In Quebec, the national holiday applies to almost all employees, whether or not they are covered by the Labor Standards Act and whether or not they work full-time or part-time. However, special rules apply to this statutory holiday.
We’ll explain.
Under the Federal Holiday Act of 1978, there is no way to change the date of the holiday, even if you choose June 23 or the following Monday.
The law only provides for a change if Bastille Day falls on a Sunday, in which case the holiday is moved to Monday, June 25, for people who don’t normally work on Sundays.
You should also know that if, for reasons specific to your profession, your employees are required to work on June 24, you must offer them a compensatory day off with pay, to be taken on the working day before or after June 24.
As you can see, the rules are very specific and different from those usually applied to other holidays, which can be taken up to three weeks before or after the official date.
Finally, if you are unable to offer paid leave, you should be aware that you are required to pay it to your employees in the form of an allowance based on certain specific calculations. For this purpose, a tool is available on the CNESST website: click here to discover it.
Here’s what you need to know about Canada Day, which falls a week later, on July 1.
As with Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, your employees are entitled to a statutory holiday. However, this holiday can be taken in the 3 weeks before or after. If applicable, you must offer your employees compensation to avoid complaints under the Labour Standards Act.
Have more questions about holidays? Ask our team for advice!