Emily Clarke

What Are Mandatory Benefits for Employees in Canada?

Running a business in Canada presents many exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs, but aside from providing a paycheck, virtually all Canadian business owners will also need to supply certain benefits to employees. In fact, there are some employee benefits Canada mandates based on worker classification and province. Failing to offer some benefits may find you facing legal penalties, so it's important to understand your obligations regarding the employee benefits Canada mandates for your business.

If you're considering starting a business in Canada, below are some mandatory benefits you'll need to plan to provide:

Protected Leave Pertaining to Family Violence

In Canada, a worker who has faced or is facing domestic violence has the right to receive up to 10 days of leave. This is protected leave, meaning the employee can not be disciplined for missing these days. Additionally, as an employer, you are responsible for providing pay during five of these 10 days.

Leave During Legal Obligations

Serving on a jury or being ordered to appear in court as a witness may take an employee away from their job, but as an employer, you will need to allow unpaid leave for these obligations. It should be noted that this does not apply to workers who are party to a legal case, such as when someone files a lawsuit or is a defendant in court.

Maternity and Parental Leave

Although certain provinces may vary when it comes to mandatory maternity leave, Canadian workers who give birth are guaranteed a minimum of 15 weeks of unpaid leave after the birth of a child. While employers have the option to pay workers for this time off, workers on maternity leave are provided funding through government programs.

Additionally, parental leave is mandated during the first year of a child's life. Employees are to be provided with a minimum of 27 weeks of parental leave, and this time can be taken consecutively or spread out across the first year of a child's life.

As an aside, maternity reassignment is another mandatory benefit Canadian workers can expect. This benefit applies if a worker who has recently given birth requires reassignment to protect their health or the health of the child. While the request for reassignment is being considered, the worker's time spent away from work must be paid.

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Emily Clarke writes about employee management, benefits and payroll service. You can find her thoughts at HR tools blog.