EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ACT

Case Studies

Using your Guide to Employment Standards Act read each of the following scenarios and record
your answers.

WHO’S COVERED?
1. Carol worked as a babysitter on Saturday for 12 hours. Was she entitled to minimum wage? Why?

2. Terry has a job on a dairy farm and feels he should have the July 1st weekend off. Will he get
this holiday? Why?

3. Harry works part-time stocking shelves in a pharmacy and earns $6.00 an hour. Is he entitled to
minimum wage? Why?

HOURS OF WORK
4. Sandra is 18 years of age and works in a factory. Her employer has a permit which allows all
employees to work 10 hours a day. One day, after working 8 hours, Sandra is told she must work
more hours because too many people have phoned in sick. Sandra is tired and does not want to
work. Must she work under the law? Explain

5. Carrie has just worked 4 hours and wants a coffee break. The store is very
busy. Can she legally take one anyway? Explain

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MINIMUM WAGE
6. Bruce has recently started working at a home construction site. His boss tells him he will earn
$6.25 an hour until he knows what he is doing. Is this legal? Explain.

7. Mr. And Mrs. Smith are live-in superintendents in an apartment building and get a credit of $500
for their rent each month as payment. When they sat down and worked out the hours they spend
in that capacity they figured they earn about $5.00 per hour. Can they complain legally? Explain

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
8. Theresa is a student and works at the IGA. Her schedule is usually for a Friday night and one
day, either a Saturday or Sunday. Does she qualify for a paid public holiday? Why or why not?

9. Allen has worked full time for 7 weeks in a local factory. Will he get Good Friday off with pay?
Explain.

10. Sam had agreed to work on Good Friday, but his friends talked him into doing some Spring skiing.
Sam has worked full time for this company for two years. Will he still get a paid holiday?
Explain

OVERTIME PAY
11. Colleen works a 40 hour week in an office and earns $300 per week. One week she worked 46
hours. What will her earning be for the week if she worked 46 hours? Include your calculations
below.

12. Mr. Elken manages the local supermarket and works 50 hours per week. He receives $400 a week.
How much overtime pay should Mr. Elken receive? Explain

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VACATION PAY
13. Melissa has worked full time for 15 monthes and demands that she be given a 2-week vacation
with pay immediately. Can Melissa make such a demand? Explain.

14. Hal quit his job at the beer store in the middle of the month and wants his vacation pay. His
employer says he'll get it at the end of the month when all the other cheques are distributed.
Can Hal demand that he get it sooner? Explain

15. Harry made $1000 a month in a sports store where he worked for 6 months. How much will his
vacation pay be?

EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK

16. Sam and harry do the same job, but Sam makes more money than Harry. Could Harry complain
under this Act? Explain.

17. Terry complained to the Director of Employment Standards Branch because he was not getting
equal pay for the same work as a woman in the same company. He was afraid that his employer
would find out who had complained and fire him. Give two (2) reasons why he does not need to
worry

18. Nancy is doing the same job as Joe but receives less pay. Her boss tells her it is because Joe has
a diploma that she does not. The diploma, however, does not qualify Joe to do a better job. Can
Nancy complain? Explain

19. Trudy was working as a secretary when she left her job to have a baby. When she returned, her
employer told her that he had replaced her but she could be a filing clerk and work for $2.00
less an hour. Is the employer within his rights to do this? Explain

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TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
20. The boss became very angry with Marietta when she disobeyed a request to do what he had
requested, and fired her on the spot. Can he do this without notice? She has been employed for
over a year. Explain.

21. Harry was temporarily laid off for two months after working for two years for a company. Will
he get notice of termination? Explain

22. What is the website address for the Employment Standards Act?

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