For most jurisdictions, August 7th 2023, is a Civic Holiday. First celebrated in the mid-1850s, the first Monday in August is usually a holiday different parts of the country celebrate in their own way.

Each province gets to assign their own significance or celebration to the day. Though most municipalities use it to remember historical figures. Here are some of the most common names the civic holiday goes by in different provinces:

• In some parts of Nova Scotia, it’s referred to as Natal Day.
• In Ottawa it’s commonly called Colonel By Day.
• In Toronto, Simcoe Day.
• And in Alberta it’s called Heritage Day.

British Columbia New Brunswick and Saskatchewan all named this holiday after the province themselves and celebrate it as their provincial birthdays.

Most local businesses and stores close for the day, and it’s generally observed as a holiday. But employers are not obligated to give their employees the day off because it’s not a statutory holiday included in employment standards legislation in most provinces.

So, as it’s up to you to decide whether to give your employees the day off, what rules do you need to follow?

Rules surrounding pay for the civic holiday

If you decide not to give your employees the day off this Civic Holiday, you don’t have to pay them public holiday pay. But this doesn’t mean you can just rest on your laurels, it’s essential to review and modify your existing payroll practices regarding the Civic Holiday where appropriate.

If you decide not to give your employees the day off this Civic Holiday, you don’t have to pay them public holiday pay. But this doesn’t mean you can just rest on your laurels, it’s essential to review and modify your existing payroll practices regarding the Civic Holiday where appropriate.

To learn more about employer obligations if your business operates in Ontario just ask bright lightning “Is Civic Holiday a statutory holiday in Ontario?”

It’s also important to note…

If you’ve given your employees the day off in the past, it may be too late to recall that practice now. We recommend that you don’t switch up and try to change now because employees could argue that having enjoyed that extra day off every year, it’s now become a new term of their employment.

Consequently, removing the extra day off on Civic Holiday could lead to a claim for constructive dismissal.

Get more advice on managing your employees during optional holidays with BrightHR Managing work schedules, calculating vacation pay and entitlements, and navigating holidays can be tricky if you don't have experience doing so compliantly. Having the right documents backed up by 24/7 employment relations advice is crucial to keep your business running and protect yourself from legal claims.

That's where BrightHR comes in. Our suite of people management software solutions and tools makes accessing compliant documentation easy, so you don’t have to worry about whether you’re operating in line with employment standards.

Interested in learning more about how BrightHR works? Book a demo today!