Employment Standards

To help ensure that employers understand their obligations and that employees know their rights, the Minister of Labour has prepared and published an Employment Standards Poster entitled “Employment Standards in Ontario”.

The Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) protects employees and sets minimum standards for most workplaces in Ontario. Employers are prohibited from penalizing employees in any way for exercising their rights under the ESA.

What You Need to Know

Public Holidays

Ontario has a number of public holidays each year. Most employees are entitled to take these days off work and be paid public holiday pay. 

Hours of Work and Overtime

There are daily and weekly limits on hours of work. There are also rules around meal breaks, rest periods and overtime. 

Termination Notice and Pay

In most cases when terminating employment, employers must give employees advance written notice of termination or termination pay instead of notice.

Vacation Time and Pay

There are rules around the amount of vacation time and pay employees earn. Most employees can take vacation time after every 12 months of work.

Leaves of Absence

There are a number of job protected leaves of absence in Ontario. Examples include sick leave, pregnancy leave, parental leave and family caregiver leave. 

Minimum Wage

Most employees are entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage. 

Other Employment Rights, Exemptions and Special Rules

There are other rights, exemptions and special rules not listed on this poster, including rights to severance pay and special rules for assignment employees of temporary help agencies. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date on the latest news that can affect you and your workplace.

Learn More About Your Rights

Call 1-800-531-5551 or TTY 1-866-567-8893