Discrimination complaints: one-year limit
The Workers’ Resource Centre is unable to assist with discrimination that happened more than one year ago, due to a one-year limit on complaints under the Alberta Human Rights Act. You may still have options through civil court. To find a lawyer, you can check the Alberta Law Society’s lawyer directory.
Please Note
The Workers’ Resource Centre can only file complaints under the Employment Standards Code within 6 months from the date of termination of employment. You may still be able to file a civil claim. To find a lawyer for legal advice, please visit the Alberta Law Society’s Lawyer Directory.
A note about discrimination
The Workers’ Resource Centre is unable to assist with forms of discrimination that do not fall under the protected grounds in the Alberta Human Rights Act. You may still have options through civil court. To find a lawyer, you can check the Alberta Law Society’s lawyer directory.
Occupational Health and Safety complaints
If you have a concern about safety at your work that hasn’t been addressed by your employer, you have the right to file a complaint with Occupational Health and Safety. Visit to learn more.
A note about sick leave
In order to take time of work to recover from physical, mental or emotional conditions, you will need documentation from a physician who is treating you. If you need help finding a doctor, please visit Alberta Find a Doctor or call 811 (Health Link) for referrals to health care providers.
You have the right to refuse dangerous work—and a responsibility to report it
In Alberta, workers have the right to refuse dangerous work if it poses a serious and immediate threat to health and safety to themselves or others. Learn more about refusing dangerous work by navigating to the Government of Alberta’s website here.
Workers also have a responsibility to report safety hazards at work to their employer or supervisor immediately. The Government of Alberta offers detailed explanations regarding workers’ responsibility to report health and safety hazards in the workplace.
Under Alberta’s legislation, workers cannot be disciplined, nor can they be threatened with discipline, for exercising their right to refuse dangerous work, or for reporting dangerous work.
Occupation exemptions for hours of work and rest
In Alberta, some occupations are exempt from the minimum standards for hours of work and rest. The occupation you selected is exempt from these minimum standards. You can read more about the exempt occupations here.
If your working hours are creating a safety hazard at your work, for example, if fatigue is making your work dangerous, you are obligated to report the hazard to your employer immediately. You can find more information on Occupational Health and Safety here.
Employment Standards – rest between shifts
In Alberta, the minimum period of rest between shifts is 8 hours. You indicated that you receive at least 8 hours between shifts, which is in accordance with the rule on rest between shifts, as set out by Employment Standards Alberta.
Employment Standards – breaks
In Alberta, employers do not need to provide breaks to employees whose shifts are 5 hours or less. You indicated that on average, you work fewer than 5 hours per shift, which means you would not be entitled to any breaks during these shifts, as per Employment Standards Alberta’s rules on daily rest periods.
Caring for family members
Workers who pay into Employment Insurance in Canada can receive caregiving benefits while caring for seriously ill or injured family members with a significant risk of dying, or who require end-of-life care. At this time, caregiver benefits do not apply to any other situations. You may still request time off work to help a family member in need, however, it would most likely be unpaid.
A note about vacation entitlements
Alberta workers are not entitled to paid vacation if they have worked less than 1 year for their employer, unless otherwise stated in their contract. Learn more about vacation rules at the Alberta Employment Standards website.
Vacation entitlements in Alberta
Alberta workers are entitled to the following vacation time, based on the number of years they have worked for their employer, unless stated otherwise in their contract:
- 1-5 years of work – 2 weeks paid vacation
- Over 5 years – 3 weeks paid vacation
To learn more about vacation entitlements in Alberta, you can consult Employment Standards.
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I lost my income and not sure if i am eligible for EI
Are there any programs that will allow me to collect an income
How we support you
If you work or have recently worked in Alberta or if you work remotely for an Alberta-based employer, the Workers’ Resource Centre is here to assist you free of charge.
Our caseworkers provide personalized support to help you understand your options for various employment-related issues including job loss, discrimination, injury, illness and more. They can help determine if you have a valid issue and assist with filing claims and appeals for benefits and entitlements.
Problems with your work?
Our caseworkers can help with:
Our caseworkers can provide information on:
– Lost wages
– Job-protected leaves (e.g., parental leave, illness, citizenship ceremonies)
– Minimum wage
– Overtime hours and pay
– General holidays and pay
– Vacation time and pay
If you’ve lost your job or need to take time off for illness, caregiving, parental leave, or more, we can help with applications and requests for reconsideration for Employment Insurance (EI).
If you have experienced workplace discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, place of origin, or marital status, we can help you determine the best course of action under the Alberta Human Rights Act.
We support Albertans experiencing workplace sexual harassment by helping you understand your rights and determine the best course of action for your situation.
If you have been injured, become sick at work, or have a short- or long-term disability, we can help with:
– Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) initial claims (note: we cannot assist with appeals)
– Canada Pension Plan – Disability (CPP-D)
– Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH)
We connect workers facing financial difficulties to social support programs available in Alberta. Our social supports coordinator can help with accessing income support, housing, food banks and more.
We are here to provide the support you need.
Our Typical Process
This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to over one year, depending on the authority you are dealing with.
Public Legal Education
We provide free workshops to help Alberta workers understand their rights by translating complex legal concepts into accessible information. Partnering with community organizations, we provide workshops across the province in person and online. Our Public Legal Education workshops cover a variety of topics related to workers’ rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our services are free for Alberta workers. We do not charge for casework appointments or for our public legal education workshops.
No. The Workers’ Resource Centre is a registered charitable organization that provides free services to Alberta workers through its casework and public legal education programs. We provide legal information to our clients to help them understand their options. We are not lawyers and cannot provide legal advice.
No. We are not lawyers and cannot provide legal representation. If you wish to pursue legal action against your employer in court, you can contact a lawyer in Alberta.
We are not a recruitment or employment agency and cannot help with job searches. If you have recently lost your job, we may be able to support you in accessing income support. Tell us more
We are not an immigration agency and cannot assist with any type of work permit. We suggest reaching out to an immigration lawyer or a registered immigration consultant for information on obtaining work permits.
The Workers’ Resource Centre cannot assist with constructive dismissal cases. If you suspect your employer is attempting to use constructive dismissal to terminate your employment, you may with to contact a lawyer.
We only assist with initial WCB applications. We do not assist with WCB reconsiderations or appeals.
About WRC
At the Workers’ Resource Centre, we are dedicated to empowering Alberta workers. Our mission is to ensure that every worker understands their rights, and has the support they need to access their benefits, and file workplace-related complaints and appeals. We offer support with job loss, improper pay, workplace discrimination, illness, injury and disability, and provide assistance to ensure workers’ basic needs are met.
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