Ontario Statutory Holiday Pay Calculation Employment Standards Act

Ontario's Employment Standards Act requires employers to pay employees for statutory holidays. This calculator helps you determine the correct holiday pay based on an employee's regular wages and the number of hours worked.

How to Calculate Ontario Statutory Holiday Pay

Statutory holidays in Ontario include New Year's Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Employees are entitled to receive their regular wages for the hours they would normally work on these days.

Steps to Calculate

Determine the employee's regular hourly wage
Identify the number of hours the employee would normally work on the holiday
Multiply the hourly wage by the number of hours to get the holiday pay

Note: If an employee works on a statutory holiday, they are entitled to their regular pay for the hours they would normally work, plus overtime pay for any additional hours worked.

Formula for Statutory Holiday Pay

The basic formula for calculating Ontario statutory holiday pay is:

Holiday Pay = Hourly Wage × Number of Hours Worked on Holiday

For example, if an employee earns $20 per hour and normally works 8 hours on a holiday, their holiday pay would be $160.

Additional Considerations

If the employee works additional hours on the holiday, they are entitled to overtime pay
Employees who are entitled to premium pay for working on holidays must receive both the holiday pay and the premium pay
Part-time employees receive holiday pay based on their regular hours of work

Worked Examples

Example 1: Full-time Employee

An employee earns $25 per hour and normally works 8 hours on a statutory holiday.

Calculation: $25 × 8 = $200

Holiday pay: $200

Example 2: Part-time Employee

An employee earns $18 per hour and normally works 4 hours on a statutory holiday.

Calculation: $18 × 4 = $72

Holiday pay: $72

Example 3: Employee with Overtime

An employee earns $22 per hour and normally works 8 hours on a statutory holiday but works 10 hours total.

Holiday pay: $22 × 8 = $176

Overtime pay: $22 × 1.5 × 2 = $66 (assuming overtime rate is 1.5 times regular rate)

Total pay: $176 + $66 = $242

Comparison with Regular Pay

Statutory holiday pay is calculated based on an employee's regular wages, not their overtime rate. This means that employees receive the same hourly rate for holiday pay as they do for regular work.

Scenario	Regular Pay	Holiday Pay
Full-time employee (8 hours)	$20/hour × 8 = $160	$20/hour × 8 = $160
Part-time employee (4 hours)	$15/hour × 4 = $60	$15/hour × 4 = $60
Employee with overtime (10 hours)	$18/hour × 8 + $27/hour × 2 = $180	$18/hour × 8 = $144

The table shows that holiday pay is based on regular hours, while regular pay includes overtime for hours worked beyond normal working hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do employees receive holiday pay if they don't work on a statutory holiday?

A: Yes, employees are entitled to holiday pay even if they don't work on a statutory holiday. They must be paid their regular wages for the hours they would normally work.

Q: How is holiday pay calculated for part-time employees?

A: Holiday pay for part-time employees is calculated based on their regular hours of work. For example, if a part-time employee normally works 4 hours on a holiday, they receive pay for those 4 hours.

Q: Are employees entitled to holiday pay if they work on a holiday?

A: Yes, employees are entitled to their regular pay for the hours they would normally work, plus overtime pay for any additional hours worked on a statutory holiday.

Q: What happens if an employee is scheduled to work on a holiday but is given the day off?

A: The employee is still entitled to holiday pay for the hours they would normally work, even if they are given the day off. The pay must be provided in addition to any other compensation.