NL paid holidays explained: St. Patrick’s Day & St. George’s Day

The topics of statutory or public holidays often top the list of questions frequently asked of our in-house experts. That’s because across Canada, these days are recognized incongruously between provinces and territories. In Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), there are six public holidays as well as 12 paid holidays for NL government employees. Heads up: there are two upcoming paid holidays for government employees which differ from other jurisdictions – specifically, St. Patrick’s Day and St. George’s Day.

We take a closer look at the legislation surrounding those designated paid holidays here:

St. Patrick’s Day

To whom doesn’t this paid holiday apply?

It’s important for Canadian employers to know that with the exception of NL, St. Patrick’s Day is not designated as a statutory or paid holiday in any other province or territory in Canada. It’s also not a recognized statutory holiday for federally regulated employees and workplaces.

St. Patrick’s Day is not one of the six public holidays in NL, which means that it doesn’t apply to most employees working in the province and that most businesses would remain open on this day. However, if a workplace has a collective agreement, it’s possible that one of the six public holidays (New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Labour Day, Remembrance Day, or Christmas Day) could be substituted for this or a different holiday.

To whom does this paid holiday apply?

In NL, St. Patrick’s Day is listed as one of the government holidays and as such is generally observed by provincial government employees and workplaces.

On what day is St. Patrick’s Day observed?

For those to whom this paid holiday applies (provincial government employees), it’s observed on March 17, or on the immediately-following Monday if March 17 falls outside of daily working hours (Monday through Friday). As an example, if March 17 falls on a Sunday, the day would be observed on March 18.

St. George’s Day

To whom doesn’t this paid holiday apply?

The way in which St. George’s Day is observed is similar to the parameters of St. Patrick’s Day (mentioned above). It’s not a statutory or paid holiday in any other province or territory in Canada. It’s also not a recognized statutory holiday for federally regulated employees and workplaces.

St. George’s Day is also not one of the six public holidays in NL. Most businesses would remain open on this day, as it doesn’t apply to most employees working in the province. However, if a workplace has a collective agreement, it’s possible that one of the six public holidays (New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Labour Day, Remembrance Day, or Christmas Day) could be substituted for this or a different holiday.

To whom does this paid holiday apply?

St. George’s Day is listed as one of the government holidays for the Province of NL and Labrador and as such is generally observed by provincial government employees and workplaces.

On what day is St. George’s Day observed?

For those to whom this paid holiday applies (provincial government employees), it’s observed on the closest Monday to April 23. For example, if April 23 falls on a Tuesday, it’s observed on April 22.

For more information on paid holidays that apply to NL government employees, visit: https://www.gov.nl.ca/exec/tbs/working-with-us/holidays/#app. For more information on public holidays and other labour standards for the province, visit: https://www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/Publications_Labour_Relations_At_Work_Updates_October-2022.pdf.

St. Patrick’s Day, St. George’s Day, or otherwise – paying staff accurately and ensuring legislative compliance is always top of mind for Canadian businesses (us too!). To help you navigate and stay up-to-date with critical payroll legislation information, like statutory holidays, download a free copy of the Payworks Payroll Guide: https://www.payworks.ca/landing-pages/campaigns/payroll-guide.