Your rights at work

For: most employees in AlbertaChecked: October 20, 2026, against Government of Alberta sourcesRead time: 7 min

Your first job comes with rights, even if nobody tells you about them. In Alberta, most of them come from one law: the Employment Standards Code.

Employment Standards Code: the Alberta law that sets the minimum rules for most jobs, like pay, breaks and what happens when a job ends. Your employer can give you more than these minimums, but not less.

01Situations you might face

02Your rights

Pay

• Minimum wage: $15 an hour for most employees.
• Student wage (under 18): employers can pay $13 an hour to students under 18 for the first 28 hours worked in a week while school is in session. Hours past 28 must be paid at $15. When school is out, like summer break, $13 can apply to regular hours.
• Pay statements: your employer must give you a statement at the end of every pay period showing your hours, your pay rate, what you earned and every deduction.
• 3-hour minimum: each time you're required to report to work, you must be paid for at least 3 hours at minimum wage, even if you're sent home early. This doesn't apply if you asked for a shorter shift or left early for your own reasons, like being sick.

Breaks and rest

• The break must come within or right after your first 5 hours. If you and your employer agree, a 30-minute break can be split into two breaks of at least 15 minutes.
• Your employer usually decides if breaks are paid. But if you're not allowed to leave during your break, it must be paid.
• You get at least 8 hours of rest between shifts, and at least 24 hours' written notice before you're switched from one shift to another.

Overtime

Overtime: extra hours past the normal limit, which are paid at a higher rate.

• Overtime usually starts after 8 hours in a day or 44 hours in a week, whichever adds up to more.
• Overtime is paid at 1.5 times your regular wage.
• Some workplaces "bank" overtime as paid time off instead. That's only allowed with a written overtime agreement. Some industries have different overtime rules.

Deductions from your pay

Deduction: money your employer takes off your pay before you get it.

• Uniforms: your employer can't take money from your pay to buy, rent, clean or repair a uniform or other special clothing you're required to wear.
• Mistakes and accidents: your employer can't take money from your pay for "faulty work," like accidentally breaking equipment or making an error.
• Cash shortages and breakage: not allowed if other people, like coworkers, managers or customers, had access to the cash or items. Even then, it's only allowed if you could count your own float and you gave written permission.

If you're under 18

• Ages 13 and 14: you need a parent or guardian's consent for any job. No work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. On school days, up to 2 hours of work outside school hours. In food service, an adult must supervise you the whole time.
• Ages 15 to 17: you can do most kinds of work. At 15, you can't work during school hours. In retail and hospitality, working between 9 p.m. and midnight requires adult supervision, and you can't work from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m.

When a job ends

Notice: a heads-up, given ahead of time, that a job is ending. Termination pay: pay given instead of notice.

If you've worked somewhere for more than 90 days, your employer generally has to give you written notice or termination pay. Some jobs, like seasonal work, are exceptions.

• If you quit: after 90 days, you're expected to give 1 week's notice (2 weeks once you've worked there 2 years or more).
• Final pay deadline: whether you quit or were let go, your employer must pay everything you're owed by one of two deadlines, and your employer picks which: within 10 days after the end of the pay period in which the job ended, or within 31 days after your last day. That includes wages, overtime, unpaid vacation pay and holiday pay.

Speaking up

• You can make an Employment Standards complaint while you still work there, or up to 6 months after your last day. It's free.
• Your employer can't fire you for making a complaint, or for being about to make one.

03Red flags

• You're paid in cash with no pay statement showing your hours and pay.
• You work long shifts with no break, and you're told breaks "aren't a thing here."
• Money comes off your cheque for mistakes, broken items, a short till or your uniform.
• You're called a "contractor," but you work set shifts for one boss, like any other employee.
• You're under 18 and asked to work late without an adult, or past midnight.
• Your hours or pay get cut after you ask a question about your rights.

04What you can do next

These are common first steps people take. They're general information, not advice about your situation.

• Keep your own records. Write down the dates you work, your start and end times, and your breaks. Save your pay stubs, schedules and texts from your manager.
• Check every pay stub. Compare it to your own record of hours.
• Raise it with your employer. Many problems are honest mistakes. Employment Standards suggests talking to your employer first, and for pay problems, waiting one pay period to see if it's fixed. Putting it in writing, like an email, gives you a record.
• Ask questions for free. The Employment Standards Contact Centre answers questions about pay, hours, breaks and jobs ending.
• Make a complaint if it isn't fixed. You can file online at escs.alberta.ca. You'll need an Alberta.ca account and any records you have.

05When to get real help

Talk to a legal service, not just a website, if:

• You were fired and think it was unfair, or because of who you are, like your race, gender, disability or religion.
• You're owed a lot of money, or your employer won't respond.
• You're in a union. Your union representative and your collective agreement come first.
• You were hurt at work.

