VACATION TIME

Hello and welcome to our podcast. Today on our employment standards segment, we're going to look at vacation time.

Ontario's Employment Standards Act sets minimum employment standards for most Ontario workplaces. This includes vacations.

There are actually two standards governing vacations - vacation time and vacation pay. In today's podcast, we're going to be discussing general information on vacation time.

We will give you an overview of vacation pay in an upcoming podcast. As usual, we recommend you go to our website for more in-depth information.

If you are covered by the Employment Standards Act, you are entitled to a minimum of two week's vacation time every 12 months. If your contract or collective agreement provides a better vacation benefit than the minimum required, you may be entitled to more vacation time.

Ordinarily, the 12 month period would begin on your date of hire. However, some employers set a vacation entitlement year that may not coincide with your date of hire.

Should this be the case, your vacation time for the period between the date you began to work, and the beginning of the vacation entitlement year at your workplace, would be calculated on a pro-rated basis. This period of time is sometimes called the "stub period".

For information on how to calculate vacation time for a stub period, please go to our website. We'll give you the address at the end of this podcast.

Your vacation time must be taken within 10 months following the completion of the vacation entitlement year or stub period. Please note that your employer has the right to schedule your vacation time. Your employer also has the obligation to ensure your vacation time is scheduled and taken before the end of that ten-month period.

If your deadline taking a vacation comes up when you are on leave, the vacation must be taken when your leave ends. It may be taken at a later date only if you and your employer agree in writing.

You can give up some or all of your vacation time with your employer's written agreement and the approval of the Ministry of Labour's Director of Employment Standards.

However, your employer must still pay your vacation pay. You may give up vacation time, but you do not give up the right to vacation pay.

Finally, your employer is required to schedule the vacation time in a block of two weeks, or in two one-week blocks. You may make a written request, and if your employer agrees in writing, you can schedule the vacation in shorter periods.

These are the general rules governing vacation time - these rules affect most employees in Ontario.

Of course, there may be differences, depending on your employment circumstances.

We urge you to go to our website for more detailed information … Ontario.ca - forward slash - employment standards - one word.

That's Ontario.ca - forward slash - employment standards - one word.

Go to the topics column, and click on Vacation Pay.

Or, you may call our Information Centre at 1-800-531-5551.

That's 1-800-531-5551.

Information staff there can help you understand your vacation entitlements.

Thank you for listening to MOL Radio.

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