Statutory Holidays in Manitoba: 2024 Guide

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Statutory Holidays in Manitoba: 2024 Guide

Understanding statutory holiday compensation in Manitoba can be tricky for employers and employees. With changing eligibility rules, variable pay calculation formulas, premium pay requirements, and shifting observance dates, it’s essential to fully grasp public holiday standards in the province.

This extensive guide examines everything you need to know about statutory holidays in Manitoba for 2024.

Overview of Statutory Holidays in Manitoba

Manitoba has eight paid statutory holidays each calendar year that most employees are entitled to take off work and receive holiday pay for:

• New Year’s Day
• Louis Riel Day
• Good Friday
• Victoria Day
• Canada Day
• Labour Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Manitoba also recognizes Orange Shirt Day (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) on September 30th as a statutory holiday as of December 2023.

While other provinces observe a February holiday called Family Day, Manitoba marks the same day as Louis Riel Day.

Easter Sunday, Terry Fox Day, Remembrance Day and Boxing Day are not considered paid public holidays in Manitoba.

The specific dates for statutory holidays change annually. This guide covers the key rules and requirements for statutory holidays in Manitoba in 2024.

Complete List of 2024 Statutory Holidays in Manitoba

Here is a helpful calendar showing the 2024 statutory holidays in Manitoba:

Holiday	2024 Date
New Year’s Day	January 1st
Louis Riel Day	February 19th
Good Friday	March 29th
Victoria Day	May 20th
Canada Day	July 1st
Labour Day	September 2nd
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation	September 30th
Thanksgiving Day	October 14th
Christmas Day	December 25th

Having a clear workplace policy that provides the exact statutory holiday dates for the year is helpful for both employers and staff.

Additional Non-Statutory Holidays in Manitoba

While not considered paid statutory holidays in Manitoba, some other prominent public holidays include:

• Easter Sunday – Varies annually, April 9th in 2024
• Terry Fox Day – August 5th
• Remembrance Day – November 11th
• Boxing Day – December 26th

Employers are not required to provide paid time off on these non-statutory holidays but can choose to do so if they wish.

Statutory Holiday Pay Eligibility in Manitoba

To qualify for statutory holiday pay in Manitoba, employees need to follow the “first and last” rule:

• They must work their last regularly scheduled shift right before the holiday.
• They must work their first regularly scheduled shift right after the holiday.

For example, if the stat holiday falls on a Monday, employees must work their regular shifts on the Friday before and Tuesday after (unless absence approved) to receive the paid day off.

There is no minimum length of service requirement in Manitoba—even newly hired employees are entitled to statutory holiday pay.

The only exceptions are election officials or enumerators appointed under the Elections Act. They are not eligible for statutory holiday pay.

Employees absent without permission on the workday before or after the holiday are also ineligible.

Here is a summary of statutory holiday eligibility requirements in Manitoba:

Eligibility Criteria	Details
Last Scheduled Shift Before Holiday	Must work entire shift unless absence approved
First Scheduled Shift After Holiday	Must work entire shift unless absence approved
Minimum Length of Service	None – immediate eligibility
Exceptions	Election officials/enumerators not eligible

Ensuring managers understand eligibility rules is critical to properly administering statutory holiday compensation.

How to Calculate Pay for Statutory Holidays in Manitoba

The statutory holiday pay calculation varies depending on employees’ regular wages and hours:

• Employees who work the same hours: Receive their regular daily wages as holiday pay. For example, an employee who works 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, would receive 8 hours of statutory holiday pay at their regular hourly wage.
• Employees with variable wages/hours: Receive 5% of their gross wages, excluding overtime, in the 4 week period before the holiday. Gross wages are multiplied by 5% to determine the holiday pay.

Let’s look at some examples:

• Tom works 37.5 hours most weeks, earning $16/hour. As he works regular hours, his statutory holiday pay would equal his average daily wage:
  • Tom’s average daily hours: 7.5
  • Tom’s hourly wage: $16
  • Stat pay = 7.5 hours x $16/hour = $120
• Jane’s hours vary each week. She earned $1,900 gross over the last 4 weeks. Her stat holiday pay would be:
  • Jane’s gross earnings in the prior 4 weeks: $1,900
  • 5% of $1,900 = $95
  • So Jane’s stat pay would be $95

Understanding the different statutory holiday pay calculation formulas is key for payroll compliance. Here is a summary:

Employee Type	Statutory Holiday Pay Calculation
Regular weekly hours	Average daily wage
Variable hours	5% of gross earnings in prior 4 weeks

Pay for Working on Statutory Holidays in Manitoba

Employees who work on a statutory holiday are entitled to premium pay of 1.5 times their regular wages for all hours worked, in addition to the regular statutory holiday pay.