06Sources

• Government of Alberta, Minimum wage
• Government of Alberta, Payment of earnings
• Government of Alberta, Hours of work and rest
• Government of Alberta, Overtime Hours and Overtime Pay (fact sheet)
• Government of Alberta, Deductions from earnings
• Government of Alberta, Youth employment laws
• Government of Alberta, Termination and lay-off
• Government of Alberta, Make an employment standards complaint
• Employment Standards Code, RSA 2000, c E-9 (the law itself)

Information, not advice. This guide explains the general rules for most Alberta employees. It isn't legal advice, and some jobs and industries have different rules. Laws change: if anything here differs from the Employment Standards Code or alberta.ca, those win. Checked by our content team on October 20, 2026. Lawyer review is in progress. Spot an error? Email info@plainlawproject.ca.

Renting your first place

For: most tenants renting a home, apartment or room in AlbertaChecked: October 20, 2026, against Government of Alberta sourcesRead time: 7 min

Renting comes with rules for both you and your landlord. In Alberta, most of them come from the Residential Tenancies Act.

Residential Tenancies Act (RTA): the Alberta law that sets the rules for most rentals. It applies even if your lease doesn't mention it, and a lease can't take away the rights it gives you. Tenant: the person renting. Landlord: the person or company renting to you.

Damage deposit (the law calls it a security deposit): money you pay at the start, which the landlord holds in case you owe rent or cause damage.

01Situations you might face

02Your rights

Before you move in

Lease (the law calls it a residential tenancy agreement): your rental agreement, written or spoken. Fixed-term: a lease with a set end date, like a one-year lease. Periodic: a lease that rolls over week-to-week or month-to-month until someone ends it.

• Deposit limit: no more than one month's rent at the start of the tenancy. It can't be raised later, even if your rent goes up.
• Your copy: you're entitled to a copy of your signed lease.
• Move-in inspection: required. It must happen within one week before or after you move in. You and your landlord inspect together, both sign the report, and you get a copy.

While you live there

• Entry: your landlord usually needs to give you written, signed notice at least 24 hours ahead, saying why they're coming and when. Entry is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and not on a holiday or your day of worship. No notice is needed in an emergency or if you agree.
• Rent increases: rent can go up only once a year (365 days) after the last increase or the start of your tenancy. In a month-to-month tenancy, you must get 3 full months' written notice. In a fixed-term lease, rent stays the same for the term unless you both agree. There's no limit on how much rent can go up.
• Subletting: you need your landlord's written permission to sublet. Your landlord can't charge a fee for agreeing.
• No lockouts: a landlord can't lock you out of your home.

Ending a tenancy

Fixed-term leases end on the date in the lease. Neither side needs to give notice. Periodic tenancies need written notice:

• "Full month" means a whole rental period. If you pay rent on the 1st and want to leave at the end of November, your notice must reach your landlord by November 1.
• To end a periodic tenancy without a problem on your side, a landlord needs one of the reasons listed in the law, like moving in themselves or a family member, or tearing down the building.
• If a tenant seriously breaks the lease, like not paying rent, a landlord can give a 14-day notice. If the notice is for unpaid rent and you pay everything owed by the end date, the notice no longer counts.

Your deposit when you move out

• Move-out inspection: required, within one week of moving out. You both sign, and you get a copy.
• 10-day deadline: within 10 days of you moving out, your landlord must return your full deposit plus any interest, or give you an itemized statement of what they're keeping and why. If they give an estimate, the final statement and any money left is due within 30 days.
• If the inspection rules weren't followed, your landlord may not be able to take damage costs out of your deposit.

Settling a dispute

RTDRS (Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service): a government service that settles landlord and tenant disputes over the phone, without going to court.

• Tenants can apply about a deposit, repairs, damages or a landlord breaking the lease. Claims generally must be filed within 2 years.
• A filing fee applies. Check alberta.ca/rtdrs-apply for the current amount.

03Red flags

• The landlord wants a deposit bigger than one month's rent.
• You pay a deposit in cash and get no receipt.
• The landlord skips the move-in inspection, or won't give you a copy.
• The landlord changes the locks or removes your things.
• You're charged a fee to sublet.
• You're told to leave "by Friday," with no written notice and no reason.

04What you can do next

These are common first steps people take. They're general information, not advice about your situation.

• Take dated photos or video of every room when you move in and move out.
• Put requests in writing, like repair requests or a request for your deposit, and keep copies.
• Keep receipts for rent and your deposit, and keep your lease and inspection reports somewhere safe.
• Give your landlord a forwarding address in writing when you move out, so they know where to send your deposit.
• Ask questions for free. The Consumer Contact Centre answers questions about renting.
• Apply to the RTDRS if a dispute can't be worked out.

05When to get real help

Talk to a legal service, not just a website, if:

• You got an eviction notice and you disagree with it, or the deadline is close.
• You've been locked out, or your belongings were taken.
• A lot of money is at stake, or you're thinking about applying to the RTDRS or court.
• You think a landlord turned you down or treated you differently because of who you are.

