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Provincial legislation establishes specific rules around working hours across Canada. Most provinces expect employees to work for 8 hours per day up to a maximum of 40 hours per week, however, in Ontario the maximum is 48 hours per week.
Generally, employees are required to work a five-day week from Monday to Friday.
It depends on a number of factors including the provincial/territorial labor laws and the specifics of the employment agreement. For example, in Ontario the maximum working hours are 48 per week but in Alberta the maximum is 44 per week.
It’s important to note that, provided the minimum standards regarding minimum wage and overtime pay are met, a company is free to hire an employee for an arbitrary number of hours – from only 1 hour to over 100 hours per week. Such employment agreements should include set out the details about additional working hours, and are usually only applicable to management and executive roles.
In Canada, there is no set definition for part-time hours. Some companies do define part-time hours, and these classifications are usually up to a maximum of 30 hours per week.
Most provinces have their own overtime thresholds equivalent to 1.5x an employee’s standard rate of pay. In Ontario, this begins at 44 hours while in Quebec it begins at 40.
No. In Ontario, for example, employers are required to give one day off in each 7-day work week, or 2 consecutive days off over a 2-week period. Therefore, employers are entitled to ask their employees to work for 6 days in a row before giving a day off.
Although companies across Canada are experimenting with 4-day work weeks, Canada does not have a 4-day work week. Generally, employees are required to work a five-day week from Monday to Friday.
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Although employers cannot force employees to work excessive hours or punish them for refusing to work overtime, there is no limit or maximum amount of annual overtime in Canada.
It varies depending on the employment agreement, however the pay rate for overtime is usually equivalent to 1.5x an employee’s standard rate of pay.
