Labour standards in 10 points for the service trades
You're called in at 7 a.m. and sent home at 8 a.m.: are you owed one hour of pay or three? The law is clear: three, except in cases of force majeure. Here are the ten labour standards that come up most often in the service trades, with what the law says, its exceptions and your recourse when things go wrong.
Who labour standards apply to
The Act respecting labour standards sets the minimum every employer must respect with its employees in Québec, unionized or not. It's a floor: a contract can do better, never worse. The CNESST enforces it, and the rules below are those of the Act as updated to October 15, 2026.
Two limits before the ten points. First, the Act protects employees, not the self-employed: if you set your price and organize your work, these rules don't cover you (see Employee or self-employed? The criteria that matter in Quebec). Second, construction industry employees governed by the R-20 Act are covered by only some standards, including certain absences and psychological harassment; their conditions come mainly from their collective agreement.
Points 1 to 3: wages, pay and the time that counts
1. Minimum wage: $16.60 an hour
Since May 1, 2026, the general rate is $16.60 an hour, and $13.30 for an employee who receives tips. No benefit with a monetary value counts toward that amount. If the employer makes a uniform mandatory, it must provide it free of charge to an employee paid minimum wage; the same goes for required materials, equipment and products, such as cleaning products. For details: Minimum wage in Quebec: what it covers and what it does not.
2. Pay: at least every 16 days, with a pay slip
Wages are paid at regular intervals of no more than 16 days (one month for managers), in cash in a sealed envelope, by cheque or by bank transfer. Each pay comes with a pay slip that lets you check the math: hours at the regular rate, overtime, rate, gross pay, deductions and net pay.
The employer can only withhold an amount if a law, regulation, court order, collective agreement or decree requires it, or if you agree in writing for a specific purpose. So a broken snowblower can't be paid back by cutting your pay without that consent, which you can revoke at any time (except for group insurance or pensions).
3. Paid time: waiting, travel, training and the three-hour rule
You're deemed to be at work when you wait on site to be given work, during breaks granted by the employer, during travel the employer requires and during any training or trial period it requires. A cleaning crew sent from one client to the next is therefore paid for the drive, and reasonable travel or training costs the employer asks for must be reimbursed.
An employee who reports to work at the employer's request and works less than three consecutive hours is entitled to three hours' pay, except in cases of force majeure. A painter called in at 7 a.m. and sent home at 8 a.m. because the site isn't ready gets three hours. Exception: jobs made up of short shifts or normally done in under three hours.
Points 4 to 6: breaks, overtime and the right to refuse
4. Meals and rest
After five consecutive hours of work, the employer grants a 30-minute meal period, unpaid, unless you're not allowed to leave your workstation: then it's paid. Coffee breaks aren't mandatory, but any breaks the employer grants are paid. You're also entitled to a weekly rest of at least 32 consecutive hours.
5. Overtime: after 40 hours
The regular workweek is 40 hours. Each extra hour is paid at the usual hourly wage plus 50%, excluding hourly premiums. Example: 45 hours at $20 gives 40 × $20 + 5 × $30 = $950. Vacation and paid statutory holidays count as days worked in that calculation.
At your request, the employer can replace overtime pay with equivalent paid time off plus 50% (5 overtime hours give 7.5 hours off), to be taken within 12 months. The 40-hour rule doesn't apply to, among others, managers or employees who work outside the establishment and whose hours can't be controlled. Details: Overtime: when is it paid at time and a half?.
6. The right to refuse
You can refuse to work more than 2 hours beyond your usual daily hours or more than 14 hours in a 24-hour period, whichever is shorter (12 hours if your hours are variable or non-continuous), and more than 50 hours a week. You can also refuse if you weren't told at least 5 days in advance, unless your duties require you to stay available or you're only asked to stay within the 2-hour limit.
That right doesn't apply when there's danger to life, health or safety, a risk of destruction or serious damage to property, or force majeure: in the middle of a storm, a snow removal operator can't always invoke it. Outside those cases, the employer can't punish you for using it.
Points 7 to 9: statutory holidays, vacation and absences
7. The eight statutory holidays
The Act provides seven: January 1, Good Friday or Easter Monday (employer's choice), the Monday before May 25, July 1 (July 2 if the 1st falls on a Sunday), the first Monday in September, the second Monday in October and December 25. The eighth, June 24, falls under the National Holiday Act. The holiday pay equals 1/20 of the wages earned in the four complete pay weeks before the week of the holiday, excluding overtime: $3,200 earned gives $160.
