Alberta Provincial Payroll Information

This page provides provincial payroll information for the province of Alberta. Click one of the links below to move directly to the corresponding section. To view Federal information, please click here.

Choose a Topic:

Minimum Wage  Hours of work  Worker's Compensation  Leaves  Statutory Holidays  Minimum Age  Pay Statements  Terminations  Vacationable Earnings 

 

  • TD1 - Basic Personal Amount - Every person employed in Alberta and every pensioner residing in Alberta can claim the personal exemption amount of $21,885 in 2024 (up from $21,003).
  • Federal Basic Exemption - The Federal Basic Exemption amount is $15,705 in 2024 (up from $15,000 in 2023).

Note: This information is meant to serve as a guide only. Readers are encouraged to consult the full legislation of the Alberta Employment Standards Code. Here are some online resources:


Minimum Wage in Alberta

The province of Alberta has various wage rate standards as follows:

Parties Applicable Wage Rate
General $15.00 as of Oct 1, 2018.
Specified salespersons $598.00 Weekly as of October 1, 2018.
Domestic living in employer's residence $2,848.00 Monthly as of October 1, 2018.

Hours of Work in Alberta

The type of employee excluded from this legislature are management, chartered accountants, licensed real estate agents, automobile salesmen, farm workers, etc.

Period Rate
Maximum 8.00 hours/day or 48.00 hours/week.
Minimum 3.00 hours/shift or 2.00 hours/shift (if the latter, exclude statutory hours from the overtime calculation and reduce the work week by the statutory hours).
Overtime Hours in excess of 8.00 hours/day or 44.00 hours/week (with a maximum of 12 hours per day, unless an exemption occurs).
Overtime Rate 1 and 1/2 times the employee's regular rate of pay.
Compressed Work Week Maximum of 12.00 hours/day or 44.00 hours/week.
Break Period 1/2 hour per consecutive 5 hours worked.
Rest Period One day of rest for each week or work.

* if employed as school bus driver, student under 18 working outside school hours, or on part-time basis in recreational, community service or other related organizations.

Worker's Compensation in Alberta

The Maximum Assessable Earnings amount for 2024 is $104,600 (up from $102,100 in 2023). The filing deadline is February 28 (for Quarterly payments only) or March 3-11 (deadlines are staggered according to your account number).

Included
Bonuses Moving allowances (if taxable)
Commissions Pay in lieu of notice
Call in pay Regular salary or wages/overtime
Call back pay Shift premium
Car allowances (if taxable) Sick pay (paid during year)
Clothing allowances (if taxable) Standby pay
Gifts (cash) Short-term disability paid by the employer
Gratuities Temporary lay-off with pay
Long-term disability paid by the employer Travel allowances (if taxable)
Maternity with pay Vacation pay/statutory holiday pay
 
Taxable Benefits such as:
Board & lodging Provincial medical
Company car RRSP/Stock options (if taxable)
Life insurance WCB top-up
Loans  
 
Excluded
Directors' fees Severance pay
Private health care WCB award
Retiring allowance Sick pay (payout on termination)

Leaves of Absence in Alberta

Adoption Leave
Time with Employer Same as Parental Leave
Required Notice Same as Parental Leave
Length of Leave Same as Parental Leave
Paid No. Employees may be eligible for maternity or parental benefits under the federal EI program
 
Bereavement Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice As much notice as is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances.
Length of Leave Up to 3 days in a calendar year.
Paid No
 
Citizenship Ceremony Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice As much notice as is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances.
Length of Leave Up to one-half day.
Paid No
 
Compassionate Care Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice At least two weeks prior to the leave, employee must supply a medical certificate stating family member has a medical condition with risk of death within 26 weeks.
Length of Leave Up to 27 weeks. A leave may be broken into multiple weekly installments within the period outlined in the medical certificate.
Paid Employees eligible for compassionate care leave may also be eligible for Employment Insurance benefits for compassionate care.
 
