New Brunswick Employment Standards: What Employers Need to Know in 2026

As of April 1, 2026, New Brunswick's general minimum wage is $15.90 per hour . This rate is indexed annually to the New Brunswick Consumer Price Index — the provincial CPI, not the national figure. Employers must pay at least this amount for every hour worked; tips and gratuities cannot be counted toward satisfying the minimum wage obligation. The standard overtime threshold in New Brunswick is 44 hours per week . Any hours worked beyond 44 in a single week must be compensated at 1.5 times the applicable minimum wage. Employers and employees may agree in writing to bank overtime hours as paid time off, but the arrangement must comply with the Employment Standards Act . Meal breaks: Employees are entitled to an unpaid break of at least 30 minutes after every five consecutive hours of work. This break is unpaid unless the employer requires the employee to remain available during the period. Pay frequency: Wages must be paid at least semi-monthly (twice per month) or more frequently. After each pay period ends, wages are due within 7 days . Employers must also retain payroll and employment records for a minimum of 36 months after an employee's last day of work. These standards apply broadly to full-time, part-time, casual, temporary, and foreign workers in provincially regulated workplaces. Exemptions exist for babysitters, home care workers, construction workers employed directly by homeowners, independent contractors, certain small-farm agricultural employees, and workers in federally regulated industries. New Brunswick recognizes several statutory (paid public) holidays each year. To qualify for statutory holiday pay, an employee must have been employed for at least 90 calendar days . Eligible employees who do not work on a statutory holiday receive a regular day's pay; those who do work are entitled to premium pay as prescribed by the Employment Standards Act . Vacation entitlements are also governed by the Act. After one year of continuous employment, employees are entitled to a minimum of two weeks of vacation and vacation pay equal to 4% of gross earnings. After five or more years with the same employer, entitlements increase to three weeks of vacation and 6% vacation pay. Leave entitlements under New Brunswick law include: Maternity leave — up to 17 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for birth mothers. Parental leave — up to 63 weeks of unpaid leave available to either parent (may be combined with maternity leave up to statutory maximums). Bereavement leave — unpaid leave following the death of a close family member. Sick leave and family responsibility leave — unpaid, job-protected days as specified in the Act. Domestic violence, intimate partner violence, or sexual violence leave — job-protected leave for affected employees. Employers may not penalize or terminate an employee for exercising a statutory leave right. Full details are published by the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour. Individual termination: Under the Employment Standards Act , employers must provide written notice of termination (or pay in lieu) based on the employee's length of service. Notice periods increase with tenure, and employers cannot contract out of these minimums. Employees terminated for just cause may forfeit notice entitlements, but the threshold for just cause is high. Group termination: Special rules apply when an employer terminates 10 or more employees who represent 25% or more of the workforce within a 28-day period . In such cases, the employer must provide at least 6 weeks' written notice to the Minister responsible for labour before the terminations take effect. This requirement exists to allow government agencies to coordinate retraining and employment support for affected workers. Enforcement and complaints: The Employment Standards Act is administered by the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour . Employees who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with the Labour and Employment Board . Penalties for non-compliance are imposed under the Provincial Offences Procedure Act and can include fines and orders to pay outstanding wages. Employers should conduct periodic audits of their payroll practices, record-keeping, and termination procedures to ensure full compliance.