Stat Holiday Pay in BC: A Practical Calculation Guide + Examples

If you're searching for a statutory holiday pay calculator for BC , here's the direct answer: statutory holiday pay equals an average day's pay , calculated by dividing the amount paid or payable for work done (including vacation pay, excluding overtime) in the 30 calendar days before the holiday by the number of days worked or on which wages were earned in that period. If the employee also works on the statutory holiday, they receive time-and-a-half for the first 12 hours worked, double time for hours over 12, plus the average day's pay . These rules are set out in Sections 44, 45, and 46 of the Employment Standards Act (RSBC 1996, c. 113). This guide provides the complete formula, eligibility rules, four detailed worked examples, common calculation errors, and substitution agreement rules — everything a BC employer needs to get stat holiday pay right every time. Important: Certain employees may be excluded from Part 5 of the ESA (Statutory Holidays), including managers and some commission-based salespersons. Employers should verify whether exclusions or special rules apply to their specific workforce before relying on these general rules. British Columbia recognizes 11 statutory holidays per year. Aligned with the BC government's published schedule (last updated for 2026 calendar year), the holidays are: New Year's Day — January 1 Family Day — Third Monday in February Good Friday — Varies (Friday before Easter Sunday) Victoria Day — Monday before May 25 Canada Day — July 1 B.C. Day — First Monday in August Labour Day — First Monday in September National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — September 30 Thanksgiving Day — Second Monday in October Remembrance Day — November 11 Christmas Day — December 25 Important: Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, and Boxing Day are not statutory holidays in BC, per the BC government's official guidance. Some employers choose to offer these as additional paid days off, but there is no statutory obligation to do so. 2026 Statutory Holiday Dates New Year's Day — Thursday, January 1 Family Day — Monday, February 16 Good Friday — Friday, April 3 Victoria Day — Monday, May 18 Canada Day — Wednesday, July 1 B.C. Day — Monday, August 3 Labour Day — Monday, September 7 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — Wednesday, September 30 Thanksgiving Day — Monday, October 12 Remembrance Day — Wednesday, November 11 Christmas Day — Friday, December 25 Employees receive statutory holiday pay if they qualify under the Employment Standards Act . To qualify, an employee must: Have been employed for at least 30 calendar days before the holiday, AND Have worked or earned wages on at least 15 of the 30 calendar days before the holiday. Employees working under an averaging agreement under Section 37 of the Act may also meet the eligibility requirement through their averaging schedule. If the employee qualifies, they are entitled to statutory holiday pay equal to an average day's pay whether they work on the holiday or take the day off. The BC government directs employers and employees to its official qualification guidance for the specific eligibility rules. BC's Employment Standards Act (Section 45) defines statutory holiday pay as an average day's pay . The formula is: Average Day's Pay = Amount Paid ÷ Days Worked Where: "Amount paid" means the amount paid or payable for work done during, and wages earned within, the 30 calendar days before the holiday — including vacation pay paid or payable for vacation days taken in that period, and excluding overtime pay. "Days worked" means the number of days on which the employee worked or earned wages during that same 30-day period. This includes days where the employee earned wages without physically working (e.g., paid vacation days, other statutory holidays paid in the period). Statutory holiday pay received during the 30-day window (e.g., if there was another statutory holiday in the previous month) must also be included in the "amount paid." For the most current detailed guidance, employers should confirm the exact wording against the official BC government calculation page linked from the statutory holidays page. When a qualifying employee works on a statutory holiday, the applicable pay rules are set out in Section 46 of the Employment Standards Act : For the first 12 hours worked: The employee receives 1.5× their regular wage for each hour worked. For hours worked beyond 12: The employee receives 2× their regular wage (double time) for each additional hour. Plus: The employee also receives their average day's pay (calculated using the formula in Section 45). Note: Employees who do not meet the eligibility requirements (i.e., employed less than 30 days or did not work/earn wages on 15+ of the 30 days) and who work on a statutory holiday generally receive only their regular wages for hours worked — they are not entitled to the premium pay or average day's pay. Scenario Maria earns $22.00/hour and works a regular Monday-to-Friday schedule, 8 hours pe