeguarding employees’ rights to fair compensation.
• Rights Clarification: Legal professionals know very well employee’s legal rights and can make sure that all workers get fair treatment when they work longer than standard hours.
• Advocacy: Lawyers are the employee’s right hand, since they can always be there for meaningful negotiations, representing your rights during legal disputes, aiming to secure the overtime compensation they are rightfully owed.
• Stress Reduction: By taking the burden off your shoulders, legal professionals can reduce the stress you get during unpaid wages.
• Positive Resolution: The involvement of a legal professional often leads to more favourable outcomes, ensuring that employees receive the overtime pay due to them.

If you want to find a reputable legal professional who has already dealt with cases like yours, you can check legal service marketplaces.

To conclude, whenever you work overtime, you should get paid for that. If you feel that your work is not appreciated, then it’s a good sign to take some steps. Using a legal professional in cases of unpaid overtime ensures that employees navigate these issues with informed and effective representation, leading to rightful compensation. Subscribe to LawVo if you need a lawyer or 24/7 legal support.

Back to blogs