Labour laws

Various federal and provincial laws protect workers and employers and establish their rights and responsibilities. The Canadian Human Rights Act protects workers under federal jurisdiction from discrimination on a number of grounds, including age, sex and race. Similar human rights codes in the provinces and territories also afford protection to workers under their jurisdiction.

The Act also requires that men and women working for federally regulated employers be paid the same for performing work of equal value. A high-profile pay equity case resolved in 1999 saw the federal government reach an agreement with one of its unions to pay some 230,000 current and former employees—about 85% of them women—a total of $3.5 billion in equal pay compensation.

Provinces and territories have various regulations that set standards for vacation time, paid overtime and hours of work. Moreover, occupational health and safety laws require employers and employees to keep their workplaces safe. Employees injured on the job may be eligible for workers' compensation benefits. Minimum hourly wages are also set at the provincial level, except for employees in federally regulated workplaces, who are paid the federal minimum wage.