Averaging Agreements

New rules allow greater flexibility in work scheduling under the Employment Standards Act.

In British Columbia, the standard work day is eight hours and the standard work week is 40 hours. When these standards are exceeded, overtime is generally payable.

To meet the need for flexibility in a changing work environment the Employment Standards Act allows employers and employees enter into "Averaging Agreements."

An Averaging Agreement is an individual agreement between an employer and an employee to schedule hours outside the standard eight-hour day and 40-hour week over 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks.

These new rules will help:

• Employees who want to schedule extra hours in exchange for time off to meet work and family responsibilities.
• Employers and employees who want to implement a "compressed work-week" where employees work longer days or more than five days in a week in exchange for more days off.
• Businesses that need the flexibility to provide services over extended hours.

This web site will tell you more about the new rules and how they may apply to you and your business.

Important: With the coming into force of these rules all previous "flexible work schedules" under the Employment Standards Act are cancelled. Unless there is an Averaging Agreement or Variance in place, the normal Hours of Work and Overtime rules will apply.