WORKING IN BC:

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6th Edition
https://www.surreyschools.ca/schools/tweeds/Departments/Planning/Documents/W
oring-in-BC-3-2012.pdf
or google working in bc your legal rights
Name:
Block:

1. Glossary: (Pages 2 & 21)

a. Averaging Agreement: A person legally appointed or empowered to
act on behalf of another.
b. Collective Agreement: An agreement between employers and
employees which regulates the terms and conditions of employees in
their workplace.
c. Gross Pay: Your pay before deductions.
d. Double time: Twice the amount of your regular wage.
e. Net Pay: Your take home pay after deductions
f. Time and a half: One and a half times your regular wage.
g. Under the Table: Employment not reported to the state.
h. Variance: When employers, with the agreement of their employees,
ask the Branch to vary or change how parts of the Act apply to them.
2. What is the Employment Standards Act?
The Employment Standards Act is a BC law that outlines the rights of
employees, and the responsibilities of employers. The Act sets the minimum
standards for working conditions./1
3. What is the role of the Employment Standards Branch?
The Employment Standards Branch is the government office that enforces
the law. To contact the Branch call 1-800-663-3316 or visit
www.labour.gov.bc.ca/esb./1
4. What is the phone number and website of the ESB?
1-800-663-3316/1

5. List the people who are NOT covered by the ESB.

Babysitters /1
6. Who are covered by Collective Agreements?
An agreement between employers and employees which regulates the terms
and conditions of employees in their workplace. /1
7. What Government issued document must you have in order to be hired in
BC?
Your resum is a tool to market yourself to employers. /1
8. How old must you be to work in BC?
If you are under 12 years old, employers must first get written permission
from the Employment Standards Branch. Your parents or legal guardian
must also agree. The Branch may also contact your school. /2
9. Define minimum wage.
$10.45/1
10.What is minimum wage in BC?
10.25/1
11.Define Minimum Daily pay.
If you go to work as requested by your employer, you must be paid for at
least two hours even if there is no work for you to do. If you were scheduled
for more than eight hours work, you must be paid at least four hours wages.
This is called minimum daily pay. /2
12.Besides shifts worked, what duties must an employer pay you for?
Sometimes work is stopped for a reason your employer cannot control, such
as bad weather. In that case, your employer has to pay you for at least two
hours or for the actual number of hours you work, whichever is more. /1
13.What should be included on your pay cheque?
You should get a written or electronic statement with your pay. This
statement should include: Agreed upon wage rate, commission, flat or
piece rate; Total hours worked in the pay period; Overtime; Deductions;
Gross pay; Net pay; /1
14.What can an employer deduct from your wages?
No. The Act defines special clothing. If you are required to wear a company
shirt, uniform or specific brand-name clothes, your employer has /1
15.Define Special Clothing (p.21). Who pays for the upkeep of this?

Clothing that is easily identified with a company logo or unique company

colours.
/2
16.Define Dress Code. Who pays for the upkeep of this?
U need a to wear what they say /2
17.Describe what work breaks are you entitled to.
Every five hours, your employer must allow you at least a 30-minute rest
period /1
18.What is a split shift? A split shift is when you work some hours, and then
have an unpaid break and go back to work on that same day. /1
19.When must you be paid double time?
For example, four ten-hour days a week of work followed by three days off,
would be possible under such an agreement /1
20.How is weekly overtime calculated?
Daily overtime is counted separately /1
21.Do employers have to pay you if you are sick and cannot work?
no/1
22.What vacation time are you entitled to?
After you have worked at your job for one year, you must get at least two
weeks off for vacation annually
/2
23.What is vacation pay?
Your vacation pay is a percentage of the total wages you received in a year.
You must get at least 4% of your gross earnings /2
24.How many statutory holidays are there in BC
These are: New Years Day (January 1); Family Day (3rd Monday in
February) Good Friday (March or April); Victoria Day (3rd Monday in
May); Canada Day (July 1); British Columbia Day (1st Monday in
August); /1
25.How can you be eligible for stat holiday pay?
If the stat holiday falls on a day you would not have been working /3
26.How does the ESA protect you if you take an unpaid leave?
An employer might lay you off because there is no work for you to do or not
enough money to pay you. /1
27.Name 6 unpaid leaves which are covered by the ESA?
Averaging agreement must be in writing; Agreement must specify a
period for which it applies, i.e. a start date and an expiry date; Agreement

must be signed by you and the employer before the start date; Obtain a
written copy of the agreement before it takes effect; Agreement must
specify the number of weeks in the schedule/1
28.What should you do if you feel your working conditions are unsafe?
Cal esa/1
29.What does the Human Rights Code state about discrimination in the
workplace? What are the protected grounds?
They will talk to the boss./2
30.What is a layoff and when does it become a termination?
A layoff is when an employer tells employees that they must take an unpaid
leave from work./2
31.Does an employer need to provide a reason to fire you?
yes/1

32.What are you entitled to if you are terminated without notice?

The amount of compensation or notice you qualify for under the
Employment Standards Act depends on how long you have worked for your
employer./3
33.What is a T4?
You need a T4 form to do your income tax. /1
34.What are the disadvantages of working under the table?
Some disadvantages of working under the table include being ineligible for
employment insurance benefits, and the possibility of not being covered by
the Workers Compensation Act./1
35.What steps should you take if you have a problem at work?
The Employment Standards Branch (ESB) provides information as
well as enforces the Employment Standards Act, which is legislation applying to
BC/2
36.What is the purpose of the Employment Standards Self-help Kit?
The Employment Standards Branch is the government office that enforces
the law./1