MELANIE GESY NEWS

Youth Labour Laws in Alberta may be changing as of September 1st.

The Alberta Government stipulates that new labour laws may come into effect September 1st in our province. Basic rules will be applied to all age ranges such as minimum standards of employment which means youths will receive general holidays, vacations, minimum wage and termination notice or pay. One exemption to this rule would be students that are in an approved training course or in a work experience program that may be exempt from the minimum wage requirement. Non-profit organizations who hire youths between the age of twelve and seventeen will be impacted by these new rules as well. Children doing chores on the farm or at home, as well as 4-H or branding parties or friends/neighbors helping out are not considered employees and are not affected by these new labour laws. Below I have laid out what the changes may be. 

Employees 12 years of age and under

Children twelve years of age and under may only be employed in an artistic endeavor such as recorded entertainment, voice recordings for video and computer gaming and live performances in the entertainment industry. This age group can only be employed under conditions of an issued permit by the Director of Employment Standards. If school is in session, the child can't work later than 9 pm on a weeknight and 11 pm if the next day is a weekend date. Twelve is the minimum age that a youth can work for a non-profit organization and count for the new labour laws. 

Employees 13 to 15 years of age

Teenagers from the age of thirteen to fifteen may be employed in any job that is deemed to be light work or any artistic endeavor (see above). This age range can also work at any other type of employment that is not considered hazardous work under a permit that is issued by the Director of Employment Standards.   

Employees between 13 and 14 restrictions - They can't work between 9 pm and 6 am, they can't work during school hours unless enrolled in an off-campus education program, they can only work up to two hours outside of regular school hours and on non-school days they are allowed to work up to eight hours.

Employees who are 15 years of age - They can't work between 12:01 am and 6 am, they also can't work during school hours unless enrolled in an off-campus education program.

Employees 16 to 17 years of age

Teenagers who are sixteen or seventeen years of age will be eligible to work in all types of work environments except for anything that is deemed hazardous work.  For this age range to be eligible to do hazardous work they must be authorized under a permit issued by the Director of Employment Standards and if it is part of an approved study course such as a work integrated learning program. Click here to see a list of Registered Apprenticeship Programs.

Employees between 16 and 17 who work in retail or hospitality restrictions - They can only work between 9 pm and 12 am with adult supervision, they can't work between 12:01 am and 6 am.

(Retail includes selling any food or beverages, any other commodities, merchandise or gas products. Hospitality includes hotels, motels or any other place that provides overnight accommodation to the public.) 

Employees between 16 and 17 who work in jobs that are not retail or hospitality restrictions - They can only work between 12:01 am to 6 am if their parent/guardian consent with adult supervision.

What counts as hazardous work? 

"Hazardous occupation" defined by occupational health and safety laws, confined spaces, high hazard work, exposure to a chemical or biological substance that may endanger a worker, industrial manufacturing, shooting range, smelter or refinery, garage or automobile repair shop, boiler or engine room, wrecking or demolition, explosives and detonators, excavating and tunneling, firefighting, heights of 3 meters or more or where a worker may fall into a hazardous situation or opening in a work surface, residential roofing, industrial rope access, radiation equipment or sources, slaughtering or butchering animals, excluding retail food preparation, crowd control or security and working alone where assistance is not readily available.

We hope that this blog has been informative and helpful for you. For any questions or concerns or if you are in need of professional accounting services, please contact 780-995-5236.