Submit a complaint

Review the Employment Standards website to understand what work issues we can and can't help you with. This will help you fill out the complaint form and tell us about how we can assist with your particular situation.

The complaint form will ask questions about yourself, your work and your claim under the ESA or TFWPA. Gather all relevant details to help process your complaint, such as:

• Your contact information
• Details about your employment standards issues: We can only help with issues under our legislation
• Employment start and end dates: This helps us understand your entitlements and time limits
• How much you think is owed: Your best estimate is fine - this helps us understand your entitlements and guides our investigation
• Your wage rate and how you were paid: This helps us understand your entitlements
• Information about the employer: This helps us manage and handle your complaint
• The employer's legal name: This may be different from their operating name - it helps us communicate and investigate efficiently
• Who we should contact at the employer: Tell us how we can reach them most efficiently (including an email address, if possible)

If you're filing on behalf of someone else, we'll also need to know your contact information and your relationship to the situation. If you're directly representing a complainant (for example, if you're a lawyer or an advocate), we may ask you for written authorization to act on the complainant's behalf when we begin investigating your complaint.

Not every work issue, workplace or type of work is covered by employment standards. Find out if B.C. employment standards apply to your work situation.

Employers must follow and pay wages according the Employment Standards Act and Regulation. You can ask us to resolve concerns about an employer by submitting a complaint online.

Foreign workers in B.C. are also protected from unfair practices under the Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act and Regulation. If the issue is under both Acts, you only need one complaint.

​There is no fee to submit a complaint. You can file a complaint for yourself or on behalf of another person or a group of employees.

The Employment Standards Branch will review your complaint. This process takes some time and you will receive an email or letter confirming your complaint is received. We'll contact you directly:

• When someone is assigned to investigate your complaint
• If we need additional information or documents to support your complaint

If you didn’t provide an email address, we will contact you by phone or mail. It's important to notify the Employment Standards Branch if you change your email, phone number or mailing address.

You may have evidence to help resolve your issue. Search your records, gather and keep copies of these documents ready:

• T4 income slip
• Record of Employment
• Pay cheques, pay stubs or statements of wages
• Employment contracts or agreements
• Work schedules or timesheets
• Other documents with details about your complaint or calculations

You don't need to submit these documents with your complaint. When Employment Standards starts investigating your complaint, we may ask you to provide some of these documents.