Understanding Overtime Pay Rights in Ottawa
Overtime pay isn’t optional—it’s the law. Yet many Ottawa employers misclassify roles, average hours illegally, or subtly pressure staff to work unpaid hours.
At Ottawa Employment Lawyers, we stand up for workers whose overtime rights have been denied or ignored.
Overtime Basics in Ontario
In most cases, once you exceed 44 hours of work in a single week, you’re owed 1.5x your hourly rate for each additional hour.
Examples:
- If you make $20/hour and work 48 hours, the 4 extra hours must be paid at $30/hour
- Overtime applies to both hourly and salaried workers (unless properly exempt)
Who Is Exempt from Overtime Pay?
Some job categories don’t qualify for overtime, such as:
- Senior managers with hiring and firing power
- Certain IT professionals
- Salespeople who work off-site or commission-only
- Regulated professionals (e.g., accountants, lawyers)
But employers often misuse these exemptions to save on labour costs. That’s where we come in.
Hidden Overtime: Are You Working for Free?
If you:
- Answer work emails after hours
- Take calls on weekends
- Are expected to arrive early or stay late “off the clock”
- Receive no additional pay despite working well beyond 44 hours
...you may be entitled to thousands in retroactive overtime pay.
How Ottawa Employers Misuse Overtime Law
Some Ottawa businesses:
- Fail to record hours properly
- Mislead salaried employees into thinking they aren’t eligible
- Use vague contracts to avoid overtime obligations
- Pressure employees to sign “agreements” they don’t understand
You don’t have to accept this. We help Ottawa employees assert their right to fair compensation.
What Our Ottawa Lawyers Can Do for You
We:
- Review your job classification and hours
- Help calculate what you're owed
- Challenge your employer’s exemptions or misclassifications
- Represent you in ESA claims or civil actions
- Negotiate for a fair settlement or court award
Ottawa's Workforce Deserves Better
From federal government workers to tech professionals and service staff, Ottawa’s employees deserve fair pay for every hour worked.
Let Ottawa Employment Lawyers evaluate your case and help you recover unpaid overtime. Contact us today.
