BC's Employment Standards Act is the law that provides minimum standards that employers in BC must follow. The Employment Standards Branch (ESB) is the government department that is responsible for employment standards. It is important to understand that not all jobs are covered by the Act and for some jobs, only parts of the Act apply.
The ESB encourages employees and employers to resolve problems on their own, without government involvement. You can find information and tips about resolving a dispute on the AdminLawBC website under Early Resolution.
If the employee and employer are unable to resolve the issue, you can file a complaint to bring the issue before the ESB. They may conduct an investigation, facilitate a resolution or make a decision regarding a complaint. The Employment Standards Act provides a six-month time limit for filing complaints and a six-month time limit for the ESB to go back to review if an employer owes money to an employee.