The Employment Standards Act is Ontario legislation that creates uniform protective standards for employees in Ontario. Examples of its protections are: minimum wage, entitlement to payment for working overtime, vacation pay, holiday pay and maximum hours of work.

Sometimes, an employer may attempt reprisal against an employee seeking enforcement of a right to the guaranteed minimum standards set out in the Employment Standards Act . Sometimes the reprisal may take the form of termination of that employee's employment, or some other form of reprisal, such as a pay cut or reduction in hours. An employee who has been the victim of such a reprisal can lodge a formal complaint and can receive appropriate compensation, including back pay and reintstatement.