General Holidays and General Holiday Pay
Employees who are exempt from general holidays and general holiday pay
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General Holidays in Alberta
The Employment Standards Code, names the following nine days as general holidays:
General Holiday |
Definition of Holiday |
2006 |
2007 |
New Years Day |
January 1 |
Jan 1 |
Jan 1 |
Alberta Family Day |
Third Monday in February |
Feb 20 |
Feb 19 |
Good Friday |
Friday before Easter.* |
Apr 14 |
Apr 6 |
Victoria Day |
Monday before May 25 |
May 22 |
May 21 |
Canada Day |
July 1, except when it falls on a Sunday, then it is July 2. |
Jul 1 |
Jul 2 |
Labour Day |
First Monday in September |
Sep 4 |
Sep 3 |
Thanksgiving Day |
Second Monday in October |
Oct 9 |
Oct 8 |
Remembrance Day |
November 11 |
Nov 11 |
Nov 11 |
Christmas Day |
December 25 |
Dec 25 |
Dec 25 |
*Good Friday is a movable religious holiday falling on the Friday before Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the full moon on or after March 21st or one week later if the full moon falls on Sunday.
Employers may choose to recognize additional days as general holidays for their employees. For example, many employers have, by agreement, designated Boxing Day, Easter Monday and Alberta Heritage Day as additional general holidays for their employees. If an employer designates one of these days as a general holiday, all rules pertaining to general holiday pay will apply. Employees should confirm this and any pay entitlements with their employer.
Optional Holiday |
Definition of Holiday |
2006 |
2007 |
Easter Monday |
First Monday following Easter |
Apr 17 |
Apr 9 |
Heritage Day |
First Monday in August |
Aug 7 |
Aug 6 |
Boxing Day |
December 26 |
Dec 26 |
Dec 26 |
Eligibility for General Holiday Pay
Eligible employees are those who have:
- worked for the employer for at least 30 working days or shifts in the year before the general holiday,
- worked their last scheduled shift before, and the first scheduled shift after, the holiday (employees will remain eligible if they have the employer's permission to be absent for either or both of these shifts), and
- not refused to work on the general holiday when asked to do so.
Paying Employees on a General Holiday
The following rules apply to the payment of employees on a general holiday:
- Eligible employee normally scheduled to work on day of the holiday does not work
The employee is entitled to be paid at least average wages for the day (normally this would be regular wages for the day).
- Eligible employee normally scheduled to work on day of the holiday works
Employee is entitled to the usual wage for the day PLUS time-and-a-half for all hours worked,
or
Employee can be paid regular wages for the day of the holiday and, before their next annual vacation, be given another holiday off with pay. The replacement holiday must be a day on which the employee is normally scheduled to work.
- Eligible employee not normally scheduled to work on day of the holiday does not work
Employee is not entitled to receive pay for the holiday nor another day off with pay.
- Eligible employee not normally scheduled to work on day of the holiday works
Employee is entitled to be paid time-and-a-half for all hours worked
- Ineligible employee does not work on day of the holiday
Employee is not entitled to receive pay for the holiday nor another day off with pay.
- Ineligible employee works on day of the holiday
Employee is entitled to be paid at regular rates of pay for all hours worked.
Employees Who Work an Irregular Schedule
If employees work an irregular schedule and there is doubt about whether the holiday is a day on which the employee is normally scheduled to work, it is to be resolved as follows:
If during at least five of the last nine weeks, the employee regularly worked on the day of the week that the general holiday falls, the holiday is to be considered a day that would normally have been a workday for the employee.
General Holiday During Vacation
If there is a general holiday during an employee's annual paid vacation, and it falls on a day they would normally have worked, the paid vacation is extended by one day. Or the employer can agree to give the employee a different day off with pay before their next annual vacation.
Payment of General Holiday Pay for Construction Workers
Due to the nature of the employment, construction employees are not usually given general holidays off with pay. Special rules for construction workers are intended to create a benefit equal to that of employees in other industries who are given a day off with pay for each general holiday.
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There is no qualifying period of employment for construction employees to be entitled to general holiday pay.
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Construction employees are not entitled to premium pay for working on general holidays, or to these days off with pay. However, all construction employees must be paid general holiday pay.
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Both full-time and part-time construction employees are entitled to general holiday pay equal to 3.6 per cent of the employee's wages.
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General holiday pay must be paid to construction employees
- on or before December 31 of each year;
- on termination of employment; or
- with each pay cheque.
Document Title and Description |
Date (dd/mm/yy) |
Format |
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FAQs |
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General Holiday Pay Chart |
02/02/98 |
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Modified: 2006-08-02
Reviewed: 2006-06-30