06Sources

• Government of Alberta, Starting a tenancy
• Government of Alberta, Common problems: landlords and tenants
• Government of Alberta, Residential Tenancies Act: Quick Reference Guide
• Government of Alberta, RTDRS overview
• Residential Tenancies Act, SA 2004, c R-17.1 (the law itself)

Information, not advice. This guide explains the general rules for most Alberta rentals. It isn't legal advice. Some housing, like mobile home sites, university residences and some shared housing, follows different rules. Laws change: if anything here differs from the Residential Tenancies Act or alberta.ca, those win. Checked by our content team on October 20, 2026. Lawyer review is in progress. Spot an error? Email info@plainlawproject.ca.

Contracts, made simple

For: anyone signing up for a plan, membership or purchase in AlbertaChecked: October 20, 2026, against Alberta and federal sourcesRead time: 6 min

You agree to contracts all the time: a phone plan, a gym membership, an app's terms, a used car. Knowing what you're agreeing to is the best protection you have.

Contract: an agreement between two or more people that the law will enforce. It can be written, spoken, or a click on "I agree."

01Situations you might face

02Your rights

What makes a contract binding

According to CPLEA, an agreement is generally only enforceable if it has all of these:

• Capacity: the people agreeing are legally able to, which usually means being 18 or older.
• Offer and acceptance: one side offers, and the other says yes.
• Consideration: each side gives something of value, like money for a service.
• Intent: both sides mean for it to be a real, binding deal.
• Clear terms: it's clear what each side has agreed to do.
• A legal purpose: a deal to do something illegal can't be enforced.

Before you sign

• Read the whole thing, including the fine print and any linked terms.
• Check the total cost, including fees and taxes, how long it lasts, and whether it renews automatically.
• Find out how to cancel and what cancelling costs.
• If something was promised to you out loud, make sure it's written in the contract.
• Keep your own copy.

Cancelling: what Alberta law says

• Door-to-door and other direct sales: for purchases over $25 made in person away from the seller's usual place of business, you have 10 days from getting your copy of the contract to cancel. You don't need a reason.
• Online purchases: for contracts over $50, you can cancel within 7 days if the business didn't properly show the total amount you'd owe. You can also cancel if your order wasn't delivered within 30 days of the delivery date.
• For most other contracts, there's no automatic right to cancel just because you changed your mind. What you can do depends on the contract's own terms.

Gyms and memberships

• How you can cancel usually depends on what your contract says, so the time to check is before you sign.
• Look for the length of the term, auto-renewal, cancellation fees, and how notice must be given.
• Stopping your payments usually doesn't cancel a contract. It can lead to fees or collections.

Phone plans

Wireless Code: federal rules from the CRTC, the national regulator, that cover cell phone contracts across Canada.

• Trial period: if your contract has an early cancellation fee, you get a trial of at least 15 calendar days. You can cancel with no penalty if you stayed under the usage limits and return any device in near-new condition.
• After that: under the Wireless Code, carriers can't charge cancellation fees after 24 months.

If you're under 18

• Being able to make a binding contract is usually tied to being 18. There are exceptions, so a contract signed at 16 or 17 isn't automatically void. CPLEA's youth FAQs explain more.

03Red flags

• "Sign today, this deal ends tonight."
• Blank spaces in the contract, or pages you weren't shown.
• Promises made out loud that aren't written down.
• A "free trial" that needs your card details and quietly turns into a paid plan.
• "All sales are final" on a door-to-door sale.
• The business won't give you a copy of what you signed.

04What you can do next

These are common first steps people take. They're general information, not advice about your situation.

• Find your copy of the contract and look for the cancellation terms.
• Cancel in writing and keep proof, like an email or a confirmation number.
• Watch the deadlines. Cancellation windows, like 10 days for direct sales, are short.
• Ask questions for free. The Consumer Contact Centre answers questions about consumer contracts in Alberta.

05When to get real help

Talk to a legal service, not just a website, if:

• A lot of money is involved, or you're being sent to collections.
• You're being sued, or thinking about suing.
• You think you were tricked or pressured into signing.
• You lost money to a scam. Report it to the police too.

06Sources

• CPLEA, Canadian Legal FAQs: Contracts and consumer information
• CPLEA LawNow, Introduction to Contracts
• Government of Alberta, Consumer Bill of Rights
• CRTC, Mobile service trial period
• CRTC, Telecom Regulatory Policy 2013-586 (The Wireless Code)
• Consumer Protection Act, RSA 2000, c C-26.3 (the law itself)

Information, not advice. This guide explains general rules. It isn't legal advice, and every contract is different. Laws change: if anything here differs from the law or an official source, the official source wins. Checked by our content team on October 20, 2026. Lawyer review is in progress. Spot an error? Email info@plainlawproject.ca.