Paid Time Off (PTO) in Saskatchewan

Vacation Leave Quota 

3 or 4 weeks of paid vacation. 

An employee is entitled to 3 weeks paid vacation per year, after he/she has worked for his/her employer for at least 1 year. 

Employees are entitled to 3 consecutive weeks of vacation leave for the first 10 years of employment and 4 consecutive weeks of leave after 10 years of employment. 

Vacation Pay  

Approximately 6% or 8% of gross wages. 

Employees are entitled to vacation pay of approximately 6% of gross wages (multiply the employee’s wages for the 12-month period by 3/52 = 5.77%) for the first 9 years of employment and approximately 8 % of gross wages (multiply the employee’s wages for the 12-month period by 4/52 = 7.69%) after 10 years of employment.  

Statutory Provisions Addressing Vacation Pay 

Vacation is considered earned wages. 

Payment of Accrued, Unused Vacation on Termination 

The employee’s earnings must be paid upon termination of employment. Payment must be made within 14 days after the day that the employment ends. 

PTO Accruals 

PTO accrual system is not mandatory in Saskatchewan, but is widely used by companies.       

Employers are generally free to design their own vacation accrual system, although it is usually based on the pay period (payroll cycle). 

Roll Over (Carry Over, Brought Forward) 

The “use-it-or-lose-it” policy is illegal in Saskatchewan.  

The “use-it-or-lose-it” refers to a policy or benefit that requires employees to use a certain amount of vacation time within a certain timeframe, or risk losing it. 

Sick Leave in Saskatchewan

Absence from Work Due to Illness or Injury 

Up to 12 days, 12 weeks, or 26 weeks of unpaid leave. 

Eligible employees can take up to 12 days of unpaid leave each calendar year because of a personal illness or injury that isn’t serious, or because a dependent family member has a non-serious illness or injury. 

If an employee is seriously ill or injured, he/she can be away for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.  

If an employee is receiving workers’ compensation for an injury, he/she can be away for up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave. 

Employees who have worked for a company for at least 13 consecutive weeks are entitled to these sick days.  

A sick leave ensures job protection and job reinstatement. 

Payout 

Sick leave in Saskatchewan is unpaid. However, some employers choose to pay employees for these sick days. 

Compassionate Care Leave 

Up to 28 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave. 

Eligible employees are entitled to up to 28 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave within a 52- week period to provide care and support to a family member who is gravely ill and who has a significant risk of death within 26 weeks.  

Leave can be taken consecutively or over multiple periods of time, no shorter than a week. This applies to an employee’s family members and the family members of an employee’s spouse or common-law partner. Written notice is required.  

An employee must have worked for their employer for over 13 consecutive weeks in order to qualify for this leave. 

Certain employees may be eligible for Compassionate Care Benefits under Employment Insurance. 

Critically Ill Child Care 

Up to 37 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave. 

Eligible employees are entitled to up to 37 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave within a 52-week period to provide care and support to a critically ill or injured child under the age of 18. Leave can be taken consecutively or in multiple periods of time, no shorter than a week. Employees may be eligible to receive Employment Insurance special benefits for Parents of Critically Ill Children.  

An employee must have worked for their employer for over 13 consecutive weeks in order to qualify for this leave. 

A written notice and a medical certificate are required. 

Critically Ill Adult Care 

Up to 17 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave. 

Employees are entitled to up to 17 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave to care for an adult family member who is critically ill or injured.  

An employee must have worked for their employer for over 13 consecutive weeks in order to qualify for this leave. 

A written notice and a medical certificate are required. 

Interpersonal Violence Leave 

Up to 10 days of job-protected leave (the first 5 days are paid). 

Eligible employees are entitled to up to 10 days of job-protected leave due to interpersonal violence or any form of sexual violence. The first 5 days of leave are paid, and the other five days of leave are unpaid. An employee is eligible for leave if the employee or the employee’s children are the victims of violence.  

Leave can be taken for the following reasons: 

• To seek medical attention 
• Obtain services from a victim’s services organization 
• Obtain psychological or other professional services 
• Relocate, either temporarily or permanently 
• Seek legal or law enforcement assistance and attend court appearances.  

An employee must provide written evidence. 

Maternity, Paternity, and Parental Leave in Saskatchewan

The maternity leave could last a maximum of 78 weeks (the pregnancy leave lasts for 19 weeks, and after that, mothers can take an additional 59 weeks of parental leave). 

