Call-in pay (reporting pay)

Call-in pay is the minimum pay owed when an employee reports for work but gets only a short shift. Most provinces set a 2 or 3 hour minimum.

Also called: reporting pay, reporting for duty pay, minimum daily pay, three hour rule, minimum call-in pay

What call-in pay (reporting pay) means

Call-in pay (also called reporting pay or minimum daily pay) is a minimum amount you must pay an employee who shows up for work and then works only a short time, or is sent home early. The idea is simple: a worker who travels in and gives up their day should not go home with pay for 30 minutes.

Each province sets its own rule. Some guarantee 3 hours of pay, British Columbia guarantees 2 or 4, and the rate can be the regular wage or the minimum wage. If you schedule short shifts, cancel shifts at the last minute, or call people in for meetings, this rule affects you.

How it works

The usual pattern is that you pay the greater of the hours actually worked or the minimum number of hours. If the minimum is 3 hours and the employee worked 1 hour, you pay for 3. If they worked 5 hours, you pay for 5, and the rule does not add anything.

Watch the details that change from one province to another. Some rules use the employee's regular rate, others the minimum wage. Some apply only when you send someone home, others also apply when you call an employee back outside their scheduled hours. Most have exceptions for things outside your control (a power failure or fire), for an employee who leaves early by their own choice, and for some jobs such as school bus drivers.

Calling an employee in for a short meeting, training or to receive a layoff notice can trigger the rule too. Being on call at home is a separate question.

A common mistake is telling a worker to clock out after an hour on a quiet day and paying only that hour. In most provinces with a rule, you still owe the difference.

Call-in pay (reporting pay) by province

The minimum hours and the rate differ by province. These are the rules we confirmed on official government pages.

Where the work is done	The rule
British Columbia	An employee who reports for work is paid for at least 2 hours, or at least 4 hours if they were scheduled for more than 8 hours. If work stops for reasons beyond your control, the minimum is 2 hours.
Alberta	At least 3 hours of pay at the minimum wage each time an employee must report to work, comes in for a short period, or is sent home early by the employer, unless you hold a variance. Some groups, such as school bus drivers, have a 2 hour minimum.
Saskatchewan	Reporting for duty pay: at least 3 hours at the employee's hourly wage when they report to work, even if there is less work or none. Students during the school term, school bus drivers and noon hour supervisors have a 1 hour minimum.
Ontario	The three hour rule: an employee who regularly works more than 3 hours a day and reports for work but works less than 3 hours is owed the greater of 3 hours at their regular rate, or pay for the time worked plus regular pay for the rest of the 3 hours. It does not apply if you told them not to come in, or the cause was beyond your control.
Quebec	An employee who reports to work at your request or in the regular course of work and works less than 3 consecutive hours is owed 3 hours of wages, except in a case of superior force or where the job normally lasts under 3 hours.
Nova Scotia	If you recall an employee to work outside their scheduled hours, you must pay at least 3 hours at the minimum wage ($17.00 an hour since 1 October 2026, so at least $51.00).

We did not confirm the rule for Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, the territories or federally regulated employers. Check with that office.

Example: A slow Tuesday in Saskatoon

Jordan runs a 12-person moving company in Saskatoon. A booking cancels at 9:00 a.m. and he sends a mover, Ali, home after 1 hour. Ali earns $20.00 an hour.

Under Saskatchewan's reporting for duty pay rule, Ali must be paid for at least 3 hours, so Jordan pays $60.00 for the day instead of $20.00. Next time, Jordan texts the crew the night before when a booking falls through, so nobody reports in for nothing.

Employment standards by province

Staffkin's free employment standards by province page sets out the minimum wage, overtime and pay rules where you hire, which feed into call-in pay calculations.

See the rules by province

Free tools and guides for this

Questions about call-in pay (reporting pay)

What is the 3 hour rule in Ontario?

If an employee who regularly works more than 3 hours a day reports for work and works less than 3 hours, you owe them at least 3 hours of pay at their regular rate. It does not apply if you told them not to report, or the reason was beyond your control.

Do I have to pay call-in pay if the employee asks to leave early?

Generally no. In British Columbia and Alberta, for example, the minimum applies when the employer ends the shift, not when the employee asks to go and you agree.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.