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
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About Us
The Workers’ Resource Centre helps Alberta workers understand their rights, access benefits, and file complaints and appeals with employment-related agencies, such as Employment Standards, Employment Insurance (EI), the Alberta Human Rights Commission, Canada Pension Plan – Disability (CPP-D), and Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH). We support workers experiencing job loss, lost wages, workplace discrimination, injury, illness and disability, and provide assistance to ensure workers’ basic needs are met. Our services are free of charge to Alberta workers.
The Workers Resource Centre is a registered charitable organization funded by the Alberta Law Foundation, United Way of Calgary and Area, and the City of Calgary’s Family and Community Support Services, along with generous contributions from community groups and individual donors.
“From the time he first came to Canada nearly 30 years ago Uddam worked hard to help build a better life…”
Services Summary
We provide support to workers, guiding them through their options for employment-related issues. Our caseworkers help workers understand their rights and assist them in obtaining benefits and social supports.
Our Public Legal Education Program provides free workshops that make complex legal concepts easy to understand. We partner with community organizations to offer these workshops across Alberta and online.
For workers experiencing serious financial difficulties, we help connect them to support available in Alberta. We refer workers to income support programs, housing providers, food banks and more.
Learn more about the Workers’ Resource Centre in your language here
Team
Carolyn has spent over a decade working in the non-profit or social impact sphere. She brings a management style focused on leading with empathy motivating teams to work collaboratively to find solutions. This retired roller derby player is now looking for her next athletic adventure.
Damipe (Peace) is the first point of contact for clients at the Workers’ Resource Centre. She is a social work graduate who enjoys volunteering, working with youths, and integrating EDI perspectives into her work. She is also a singer who is always humming to a tune.
Rubina supports workers close to their homes and builds relationships in immigrant communities in Alberta. She has experience assisting with mental health concerns, homelessness and domestic violence. Rubina is obsessed with YouTube cooking videos and loves experimenting in the kitchen.
Megan has been a dedicated caseworker since 2019, assisting clients with work-related issues. She brings a wealth of experience from diverse industries, including journalism, oil & gas, insurance benefits administration, revenue management, and real estate. In her free time, Megan enjoys photography and knitting for her cats.
Quinn specializes in helping clients with complex health issues and helps them access appropriate support based on their conditions. She also has expertise with workplace sexual harassment cases. As a proud goldendoodle mom, Quinn has a soft spot for all furry creatures.
Ope is dedicated to advocating for clients throughout claims, complaints, and appeal processes, prioritizing inclusion and dismantling equity barriers. Her expertise extends to program and case management, ensuring thorough support for those she serves. Ope has a passion for travel, exploring diverse cultures and cuisines from around the globe.
Banafsheh offers support to clients with their various social needs, such as food banks, income support, and housing. She is a data nerd who loves crunching numbers to solve social problems. She loves baking, cooking, and spending time with her family and two dogs in her spare time.
Kennedy facilitates accessible and plain-language workshops on important employment legislation and provides participants with resources to contact if their workplace rights are violated. She played lacrosse in college and now dominates Calgary’s recreational sports scene.
Fiona is a nonprofit communications and marketing specialist who has spearheaded communications for peace building, development and human rights organizations. Fiona is a radio & podcast aficionado with a bias for Canadian media and an aspiring gardener.
Board
Emily is a lawyer with a primarily litigation/advocacy practice who has worked at the trial and appellate level in Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and Federal Courts, and at numerous administrative tribunals. She practices in employment, construction and administrative law, as well as a variety of work with First Nations and as general counsel for several local companies specializing in construction, real estate development and engineering. Emily is a passionate believer in access to justice and is proud to be a member of the board at the Workers’ Resource Centre.
Alexander is a proud member of UFCW Local 401 and served as vice president from 2009 to 2012. In 2011, he was elected President of the Calgary and District Labour Council, a position he is honoured to hold. He has served the Workers’ Resource Centre in various roles since 2010, most currently as Treasurer. He has also held roles in Public Interest Alberta and Friends of Medicare.
Sarah is a social worker, working for the past 17 years as a medical social worker in the hospital setting. She also serves as a Board of Director for the union Health Sciences Association of Alberta. Through this work in both social work and union leadership, Sarah has a passion for educating workers of their rights, connecting, and advocating for workers.
Nour is the Manager of the Cultural Brokerage Program and Translation Services at Calgary Catholic Immigration Society and has dedicated most of his professional career to support newcomers with their settlement and integration needs. Nour has served on different boards and committees related to immigration, refugees, inclusion, diversity and culture. In addition to the Workers’ Resource Centre, Nour also serves on the Grant Advisory Committee at The Calgary Foundation.
Karen is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour. She has been a registered nurse since 1993 specializing in gerontology and served on the executive board of United Nurses of Alberta for 10 years. Over the past three decades, Karen has been a dedicated advocate for workers, patients, the labour movement, and civil society. She is a proud union member and social justice activist.
Funders
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The Alberta Law Foundation funds programs that conduct legal research, propose law reforms, improve Albertans’ knowledge of their legal rights and responsibilities, and help them effectively exercise their rights under the law. Learn more about the Alberta Law Foundation here.
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The United Way of Calgary and Area is a social impact charity that is passionate about deepening and diversifying the impact of community support. It brings people and organizations together to develop new solutions to address critical issues in the community, focusing on mental health, healthy relationships, socio-economic wellbeing, and social inclusion. Learn more about the United Way of Calgary and Area here.
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FCSS is a joint municipal-provincial funding program that provides preventive social services to tens of thousands of Calgarians and leverages millions of dollars through volunteer contributions and fundraised dollars. Learn more about FCSS here.
FAQs
Our services are free for Alberta workers. We do not charge for casework appointments or for our public legal education workshops.
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.
Not being treated fairly at work? Tell us your story and see how we can help find justice
Get HelpAbout 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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