New Brunswick Employment Standards: an employer's guide

Employment standards, sometimes called labour standards, is the set of provincial laws that determine the minimum requirements for non-unionized employees at work. 

Most employers and employees are covered by the Employment Standards Act. In New Brunswick, the Act does not distinguish between part-time, full-time, seasonal and casual employees. There are a few occupations not covered by employment standards; these include people who work in a private home for the homeowner (babysitters, home care workers, construction workers who are employed directly by the homeowner) and independent contractors.

NOTE: The Canada Labour Code covers employees who work in industries that fall under federal jurisdiction, such as railways, pipelines, ferries, banks, inter-provincial trucking and shipping, and telecommunications.

In New Brunswick, you can access details about the Employment Standards on the government website.

Employment standards regulations cover:

• Minimum wage
  • Minimum wage is $11.50 per hour as of April 1, 2019
  • Minimum wage will be $11.70 per hour as of April 1, 2020
• Vacation entitlement
• Public holidays
• Leaves of absence
• Hours of work (including overtime rules)
• Termination notice requirements

Employment standards can be reached by calling 506-453-2725 or you can contact business resources at [email protected] or 1 888 234-2232 for more information.