Canadian Payroll Reporter

5 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2019 CPR | January 2019 ASK AN EXPERT Annie Chong MANAGER OF CARSWELL'S PAYROLL CONSULTING GROUP annie.chong@thomsonsreuters.com | (416) 298-5085 Workers' compensation maximums for 2019 QUESTION: What are the maximum assessable/insurable earn- ings ceilings for 2019 for calculating workers' compensation pre- miums? We have employees in multiple Canadian jurisdictions. ANSWER: The following table reveals workers' compensation maxi- mum assessable/insurable earnings that apply for 2019: * Note: Proposed ** The maximums for these jurisdictions had not been announced at time of writing. 2019 statutory holidays QUESTION: We are prepar- ing our payroll calendar for the year. Could you provide me with a list of statutory holidays in Canadian juris- dictions for 2019? ANSWER: Here is a listing of statutory holidays for the new year. Please note that this is not a full list of holidays in all Canadian provinces/ territories. In some jurisdictions, there are also holidays that apply to public-sector em- ployers and employees and that apply in certain municipalities. Contact the applicable province/territory or mu- nicipality for more detailed information. Issuing ROEs when changing pay period type QUESTION: We are changing our pay period type from biweekly to semi-monthly. Do we have to issue records of employment (ROEs) to employees for this even if they have not had an interruption of earnings? Or can we wait until there is one? STATUTORY HOLIDAY DATE JURISDICTION New Year's Day Jan. 1 All jurisdictions Family Day Feb. 18 Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba (Louis Riel Day), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia (Heritage Day), Ontario, P.E.I. (Islander Day) and Saskatchewan Good Friday April 19 All jurisdictions (In Quebec, employers may choose to observe the holiday on Good Friday or Easter Monday. In some jurisdictions, retail business law requires commercial establishments to close on Easter Monday.) Victoria Day May 20 Canada Labour Code, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec (National Patriot's Day), Saskatchewan and Yukon National Aboriginal Day June 21 Northwest Territories and Yukon National Holiday June 24 Quebec Canada Day July 1 All jurisdictions (also Memorial Day in Newfoundland and Labrador). First Monday in August Aug. 5 British Columbia, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Saskatchewan (It is also a holiday, although not a statutory holiday, in Alberta. Municipalities in some Canadian jurisdictions may also designate the day as a holiday.) Discovery Day Aug. 19 Yukon Labour Day Sept. 2 All jurisdictions Thanksgiving Oct. 14 Canada Labour Code, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon. In other jurisdictions, retail businesses may be prohibited from opening under business holidays legislation. Remembrance Day Nov. 11 Canada Labour Code, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and Yukon. In Manitoba and Nova Scotia, Remembrance Day is a holiday under the Remembrance Day Act in each jurisdiction Christmas Day Dec. 25 All jurisdictions Boxing Day Dec. 26 Canada Labour Code and Ontario (In New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec (until 1 p.m.), the day is a retail holiday and is covered under business holidays legislation.) Jurisdiction 2018 Ceiling 2019 Ceiling Alberta $98,700 $98,700 British Columbia $82,700 $84,800 Manitoba $127,000 $127,000 New Brunswick $63,600 $64,800 Newfoundland and Labrador $64,375 ** Northwest Territories $90,600 $92,400 Nova Scotia $59,800 $60,900 Nunavut $90,600 $92,400 Ontario $90,300 $92,600 Prince Edward Island $53,400 $55,000 Quebec $74,000 $76,500* Saskatchewan $82,627 $88,314 Yukon $86,971 ** ANSWER: If an employer changes its pay period type, it must issue ROEs for all em- ployees for the employment period up to the change in pay period type even if they do not have an interruption of earnings. Service Canada requires that ROEs only cover one pay period type (for example: weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, monthly). If an employee has an interruption of earnings at a later time, the employer must issue another ROE covering the period from the pay period change to the interruption. In block 10 on the form (first day worked), the employer would report the date of the first day after the pay period change.

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