Nunavut Employment Laws
Your guide to territorial workplace rights under the Labour Standards Act
Content last verified against official statutes: March 30, 2026
Am I Provincially Regulated?
You are covered by Nunavut employment law if you work for a private employer in Nunavut whose business does not fall under federal jurisdiction. Most workers in retail, hospitality, construction, healthcare, mining, and other private sectors are covered.
Federal jurisdiction applies to interprovincial transportation, telecommunications, banking, and similar industries. If your employer falls under federal jurisdiction, see the Federal Employment Standards guide.
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut inherited most of its Labour Standards Act from the Northwest Territories, providing similar protections for Canada's newest territory.
Overtime
In Nunavut, you must be paid overtime after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, whichever provides greater entitlement. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times your regular wage rate.
Some positions are exempt from overtime rules, including managers, professionals, and certain other roles. Your employer must clearly communicate any exemptions.
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut uses an 8-hour daily threshold, consistent with northern territories and allowing overtime entitlements sooner than some provinces.
Sick Leave
Nunavut provides sick leave provisions similar to those inherited from the Northwest Territories. These provisions allow for unpaid sick leave after the initial employment period and are available for legitimate illness or medical appointments.
The exact number of days may depend on your length of service and employment agreement. Check with your employer or review your contract for specific entitlements.
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut's sick leave provisions follow the NWT model, which is more generous than many provinces with similar unpaid entitlements.
Termination & Severance
Termination notice requirements depend on your length of service:
- 90 days to 3 years: 2 weeks notice
- 3-5 years: 4 weeks notice
- 5-10 years: 8 weeks notice
- 10+ years: 8 weeks notice
Severance pay is not required under Nunavut law. Your employer must provide written notice or pay in lieu of notice.
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut's termination notice requirements mirror those in the Northwest Territories with up to 8 weeks for longer-service employees.
Reprisal Protection
Nunavut law protects you from reprisal if you file a complaint, refuse unsafe work, take protected leave, or participate in investigations. Your employer cannot fire, demote, or punish you for these actions.
If you believe you have faced reprisal, document all incidents and contact the Department of Human Resources immediately.
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut provides broad reprisal protections under the Labour Standards Act and Human Rights Act, consistent with other territories.
Harassment
Harassment at work, including sexual harassment, discrimination based on protected grounds, and workplace violence, are prohibited under Nunavut's Human Rights Act and Labour Standards Act.
Your employer must maintain a respectful workplace and investigate complaints promptly. Protected grounds include race, color, ancestry, ethnic origin, place of origin, nationality, political belief, religion, marital status, family status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, age, criminal conviction unrelated to employment, and association with individuals based on these grounds.
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut's Human Rights Act includes gender expression and association as distinct protected grounds, with enforcement through the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal.
Filing Complaints
You can file a complaint with the Department of Human Resources for violations of the Labour Standards Act. Complaints must generally be filed within 1 year of the violation.
For harassment or discrimination claims, file a complaint with the Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal within 12 months of the incident.
Nunavut Department of Human Resources: Phone: 1-867-975-6000, Website: www.hr.gov.nu.ca
Nunavut Human Rights Tribunal: Phone: 1-867-975-6100, Website: www.nhrt.ca
Key difference from federal:
Nunavut uses a Human Rights Tribunal rather than a Commission, reflecting its unique governance structure as Canada's newest and largest territory.
Key Statutes
- Labour Standards Act, RSNWT (Nu) 1988, c L-1 - Governs minimum wage, hours of work, overtime, statutory holidays, sick leave, and termination notice
- Human Rights Act, SNu 2003, c 12 - Prohibits discrimination and harassment based on protected grounds
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations - Addresses workplace safety, violence, and harassment
When Should You Contact a Lawyer?
This platform is designed to help you build your case independently — collecting evidence, documenting incidents, writing complaints in compliance language, and navigating the internal HR process. Many employees can handle these steps without a lawyer.
The most effective time to engage a lawyer is after you have completed the internal process and your employer has failed to resolve your complaint. At that point, a lawyer can review your complete file — your timeline, evidence, complaint, and the employer's response — and provide strategic advice before you file with an external body such as the CIRB, CHRC, or OPC.
By doing the groundwork yourself, your consultation becomes a focused strategic review rather than a costly fact-gathering session. This approach has been validated by employment lawyers who reviewed files prepared using this methodology and found the documentation thorough with nothing to add.
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MyWorkRights.ca, "Nunavut Employment Laws," accessed 2026-04-01, https://myworkrights.ca/provincial/nunavut
Written by the MyWorkRights.ca team, based on direct experience navigating the CIRB, OPC, and CHRC complaint processes and 500+ hours of employment law research.