Interpretations, Policies and Guidelines (IPGs)

The Labour Program develops interpretations, policies and guidelines (IPGs) for specific provisions of the acts and related regulations under its responsibility, including the Canada Labour Code the Employment Equity Act and the Government Employees' Compensation Act . IPGs are intended to ensure that legislation is interpreted consistently and that programs are delivered effectively across the country by Labour Program employees trained in interpretation of regulatory requirements. In support of the Government's commitment to reduce regulatory red tape burden for employers, the Labour Program ensures that its IPGs are updated, easily accessible, written in plain language, and based on stakeholder needs and feedback.

Labour standards IPGs (Employment standards)

This document is also available by telephone at 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622-6232), or by TTY at 1-800-926-9105, in alternate formats upon request: Large Print, Braille, audiocassette, CD with audio file, floppy disk with text file, CD with text file, or DAISY system.

Title	Number
Hours of work	IPG-002
Vacation pay	IPG-012
Parental leave	IPG-014
Maternity Leave	IPG-017
Constructive dismissal	IPG-033
Reporting pay	IPG-048
Excluded employees from hours of work provisions	IPG-049
Averaging of hours of work	IPG-053
Reasonably practicable - Maternity and work-related illness/injury	IPG-057
Deductions from wages or other amounts	IPG-060
Compassionate care leave	IPG-063
Determining the "real employer"	IPG-068
Determining the employer/employee relationship	IPG-069
Survey procedure for confirming a prevailing industry practice in a geographical area: Motor vehicle operators hours of work regulations	IPG-071
Rejection of complaint	IPG-082
Situation that the employer could not have reasonably foreseen – Exceptions	IPG-091
Imminent or serious threat – Exceptions	IPG-092
Threat of damage to or loss of property – Exceptions	IPG-093
Serious interference with the operation of the establishment – Exceptions	IPG-094
Reasonable steps	IPG-095
Family responsibilities	IPG-096
Family member	IPG-097
Reasonably practicable - Leaves	IPG-098
Personal leave – Stacking	IPG-099
30 minute breaks	IPG-100
Interns and student interns	IPG-102
Misclassification	IPG-105
Administrative Monetary Penalties	IPG-106
Elect-to-work and On-Call or Standby employees	IPG-110
Personal Leave	IPG-117
Medical Leave with Pay	IPG-118
Medical Leave with Pay - No stacking	IPG-119
Reimbursement of work-related expenses	IPG-120

