December 21, 1998
(Environment and Labour)

Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day

Oliver Langdon, Minister of Environment and Labour, reminds wholesale and retail businesses that Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day are holidays under the Shops Closing Act, and that all wholesale and retail businesses, except those that are exempt, are required to close and not sell or offer for sale goods or services.

Also, under the Labour Standards Act, both Christmas Day and New Year's Day are paid public holidays. As such, employees who qualify are entitled to have the day off with pay.

Employees who are required to work on either Christmas Day and/or New Year's Day must be paid double their rate of pay for working, or at the employee's option, to have another day off with pay in substitution of the public holiday. Where an employee works less than their normal/average shift, the employee is to be paid regular wages for the time worked plus a regular day's pay for the holiday.

Media contact: Sean Kelly, Communications, (709) 729-2575

1998 12 21              3:45 p.m.