Family Day is a statutory (public) holiday that is celebrated, in British Columbia (BC), the second Monday in February each year. In 2016, Monday, February 8 has been deemed Family Day in BC.
Employees in BC get this day off, with pay. To be eligible for this statutory holiday, an employee must have been employed for 30 calendar days before the statutory holiday, and must have worked or earned wages on 15 of the 30 days immediately before the statutory holiday.
In BC, vacation days count as days worked when determining entitlement to the statutory holiday. Employees who work under an averaging agreement at any time in the 30 days before the holiday, do not have to meet the 15-day requirement.
An employee who is entitled to a statutory holiday must be paid at least an “average day’s pay”.
If the statutory holiday falls on an employee’s day off, the employer is not required to give another day off.
However, if the employee agrees or is required to work on the statutory holiday, they will be compensated by receiving time-and-a-half for the first 12 hours worked and double-time for any work over 12 hours, plus an average days pay. If the employer and the employee agree, the employee may be given an alternate day off with holiday pay to substitute for the public holiday. Another option may be to credit the wages for the alternate day off to the employee’s time bank.
Where an employer and the majority of employees agree, the employer may substitute another day off for a statutory holiday. However, if this is the case, the alternate or substitute day off must be scheduled no later than six months after the statutory holiday for which it was earned. The alternate or substitute day off must be scheduled before the employee’s next annual vacation or before the date the employment ends.
Note: Some employees may be exempt from statutory holiday entitlements under the British Columbia Employment Standards Act. For more information on exemptions, the requirements and special rules, consult HRinfodesk.
Take the time to enjoy the day with family, friends and your community! Click here to see what is happening in your area on BC Family Day!
What about the other provinces? Family Day (under various names) is also recognized by other provinces include: Alberta, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. These provinces celebrate Family Day on the third Monday in February each year. In 2016, Monday, February 15 has been deemed Family Day in those provinces. For further information on Family Day in these provinces, be sure to check-out our blog next week!
What about federally regulated workplaces? Provincial employment standards legislation does not apply to employees of federally regulated businesses like banks, telecommunications companies, railways and airlines, or to federal civil servants. These employers are covered by the Canada Labour Code, which does not provide for Family Day. However, federally regulated employers can, at their discretion, add Family Day as a public holiday or floater day in workplace policies.
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