Leis Trabalhistas

Através da CLT, sancionada pelo então presidente Getúlio Vargas em 1943, o trabalhador brasileiro adquiriu uma série de benefícios e direitos que não tinha até então, como a regularização da jornada de trabalho de 44 horas semanais.

No Canadá os trabalhadores "full-time" como são chamados aqueles que seriam "registrados em carteira" também têm alguns desses benefícios, mas você sabe como funcionam as Leis Trabalhistas por aqui?

Elas não são muito diferentes das nossas, embora tenham algumas peculiaridades. Vou fazer aqui um "resumo do resumo" mas vocês podem encontrar tudo detalhado na parte de Recursos Humanos do Governo do Canadá.

Jornada de Trabalho:

As pessoas às quais as leis trabalhistas são aplicadas (aquelas que teriam a CLT) não podem trabalhar mais do que 10 horas por dia, a não ser que haja um acordo prévio com o propósito de encurtar 1 dia de trabalho durante a semana,por exemplo.

A jornada máxima permitida é de 60 horas semanais e ela não pode ter início antes das 7 da manhã ou terminar após as 18h30 em fábricas. Nas lojas ninguém pode começar a trabalhar antes das 6 da manhã.

Em Ontario o trabalhador tem a opção de uma pausa em 2 períodos do dia totalizando 30 minutos e o horário de almoço ou pausa para refeição não é remunerado (assim como no Brasil). No entanto, em algumas jurisdições os trabalhadores que devem permanecer em seus postos de trabalho ou estar disponíveis para o trabalho durante o horário da refeição deverão ser pagos normalmente.

O empregador não é obrigado a fornecer coffe breaks aos seus funcionários, mas onde ele é permitido a pausa deverá ser considerada como hora trabalhada.

Férias:

Trabalhadores elegíveis têm direito a pelo menos 2 semanas de férias remuneradas para cada ano completo trabalhado.
Já ouvi algumas pessoas falarem também que para cada mês trabalhado você tem direito a 1 dia de férias, o que daria 12 dias em 1 ano, mas não encontrei essa informação oficialmente.

Aqui vai um trecho de pontos importantes que você deverá ler sobre as Leis de Trabalho, tais como aviso prévio e aposentadoria:

Individual Terminations

Normally, the legislation provides for increases in the individual notice of termination period based on the years of service of the employee. For example, the provisions may require one week's notice for an employee who has been employed for three months or more but less than two years; two weeks' notice where employed for two years or more but less than five; four weeks' notice where employed five years or more but less than 10; and eight weeks' notice where employed 10 years or more.

It is usually prohibited for an employer to make the period of notice coincide with an employee's vacation.

Notice of group termination of employment is usually served upon the employees involved, and/or upon the trade union, and on the government authorities. The length of the notice period usually increases with the number of redundant employees involved, and can range from four to eighteen weeks.

Other Related Provisions

The Canada Labour Code also provides for severance pay to employees who have 12 months service or more. Ontario has a similar provision covering employees with five years' service or more. In both jurisdictions, severance pay is payable in cases of both group and individual termination of employment provided the eligibility requirements are met.

In addition to the various terminations of employment provisions, employment standards legislation in Canada usually makes it illegal to dismiss employees contrary to human rights legislation, or because of pregnancy, trade union activities, participation in proceedings under industrial relations, employment standards or occupational health and safety legislation, or for garnishment or attachment of wages.

Finally, any portion of unused vacation must be paid upon termination of employment during a working year.

Retirement:

In Canada, labour laws do not specify a retirement age for employees. However, some laws or government policies governing specific occupations set an age limit for persons employed in those occupations.

Forcing an employee to retire by reason of age is considered to be a human rights issue and is regulated by human rights legislation. However, in Quebec, provisions dealing specifically with mandatory retirement are also contained in labour standards legislation.

In Quebec, forcing an employee to retire because of age is considered to be discriminatory under the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. In addition, since the enactment of An Act respecting the abolition of compulsory retirement, which took effect on April 1, 1982, the Act respecting labour standards stipulates that an employee is entitled to continue to work despite the fact that he has reached or passed the age or number of years of service at which he should retire pursuant to a retirement plan or the common practice of his employer. However, this right does not preclude an employer from dismissing, suspending or transferring an employee for good and sufficient reason. A person who is forced to retire at a certain age can file a complaint with the Human and Youth Rights Commission (HYRC), which has the power to investigate, determine whether there was discrimination and, if necessary, require remedial measures. However, if recourse is exercised against mandatory retirement before the Labour Standards Commission or the Labour Relations Commission under the Act respecting labour standards, or before a court of law, the HYRC no longer has jurisdiction in the case until that recourse has been exhausted.

At the federal level, it is not a discriminatory practice under the Canadian Human Rights Act to terminate an individual’s employment because that individual has reached the normal age of retirement for employees working in similar positions. Therefore, in those circumstances, as stated in the Act, mandatory retirement is permitted.