Rules about pay

There are different minimum wage rates for different jobs. The government usually increases these rates each year.

In most jobs, you must be paid at least the general minimum wage of $17.20 an hour.

If you are a homeworker, you must be paid at least $18.90 an hour. Homeworkers are employees who do work out of their own homes. For example, they might do sewing, filling envelopes, or telemarketing at home.

If you are a student who is 17 or younger, you must be paid at least $16.20 an hour if you work:

• during the school holidays, or
• less than 28 hours a week during the school term.

The minimum wage goes up every year on October 1.

Getting a pay stub

On or before your payday, your employer must give you a statement of your wages. This is often called a pay stub.

Your pay stub must be in writing. Your employer can give you a paper copy, email it to you, or keep it in a secure online database that is used for payroll.

If your employer emails it or uses an online database, they must make sure that you:

• have the technical skills to get your pay stub,
• can use email or the database at work, and
• can print a copy at work.

Your pay stub must include:

• the pay period that it covers,
• your rate of pay, for example, how much you make in an hour,
• your wages for that period, before and after any deductions, and
• the amount and reason for any deductions.

What are deductions?

There are “statutory deductions” that your employer must take from your pay. These include income tax, Employment Insurance (EI) premiums, and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions.

Your employer can also take money from your pay if:

• a court orders it, for example, because you owe child support payments
• your employer made a mistake and paid you too much
• you are in a union and the money covers things like union dues or payments for health benefits or a pension plan

Before your employer can take any other amounts from your pay, you must agree to this in writing.

But even if you agree in writing, your employer cannot take money because they say you did not do a good job.

And they cannot take money to cover cash or property that are missing unless:

• you were the only person who could have taken it, and
• you agree in writing that your employer can do this.

This also means your employer cannot take money from your pay if a customer leaves without paying.

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