How to Calculate Holiday Hours in Ontario

Calculating holiday hours in Ontario involves determining the total paid time off employees receive during statutory holidays. This guide explains the process, provides a calculator, and offers practical examples.

Understanding Holiday Hours

In Ontario, employers must provide paid time off to employees on certain statutory holidays. These holidays include:

New Year's Day
Family Day (third Monday in February)
Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday)
Victoria Day (Monday before May 25)
Canada Day (July 1)
Labour Day (first Monday in September)
Thanksgiving Day (second Monday in October)
Remembrance Day (November 11)
Christmas Day (December 25)
Boxing Day (December 26)

Employees are entitled to receive their regular pay for the hours they would normally work on these days, or at least the minimum wage for the province.

How to Calculate Holiday Hours

Calculating holiday hours involves several steps:

Identify the statutory holidays for the year
Determine the employee's regular work schedule for each holiday
Calculate the total hours the employee would normally work on each holiday
Sum the hours for all holidays to get the total holiday hours

The calculation can be done manually or with the calculator provided on this page.

Holiday Hour Formula

Formula

Total Holiday Hours = Σ (Regular Work Hours on Each Holiday)

Where Σ represents the sum of hours for all statutory holidays in the year.

For employees with fixed schedules, you can multiply their regular daily hours by the number of holidays they work. For shift workers, you'll need to calculate each holiday separately based on their schedule.

Example Calculation

Let's calculate holiday hours for an employee who works 8 hours a day, Monday through Friday, and is entitled to 10 statutory holidays in a year.

Example

Regular Daily Hours: 8 hours

Number of Holidays Worked: 10

Total Holiday Hours = 8 hours/day × 10 holidays = 80 hours

This employee would be entitled to 80 hours of paid time off during the year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many statutory holidays are there in Ontario?

There are 10 statutory holidays in Ontario, including New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

Do part-time employees get holiday pay?

Yes, part-time employees are entitled to holiday pay for the hours they would normally work on statutory holidays, or at least the minimum wage for the province.

What if an employee doesn't work on a holiday?

If an employee doesn't work on a statutory holiday, they are still entitled to receive their regular pay for the hours they would have worked, or the minimum wage.

Are there any exceptions to holiday pay?

There are limited exceptions, such as if the business is closed for a reason unrelated to the holiday, but employers must make reasonable efforts to provide holiday pay.