Louis Riel Day
Is Louis Riel Day a General Holiday?Yes, Louis Riel Day is Manitoba's 8th General Holiday. The other general Holidays are: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.When is Louis Riel Day?Louis Riel Day is the third Monday in February.How is general holiday pay calculated?General holiday pay is five percent of an employee’s total wages in the four-week period immediately before the holiday. Overtime should not be included in this calculation.For a part-time employee, this amounts to a percentage of his/her regular day of pay. For example: a part-time employee may work about 25 hours each week at $10 per hour, but his/her schedule is different each day. In the four weeks before the holiday, he/she earned $1,000. General holiday pay is $1,000 times five per cent, or $50. For an employee that works the same number of hours, every day, five days a week, the five per cent calculation will equal his/her regular day of pay. For example: an employee worked 8 hours a day, 5 days a week at $10 per hour, for the previous 28 days, he/she earned $1,600. General holiday pay is $1,600 times five per cent, or $80. Do all employees receive general holiday pay?All employees receive general holiday pay unless:
What if employees work on the general holiday?Employees who work on a general holiday are normally entitled to 1 ½ times their regular rate of pay for the hours worked. In addition they also receive their general holiday pay.Do all employers need to pay 1 1/2 times the regular wage for work on a general holiday?At most workplaces, employers must pay employees who work on a general holiday their general holiday pay, plus 1 ½ times their wage for the hours worked on that day. The exception is for employers operating a gas station, hospital, hotel, restaurant, place of amusement, continuously operating plant, or a seasonal industry (excluding construction) or those employing domestic workers.These employers can pay regular wages for work on the holiday if they provide another day off with general holiday pay, within the next 30 days. If employers and employees agree, the day off may be taken sometime before the employees' next annual vacation. Are retail businesses allowed to be open on Louis Riel Day?Yes, in communities with a Sunday and Holiday shopping by-law retail stores can be open Sunday shopping hours (12:00 pm to 6:00 pm) on Louis Riel Day. This is the same as Victoria Day and Thanksgiving Day.Is Louis Riel Day a General Holiday for everyone?Louis Riel Day is a General Holiday for all employees who work in a provincially regulated business. Louis Riel Day does not affect employees who work for businesses regulated by the federal government.Who is covered by federal jurisdiction?Approximately 10 per cent of employees in Manitoba fall under federal jurisdiction. They work in industries such as:
Is Louis Riel Day a general holiday for unionized workers?Yes, even when collective agreements do not mention Louis Riel Day, it is a general holiday for all employees who work in a provincially regulated industry. Louis Riel Day is a minimum standard and collective agreements can not have provisions that are less than any minimum standard.Where can I find more information on what employees should be paid for General Holidays like Louis Riel Day?Most employees will receive pay for Louis Riel Day whether they work or not. You can find more information on payment for General Holidays on our General Holiday Fact Sheet on our web site.How did Louis Riel Day get its name?Schools in the province were asked to submit one name that would be of relevance to Manitoba and reference citizenship, history, culture, the arts, sports or a significant individual. 11 schools submitted the name "Louis Riel Day".Who was Louis Riel?A passionate Métis leader, Louis Riel was the driving force behind Manitoba becoming Canada's fifth province. Louis Riel's dream of a province that embraces all cultures is still shared by Manitobans today as we strive to build a society that honours and respects all people.For more information contact the Employment Standards Branch:
This is a general overview and the information used is subject to change. For detailed information, please refer to current legislation including The Employment Standards Code and The Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, or contact the Employment Standards Branch to ask for advice. Date Published: February 18, 2010 |
