Statutory holiday pay · New Brunswick
New Brunswick stat holiday pay.
What you are owed for a New Brunswick statutory holiday, whether you take the day off or work it.
New Brunswick has eight paid public holidays, and unlike Nova Scotia it counts Remembrance Day among them under the Employment Standards Act itself.
You must have been employed at least 90 calendar days in the previous 12 months to qualify. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not a paid public holiday here.
wages in the 30 days before ÷ days worked = an average day's payInputs
What you are owed
Fill the form and press Calculate.
New Brunswick statutory holidays in 2026
New Brunswick recognises 8 paid public holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Family Day
- Good Friday
- Canada Day
- New Brunswick Day
- Labour Day
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Day
Unlike Nova Scotia, Remembrance Day is a paid public holiday inside the Employment Standards Act itself in New Brunswick — there is no separate Remembrance Day statute governing the pay. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not a paid public holiday here; it appears neither in the Act’s definition of “public holiday” nor on the province’s list.
Who qualifies for holiday pay
Five conditions. You must have been employed at least 90 calendar days — not workdays — during the 12 months before the holiday; have worked your regular scheduled day before and after it, which is not necessarily the day immediately before or after, unless there is good reason; have reported for and worked the holiday if you agreed to; not be employed under an arrangement where you decide when to work; and not be in an occupation exempted by regulation.
How New Brunswick calculates the pay
A qualifying employee who does not work the holiday gets a regular day’s pay. Where wages vary day to day, it is an average day’s pay based on all hours worked, excluding overtime, in the 30 days immediately before the holiday. There is an alternative the employer may choose instead: paying an additional 4% of all gross wages from the first day of employment, in which case 1½ times is still owed for hours worked on a holiday.
Working the holiday: A qualifying employee who works the holiday gets a regular day’s pay plus 1½ times their regular wages for each hour worked. A non-qualifying employee who works gets only the 1½ times rate for the hours, with no day’s pay.
Source, last verified 2 September 2026: Government of New Brunswick — Paid public holidays, vacation time and vacation pay.
Frequently asked questions
How many paid public holidays does New Brunswick have?
Eight: New Year’s Day, Family Day, Good Friday, Canada Day, New Brunswick Day, Labour Day, Remembrance Day and Christmas Day.
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not among them.
Is Remembrance Day a paid holiday in New Brunswick?
Yes. Remembrance Day is one of the eight paid public holidays under the Employment Standards Act itself.
That distinguishes New Brunswick from Nova Scotia, where Remembrance Day is handled by a separate statute and is not a Labour Standards Code holiday.
Do I qualify for public holiday pay in New Brunswick?
You must have been employed at least 90 calendar days — calendar days, not workdays — during the 12 months before the holiday, and have worked your regular scheduled day before and after it.
That scheduled day is not necessarily the day immediately before or after. Most illness reasons are accepted as good reason for missing it.
What if I work a holiday but do not qualify?
You get only the 1½ times rate for the hours worked, with no day’s pay on top. A qualifying employee who works gets both.
That is a real gap for anyone in their first 90 days: they can work Canada Day and receive the premium without the holiday pay.
Estimate only — not legal advice
This calculator produces an estimate from the published employment-standards minimums. It is not legal advice and it is not a determination of what you are owed. Statutory holiday entitlement in New Brunswick is set by New Brunswick Employment Standards, and several occupations are exempt.
Collective agreements, employment contracts, exemptions for your occupation, averaging agreements and permits can all change the answer. For a binding answer, contact the employment-standards office named above or a lawyer.