As organizations prepare for the new year, it’s important for employers to plan ahead and ensure compliance with Ontario’s statutory holidays for 2025. Proper understanding of these holidays and associated pay entitlements can help avoid potential issues down the line.

What are Statutory Holidays?

Statutory holidays, also known as public holidays, are days designated by the province where employees are entitled to a day off with pay. This applies to most salaried, seasonal, contract, casual, and part-time employees.

These holidays are protected under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act (ESA), which outlines the specific entitlements and pay requirements for provincially regulated employees.

In Ontario, the following nine (9) statutory holidays are recognized in 2025:

Optional Holidays for Ontario Employees

In addition to the statutory holidays above, employers have the option to observe the following days. However, they are not required to provide paid time off for these holidays:

Understanding Statutory Holiday Pay

Under the ESA, employees in Ontario are entitled to statutory holiday pay if they meet the following criteria:

• The Last and First Rule: Employees must work their “last regularly scheduled shift before the public holiday” and their “first regularly scheduled shift after the public holiday,” unless there is a reasonable cause for not doing so. It’s important to note that these shifts don’t need to be the exact days immediately before and after the holiday.
• Work on the Holiday: If an employee works on a statutory holiday, they must be paid at a premium rate of 1.5 times their regular pay. Alternatively, they may receive a substitute day off with holiday pay. This substitute holiday must be taken within three months of the original public holiday and must be agreed to either in writing or electronically.

Calculating Statutory Holiday Pay

To calculate statutory holiday pay, follow this formula:

1. Add the employee’s regular wages earned in the four (4) weeks prior to the public holiday.
2. Add any vacation pay applicable to the same four-week period.
3. Divide the total amount by 20.

This will give you the employee’s statutory holiday pay entitlement.

Still have questions about statutory holiday pay? Please contact us directly at info@culturedhr.com!