Critical Illness Leave (Child or Adult)
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice Prior to the leave (or as soon as it is reasonable), the employee must supply a medical certificate regarding the critical illness.
Length of Leave Up to 36 weeks for a critically ill child, or up to 16 weeks for a critically ill adult.
Paid No. Employees may be eligible for critically ill or injured child and critically ill or injured adult benefits under the federal EI program.
 
Death or Disappearance of Child Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice Reasonable verification that they are entitled to the death or disappearance of a child leave as soon as is reasonable.
Length of Leave Up to 52 weeks if the child has disappeared, and up to 104 weeks if the child has died as a probable result of a crime.
Paid No. Employees may be eligible for income support through the federal Parents of Murdered or Missing Children grant.
 
Domestic Violence Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice As soon as is reasonable before taking a leave.
Length of Leave Up to 10 days unpaid for the leave each calendar year.
Paid No.
 
Long-term Illness and Injury Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice Prior to the leave (or as soon as it is reasonable), the employee must supply a medical certificate regarding the illness or injury.
Length of Leave Up to 16 weeks of long-term illness and injury leave each calendar year.
Paid No. Employees may be eligible for long-term illness and injury benefits under the federal EI program.
 
Maternity Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice 6 weeks
Length of Leave 16 weeks taken no sooner than 13 weeks before the expected birth with a minimum of six weeks after birth.
Paid No. Employees may be eligible for maternity or parental benefits under the federal EI program
 
Parental Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice 6 weeks. Employers can require employees to submit a medical certificate, confirming pregnancy and estimated delivery date.
Length of Leave 62 consecutive weeks taken within 52 weeks following the birth or care and custody of the child (born or adopted), immediately following the pregnancy leave.
Extension of Leave No specification at this time.
Paid No
 
Personal and Family Responsibility Leave
Time with Employer 90 days
Required Notice As much notice as is reasonable and practicable in the circumstances.
Length of Leave Up to 5 days in a calendar year.
Paid No
 
Reservist Leave
Time with Employer At least 26 consecutive weeks.
Required Notice 4 weeks prior to the date the leave begins.
Length of Leave Up to 20 days each calendar year for annual training, and as long as necessary to accommodate the period of service required for international or domestic deployment.
Paid No, unless stated in an employment contract or collective agreement.
 
Sick Leave
There is no provincial law that requires employers to provide sick days or pay for sick days. Employers may offer sick days at their discretion by employment contract.
 
Voting Leave
Time with Employer N/A
Required Notice N/A
Length of Leave Three consecutive hours for both Provincial and Federal elections.
Paid According to the Canada Elections Act, any eligible voter must have three consecutive hours to exercise their right to vote in a Federal eledtion on an election day. If an employee does not have three consecutive hours because of their work schedule, they must be granted the hours accordingly with pay.

Statutory Holidays in Alberta

Holiday 2024 2023 2022 2021 Day Observed
New Year's Day Mon., January 1 Sun., January 1 Sat., January 1 Fri., January 1 January 1
Family Day1 Mon., February 19 Mon., February 20 Mon., February 21 Mon., February 15 3rd Monday in February
Good Friday Fri., March 29 Fri., April 7 Fri., April 15 Fri., April 2 The Friday before Easter Sunday
Victoria Day Mon, May 20 Mon, May 22 Mon, May 23 Mon, May 24 The Monday preceding May 25th
Canada Day Mon., July 1 Sat., July 1 Fri., July 1 Thu., July 1 July 1
Labour Day Mon., September 2 Mon., September 4 Mon., September 5 Mon., September 6 The First Monday in September
Thanksgiving Day Mon., October 14 Mon., October 9 Mon., October 10 Mon., October 11 The Second Monday in October
Remembrance Day Mon., November 11 Sat., November 11 Fri., November 11 Thu., November 11 November 11
Christmas Day Wed., December 25 Mon., December 25 Sun., December 25 Sat., December 25 December 25

In accordance with the Canadian Labour Standards code, if a statutory holiday is worked during a regularly scheduled work day an employee must receive their regular rate of pay plus time and a half for all the hours worked. Or an employee can take regular wages for the time worked and then receive a day off with pay on a later day before his or her next annual vacation.

