By Kristina Kovacevic
The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
That’s when the armistice was signed in 1918: 11:00 AM on November 11, ending World War I. Over a century later, we still stop at exactly that moment. Not 11:05. Not “around lunch.” Exactly then.
There’s something about precision in remembrance. The red poppy with its black center. The wreath laid first by the Governor General. The silence that somehow feels louder than noise. (Read below for more interesting facts about Remembrance Day!)
And then there’s the other kind of precision: the BC Employment Standards Act kind.
Your employees will remember how you handled this day. Whether you acknowledged it. Whether you made it easy or hard for them to participate. Whether the paycheque reflected what they were owed.
1. Is Remembrance Day a Statutory Holiday in BC?
Yes. Remembrance Day is a statutory holiday in British Columbia under the Employment Standards Act. However, it’s not recognized in every province.
Not a stat holiday in: Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba.
So if you’re running payroll across provinces, November 11 isn’t universal. Someone in your Vancouver office has different entitlements than someone in your Toronto office, even if they have the exact same role.
*Multi-province employers: this is where mistakes happen. Make sure your payroll system and the people running it know which rules apply where.
2. The 30-15 Rule
Here’s what most people miss: not everyone gets statutory holiday pay for November 11.
Your employee needs 30 calendar days of employment and needs to have worked or earned wages on at least 15 of the 30 days before the holiday. Miss either threshold? They’re not entitled to stat pay, though they still get paid regular wages if they work that day.
This sometimes confuses seasonal businesses and new hires. Someone hired on October 15? They don’t qualify. Someone who’s been around but only worked 12 shifts in the past month? Also no.
3. Calculating Remembrance Day Pay
If they don’t work: An average day’s pay, calculated from the previous 30 days of earnings.
If they do work: 1.5x regular wage for the first 12 hours, double time after that, plus that average day’s pay on top.
Yes, on top. So if someone works an 8-hour shift on Remembrance Day, they’re getting paid for 20 hours of work (8 hours at 1.5x = 12 hours, plus 8 hours average day’s pay).
4. The Substitution Loophole
You can swap Remembrance Day for another day, but only if both parties agree in writing and it’s genuinely mutual.
“Genuinely mutual” matters here. If you’re effectively forcing someone to work on November 11 by making the alternative financially or practically impossible, that’s not an agreement.
And if you do substitute? That new day becomes a statutory holiday. All the same rules apply.
5. Interesting Facts about Remembrance Day
- Remembrance Day wasn’t always called Remembrance Day! It began as Armistice Day, marking the exact moment peace was declared to end World War I.
- The red poppy is the star of the show. Fun detail: the centre of the poppy has switched between green and black over the years. Today it’s black, matching the centre of real poppies in the wild.
- Canada has its own Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa. This special place honours all the unnamed heroes who served and sacrificed. It’s a powerful symbol of collective memory and gratitude.
- Who lays the first wreath? Typically, it’s the Governor General or sometimes a member of the Royal Family, as part of the ceremony at the National War Memorial. A meaningful tradition with deep respect.
- Remembrance Day honours more than just World War I and II. It recognizes all Canadian Armed Forces members who have given their lives — including those in peacekeeping missions and modern conflicts.
6. Getting This Right
- Check eligibility before the holiday, not after
- Communicate clearly about whether you’re open (province dependent) and what that means for pay
- If someone is working, make sure payroll knows to apply the premium rates and the average day’s pay.
And if your policies haven’t been looked at in a while? Now’s a good time. Because statutory holiday rules in BC aren’t suggestions – they’re requirements.
Pivot HR Services works with BC employers to make sure policies are current, compliant, and actually reflect how your workplace operates. We help you get the details right so you can focus on the bigger picture. Have questions about Remembrance Day pay or holiday compliance? Contact us for a free consultation.