Employee Services
Sections of the PEI Employment Standards Act related to wages and benefits and other employment obligations are explained here. Find information about minimum wage, statutory holidays and personal leave such as maternity and sick leave.
The Employment Standards Board of PEI is carrying out its annual review of the minimum wage, as required according to the Employment Standards Act - section 5(2).
Deadline for Submissions
The deadline for submissions was April 29th, 2024.
Reporting to...
The Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP) was developed by the federal government to protect workers when employers become bankrupt or are subject to receivership.
All inquiries regarding the WEPP should be addressed to the Federal Government through...
Do I get paid for my meal breaks?
You are entitled to a one half-hour unpaid break every five consecutive hours. The half-hour break cannot unreasonably be denied. In certain circumstances where employees do not get the full half-hour break at one time...
Changes to Bereavement Leave
Effective November 2021
Effective November 17, 2021, employees who experience a prenatal pregnancy loss or stillbirth are entitled to bereavement leave in the same manner as those who have lost an immediate family member,...
What deductions are allowed?
An employer can only make certain deductions from an employee’s pay. They are:
required or authorized by law (e.g., income tax, EI, CPP)
agreed in writing by the employer and the employee
ordered by the court
the...
How can I get more education and information on employment standards?
You can access more information by contacting the employment standards staff. They can provide information to assist everyone in the workplace to better understand employer/employee...
Guide to Employment Standards on PEI - English (1.2 mb)
Guide relatif aux normes d'emploi(2111 kb)
Guide to Employment Standards on PEI - Mandarin (1950 kb)
What You Should Know About the PEI Employment Standards Act Poster - English (174 kb)
What...
Workers’ rights are protected under employment legislation in PEI. The Employment Standards Act, Youth Employment Act and other labour laws clarify the rights and obligations of employees and employers and set minimum standards to ensure individuals are...
You may file a formal complaint if you feel that your employer or employee has acted in a manner that violates the Employment Standards Act. If you have been unable to resolve the matter with your employer or employee, the next step is to file a written...
A history of the minimum wage in Prince Edward Island.
What is a minimum wage order?
The Minimum Wage Order sets wage rates. A wage rate is the amount of money an employer pays an employee for each hour of work. The Minimum Wage Order sets the minimum wage rate, which is the least amount of money an...
Under the Employment Standards Act, an employer must tell an employee in writing that he/she will fire or suspend or lay off that employee. This is called giving notice. “Notice” is the letter telling the employee that he/she will no longer work for the...
The Office of the Workers Advisor is independent of the Worker's Compensation Board (WCB) and offers:
a free service available to all injured workers (or their families)
a source of information and guidance on your options if you are not satisfied...
In most positions, the standard work week is 48 hours after which the employee is eligible for time and one-half their regular rate of pay. Certain industries have exemptions to the standard work week. Please refer to the Standard Work Week Exemption...
The Employment Standards Act of Prince Edward Island gives employees who qualify eight holidays with pay:
New Year's Day
Islander Day (3rd Monday in February)
Good Friday
Canada Day
Labour Day
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September...
Pay
In general, an employee subject to the act must receive at least the minimum rate of hourly pay or equivalent. Contact the Branch at www.peiemploymentstandards.com or telephone (902) 368-5550 for details on the current minimum wage rate. An employee...
Effective 1 June 2022
Employers cannot seek pay history information from applicants
A new section (5.8) has been added to the Employment Standards Act that provides that no employer may seek pay history information about an applicant.
Applicant may...
Some employers in PEI pay employees by the amount they produce and not by the hour. This arrangement is called “piecework”. An employer cannot pay an employee less for piecework than that employee would have earned at the minimum wage for the number of...
If you are an employee and you are called in to work outside your regular work hours, your employer must pay you for at least three hours work.
Each time an employee is required to report to work, he/she must be paid for at least three hours.
Staff...
Every employer, under section 27 of the Employment Standards Act, must have a sexual harassment policy and communicate the policy to their employees. Below is a sample policy:
Sexual Harassment Policy Statement...
The following are exemptions to the standard work week provisions of the Employment Standards Act approved by the Employment Standards Board, pursuant to section 15 of the Act.
1. (A) Highway Construction / Maintenance
The standard work week for...
Applications are now closed for 2024
Please Note: Successful Candidates for the Post-Secondary Program will be Contacted by May 10, 2024
PEI employers who hire students during summer may qualify for the employee wage subsidy offered through two...
If an employee began working with a retail employer before the 17th day of March, 2007, that employee may refuse to work on any or all Sundays.
If an employee began working with a retail employer on the 17th day of March, 2007, up to and including the...
An employee’s pay period must not exceed 16 days. In the event that employment is terminated, an employee must be paid no later than the next regular pay period after the one in which their employment ceased. All pay earned by an employee during a...
Tips and gratuities are the property of the employee who earned them and no employer can require an employee to share a tip or gratuity with that employer. In addition, an employer can not pass on any administrative charges to an employee.
An employer,...
Where employees are not members of a labour union, the Employment Standards Act sets out the requirements for paid vacation.
If an employee is employed by the same employer for less than eight years, the Employment Standards Act says that employers must...