Easter is approaching quickly. Whether you celebrate by eating chocolate with your family or watching Ben-Hur for the gazillionth time, you’re normally entitled to a day off. Will that holiday fall on Good Friday and Easter Monday? It depends, as the saying goes.
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The rules described in this article apply to employees covered by the Act respecting labour standards. To find out if this applies to you, see our article on labour standards in Quebec. |
Your employer decides whether you get Friday or Monday off. However, even if the law only provides for one day, your employer may feel generous and offer you both days off.
And what about Easter Sunday? Your employer is under no obligation to grant you time off on this day. It is legally recognized as a public holiday.
Paid leave
When you take time off on a holiday, it’s not unpaid leave! You’re entitled to compensation if you normally work that day. This is equivalent to approximately one day’s pay if you work full-time, but less if you work part-time.
Do you earn tips? Good news! Your employer must take tips into account when calculating your compensation.
Do you still have to work?
If your employer asks you to work on these two days, they must pay you your regular salary plus compensation. They either can you a paid day off at another time of the year within three weeks before or after the public holiday, or pay you cash compensation. In the latter case, you could receive up to twice your regular salary for that day.