How much vacation time are employees entitled to?
The minimum vacation time under the ESA is two weeks after every 12 months of employment.
What pay are employees entitled to when on vacation?
Employees must receive a minimum of four per cent of the "gross" wages (excluding vacation pay) they earned in the 12 months for which the vacation is being given.
Gross wages include:
regular earned wages, as well as commissions
overtime pay
public holiday pay
termination pay
They do not include:
vacation pay
tips and gratuities
discretionary bonuses and gifts that are not related to hours of work, production or efficiency (such as a Christmas bonus unrelated to performance)
expenses and travelling allowances
living allowances
contributions made by an employer to a benefit plan and payments from a benefit plan that an employee is entitled to
severance pay
After you get your money, you should ask for a record of employment, which shows that the money you get is the payment they due you before you got laid off.
Otherwise the HRDC will change your EI benifit anyway.