BC Minimum Wage Increase

By: Michelle Quinn

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This post was co-authored by Michelle Quinn and Sonia Khan, summer student.

The BC Government has increased the province’s minimum wage from $14.60 up to $15.20 per hour. This increase is part of a recent trend to provide security to BC’s lowest earners. The minimum wage applies to all workers of any age, with no separate minimum applying to minors.

Minimum wage applies regardless of how employees are paid – hourly, salary, commission or on an incentive basis. If an employee’s wage is below minimum wage for the hours they worked, the employer must top up their payment so that it’s equal to minimum wage.

The dates below show the gradual upward shift:

September 15, 2017 – $11.35 per hour
June 1, 2018 – $12.65 per hour
June 1, 2019 – $13.85 per hour
June 1, 2020 – $14.60 per hour
June 1, 2021 – $15.20 per hour

Beginning next year, the province’s minimum wage will be tied to inflation.

It is important to note that Part 1, Section 4 of the Employment Standards Act (“ESA”) does not allow for the minimum wage to be waived as part of an employment agreement. Agreed employment conditions that do not meet the minimum standards of the ESA, will be deemed to be of no effect. Certain employees are exempt from the ESA and are not entitled to minimum wage.

Liquor Servers

This wage increase also includes liquor servers who will now earn the general minimum wage. Before this increase, liquor servers earned a lesser minimum wage than the rest of the province at $13.95 per hour.

Part 4, Section 18.1 (1) of the Employment Standards Regulations defines a liquor server as an employee:

(a) whose primary duties are a server of food or drink or both, and(b) who as a regular part of the employee’s employment, serves liquor directly to customers, guests, members or patrons in premises for which a licence to sell liquor under the Liquor Control and Licensing Act.

If an employee falls under the above definition, you may need to review and amend applicable employment contracts to reflect the change.

If you need advice on employee matters and the ESA please contact any member of our Employment and Human Rights Group.

About Michelle Quinn

Michelle is a partner at RBS, and co-chair of the Employment and Human Rights Group. She acts for employees and employers and practices in all areas of employment and human rights law with a particular interest in workplace investigations. She is regularly asked to deliver training sessions to various organizations on their workplace policies including bullying, harassment, and discrimination. Michelle is also a member of the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution and personal injury law groups.

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