Finding and hiring employees.

So, you’ve successfully started and grown your business, reaching the stage where you need to hire your first employee. Congratulations! Taking on employees can be exciting, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility. We’ve put some key information and resources together for you so that you can make sure you have your bases covered.

Hiring: what to consider first.

Hiring employees is a big step—you’ll be responsible for their actions in your business and will need to ensure that you follow employment laws and standards.

As an employer, it’s your job to create a process for hiring, training, and terminating employees. Your people are part of your brand and guiding them to be positive ambassadors for your business ensures your success.

Know the rules for employers.

How many vacation days do your employees get? How much overtime pay do you have to pay them? What statutory holidays are they entitled to? The provincial and federal governments have regulations and guidelines to make sure that employees are treated fairly.

Provincial rules:

The rules in every province vary. To learn more about the most current rules in Alberta, visit the Service Alberta Labour Standards website. The Government of Alberta also has articles and resources related to employment laws and standards on the ALIS website.

Federal rules:

Some industries are federally regulated, meaning employers must follow federal government regulations. Other industries are provincially regulated. Find out if your industry is provincially or federally regulated from the Government of Canada.

Other resources:

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