With National Patriots’ Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, and Canada Day all landing within a six-week stretch this spring and summer, Quebec’s stat holiday calendar is looking pretty good right now. But those aren’t the only days off you’re entitled to.
Under Quebec’s Act respecting labour standards, enforced by the CNESST, employees can also take protected leave for a range of personal and family situations, and in most cases, none of it comes out of your vacation bank. Some of these days are paid, others aren’t, but your job is protected either way.
The problem is that many workers don’t know these protections exist. When life gets complicated, the default assumption is to burn through vacation days, when the law already has you covered.
For context, you’ll generally need to give your employer as much notice as possible, and they can ask for supporting documentation like a medical note or proof of the event. But the entitlement itself? It’s already on the books.
Here are seven situations where Quebec law gives you the right to take time off.
Getting married or watching someone in your family do it
If you’re tying the knot or entering a civil union, you’re entitled to one paid day off. If it’s your child, sibling or parent getting married, you get one unpaid day.
Either way, you need to give at least a week’s notice, and the leave has to be taken on or before the date of the wedding.
When a baby arrives or an adoption goes through
Whether you’re a biological or adoptive parent, Quebec law gives you five days off when a child comes into your family. The first two are paid, and the leave needs to be taken within 15 days of the birth or adoption.
One exception is if you’re already on maternity or paternity leave at the time. In that case, you’re not entitled to these five days separately.
Taking care of a family member
Every Quebec worker gets up to 10 days per year to deal with family caregiving responsibilities, including things like a child’s health or education, or a parent’s medical needs. You can take them as full days or split them into half-days.
If you’ve been with your employer for at least three months, the first two of those days have to be paid.
After a miscarriage or abortion
If a pregnancy ends before 20 weeks, you’re entitled to up to three weeks of unpaid leave with a doctor’s note. If it happens after 20 weeks, that extends to up to 20 weeks of unpaid parental leave.
If it’s your partner who experiences the loss, you can take five days off, with the first two paid.
When someone close to you passes away
The death of a spouse, child, sibling or parent entitles you to five days off, two of which must be paid. For the death of a grandparent or other close relative, you’re entitled to one unpaid day.
If a family member dies by suicide
This one is less widely known. If your spouse, child or parent dies by suicide, Quebec law allows you to take up to 104 weeks of unpaid leave. The provision exists specifically to give workers job security during an extended period of grief and recovery.
Jury duty or testifying in court
If you’re summoned for jury duty or called as a witness, your employer has to let you go. It’s a civic obligation, and your job is protected. They’re not required to pay you during that time unless a collective agreement says otherwise, but you may be eligible for government compensation to cover expenses like meals or childcare.