If you work that day, you get your wages plus the holiday pay, or a compensatory day off, taken within three weeks before or after (for June 24, the working day before or after). The only condition: you can't have been absent without permission or a valid reason on the working day before or after.
8. Vacation
| Continuous service at the end of the reference year | Length of vacation | Vacation pay |
|---|---|---|
| Less than one year | 1 day per month of service, up to 2 weeks | 4% of gross wages |
| 1 year to less than 3 years | 2 continuous weeks | 4% |
| 3 years or more | 3 continuous weeks | 6% |
Vacation is taken within the 12 months following the reference year and can be split in two at your request. If the job ends first, you're owed the pay for vacation not taken, plus 4% or 6% of your wages for the current year.
9. Absences
- Illness, accident, domestic or sexual violence: up to 26 weeks over 12 months.
- Family or caregiver obligations: 10 days a year.
- Paid days: the first 2 days of absence in the year for these reasons, once you have 3 months of continuous service.
- Doctor's note: the employer can't require one for your first three sick absences of three days or less over 12 months.
- Death of a loved one (spouse, child, parent, brother, sister): 2 paid days and 3 unpaid.
Point 10: notice of termination
Before ending your employment or laying you off for six months or more, the employer must give you written notice. Its length depends on your continuous service:
| Continuous service | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| 3 months to less than 1 year | 1 week |
| 1 to 5 years | 2 weeks |
| 5 to 10 years | 4 weeks |
| 10 years or more | 8 weeks |
Without enough notice, the employer owes you pay equal to your usual wages for the missing period. Notice isn't required if you have less than three months of service, if a fixed-term contract ends, or in cases of serious misconduct or force majeure.
For seasonal jobs that usually last six months or less a year, like many landscaping or snow removal positions, notice can be given during the layoff; otherwise, notice given during a layoff is void. When your job ends, you can also ask for a certificate of employment, which only states the nature and length of your employment.
Recourse: who to contact and how long you have
If writing to the employer and citing the rule doesn't work, you can file a written complaint with the CNESST; a non-profit employee rights organization can also file it for you with your written consent. The CNESST can claim unpaid wages on the employee's behalf. Watch the deadlines: once they pass, you may lose your recourse.
| Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Unpaid wages or benefits (overtime, holidays, vacation) | One year from each due date |
| Penalty or reprisal for exercising a right | 45 days |
| Dismissal without good and sufficient cause, after 2 years of continuous service | 45 days |
| Psychological harassment | 2 years after the last incident |
An agreement that reduces the amount of a claim based on the Act is void. For a specific case, the CNESST is the body to consult; for a complex dispute, a labour lawyer. On the employer side, every job posted on GPP Emploi is automatically checked before publication, including for minimum wage and discriminatory criteria; posting a job is free.
In short
- Minimum wage of $16.60 an hour since May 1, 2026; required uniforms and equipment provided free at minimum wage.
- Pay at least every 16 days, a detailed pay slip, no deductions without a legal basis or written consent.
- Overtime at 150% after 40 hours; right to refuse beyond 2 extra hours a day or 50 hours a week, except in emergencies.
- Eight statutory holidays, 2 or 3 weeks of vacation, 2 paid days of absence a year, 1 to 8 weeks' notice.
- CNESST complaint: 45 days for a dismissal or reprisal, one year for unpaid wages.
Before accepting a job, read Answering an employer's invitation: accept, decline or ask your questions and browse the job postings.
Frequently asked questions
Is the lunch break paid in Quebec?
Not necessarily. After five consecutive hours, the employer must grant an unpaid 30-minute meal period, but it's paid if you're not allowed to leave your workstation. Coffee breaks aren't mandatory, but those that are granted are paid.
How many paid statutory holidays are there in Quebec?
Eight: seven under the Act respecting labour standards and June 24, under the National Holiday Act. Holiday pay equals 1/20 of the wages earned in the four complete pay weeks before the week of the holiday.
Can my employer deduct the cost of damage from my pay?
Only if you agreed in writing for that specific purpose, or if a law, court order or agreement requires it. Otherwise, the deduction isn't allowed. If in doubt, the CNESST can inform you.
How long do I have to file a complaint with the CNESST?
It depends on the recourse: 45 days for a dismissal without good and sufficient cause or a reprisal, two years for psychological harassment, and one year from each due date for unpaid wages. Act quickly, because a missed deadline can cost you the recourse.
