In Yukon, overtime is calculated against two thresholds, 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, with a single overtime rate. The Employment Standards Act sets the minimum, and a contract or collective agreement that is more favourable to the employee prevails (section 3).
Updated October 9, 2026, based on the consolidated Employment Standards Act of Yukon, including amendments up to SY 2023, c. 6.
When does an hour become overtime?​
Standard hours of work are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week (section 6). Hours worked beyond them, when the employer requires or permits it, are paid at one and one-half times the regular wage (section 8):
- hours over 8 in a day;
- hours over 40 in a week, leaving out hours already over 8 in a day.
The rate stays at 1.5, even after 12 hours: the Act has no double-time rate. The week is the seven-day period set by the employer's payroll records, and a day is 24 consecutive hours from the start of work (section 1).
Example: a coordinator earning $22 an hour works 10 hours on Monday, 8 hours Tuesday to Thursday and 9 hours on Friday, for 43 hours.
- Daily: 2 hours on Monday and 1 hour on Friday, so 3 overtime hours.
- Weekly: count 8 hours per day, so 40 hours. Nothing goes over 40.
- In total, 40 hours at $22 and 3 hours at $33: $880 + $99 = $979.
Work out each day's overtime first, then leave those hours out before comparing the week to the 40-hour threshold.
See it with your own rules
Feuille de temps calculates daily and weekly overtime on every timesheet, and keeps each employee's overtime bank balance.
How does a general holiday change the weekly calculation?​
The weekly threshold drops by 8 hours for each general holiday the employee is entitled to, and hours worked on that day are left out of the weekly calculation (section 8).
Example: Monday is a general holiday the employee is entitled to, and they do not work it. They then work 8 hours Tuesday to Saturday, for 40 hours. No day goes over 8 hours, but the weekly threshold is 32 hours: the last 8 hours are overtime. The holiday itself is paid separately (section 30).
An employee who works on a general holiday receives, on top of their holiday pay, either the overtime rate for all hours worked that day, or their regular rate plus a day off added to their vacation or taken at a time agreed with the employer (section 31). Our article on public holidays in Canada lists the holidays.
In weeks with a general holiday, lower the threshold to 32 hours, or 24 hours if there are two.
Can overtime be taken as time off instead of pay?​
Yes, through a collective agreement or, without one, a written agreement between the employer and the employee or a majority of a group of employees (section 9). The agreement includes at least these terms:
- time off equals the overtime hours times one and a half: 4 overtime hours give 6 hours off;
- it is taken and paid at the regular rate, at a time when the employee could have worked;
- it is earned and taken within the 12-month period set in the agreement or, if none is set, within the calendar year;
- time off not taken within that period is paid at the overtime rate;
- the agreement can only be changed or ended with one month's written notice.
The employer gives a copy of the agreement to each employee it covers.
Write the chosen 12-month period into the agreement. Without it, the balance must be taken or paid by December 31.
Can employees work longer days without overtime?​
Yes, in two ways:
- Short work weeks: under a collective agreement or written agreement, regular days of more than 8 hours, up to 12, as long as total hours do not exceed 80 in two weeks. Hours over 80 are paid at time and a half, and the time-off rules apply as well (section 11).
- Averaging over several weeks: only the Director of Employment Standards can order that standard hours be averaged over two weeks or more, when the nature of the work justifies it, or when the employer and a union, or the employer and a majority of non-union employees, agree in writing (section 10).
Who is not covered?​
The hours of work part of the Act does not apply to some people (section 4), including:
- members of the employer's family;
- travelling salespeople;
- people whose duties are primarily supervisory or managerial, even if they occasionally do other work;
- professions and classes of people designated by regulation.
The Act does not apply to the Government of Yukon or its employees either (section 2). If there is a dispute about a position, the Director of Employment Standards decides (section 5): check with the Employment Standards Office.
Sources​
Feuille de temps​
Feuille de temps is timesheet software built for non-profits. Once we have set up your rules with you, it calculates daily and weekly overtime, keeps overtime banks and prepares payroll reports. The guide [Configuring overtime premiums](/docs/tutorial-admin/heures-supplementaires-majorees) shows the settings.Frequently Asked Questions
When does overtime start in Yukon?
After 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Each hour beyond that is paid at one and one-half times the regular wage.
Is there double time in Yukon?
No. The Employment Standards Act sets a single rate, 1.5 times the regular wage, no matter how long the day.
How does a general holiday change the weekly calculation?
The 40-hour threshold drops by 8 hours for each general holiday in the week that the employee is entitled to, and hours worked on the holiday are left out of the weekly calculation.
Can overtime be taken as time off instead of pay?
Yes, through a collective agreement or a written agreement. Time off equals the overtime hours times one and a half, and must be taken within the 12-month period set in the agreement, or within the calendar year. Otherwise, the hours are paid at the overtime rate.
Can employees work 10-hour days without overtime?
Yes, under a written short work week agreement: days of up to 12 hours, and no more than 80 hours in two weeks. Hours over 80 are paid at time and a half.