Summer vacation rules and scheduling - how to enjoy a stress-free holiday season | CFIB

Business owners and their employees love vacations; yet planning to fit them into the business cycle and meeting employee’s expectations can be challenging.

It is important to communicate how vacations are to be earned, how to request and when they are approved (or not...)to all of your employees so that you can continue to effectively manage your business.

For example

1. An employee lets everyone know they are taking three weeks off and they have booked a family vacation and they haven’t received approval for the time off. It is your busiest time of year and you’ve already approved a member of the team to take that same time off for their wedding...
2. An employee doesn’t come back from vacation the day you expected them to, and when they do come back two days later, say that they are sure you approved the longer time off with pay.
3. An employee has put in their notice and wants to make sure that their 4 weeks of vacation pay will be included with their last paycheque, but you are pretty sure they’ve already taken all their earned time off with pay.

The Employment Standards Code outlines the minimum vacation requirements for any employees.

• Who earns vacation?

All employees, full time, part time, seasonal or temporary.

• Who doesn’t earn vacation?

Vacation does not apply to an employee who is a member of the employer’s family.

• How much vacation does an employee get?

(a) two weeks, after each of the first five years of employment with the same employer; and (b) three weeks, after the sixth and subsequent years of employment with the same employer. You may choose to improve on this in your policy, but you may not do less than is required by the Employment Standards Code.

• Do I have to approve any dates my employee requests?

No, not necessarily.  You and your employee must find a mutually agreeable time and if you cannot, a business may assign vacation time to an employee with advance written notice.

• May employees take vacation time a day at a time?

They may request it, and you may choose to approve it.  A business cannot require an employee to take vacation in less than the full earned period without their agreement.

CFIB recommends that in any business with more than 2 or 3 employees, a vacation policy is established, communicated and includes a formal request form.  When your employees know the process and you all follow it, vacations can continue to be the positive.  Members of CFIB can find a sample vacation request form and absence tracking form available on this page.

For further information you can review the Employment Standards FAQ Annual Vacation and Vacation Pay.

Still have questions?

CFIB Business Counsellors are available to answer CFIB members’ questions. Contact us at msnwt@cfib.ca or  1-888-234-2232.

If you are not a member, join CFIB to gain a competitive advantage for your business.