For example:

• Steve earns $20/hour and works 8 hours during the holiday.
  • His stat holiday pay is 8 hours at $20/hour = $160
  • He also gets 1.5x his wage for working the holiday:
    • 8 hours worked
    • 1.5 x $20/hour premium wage rate
    • = $240 premium pay
  • In total, Steve receives $400 for the statutory holiday.

Certain employers can substitute another day off with statutory pay instead of paying premium wages for working on the holiday:

• Hotels, restaurants, hospitals, gas stations
• Places of amusement
• Continuous operation businesses
• Climate-controlled agricultural businesses
• Seasonal industries (excluding construction)

The substitute day off must be provided within 30 days of the holiday or can be added to annual vacation time if agreed upon.

All other employers must pay statutory holiday premium wages at 1.5 times regular rates.

Here are the rules for public holiday premium pay in Manitoba:

Working on Holiday	Compensation Required
Most employers	1.5 x regular wage for all hours worked + regular stat pay
Employers in specified industries	Can substitute different days off with stat pay instead of 1.5x premium

Read more: Minimum Wage in Manitoba

Statutory Holiday Pay for Irregular Work Schedules

Some employees may work irregular shifts that do not have a consistent “first scheduled shift” before and after the holiday.

For these employees, as long as they have worked some hours in the previous 30 calendar days before the statutory holiday, they qualify for holiday pay. Their statutory holiday pay is still calculated as 5% of gross pay in the 4 weeks prior.

Here are the eligibility rules for irregular shift schedules:

• Worked some hours in 30 days before the holiday
• Stat pay = 5% of gross pay in 4 weeks before

Other Special Statutory Holiday Considerations

Remembrance Day: While Remembrance Day (November 11th) is not a statutory holiday in Manitoba, there are special rules regarding pay. Retail businesses must be closed between 9 am and 1 pm on Remembrance Day.

Employees who work on Remembrance Day must receive:

• At least half a regular workday’s wages at 1.5 times their regular wage
• If working more than half their normal hours, they receive full statutory holiday premium pay

Weekend Holidays: When a statutory holiday falls on a weekend, it is observed the following Monday.

Canada Day: However, Canada Day (July 1st) is observed on the following Tuesday if it falls on a Sunday to keep the observance close to the actual holiday date.

Here is a summary of other notable statutory holiday considerations in Manitoba:

Item	Details
Remembrance Day	Retail closures. Minimum 0.5 day’s pay at 1.5x rates
Weekend Holidays	Observed following Monday
Canada Day on Sunday	Observed the following Tuesday

Key Takeaways for Manitoba Employers

Managing statutory holidays properly is crucial for Manitoba employers. Here are some essential tips:

• Provide employees with a calendar of exact holiday dates for the year
• Understand “first and last shift” eligibility rules
• Follow proper statutory holiday pay calculation formulas
• Pay 1.5x premium wages for staff working holidays
• Be aware of substitute day off options for specific industries
• Ensure proper compensation for Remembrance Day requirements
• Accommodate irregular shift schedules

Conclusion

This extensive guide covers every aspect of statutory holiday administration in Manitoba for 2024 – from eligibility rules and pay calculations to premium pay requirements.

Following the steps outlined will help Manitoba employers stay compliant and ensure employees receive proper public holiday entitlements and compensation.

Accurately compensating staff for statutory holidays isn’t just a legal obligation – it’s a way to support a positive and motivating work culture. Investing the time to fully understand Manitoba’s statutory holiday requirements will pay dividends in engagement, retention and employee satisfaction.

FAQs Related to Statutory Holidays in Manitoba

Article Sources

• Manitoba Statutory Holidays 2024 | What to Pay Your Employees – pushoperations.com
• Statutory Holidays in Manitoba – stlawyers.ca
• Stat Holidays Manitoba 2024: Here’s What Employers Need to Know – peninsulagrouplimited.com

Statutory Holidays in Manitoba: 2024 Guide
Ben Nguyen