Saskatchewan Employment Act: Labour Laws & Worker Rights
How Saskatchewan's employment standards differ from the federal Canada Labour Code
Content last verified against official statutes: August 30, 2026
Am I Provincially Regulated?
Employees of private employers in Saskatchewan whose business is not federally regulated (interprovincial transportation, telecommunications, banking and similar) are covered by Part II of The Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA), administered by Employment Standards in the Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety.
Overtime
Overtime at not less than 1.5 times the hourly wage applies to hours worked beyond 8 in a day or 40 in a week (or beyond 10 in a day on an approved 4-day schedule) (SEA s.2-18). Managers and some professions are excluded under the regulations.
Key difference from federal: The Canada Labour Code uses the same 8-hour and 40-hour thresholds (s.169, s.174).
Sick Leave
The Act provides no paid sick leave. After more than 13 consecutive weeks of employment, an employee is protected from discriminatory action (including dismissal) for absences due to illness or injury of up to 12 days in a calendar year, or up to 27 weeks in a 52-week period for a serious illness or injury (SEA s.2-40).
Key difference from federal: Federally regulated employees earn up to 10 paid medical-leave days per year (3 after 30 days, then 1 per month) and up to 27 weeks of unpaid medical leave (CLC s.239).
Termination & Severance
SEA s.2-60 sets the minimum written notice (or pay instead of notice). No notice is required in the first 13 consecutive weeks of employment:
| Length of service | Minimum notice (or pay in lieu) |
|---|---|
| More than 13 weeks to 1 year | 1 week |
| More than 1 year to 3 years | 2 weeks |
| More than 3 years to 5 years | 4 weeks |
| More than 5 years to 10 years | 6 weeks |
| More than 10 years | 8 weeks |
Saskatchewan has no statutory severance pay and no statutory unjust-dismissal process; claims for reasonable notice beyond the Act's minimum are common-law wrongful dismissal claims.
Key difference from federal: The Canada Labour Code provides graduated notice of 2 to 8 weeks (s.230), severance pay of 2 days per completed year with a 5-day minimum (s.235), and an unjust dismissal complaint for non-managerial employees with 12 months of service (s.240).
Reprisal Protection
SEA s.2-40 and Part III prohibit discriminatory action against an employee for filing a complaint, giving evidence, refusing unsafe work, taking a leave the Act provides, or asking the employer to comply with the Act. Complaints are investigated by Employment Standards; decisions may be appealed to an adjudicator and then to the Labour Relations Board.
Key difference from federal: Under CLC s.246.1(4) a federal reprisal complaint is itself evidence of reprisal and the burden of proof shifts to the party denying it.
Harassment
Part III of the SEA and The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations require employers to have a harassment policy and to address harassment and violence at work. The Saskatchewan Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination and harassment on protected grounds, which include religion, creed, marital status, family status, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age (18 and over), colour, ancestry, nationality, place of origin, race or perceived race, receipt of public assistance and gender identity. A complaint to the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission is filed within 1 year of the incident.
Key difference from federal: Federally regulated workplaces follow SOR/2020-130; discrimination complaints go to the Canadian Human Rights Commission within 12 months.
Filing Complaints
| Issue | Where complaints are filed | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid wages, overtime, vacation pay, notice pay | Employment Standards (Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety) | 12 months from the last day the wages were payable |
| Discriminatory action / reprisal | Employment Standards, then adjudicator and Labour Relations Board on appeal | 12 months |
| Harassment or unsafe work (health and safety) | Occupational Health and Safety | None set by statute |
| Discrimination or harassment on a protected ground | Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission | 1 year from the incident |
- Employment Standards: 1-800-667-1783 · saskatchewan.ca/business/employment-standards
- Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board: 306-787-2406 · sasklabourrelationsboard.com
- Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission: 306-933-5952 or 1-800-667-9249 · saskhrc.ca
Key Statutes & Sources
Official sources checked on August 30, 2026
- The Saskatchewan Employment Act (Publications Saskatchewan PDF) (publications.saskatchewan.ca)
- General overtime information — saskatchewan.ca (saskatchewan.ca)
- Absence from work due to illness or injury — saskatchewan.ca (saskatchewan.ca)
- Individual layoff or termination — saskatchewan.ca (saskatchewan.ca)
- File an employment standards complaint — saskatchewan.ca (saskatchewan.ca)
- How are you protected — Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission (saskhrc.ca)
- Canada Labour Code, Part III (laws-lois.justice.gc.ca)
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.
Cite This Page
MyWorkRights.ca, "Saskatchewan Employment Act: Labour Laws & Worker Rights," accessed 2026-10-01, https://myworkrights.ca/provincial/saskatchewan