Occupational Health and Safety IPGs

Index of Interpretations, Policies and Guidelines on Health and Safety Issues

Title (HTML)	No.	PDF
Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention (HVP)	943-1-IPG-104	N/A
Availability of Safety Data Sheets (SDS)	985-1-IPG-037 WHMIS 2015	Availability of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) -Download (PDF 61.25 KB)
Bomb Threats - Right To Know	937-1-IPG-003	Bomb Threats - Right To Know -Download (PDF 21 KB)
Building Safety (Door Release)	922-1-IPG-044	Building Safety -Download (PDF 31 KB)
Complaint is Trivial, Frivolous, Vexatious or Made in Bad Faith	920-1-IPG-083	Complaint is Trivial, Frivolous, Vexatious or Made in Bad Faith -Download (PDF 44 KB)
Criteria for Reasonably Practicable, and Reasonably Possible	920-1-IPG-055	Criteria for Reasonably Practicable, and Reasonably Possible -Download (PDF 18 KB)
Criteria for Reasonably Practicable - Levels of Sound	927-1-IPG-054	Criteria for Reasonably Practicable - Levels of Sound -Download (PDF 22 KB)
Danger as a Normal Condition of Employment	920-1-IPG-070	Danger as a Normal Condition of Employment -Download (PDF 57 KB)
Definition of Danger	905-1-IPG-062	Definition of Danger -Download (PDF 30 KB)
Determining the "real employer"	IPG-068	N/A
Determining the employer/employee relationship	IPG-069	N/A
Employer requirement to keep supplier safety data sheets (SDS) up to date (three years)	985-1-IPG-050 WHMIS 2015	Employer requirement to keep supplier safety data sheets (SDS) up to date (three years) -Download (PDF 71 KB)
Fall-Protection Systems for Mobile Elevated Work Platforms	932-1-IPG-065	Fall-Protection Systems for Mobile Elevated Work Platforms -Download (PDF 88 KB)
Fire Protection Systems in Primary Grain Elevators	950-1-IPG-026	Fire Protection Systems in Primary Grain Elevators -Download (PDF 20 KB)
Instruction and Training of Employees in the Location, Use and Operation of Fire Protection Equipment	937-1-IPG-038	Instruction and Training of Employees in the Location, Use and Operation of Fire Protection Equipment -Download (PDF 23 KB)
Instruction and Training of Employees Who Have Supervisory or Managerial Responsibilities in Health and Safety	104-2-IPG-061	Instruction and Training of Employees Who Have Supervisory or Managerial Responsibilities in Health and Safety -Download (PDF 31 KB)
Interns	IPG-088	Interns -Download (PDF 78 KB)
Investigations of Motor Vehicle Accidents on Public Roads	IPG-066	N/A
Investigations of non-work related fatalities	IPG-067	N/A
Labelling requirements for hazardous products in laboratories	985-1-IPG-027 WHIMS 2015	Labelling requirements for hazardous products in laboratories -Download (PDF 101.96 KB)
Levels of sound - Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part VII	IPG-074	Download (72.8 KB)
Means of egress	922-1-IPG-032	Means of Egress -Download (PDF 14 KB)
Measurement of lighting levels in the work place - Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, Part VI - IPG-039	928-1-IPG-039	Measurement of Lighting Levels in the Work Place -Download (PDF 128 KB)
Participation of the Safety and Health Committee or Representative	935-1-IPG-004	Participation of the Safety and Health Committee or Representative -Download (PDF 15 KB)
Health and Safety Committee Meetings – Payment of Wages and Alternative Means of Holding Meetings	907-1-IPG-005	Payment of Wages and Powers of Committee -Download (PDF 88 KB)
Selection of Safety and Health Committee Members and of Representatives Using "Managerial Functions" as a Criterion	907-1-IPG-006	Selection of Safety and Health Committee Members and of Representatives Using Managerial Functions as a Criterion -Download (PDF 17 KB)
Section 137, Work Place Health and Safety Committees and Representatives	907-1-IPG-051	N/A
Substance use in the work place, Canada Labour Code, Part II	IPG-080	Substance use in the work place, Canada Labour Code, Part 2 -Download (PDF 52 KB)
Interpretation of "Work Space" in the non-smokers' Health Act	907-1-IPG-075	Interpretation of Work Space in the Non-smokers' Health Act -Download (PDF 23 KB)
Powers of the health and safety officer to enter any defence establishment, work for defence or materiel	700-5-IPG-040	Powers of the Health and Safety Officer to Enter Any Defence Establishment, Work for Defence or Materiel -Download (PDF 33 KB)
Reacting to non-compliance within the public service	700-5-IPG-035	Reacting to Non-Compliance Within the Public Service -Download (PDF 87 KB)
Role of the canada health and safety officer before CLRB and PSSRB hearing	905-1-IPG-030	Role of the Canada Health and Safety Officer Before CLRB and PSSRB Hearing -Download (PDF 140 KB)
Violence prevention in the work place	943-1-IPG-081	Violence Prevention in the Work Place -Download (PDF 492 KB)
Workers working alone at a workplace under the control of the employer	905-1-IPG-059	N/A
Administrative Monetary Penalties	IPG-106	N/A

Workers' Compensation IPGs

Index of Interpretations, Policies and Guidelines on Compensation Issues

Title (HTML)	No.	PDF
Dependants	610-6-IPG-025	Dependants -Download (PDF 564 KB)
Employees Locally Engaged Outside Canada (currently being updated)	602-5-IPG-022	Employees Locally Engaged Outside Canada -Download (PDF 15 KB)
Subrogation	610-1-IPG-090	Subrogation -Download (PDF 176 KB)

Workplace Equity IPGs (Employment Equity)

Index of Interpretations, Policies and Guidelines on Employment Equity

Title (HTML)	No.	PDF
Construction industry	IPG-084	Constructive industry -Download (PDF 49 KB)
Dual Jurisdiction Employers	IPG-087	Dual Jurisdiction Employers -Download (PDF 50 KB)
Employment Equity Act – Communication, Consultation, Collaboration	IPG-115	N/A
Employment Equity Act – Employment Equity Plan	IPG-114	N/A
Employment Equity Act – Monetary Penalties	IPG-121	N/A
Employment Equity Regulations – Collection of Workforce Information	IPG-111	N/A
Employment Equity Regulations – Definitions and interpretations for reporting salary	IPG-106	N/A
Employment Equity Regulations – Employment Systems Review	IPG-113	N/A
Employment Equity Regulations – Records	IPG-116	N/A
Employment Equity Regulations – Reporting salary	IPG-107	N/A
Employment Equity Regulations – Workforce Analysis	IPG-112	N/A
Joint Venture Suppliers	IPG-086	Joint Venture Suppliers -Download (PDF 40 KB)
Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements	IPG-085	Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements -Download (PDF 54 KB)