Ontario. Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Employment Practices Branch

Administers and enforces the Employment Standards Act, 2000

Guide to the Employment Standards Act, 2000
Provides for minimum terms and conditions of employment:

• sets out maximum number of hours that can be worked in a day or week, minimum daily, weekly or biweekly rest periods, and rules for overtime pay
• establishes the minimum wage rates
• General rates, Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026: $17.60 per hour
• Students under 18 years, Oct 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026: $16.60 per hour
• establishes vacation pay and paid public holidays: New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Boxing Day
• prohibits unequal pay for equal work on the basis of sex
• prohibits discrimination on bases such as sex, age or marital status in employer-provided benefit plans
• establishes entitlement to various categories of leave such as sick leave, pregnancy and parental leave, caregiver leave, or personal emergency leave
• 8 days unpaid emergency leave per calendar year (3 days for personal illness; 3 days for family responsibilities such as illness of child or spouse; 2 days for bereavement leave)
• forbids lie detector testing
• obliges employers to provide notice of termination or pay in lieu
• obliges employers to provide severance pay to terminated employees when applicable
• permits retail store workers to refuse work on Sunday and public holidays under particular circumstances
• protects the rights of domestic workers and homeworkers

• Employment / Training - Occupational Health and Safety

• Simcoe County
• York Region