Penalties and Reciprocal Enforcement
On this page
Current legal reference synchronized from Ontario e-Laws. Open a Learning Centre walkthrough if you need the steps and form numbers. The statute text below is the legal wording.
Who this affects. Employees and employers dealing with wages, hours, leave or termination pay.
Guides on this site.
- How to file an Employment Standards claim in Ontario
- What termination pay means in Ontario
- How to report a workplace injury in Ontario
- Hours of work and overtime in Ontario
Government text current to 2026-11-02.
Confirm a critical date on the official source after you read this page.
Public legal information, not legal advice. For advice, contact a lawyer or licensed paralegal who works in this area.
O. Reg. 289/01: PENALTIES AND RECIPROCAL ENFORCEMENT, Under: Employment Standards Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 41
Employment Standards Act, 2000
Penalties and reciprocal enforcement
Consolidation Period: From July 1, 2024 to the e-Laws currency date.
Last amendment: 189/24.
Legislative History: 142/03, 532/05, 475/06, 295/11, 315/17, 528/17, 450/18, 100/23, 189/24.
This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.
Prescribed penalties re notices of contravention
1. The following penalties are prescribed for the purposes of subsection 113 (1) of the Act:
| Item | Column 1 | Column 2 |
| 1. | If the notice relates to a contravention of subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3) of the Act | 15,000 |
| 2. | If the notice relates to the second contravention in a three-year period of subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3) of the Act | 25,000 |
| 3. | If the notice relates to the third or subsequent contravention in a three-year period of subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3) of the Act | 50,000 |
| 4. | If the notice relates to a contravention of a provision of the Act other than subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3) | 250 |
| 5. | If the notice relates to the second contravention in a three-year period of a provision of the Act other than subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3) | 500 |
| 6. | If the notice relates to the third or subsequent contravention in a three-year period of a provision of the Act other than subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3) | 5,000 |
| 7. | If the notice relates to a contravention of a provision of the Act other than section 2, 15, 15.1 or 16 or subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3), and the contravention affects more than one employee | 250, multiplied by the number of employees affected |
| 8. | If the notice relates to the second contravention in a three-year period of a provision of the Act other than section 2, 15, 15.1 or 16 or subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3), and the contravention affects more than one employee | 500, multiplied by the number of employees affected |
| 9. | If the notice relates to the third or subsequent contravention in a three-year period of a provision of the Act other than section 2, 15, 15.1 or 16 or subsection 74.1.1 (1), 74.1.1 (2), 74.1.2 (1), 74.1.2 (2) or 74.1.3 (3), and the contravention affects more than one employee | 5,000, multiplied by the number of employees affected |
O. Reg. 289/01, s. 1; O. Reg. 142/03, s. 1; O. Reg. 315/17, s. 1; O. Reg. 528/17, s. 2; O. Reg. 450/18, s. 1; O. Reg. 100/23, s. 1; O. Reg. 189/24, s. 1.
Reciprocal enforcement of orders
2. (1) Each state listed in Column 1 of the Table to this section is prescribed as a reciprocating state for the purposes of section 130 of the Act. O. Reg. 289/01, s. 2 (1).
(2) Each authority listed in Column 2 of the Table to this section is prescribed as the designated authority for the state listed opposite it in Column 1. O. Reg. 289/01, s. 2 (2).
TABLE
| Column 1 | Column 2 |
| Alberta | Director of Employment Standards for Alberta |
| British Columbia | Director of Employment Standards for British Columbia |
| Manitoba | Director of Employment Standards for Manitoba |
| New Brunswick | Director of Employment Standards for New Brunswick |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Director of Labour Standards for Newfoundland and Labrador |
| Northwest Territories | Labour Standards Board of the Northwest Te rritories |
| Nova Scotia | Director of Employment Standards for Nova Scotia |
| Nunavut | Nunavut Labour Standards Board |
| Prince Edward Island | Inspector of Labour Standards for Prince Edward Island |
| Quebec | Commission des normes du travail |
| Saskatchewan | Director of Labour Standards for Saskatchewan |
| Yukon | Director of Employment Standards for the Yukon |
O. Reg. 289/01, s. 2, Table; O. Reg. 475/06, s. 1; O. Reg. 295/11, s. 1.
3. Omitted (provides for coming into force of provisions of this Regulation). O. Reg. 289/01, s. 3.