In Quebec, the Act respecting labour standards sets the minimum for overtime, absences due to sickness and annual vacation. Your policy or collective agreement can offer more, never less.
Updated October 9, 2026, based on the Act respecting labour standards as of August 12, 2026.
When does an hour become overtime?​
The regular work week is 40 hours (section 52). Each hour worked beyond it is paid at the prevailing hourly wage plus 50% (section 55). Premiums computed on an hourly basis are left out of that base wage.
Example: a coordinator paid $24 an hour works 44 hours in a week. The first 40 hours are paid at $24 and the next 4 at $36, for $960 + $144 = $1,104.
The threshold is weekly. A long day does not create overtime if the week stays under 40 hours. Annual leave and paid statutory holidays not worked count as days worked in this calculation (section 56).
Can hours be averaged over several weeks?​
Yes, under certain conditions (section 53). The employer and the employee can agree in writing to average hours over up to four weeks, as long as no single week exceeds 50 hours. Either party can end the arrangement with two weeks' notice. Beyond those conditions, averaging requires authorization from the CNESST or a collective agreement that provides for it.
Who is not covered by the 40-hour threshold?​
Section 54 excludes, among others, managers, employees who work outside the establishment and whose hours cannot be controlled, and students employed by a non-profit organization with a social or community purpose, such as a recreational organization. A regulation can bring some of these categories back under a regular work week: if in doubt, check your situation with the CNESST.
State in your work policy whether overtime is paid or taken as time off, and who approves it.
Can overtime be taken as time off?​
Yes. At the employee's request, or where a collective agreement provides for it, the employer can replace payment with paid leave (section 55). The leave equals the overtime worked plus 50%: 4 hours of overtime give 6 hours off.
The leave must be taken within 12 months, on a date agreed with the employer. After that, the hours must be paid. If employment ends first, they are paid as well.
Keep track of the date each hour goes into the bank: that date starts the 12-month clock.
See it with your own rules
Feuille de temps calculates the premium on every timesheet and keeps each employee's overtime bank balance.
How many sick days are paid?​
An employee can be absent for up to 26 weeks over 12 months because of sickness or an accident, with their job protected (section 79.1). Those weeks are unpaid, except for two days.
The two paid days form a single allowance per calendar year (sections 79.7 and 79.16). This allowance covers sickness, family obligations (a child, a relative they care for), organ donation, and domestic or sexual violence. An employee who has already used two paid days to care for their child has no paid sick day left that year. The entitlement begins after 3 months of uninterrupted service, and unused days do not carry over.
The Act also provides 10 days of absence per year for family obligations (section 79.7). The first two are the two paid days above, not two more.
Can an employer ask for a medical note?​
Not for the first three absences of three consecutive days or less within 12 months (section 79.2). Beyond that, the employer can ask for a document confirming the reason when the length or repetition of the absences justifies it.
Track the two paid days as a single allowance, shared between sickness and family obligations.
How many weeks of vacation do employees get?​
The length depends on the years of uninterrupted service at the end of the reference year, which runs from May 1 to April 30 unless an agreement sets other dates (sections 66 to 69).
| Uninterrupted service at the end of the reference year | Vacation | Vacation pay |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 1 day per month of service, up to 2 weeks | 4% of gross wages |
| 1 year to less than 3 years | 2 consecutive weeks | 4% of gross wages |
| 3 years or more | 3 consecutive weeks | 6% of gross wages |
Since 2019, the third week comes after 3 years of service instead of 5. An employee with 1 year of service can also ask for a third week, unpaid (section 68.1).
Example: a support worker reaches 3 years of service on September 21, 2025. At the end of the reference year, on April 30, 2026, she is entitled to 3 weeks, and her vacation pay is 6% of all gross wages earned from May 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026, including before September 21 (section 74).
Each year, flag the employees who reach 3 years of service during the reference year: their vacation pay moves to 6% for the whole year, not only from their anniversary date.
Sources​
- Act respecting labour standards, LégisQuébec
- Annual vacation, CNESST (French)
- Illness or accident not related to work, CNESST (French)
Feuille de temps​
Feuille de temps is timesheet software built for non-profits. Once we have set up your rules with you, it calculates overtime premiums, overtime, sick and vacation banks, and percentage-based vacation.Frequently asked questions
When does overtime start in Quebec?
After 40 hours in a week. Each hour beyond that threshold is paid at the prevailing hourly wage plus 50%.
Can overtime be taken as time off instead of being paid?
Yes, at the employee's request or where a collective agreement provides for it. The leave equals the overtime worked plus 50%: 4 hours of overtime give 6 hours off. It must be taken within 12 months, otherwise the hours are paid.
How many paid sick days are there in Quebec?
Two days per calendar year, once the employee has 3 months of uninterrupted service. These two days are shared between sickness, family obligations and the other reasons listed in the Act: they do not add up.
How long can unpaid sick leave last in Quebec?
Up to 26 weeks over a 12-month period, with the employee's job protected during the absence.
How many weeks of vacation do employees get in Quebec?
One day per month of service, up to two weeks, during the first year; two weeks from 1 year of service; three weeks from 3 years of service.
What is the vacation pay percentage in Quebec?
4% of gross wages for the reference year before 3 years of uninterrupted service, 6% from 3 years.