BetterThese rules apply whether your job is full time or part time, whether you signed a contract or not. They do not depend on what your boss said, nor on what an internal policy states.
Three deadlines decide your recourse: 45 days for a complaint of dismissal without good and sufficient cause, 12 months for unpaid wages, 2 years for harassment. Each has a precise starting point, and that is what counts. And in a dismissal case, it is up to the employer to prove that they had sufficient cause, not up to you to prove you did nothing wrong.
The basicsThe minimum wage
Since 1 May 2026, the general minimum wage rate in Quebec is $16.60 an hour. For people who receive tips, the rate is $13.30 an hour.
These rates are reviewed every year, generally on 1 May. If you are reading this later, check the rate in force on the CNESST website.
A wage below the minimum is not legal, even if you agreed to it. A verbal agreement, an arrangement "just to help out" or a signature at the bottom of a page cannot make you give up the minimum set by law.
The shortest deadlineDismissal: 45 days, and who has to prove what
If you believe you were dismissed without good and sufficient cause, you can file a complaint with the CNESST. The deadline is 45 days from the dismissal. It is the shortest deadline in this article, and too often the one people discover after the fact.
This particular recourse requires at least two years of uninterrupted service with the same employer. Below that it is not open, but other recourses exist, notably where the dismissal rests on a prohibited ground (having exercised a right provided by law, for example). Those have their own conditions and their own deadlines: if you are in that situation, the CNESST is the right door for finding out which applies.
And here is what few people know, though it changes everything:
Once you have established the conditions that open the recourse, your two years of uninterrupted service and the fact that you were dismissed, it is up to the employer to show that they had good and sufficient cause. The law does not ask you to prove you were a good employee. It asks the employer to justify their decision.
Many people give up because they believe they must build a case against their former boss. That is not how this recourse works.
Two yearsPsychological or sexual harassment
Psychological harassment and sexual harassment at work give rise to a complaint with the CNESST.
The deadline is two yearsand its starting point is what matters: it runs from the last occurrence of the conduct. In other words, it is the last episode that must be no more than two years old, not the first.
What that means in practice. A situation that has gone on for years is not necessarily out of time: as long as there are recent occurrences, the recourse stays open. Note the dates, keep the emails and messages, that is what establishes the chronology.
Twelve monthsUnpaid wages or amounts
Unpaid hours, a final pay that never arrives, vacation pay never paid, tips withheld: a monetary complaint can be filed with the CNESST.
The deadline is 12 months from the moment the amounts were duenot from when you leave the job, nor from when you notice.
Filing a complaint costs nothing. You do not need a lawyer to file one, and you do not have to have left the job. If you are unsure which recourse applies to your situation, the CNESST can guide you: that too is part of its role.
Frequently askedYour questions
What is the minimum wage in Quebec?
Since 1 May 2026, the general rate is $16.60 an hour. The rate applicable to people who receive tips is $13.30 an hour. These rates are reviewed every year, generally on 1 May.
I was dismissed. How long do I have to file a complaint?
For a complaint of dismissal without good and sufficient cause, the deadline is 45 days from the dismissal. That is short. This recourse does however require at least two years of uninterrupted service with the same employer. Other recourses exist where the dismissal rests on a prohibited ground, with their own conditions.
Who has to prove that the dismissal was justified?
The employer. Once the employee has established the conditions that open the recourse, notably their two years of uninterrupted service and the fact that they were dismissed, it is up to the employer to show good and sufficient cause. The law does not ask the employee to prove they did nothing wrong.
I am experiencing psychological harassment at work. What is the deadline?
Two years, calculated from the last occurrence of the harassing conduct, it is that last occurrence that must be no more than two years old. The complaint is filed with the CNESST, and it covers sexual harassment as much as psychological harassment.
My employer did not pay me. What can I do?
A monetary complaint can be filed with the CNESST for wages or other amounts due. The deadline is 12 months from the moment the amounts were due. CNESST complaints are free.
Read nextRelated articles
Official sources
- CNESST, minimum wage, labour standards, complaints and recourse (in French)
- The minimum wage, Éducaloi (in French)
- Psychological harassment at work, Éducaloi (in French)
- Sanctions and dismissal: prohibited practices, Éducaloi (in French)
About this article. General and educational information, accurate as of the date shown. It does not replace legal advice tailored to your situation. Recourse deadlines are strict and their conditions vary case by case: confirm what applies to you with the CNESST or a legal service before acting. Some workplaces fall under federal law and follow different rules. BetterWorld is not affiliated with the Government of Quebec.
Spotted an error or an out-of-date figure? Write to us: we will correct it and re-date the article. Our texts are written with the help of artificial intelligence and checked against official sources before publication, but an amount or a rule can change without us catching it. If anything here does not match what an official body tells you, they are right.