From our payroll expert, Alan McEwan.
First, to answer the specific question, if the employer has to base the 6% vacation and 4% stat holiday pay on either the person’s regular wages or on all earnings, including overtime, the answer is on the base rate only, as payable for regular wages.
However, unless the employer fits into one of the exemptions allowed in Alberta, i.e., a construction employee, this method of paying statutory holiday pay does not comply with the Alberta requirements, which are tied to regular earnings in the 4 weeks prior to each holiday. Since the distribution of statutory holidays isn’t even, i.e. Good Friday moves between March and April and there is no holiday in June or August, 4% of regular wages may not equal a days average pay.