Wages and Deductions

What are they?

A wage is money paid by an employer to a worker in exchange for work done.

Deductions are amounts withheld from a worker’s pay by an employer. Example: Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance contributions.

What is the standard?

Workers must be paid at least minimum wage, and must be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly wage for overtime. Workers are entitled to overtime pay if they exceed 40 hours of work per week, or exceed the set daily hours – which may be 8 or 10 hours.

An employer may not deduct wages or require payment from a worker for damage, breakage, poor quality of work, shoplifting by customers, “dine-and-dashes”, or mistakes.

Minimum wage

Effective October 1, 2018, the minimum wage is $11.06 per hour. Workers must be paid at least minimum wage for each hour they are required or permitted to work, or are at the employer's disposal.

Overtime

In Saskatchewan, weekly hours of work are set at 40, with daily hours set at either 8 or 10. If employees work more than these set hours, overtime must be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly wage.

Vacation Pay

During the first nine years of employment, vacation pay can be calculated by multiplying the worker’s wages for the given 12-month period by 3/52 (approximately 6%). During year 10 and beyond, vacation pay can be calculated by multiplying the worker’s wages for the given 12-month period by 4/52 (approximately 8%). Vacation can be paid on either the worker’s normal payday or at the worker’s request before going on vacation leave.

Statutory Holidays

There are 10 public holidays per year in Saskatchewan. For most workers, these are days off with pay. Some employees may be required to work on a public holiday and a special wage rate would apply. List of public holidays.

Working on a statutory holiday

Workers who work on a public holiday are entitled to both public holiday pay and a premium pay of 1.5 times their hourly wage for each hour worked. Premium pay is paid on top of the worker’s public holiday pay for that day.

Deductions

Unless the law allows it, an employer may not, directly or indirectly, withhold, deduct, or require payment of all or part of a worker’s wages for any purpose.

Allowable deductions:

Employee contributions to pension plans or registered retirement savings plans;
Employee contributions to other benefit plans;
Charitable donations voluntarily made by the employee;
Voluntary contributions by the employee to savings plans or the purchase of bonds;
Initiation fees, dues and assessments to a union that is the bargaining agent for the employee;
Court-ordered maintenance payments;
Voluntary employee purchases from the employer of any goods, services or merchandise; and
Deductions required by the government, such as Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Employment Insurance (EI).

Wage Deductions That Are NOT Allowed:

Theft;
Damage;
Breakage;
Poor quality work;
Damage to employer's property including accidents involving employer vehicles or equipment, or;
Failure to collect payment by a customer, including "dine-and-dashes" and shoplifting.

Uniforms

An employer who requires a worker to wear special clothing that identifies the employer's business must provide it at no cost to the worker. If an employer requests the staff wear certain clothing such as black pants or a skirt and a white shirt or blouse, this is not considered a uniform.

Employers in restaurants, hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, or educational institutions who require their employees to wear a uniform must provide, launder, and repair the uniform at no cost to the employee.