What do employers need to know about Québec’s National Holiday?

Key takeaways

La fête nationale du Québec (June 24) is one of the province’s eight paid statutory holidays. It’s the only stat in Québec where the sole eligibility requirement is being employed on the day of the holiday. The indemnity is calculated as 1/20 of wages earned in the four complete weeks of pay before the holiday week, excluding overtime. This post covers who’s entitled, how pay works, and what to do in special scenarios like a Sunday or mid-vacation holiday.

In this post:

1. What is the fête nationale du Québec?

2. Who is entitled to the National Holiday?

3. Who is not entitled to this holiday?

4. How is National Holiday pay calculated?

5. What if an employee has to work on June 24?

6. What happens if June 24 falls on a Sunday or during vacation?

7. FAQs

When the end of June rolls around, most  Québecers are thinking about summer plans, backyard barbecues, and the start of festival season. For payroll practitioners and business owners with employees in Québec, June also means navigating two statutory holidays in quick succession: the National Holiday on June 24 and Canada Day on July 1.

Like all statutory holidays in the province, la fête nationale comes with specific rules around eligibility, pay, and compensation for employees who work the day. But this particular holiday has a few twists that set it apart from the rest. Let’s walk through what you need to know.

What is the fête nationale du Québec?

The fête nationale du Québec, also known as the National Holiday of Québec or Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, is a paid statutory holiday observed on June 24 each year. It is one of Québec’s eight paid statutory holidays as defined by the CNESST (Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail).

The holiday is governed by its own legislation, the National Holiday Act (Loi sur la fête nationale), which gives it a few rules that differ from the province’s other statutory holidays. Most notably, it’s the only Québec stat holiday where the sole requirement for eligibility is that the employee is employed on June 24.

Who is entitled to the National Holiday?

Every employee in Québec who is employed on June 24 is entitled to the holiday, regardless of how long they’ve been with the company. There is no minimum service period and no other qualifying conditions.

The National Holiday is generally observed by provincial government employees and workplaces, municipal government offices, many federal government institutions located in Québec, and businesses across the province. It applies to full-time, part-time, temporary, casual, and on-call employees alike.

Who is not entitled to this holiday?

With the exception of Québec, la fête nationale is not designated as a statutory or paid holiday in any other province or territory in Canada. It is also not a recognised statutory holiday for federally regulated employees and workplaces unless they work in the Province of Québec and it is specified in their collective agreement.

Employees whose employment contract is suspended on June 24 (for example, those on an unpaid leave where no wages are being paid) are generally not entitled to the indemnity, as they are not available to work and are not receiving pay.

How is National Holiday pay calculated?

The indemnity for the National Holiday is calculated the same way as for all other Québec statutory holidays. It is equal to 1/20 of the wages earned during the four complete weeks of pay preceding the week of the holiday, excluding overtime.

For employees paid in whole or in part on commission, the indemnity is equal to 1/60 of the wages earned during the 12 complete weeks of pay preceding the week of the holiday.

In the case of employees who earn tips, the amount of reported or attributed tips must be included in the calculation.

Payworks pro tip: For detailed indemnity calculation examples and a full breakdown of Québec payroll legislation, download our free Québec Payroll Guide (link below).

What if an employee has to work on June 24?

Some businesses may need employees to work on the National Holiday due to the nature of their operations, for example, essential services like hospitals and transit, or businesses that must maintain continuity such as gas stations, convenience stores, and hotels.

Employees who work on the National Holiday are entitled to their regular wages for the day worked, plus (at the employer’s option) either the statutory indemnity added to their pay for the week, or a compensatory day off with pay on another date.

What happens if June 24 falls on a Sunday or during vacation?

The National Holiday Act includes special rules for scenarios where June 24 doesn’t land on a regular workday. Unlike other Québec stat holidays, the compensatory day off rules for the National Holiday have their own provisions:

If June 24 falls on a Sunday: the holiday is moved to June 25 for employees who don’t usually work on Sundays. Employees who regularly work Sundays observe the holiday on June 24 as usual.

If June 24 falls on a non-Sunday day off: the compensatory day off must be taken on the employee’s usual working day immediately before or after June 24.

If June 24 falls during annual vacation: the employer and employee agree on the date of the compensatory day off.

In all of these cases, the employer must either pay the statutory indemnity in addition to the employee’s regular pay for the week, or provide the compensatory day off with pay.

FAQs

Is the fête nationale a statutory holiday outside Québec?

No. La fête nationale is a statutory holiday only in Québec. It is not a recognised paid holiday in any other Canadian province or territory. Federally regulated employees working in Québec may be entitled to it only if specified in their collective agreement.

Does an employee need to have worked a certain number of days to qualify?

No. The National Holiday is unique among Québec’s statutory holidays because the only requirement is that the employee is employed on June 24. No minimum service period applies.

Do the standard attendance rules apply to the National Holiday?

For most Québec stat holidays, an employee who is absent without a valid reason on the workday before or after the holiday may lose entitlement to the paid leave. This rule is different for the National Holiday, where the only eligibility criterion is employment on June 24.

Looking for a complete guide to Québec payroll legislation?

Having confidence that your team is paid accurately and your payroll is compliant can help you enjoy those early summer vibes even more! Download the free Payworks Québec Payroll Guide for a comprehensive reference covering statutory holidays, labour standards, and everything you need to stay on top of payroll in the province: Download your free copy of the Québec Payroll Guide.