Feb 08 2009
“Family Day” = “Lost Pay”
It’s bad enough that I’m looking at the greater then average possibility of getting laid off in another few months (yet another victim of the recession) but I’m also going to involuntarily loose a days pay when this years Ontario holiday “Family Day” arrives on Monday February 16′th.
This holiday was introduced last yet rather hastily by the Ontario Government in an effort to provide Ontarians with a break in the middle of the winter doldrums. Within the province it is a statutory holiday so employers are obligated to pay their employees for the day much like any other major holiday. However, there was a loophole that the government really didn’t consider, and the result is that quite a few Ontarians get the day off, but don’t get paid for it, like it or not.
See, the holiday is only recognized within the province of Ontario as an actual holiday - most of the rest of Canada with the exception of a few other provinces (that also have a similar holiday on the same day) do not recognize it. As such, it’s not really a universally accepted “Federal” holiday, but simply a “Provincial” holiday.
I work for a federally regulated company, but with one exception (General Motors) almost the exclusive majority of our customers are provincially regulated, hence, closed. What this basically means is that I’m not needed on Family Day, yet my company is not obligated by law to pay me for it either. So, I get forcefully laid off (without pay, of course) to “enjoy” my day.
Yes, a long weekend in February is great. Being forced to take it without pay, not so much.
This would also be the case for other provincial stat holidays like “Simcoe Day” in August.
However, I take it your union has already taken care of getting that day off with pay?
Yes, all preexisting holidays that fall into this situation are paid for us.
I ended up getting called to work the day after all so my grumbling is moot now. :)