Ontario Stat Holidays in 2022 | What to Pay Your Employees

Have you ever wondered what the statutory holidays are in Ontario in 2022, and what that means as a restaurant owner with hourly employees? 

Although the year is 2022, it should be noted that Ontario's stat holiday rules were amended as of January 1st 2018, and though employee eligibility has remained the same, the method of Ontario's statutory holiday calculations may have been changed since you last checked!

Below, you'll find everything you need to know about Ontario's 2022 stat holidays including how to pay your hourly employees! Let's dig in.
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How many statutory holidays are in Ontario in 2022? 

Ontario observes nine statutory holidays throughout the year where employees are eligible to be off work with statutory holiday pay or work with statutory holiday pay or time off in lieu.  Read on to find out the ins and outs of the statutory holidays, how to calculate employee holiday pay and other rules you might not be aware of. 
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What are the statutory holidays in Ontario?

1. New Year's Day 2022 - January 1st
2. Family Day 2022 - Third Monday in February
3. Good Friday 2022 - Friday preceding Easter Sunday
4. Victoria Day 2022 - Last Monday preceding May 25th
5. Canada Day* 2022 - July 1st
6. Labour Day 2022 - First Monday in September
7. Thanksgiving Day 2022 - Second Monday in October
8. Christmas Day 2022 - December 25th
9. Boxing Day 2022 - December 26
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In addition to these nine holidays, employers should be aware of Remembrance Day (November 11th) and Civic Holiday (First Monday in August).  These dates are not statutory holidays in Ontario but some employers voluntarily give the day off.  Most provincially regulated businesses still operate on these days and are not required to pay holiday or stat pay.  Also, Ontario is the only province in Canada that recognizes Boxing Day, December 26th, as a statutory holiday which can cause some confusion for businesses that operate across provinces.

*If Canada Day falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the statutory holiday.  It gets “bumped” to July 2nd, but this doesn’t happen again until July 2029, so you’ve got time.

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Is Family Day 2022 a stat holiday in Ontario?

Although Family Day is not a national statutory holiday, it is a holiday in Ontario in 2022.  Lucky you!  Family day is only observed in New Brunswick, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.  It falls on the third Monday of February. 

In three other provinces, the third Monday of February is still a statutory holiday, called by a different name.  Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day, Nova Scotia Heritage Day in Nova Scotia, and Islander Day in Prince Edward Island.  Therefore the answer is yes, Family day is a Stat Holiday in Ontario, recognized on the third Monday of February.

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Is national reconciliation day a stat holiday in Ontario in 2022?

Although national reconciliation day is not considered a provincial statutory holiday in Ontario, anyone who works for a federally regulated company that operates under the Canada Labour Code will receive a paid holiday for National Truth and Reconciliation Day 2022.

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Is labor day a stat holiday in Ontario in 2022?

Labour Day is celebrated in Canada on the first Monday of September, and it is a federal statutory holiday, meaning it is a paid holiday and yes, you will have it off if you work for an employer. It is also observed in the United States.‍

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How does holiday pay work in Ontario?

Employees who qualify for stat holiday pay must be paid their overtime holiday pay rates. To be eligible for stat holiday pay in Ontario, employees simply have to follow the "first and last" rule - there are no restrictions on how long an employee has worked for an employer. 

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Let us explain...

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How does an employee qualify for statutory holiday pay in Ontario?

To be eligible for stat holiday pay in Ontario, employees simply have to follow the "first and last" rule - there are no restrictions on how long an employee has worked an employer.  In order to qualify for Public Holiday pay, employees must work their last regularly scheduled shift before the holiday as well as their first regularly scheduled shift after the holiday, unless they have permissions to miss their shift due to reasonable cause or have their employer's consent. Failure to work the entire shift without reasonable cause may result in disqualification of entitlement to Holiday pay.
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• For example: Joe works Monday to Friday, and the next stat holiday falls on a Friday. Joe is scheduled to work on the Thursday before the holiday, and the Monday after the holiday. He must work these entire shifts  to be eligible for stat pay.But Joe has requested Monday off to extend his weekend. His manager approves his request, therefore Joe is still eligible for stat average pay.

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However, if Joe's request is not accepted, and he does not show up, he will only be paid premium pay for the hours he has worked on the stat holiday.

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Do part time employees get statutory holiday pay in Ontario?

They sure do!  All full-time and part-time employees are eligible to receive stat pay if they worked their last regularly scheduled shift before the holiday and their first regularly scheduled shift after the holiday. This is known as the "first and last" rule.

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What is the statutory holiday pay calculation for employees in Ontario in 2022?

Most employees are entitled to Public Holiday pay.   Public holiday pay would be calculated by adding up the number of hours your employee has worked in the 4 work weeks prior to the holiday(including vacation pay but not overtime) from the last and divide that by 20.  This is the amount of holiday pay they would receive for that day.  

The four weeks before the public holiday is based on the employer’s work week. For example, instead of a Monday to Sunday work week, it could be a Sunday to Saturday work week.Here's an example:In the last 4 weeks, Peter is paid $14/hour and worked 30 hours. As he also worked his last scheduled shift before the holiday and will be working the first shift after. He is eligible for both regular stat pay and premium stat pay should he be scheduled for the day.

• Regular wages earned in the last 4 weeks = $14 x 30 hours = $420 + $16.80(vacation pay, paid out per cheque)Regular wages earned in the last 4 weeks = $14 x 30 hours = $420 + $16.80(vacation pay, paid out per cheque)
• $436.80 / 20 = $21.84 in regular stat pay

In total, Peter will be paid $21.84 in regular statutory pay, even if he does not work the holiday.
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What is the stat premium pay calculation?

In addition to Ontario stat holiday pay, employees who work on the day of the statutory holiday, are also entitled to either:

• Premium pay. This is calculated at one and a half times the regular wage x the number of hours they worked.  Regular hourly wage x 1.5 = Premium pay.

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• Their regular rate for the hours worked on the public holiday, plus a substitute day off work with public holiday pay;

You, as the employer chooses which of these options will apply.

Premium pay example:

Last pay period, Jane is paid $12/hour and works four 8 hour shifts. She also works an 8 hour shift on a stat holiday. She is eligible for both regular and premium stat pay.  As she also worked her last scheduled shift before the holiday, and will be working the first shift after, she is eligible for both regular and premium stat pay.

To calculate her total stat pay:

• Regular wages earned in the last 4 weeks = $12 x 32 (8×4) hours = $384 + $15.36 (vacation pay, paid out per cheque)
• $399.36 / 20 = $19.97 in regular stat pay

PLUS

• 1.5 x ($12 x 8 hours) = $144 in premium pay
• In total, Jane will be paid $163.97 in statutory pay

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How can I automate stat holiday pay calculations?

Can you imagine how much time you would save if you could automate your holiday pay calculations? Well you can.  

‍Push Operations has created smart software that integrates with your staffing back end, to automatically calculate stat holiday pay while scheduling, and paying staff.
Payroll is done, and so are holiday pay calculations at the click of a button.

For further information on automating Ontario statutory holiday calculations in 2022 download our free guide! Or, connect with a helpful team member at Push today to get started with the software!

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This document is provided by Push Technologies Inc. ("Push Operations") for information purposes only. This is not an official or legal document and should not be taken as legal advice. Push Operations does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information provided. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please check with the proper governing authority on Ontario stat holidays in 2022.