Manitoba Labour and Immigration advises that most non-essential businesses are required to close for the morning of Friday, Nov. 11, to allow Manitobans to commemorate the contributions of Canadians in wars and peacekeeping efforts.
The Remembrance Day Act permits retail businesses to open, as long as they close between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Retail businesses include businesses that sell or offer to sell goods and services, tradespeople or professional services, rental companies and businesses charging admission to performances such as movies, concerts, theatre, exhibits and sports events.
The prohibition of work on Remembrance Day does not apply to workers such as:
• police officers, firefighters and security officers;
• hospital, hotel, restaurant, domestic, child-care and home-care employees;
• employees required to supply heating, gas, lighting, electrical or water services, or to provide emergency repairs for these services;
• hotels, restaurants and continuous operation businesses (excluding retail) employees;
• employees providing transportation services for goods or passengers by railway, aircraft or motor vehicle;
• employees in care of perishable products or live animals, or in the farming industry;
• employees of registered brokers who conduct business for clients on stock exchanges outside Manitoba;
• commemorative or religious service providers; and
• employees of newspapers, telecommunication carriers, television or radio stations, and cable companies.
The rules regarding pay and wages for employees working on Remembrance Day state they are to be paid for at least half of a regular work day at one and a half times the regular rate of pay. If they work more than half a day, they must be paid for all hours worked. Employees who work on Remembrance Day may also be eligible to receive five per cent of their wages from the previous 28 days in addition to the wages earned for working on Remembrance Day.
For further information, call the Employment Standards Branch at 945-3352 in Winnipeg or (toll-free) at 1-800-821-4307. Information is also available at www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/.
