Minimum wage
All employers regulated by the Employment Standards Act must pay at least the statutory minimum wage to their employees, regardless of how the employees are compensated – whether salary, commission-based, or hourly. This requirement is set out in Section 16(1) of the Act. The wage itself is set in the Employment Standards Regulation. Certain employees are exempt from the Act and are not entitled to minimum wage.
Effective June 1, 2019, the current general minimum wage is $13.85 per hour. On June 1, 2020, the general minimum wage will increase to $14.60 per hour, and to $15.20 per hour on June 1, 2021.
There are other minimum wage requirements for liquor servers, live-in home support workers, live-in camp leaders, and resident caretakers.
All wages must be paid in Canadian dollars, by cheque, bank draft, money order, or electronic funds transfer if the employee authorizes such in writing.
Minimum daily hours
Under Section 34 of the Act, every employee who reports to work as scheduled is entitled to two hours of their regular wage, even if they perform no work.
If the employee reports to work for a day on which they are scheduled to work more than eight hours, they are entitled to four hours of their regular wage, even if they perform no work. If they report to work but the work is suspended for reasons beyond the employer’s control, such as inclement weather, they are entitled to two hours of their regular wage.
The employee does not qualify for minimum daily pay if they are unfit to work, for example, if they report to work intoxicated.
The information provided on this page is a general overview of the minimum wage and daily pay rules set out in the BC Employment Standards Act. It should not be taken as legal advice. For answers to specific questions about your workplace obligations, contact EmployRight and speak with one of our employment lawyers.