Maternity Leave  

Up to 19 weeks of unpaid leave. 

Employees who have been employed by the same employer for at least 13 weeks are entitled to up to 19 weeks of job-protected unpaid leave. The leave can start any time in the 13 weeks before the estimated date of birth or any time in the eight weeks before the estimated birth date if the employee has failed to give the employer the required notice and medical certificate. Four weeks’ notice is required. Employees are entitled to an additional 6 weeks if they are unable to return to work after the expiration of maternity leave; at least 6 weeks if the expected date is later than the estimated date. An employee is entitled to up to 15 weeks of leave if the employee fails to provide a notice to the employer. 

Adoption Leave 

19 weeks. 

The primary caregiver of an adopted child can take 19 weeks of adoption leave. Only the primary caregiver of an adopted child can get adoption leave. The adopting family decides who the primary caregiver will be. 

Parental Leave 

Up to 71 weeks of unpaid leave. 

Parental leave can be taken immediately after maternity or adoption leave, or separately.  

Eligible employees who have not taken maternity or adoption leave are entitled to up to 71 weeks of unpaid leave. Leave must be taken in a period between 13 weeks before the estimated date of birth and 86 weeks after the actual date of birth or the date the child comes into the employee’s care. Four weeks’ notice is required before the beginning of the leave. 

Employees who have taken maternity or adoption leave before parental leave are entitled to up to 59 weeks. Leave must be taken consecutively with maternity or adoption leave. Leave must be taken in a period between 13 weeks before the estimated date and 78 weeks after the actual date of birth or the date the child comes into the employee’s care. Four weeks’ notice is required before the end of maternity or adoption leave. 

Payout 

Maternity, adoption, and parental leave in Saskatchewan are unpaid. 

Bereavement Leave in Saskatchewan

Up to 5 days of unpaid leave. 

Employees who have worked for the employer for at least 13 consecutive weeks are entitled to up to 5 days of unpaid leave due to the death of an immediate family member. Leave must be taken within the period beginning one week before and ending one week after the funeral relating to the death of a family member. 

Payout 

Bereavement leave in Saskatchewan is unpaid. 

Jury Duty Leave in Saskatchewan

Leave without pay. 

All employers must allow employees to take unpaid leave in order to attend court as jurors. 

Payout 

Jury duty leave in Saskatchewan is unpaid. However, jurors are compensated by the government for $110 per day or any portion of a day they are present, unless they are still earning money from their employer while serving. Additional expenses such as meals, parking, mileage, and dependent care may also be reimbursed if required. 

Reservists’ Leave in Saskatchewan

Leave without pay. 

Eligible employees are entitled to job-protected unpaid leave as long as it is required to perform their duties, including training and active service. Active service would include a regular deployment or a deployment in response to an emergency.  

Written notice is required. An employer may require the employee to provide confirmation from a reserve force official of the employee’s reserve force status. 

Payout 

Reservists leave Saskatchewan unpaid. 

Voting Leave in Saskatchewan

Up to 3 consecutive hours of paid leave. 

An employee is entitled to receive 3 consecutive hours of paid leave from work to vote.  

However, an employer is not required to provide time off if the necessary consecutive hours fall outside the employee’s regular work schedule and within the voting hours. 

Payout 

Voting leave in Saskatchewan is paid by an employer. 

The 2023 Statutory Holidays in Saskatchewan

10 public holidays. 

The statutory holidays in Saskatchewan for 2023 are: 

• New Year’s Day (Jan. 1)
• Family Day (3rd Monday in February) 
• Good Friday 
• Victoria Day (3rd Monday in May) 
• Canada Day (July 1)
• Saskatchewan Day (1st Monday in August) 
• Labor Day (1st Monday in September) 
• Thanksgiving Day (2nd Monday in October) 
• Remembrance Day (Nov. 11)
• Christmas Day (Dec. 25)

Sources

1. Employment Standards, https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/employment-standards
2. Requirements for All Leaves, https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/employment-standards/job-protected-leaves/requirements-for-all-leaves
3. Leaves: Family, Medical, Service, Interpersonal Violence and Public Health Emergency, https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/employment-standards/job-protected-leaves
4. Government Agencies › Employment Standards > Time Off, https://www.plea.org/government-agencies/employment-standards/time-off

Updated: January 24, 2023 

Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.