BC Employment Standards Act

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British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act explained

British Columbia’s Employment Standards Act (ESA) sets the minimum standards for working conditions employers must provide and adhere to. The Act applies to all provincially regulated businesses.

The BC Employment Standards Act covers:

Full-time workers
Part-time workers
Casual workers
Probationary workers

ESA BC also lists the essential duties and rights of employers and employees.

Who isn’t covered by the BC Employment Standards Act?

The following classes of workers are not subject to the ESA BC:

Federally regulated employees
Independent contractors
Those regulated by other provincial regulations (E.g., lawyers, doctors, etc.)

And there are certain jobs that are not protected by the ESA, such as oil and gas workers, truck drivers, taxi drivers, and farm workers.

It is important that your contracts, handbooks, & employment documentation is compliant with the BC ESA. Having the right documentation will protect your business from fines and potential claims.

What BC employers should know about the Employment Standards Act

All provincially regulated workplaces in British Columbia should operate in compliance with the rules laid down in the BC Employment Standards Act.

Non-compliance with employer obligations outlined in the ESA can result in huge fines. The entitlements set down in the ESA are owed to employees irrespective of whether employers include them in their contracts. While you are free to offer your staff more than the minimum ESA entitlements, you cannot offer less.

The BC ESA sets the minimum standards for the following terms of employment:

Hours of work
Overtime pay
Minimum wage
Vacation time and pay
Statutory holidays
Termination notice and pay
And more

Terminations in British Columbia

Employers can terminate employment without cause by either giving the employee written working notice or an equal amount of pay called compensation for length of service. They can also give a combination of working notice and pay.

Employers can also terminate an employee for just cause, in which case they are not required to give notice or pay in-lieu of notice.

Call today & ensure ESA compliance

Running a business is a lot of work. Throw in ESA compliance and that’s a lot to deal with. To support you with this, Employer Advice's team of qualified experts are on hand to answer any questions you may have about the BC Employment Standards Act.

Call for free advice today at (1) 833-710-0677.

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