If informal steps don’t work (or don’t fit the situation), you can make a formal complaint. Where you direct that complaint depends on what type of worker you are and what type of problem is involved.
Employment standards complaint
Most workers in BC are protected by the provincial Employment Standards Act. If you’re covered (learn if you are) and your employer didn’t follow the Act, you can make an employment standards complaint. This is a written summary of how your employer didn't follow the Act, and a summary of events from your perspective. You file it with the Employment Standards Branch, the government office that administers the Act. The branch helps workers and employers resolve problems. We explain the steps involved in our page on making an employment standards complaint.
If you work for a federally-regulated employer, you may be covered by the Canada Labour Code. Visit the federal government’s website for guidance on how to start a complaint.
There are strict time limits for making an employment standards complaint, so don’t wait too long!
Human rights complaint
If your company or another worker violates your human rights in the workplace, you can make a human rights complaint. For most workers in BC, this complaint is made to the BC Human Rights Tribunal, which deals with complaints under the BC human rights law. The tribunal operates like a court but is less formal. It has staff who help people resolve complaints without going to a hearing. If that’s not possible, they hold a hearing to decide if there was a human rights violation. Our page on if you’re discriminated against at work explains the steps in bringing a human rights complaint.
If you work for a federally-regulated employer, you may be able to file your complaint with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Visit the commission's website to learn more.
There is a strict 12-month deadline for making a human rights complaint, so don’t wait too long.
Union grievance
Workers who belong to a union are covered by a collective agreement, which is a contract made between their union (on behalf of the unionized workers) and their employer. The collective agreement will typically spell out a process for a worker to make a complaint about the employer. This is called filing a grievance. Speak to your union representative if you are a member of a union. But act quickly, because there’s usually a short deadline to file.
Workplace safety complaint
If your complaint has to do with workplace safety, a workplace injury, or the way your company treated you because of a workplace safety issue or an injury, you may have a claim to bring through WorkSafeBC.
Visit the WorkSafeBC website for guidance on how to file a claim.