About This Site

Why This Site Exists

Going through the Employment Standards process in Manitoba made it clear how little most of us, including the person who built this site, know about our rights as employees.

The motivating context is personal. My grandfather was the President of the Steel Workers Union in Selkirk, Manitoba. I grew up hearing stories about life before and after unionization at the mill, and the difference the union made for the people working there. My great-grandfather lost his life in an industrial accident at that same mill, leaving behind five daughters and his wife with little accountability from the company.

That history sits behind this project. About 65% of Manitoba’s workforce is not unionized. For us, our “collective bargain” is whatever is written in the Manitoba Employment Standards Code, and the system administering that code is understaffed, complaints-based, and rarely proactive. It is also, in practice, very difficult to file a grievance against your employer while you are still an employee.

A company’s HR department has no legal obligation to enforce the Employment Standards Code, and frequently acts in conflict with it. Unpaid overtime, expectations to work statutory holidays without premium pay, and working through “vacation” are everyday breaches that HR turns a blind eye to, and in many cases will administer disciplinary action against employees who push back.

This site is the resource I wished I’d had when I started.

Who This Site Is For

• Non-unionized workers in Manitoba who want to understand the rights they already have.
• People in a preliminary stage of figuring out a workplace problem , before they decide whether to talk to a lawyer.
• People who want to file an Employment Standards claim themselves, without a lawyer, the way I did.
• Newcomers to Canada who often don’t realize that these rights apply to them regardless of citizenship or visa status.

What This Site Isn’t

Not legal advice

The information on this site is based on personal experience navigating an Employment Standards claim in Manitoba and on publicly available material. It is not legal advice, it is not a substitute for talking to an employment lawyer, and it does not create a lawyer-client relationship. The rules can change, and your specific situation may have details that affect the outcome. If you are facing termination, considering a claim, or unsure where you stand, talk to a qualified employment lawyer.

This site does not endorse a specific lawyer or law firm. The Resources page lists a number of starting points for finding legal help in Manitoba.

The site’s scope is currently Manitoba. Other provinces have similar codes, but the specifics differ enough that the details here should not be relied on outside Manitoba.

Contributing and Feedback

If you spot something on this site that is out of date or wrong, please get in touch. The goal is for the information here to be useful, accurate, and current.