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, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025: $17.20 per hour
• Students under 18 years, Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025: $16.20 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