Ontario ESA vacation pay at 4% or 6% of gross wages, with 2 or 3 weeks of vacation time
Estimates only, not financial advice. What you type stays on your device. Checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026.Under Ontario's Employment Standards Act, vacation pay is at least 4% of gross wages earned in the vacation entitlement year, or 6% with five or more years of employment. On $16,000 of wages that is $640 at 4% or $960 at 6%, with 2 or 3 weeks of vacation time.
Rates and rules read from Ontario.ca, Your guide to the Employment Standards Act: Vacation on 16 Oct 2026; they may have changed since.
Type the gross wages earned in the vacation entitlement year or stub period, without vacation pay.
Turn on 5 years if you reach five years of employment by the end of that year or period.
Type the days you work a week, and choose Stub period with its months if it applies.
Read the vacation pay, the weeks of vacation time and the single vacation days.
Ontario's Employment Standards Act (ESA) gives employees two things each year: vacation time and vacation pay. This page works out both the way the province's ESA guide describes them.
Vacation pay. At least 4% of the gross wages earned in the vacation entitlement year or stub period, not counting vacation pay itself. With five or more years of employment it is 6%, and reaching five years at any point in that year counts for the whole year. Gross wages include regular earnings, commissions, overtime, public holiday pay, termination pay and non-discretionary bonuses. They leave out tips, discretionary gifts, expenses, benefit plan payments and severance pay.
Vacation time. Two weeks after each 12-month vacation entitlement year with under five years of employment, three weeks from five years. In single days that is the days you work a week times 2, or times 3. For irregular weeks, use the average: days worked in the year divided by 52.18.
Stub periods. When an employer sets a vacation year that does not start on your hiring date, the months before it are a stub period. Vacation time is pro-rated: 2 weeks times the stub months over 12. A September-to-December stub of 4 months gives two-thirds of a week.
Contracts that give more. A contract or collective agreement may give a higher rate, such as four weeks with 8%. Type it under More options and the page uses whichever is higher.
On leaving. Unpaid vacation pay earned so far is due within seven days or by the next payday, whichever is later. Vacation pay is owed on termination pay but not on severance pay.
Not included. Jobs exempt under the special rules, the 2% top-up when pay was 4% on each cheque before five years, and tax. An estimate, not legal advice.
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At least 4% of the gross wages you earned in the vacation entitlement year, not counting vacation pay. With five or more years of employment the minimum is 6%. A part-time employee who earned $16,000 gets $640 at 4%, or $960 at 6%.
Once you reach five years of employment with the employer. Reaching it at any point in the vacation entitlement year or stub period gives 6% on all wages earned in that whole year. If 4% was paid on each cheque earlier in the year, the employer tops up the missing 2%.
Two weeks of vacation time after each 12-month vacation entitlement year, or three weeks once you have five years of employment. In single days, multiply the days you work each week by 2 or by 3. Three days a week gives 6 single vacation days.
Regular earnings and commissions, overtime, public holiday pay, termination pay, room and board allowances and bonuses tied to hours or production. Tips, discretionary gifts, expenses, benefit plan payments such as sick pay, employment insurance and severance pay are left out.
The time between your hiring date and the start of an employer's chosen vacation year. Vacation time for it is pro-rated: 2 weeks times the stub months divided by 12. Vacation pay is still 4% or 6% of the wages earned in the stub period.
Yes. All vacation pay earned and not yet paid is due, including the part year you were working in. The employer must pay it within seven days of the job ending or on the next regular payday, whichever is later.
Rates and rules change; check the source before you rely on a figure.
Still stuck? Ask about Ontario Vacation Pay Calculator and anybody who knows can answer. No account needed.
Open it set for: Ontario 6% Vacation Pay Calculator.
Same job, other tools: Canada Labour Code Pay in Lieu of Notice Calculator – Federal pay in lieu of notice: 2 weeks after 3 months, rising to 8 weeks after 8 years · Canada Labour Code Vacation Pay Calculator – Canada Labour Code vacation pay: 8% and 4 weeks after 10 years with one employer · Ontario Income Tax Calculator – Ontario take-home pay for 2026 with the surtax, health premium, CPP and EI counted · EI Calculator: How Much EI Will I Get? – Your weekly Employment Insurance and the number of weeks, from your hours and region · Alberta Income Tax Calculator – Alberta take-home pay for 2026 with the 8% bracket and the $22,769 personal amount.
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