Note: The first Monday of August is not a statutory holiday, but some businesses choose to provide the day off with pay for their employees. This is the equivalent of the Civic Holiday in other parts of Canada.

1. The province recognizes the third Monday in February as a provincial statutory holiday called Family Day. Family Day is not necessarily granted in the case of people employed in the retail industry. In this case it is the employer's decision to grant the day off. If the day off is not granted then the employer must grant another day off in place of Family Day.

How to Calculate Statutory Holiday Pay...


Minimum Age in Alberta

As of May 1, 2018 and with the written permission of a parent or guardian, adolescents age 12 may be hired to work:

  • as a delivery person of small wares and such items as newspapers or flyers and hand bills
  • in a retail store as a clerk, or delivery person
  • in an office as an office clerk or messenger
  • certain jobs in the restaurant and food service industry (with restrictions)

They must not work any hours from 9:00pm to 6:00am and they can work a maximum of two hours on a school day and eight hours on any other day.

An employer may not hire a person of age 15 to (and including) age 17 to work between midnight and 6:00 a.m. in connection with hotels, gas stations or retail stores selling drinks, food or any other products. And may only work at these places between 9:00 p.m. and midnight if supervised at all times by someone of age 18 or older.

With the written permission from a parent or guardian a person age 15 to (and including) age 17 may work under the supervision of an adult in nursing or care homes, hospitals, or manufacturing plants.

Pay Statements in Alberta

For Alberta there is no legislation on the frequency at which pay periods should take place. The employee must receive their pay on an established regular basis. By legislation, Alberta pay statements must contain the following (though employers may include additional items):

Pay statement inclusions
Regular wages Lieu of notice pay
Overtime wages Statutory, public, general and holiday pay hours
Pay period dates Overtime rate and wages and overtime hours banked and taken
Total regular hours worked Itemized Deductions
Wage rate Vacation pay

Termination Notice in Alberta

Individual Terminations
Length of Employment Statutory Notice Required
3 months or less None
Between 3 months and 2 years 1 week
Between 2 years and 4 years 2 weeks
Between 4 years and 6 years 4 weeks
Between 6 years and 8 years 5 weeks
Between 8 years and 10 years 6 weeks
10 years or more 8 weeks
Group Terminations
Number of Employees Notice Required
50 to 99 8 weeks
100 to 299 12 weeks
300 plus 16 weeks

The Employment Standards Code, RSA, states minimum statutory notice requirements. A terminated employee may be legally entitled to receive more than the minimum notice or pay in lieu required by the statute.

Required Notice - Group Termination - Group terminations apply to a group of 50 employees or more. The employer must notify the affected employees and their unions(s) with written notice.

Vacationable Earnings in Alberta

Inclusions and Exclusions
Included
Bonuses (work related, cash) Regular salary/wages
Call back pay Retroactive pay
Call in pay Shift premium
Commissions earned at employer's premises Vacation pay (previously paid)
Commissions earned by a route salesman  
 
Taxable Benefits such as:
Board & lodging
 
Excluded
Allowances (car, clothing, moving, etc.) Retiring allowance (lump sum and installments)
Commissions earned away from employer's premises Severance/Plant severance
Directors' fees Sick pay - Sick days
Discretionary bonuses (cash) Standby pay
Gifts (cash or in kind) Statutory - Company Holidays (floaters)
In lieu of notice pay/Termination pay Statutory - General Holidays
Overtime pay Tips and Gratuities
Profit Sharing  
 
Taxable Benefits:
Company car and parking Loans
Life Insurance Provincial Medical

Vacation Entitlement
Length of employment Entitlement
1 to 4 years 2 weeks or 4%
5 years or more 3 weeks or 6%

 


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