Ontario. Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Employment Practices Branch

Site: Main Office

Service: Ontario. Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Employment Practices Branch, Main Office

Record #: MET5790
Last Full Update: 29 Dec 2023

Contact Information

Office Phone General Inquiry: 416-326-7160, Employment Standards Call Centre
Toll Free Phone 1-800-531-5551, Employment Standards Call Centre
TTY Phone 1-866-567-8893, Employment Standards Call Centre
Fax 416-326-7061
Website www.labour.gov.on.ca

Description and Service Details

Description (Service) 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, 2022: $15.50 per hour, increasing to $16.55 per hour Oct 1, 2023
  • Students under 18 years, Oct 1, 2022: $14.60 per hour, increasing to $15.60 Oct 1, 2023
  • 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
Hours Mon-Fri 8:30 am-5 pm
Areas Served Ontario
Eligibility Employees, including temporary foreign workers, or employers

Residency Requirements: Ontario
Application Call for information ; online information or claim filing at www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/forms/claim
Languages Other languages may be available

Site Information

Located In Community Toronto
Address & Map
400 University Ave
9th Fl
Toronto, ON
Canada M7A 1T7
Mailing Address 400 University Ave 
9th Fl 
Toronto, ON 
Canada M7A 1T7
Physical Access Not applicable - no walk-in service

Agency Overview


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