- Country Information
- Canada
What are the standard leave policies in Canada?
Canadian labor law requires employers to provide three main types of leave to employees: annual leave, parental leave, and sickness/disability leave:
- Annual Leave: Paid vacation time is determined by an employee’s length of employment. Employees who have worked for the same company for up to five years are entitled to two weeks of annual leave. Employees with over five years but less than ten years of service receive three weeks of annual leave. Employees with more than ten years of service receive four weeks of annual leave, but it is becoming increasingly common for employers to offer four weeks of paid annual leave to all employees.
- Parental Leave: Both maternity and parental leave in Canada are unpaid. Gestational or adoptive parents are entitled to 17 weeks of leave during pregnancy. Pregnant employees must provide their employer with a doctor’s note confirming the pregnancy and provide four weeks’ written notice of their intended leave start date. Parental leave is considered separate and additional to maternity leave. It lasts for a duration of up to 63 weeks.
- Sickness or Disability Leave: Sick leave is usually unpaid in Canada. Employees are entitled to between 16 and 17 weeks of leave for medical purposes, whether work-related or not. Employees who are sick for more than three days are generally requested to provide a note from a doctor saying that they cannot work.
When you manage employees through a PEO in Canada, the provider will keep a detailed record of all statutory, contractual, and voluntary leave allowances and provide ongoing reporting of leaves requested, taken, and earned.
If you have questions about wages and hours regulations in Canada, please get in touch with our team today!
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