BC employers must pay eligible employees an average day's pay on statutory holidays — plus premium rates for anyone who works. Here's who qualifies and how the math works.
British Columbia's statutory holidays
BC recognizes 11 statutory holidays. This is general guidance for employers, not legal advice — but getting stat pay right is one of the most common payroll pain points, so it pays to understand the rules:
- New Year's Day
- Family Day
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- British Columbia Day
- Labour Day
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
- Thanksgiving Day
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Day
Who qualifies for stat holiday pay
To be eligible, an employee must have been employed for at least 30 calendar days before the holiday AND have worked or earned wages on at least 15 of those 30 days. A common myth is that employees only need to work the day before and after — that is not the rule in BC. Part-time and casual staff can qualify if they meet the 30-and-15 test; managers are excluded; and employees on an averaging agreement do not need to meet the 15-day requirement.
How to calculate an "average day's pay"
Take the total wages earned in the 30 calendar days before the holiday — including regular wages, commissions, vacation pay, prior statutory holiday pay, and statutory paid sick leave, but excluding overtime — and divide by the number of days worked. Example: $3,000 earned over 15 days worked equals a $200 average day's pay. That is what an eligible employee receives for the holiday, whether they take the day off or it falls on a regular day off.
If the employee works the holiday
An eligible employee who works on a statutory holiday is entitled to their average day's pay PLUS premium pay: time-and-a-half (1.5x) for the first 12 hours worked, and double-time (2x) for any hours beyond 12. Paying only the premium without the average day's pay on top is a frequent and costly error.
If the holiday falls on a day off
If a statutory holiday lands on an eligible employee's regular day off, they are still entitled to an average day's pay — and the employer is not required to provide a substitute day off.
Common mistakes to avoid
These are the errors that most often lead to back-pay claims:
- Not paying qualifying part-time or casual employees
- Paying premium rates without the average day's pay on top
- Leaving eligible earnings such as commissions or vacation pay out of the 30-day average
- Treating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as optional
Need Help?
Stat pay, premiums, and ROEs add up fast across a team. PreciseHR keeps BC payroll and compliance clean. Try our Statutory Holiday tool, or book a free 30-minute consult.
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About the author
Jeffrey T. Furtado
HR Consultant & Compliance Expert
Jeffrey T. Furtado (Jeff Furtado) is an executive leader, entrepreneur, and investor with a track record of building, scaling, and transforming businesses. As both a corporate operator and founder, he has led high-growth teams, driven operational excellence, and helped create lasting enterprise value. He writes about leadership, execution, strategy, and building organizations that stand the test of time.
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