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HR requirements applicable to every business (as soon as you have one employee)
Including employment contracts (confidentiality, non-solicitation), and the use of AI tools.
Statistics
Numbers That Speak for Themselves
$ 45,000
An employer with 10 or more employees who fails to complete the pay equity exercise is subject to fines ranging from $1,000 to $45,000 for a first offence.
$ 6,000
It is highly recommended to establish a policy and a complaint-handling process to prevent violence, harassment, and discrimination in order to avoid fines ranging from $600 to $6,000 for a first offense.
2%
All organizations in Quebec must implement a personal information protection policy. Employers who do not comply are subject to penalties of up to 2% of their revenue.
Comply
HR obligations applicable to all companies (from 1 employee onwards)
- 01Why is it essential? ClicSÉQUR – Entreprises is the single access point for all online government services, including Revenu Québec, CNESST, SAAQ, the Enterprise Registrar, and many more.Declare your employeesPay your contributionsManage your tax obligationsAvoid delays and penalties How to register for ClicSÉQUR – BusinessesGo to the website ClicSÉQUR Click on “Register a business with ClicSÉQUR – Businesses.”Follow the registration steps.
- 02Mandatory upon first hire Any business that hires an employee in Quebec must be registered with the CNESST (Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail).This registration allows you to: Provide protection for your employees in case of work-related accidents or illnessesPay your CNESST contributionsAccess your online employer accountComply with Quebec labour law requirementsAccess the CNESST online service: CNESSTComplete the online formSubmit your declaration Once the form has been submitted, you will receive:A CNESST file numberYour contribution informationAccess to your online employer account Important notes : Registration deadline: Employers must register with the CNESST within 60 days of the first employment date of any employee.
- 03Your legal obligations regarding psychological and sexual harassment As of September 27, 2024, all Quebec employers are required to comply with the new provisions of the Act to Prevent and Combat Psychological Harassment and Sexual Violence in the Workplace.This legislation reinforces employers’ duties to maintain a safe, respectful, and healthy work environment. What you need to implement 1. Adopt a prevention and response policy that meets CNESST requirementsThis policy must be easily accessible to all staff — for example, posted in a visible location or shared online. Need support creating your policy?The CNESST provides a policy template that you can adapt to your company’s needs. 2. Include the policy in your prevention programYour policy must be integrated into your prevention program or your occupational health and safety action plan. 3. Provide trainingYou must offer specific training on the prevention of psychological and sexual harassment to all employees, including those designated to handle complaints.
- 04VRSP : A legal obligation… too often forgotten! Offering a retirement savings plan to your employees isn’t just a perk — it’s a legal requirement for many Quebec employers.Since the Voluntary Retirement Savings Plans Act (VRSP) came into effect, companies are required to offer a VRSP to eligible employees, unless another collective plan (Group RRSP, DPSP, or RPP) is already available. Does this apply to you?You have five or more full-time employees in Quebec who have been employed for at least 12 consecutive months.You don’t offer any other group retirement savings plan. In that case, you must establish a VRSP for your eligible employees. Who is an eligible employee?An eligible employee is someone who:Is 18 years of age or olderHas at least one year of continuous serviceWorks in QuebecDoes not already have access to a group retirement savings plan with your company Your obligations as an employerOffer a VRSP and automatically enroll all eligible employeesMake payroll deductions (unless the employee opts out)Transfer the deducted contributions to the plan administratorInform eligible employees of their right to join or opt outKeep records of communications and proof of enrollment or refusal Note : Employer contributions are not mandatory, but you may choose to contribute to enhance this benefit.
- 05Who does it apply to?Bill 25 applies to all Quebec organizations, including SMEs and non-profit organizations, that collect, use, or share personal information about clients, employees, or suppliers. Why comply?The Commission d’accès à l’information (CAI) may impose penalties for: Failure to designate a person responsible for personal informationFailure to report a privacy or data breachFailure to conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) These penalties can reach up to $10,000,000 or 2% of annual worldwide revenue. In addition, civil lawsuits and class actions may be initiated in cases of unauthorized use or disclosure of personal information. Beyond legal sanctions, there is also the risk of losing public trust, which can significantly harm your organization’s reputation. Key steps to ensure compliance:Here is a 4-step checklist to help you protect the personal information of your clients, employees, and suppliers. Appoint a Privacy Officer (RPRP) and publish their contact information in accordance with legal requirements. Role of Person Responsible Create an inventory of all personal information collected. Personal Information Inventory Establish clear policies (privacy, consent). Businesses must be transparent about how they collect, retain, and use personal data. The most effective approach is to publish these policies on your organization’s website. If no website is available, they should be made accessible through another effective channel. Privacy and Personal Information Protection Policy Establish governance measures: When implementing your privacy policy, ensure that all information shared with third parties is properly safeguarded. Obtain written confirmation from suppliers and partners of their commitment to comply with Quebec privacy laws. The Privacy Officer (RPRP) must also develop an incident response plan and maintain an incident register to document and manage any breaches of confidentiality. Action Plan in the Event of a Confidentiality IncidentIn the event of a privacy breach involving personal data, the Privacy Officer (RPRP) must: Take appropriate actions to reduce the risk of harm to affected individuals and prevent similar incidents from recurring.Notify the Commission d’accès à l’information (CAI) and the affected individuals. Confidentiality Incident Report Notice Incident Report Important note: This checklist is designed to help you implement compliance measures related to Bill 25. However, it is recommended to consult a specialist if you need to verify that your measures fully comply with all applicable laws.
Comply
HR obligations applicable to any company with 10 to 99 employees
Companies with more than 10 employees must comply with the obligations described here, in addition to those applicable to businesses with 1 to 9 employees.
- 01In Quebec, companies whose annual payroll exceeds $2 million are required to invest the equivalent of at least 1% of that payroll in employee training activities. This requirement is commonly known as the “1% Law” (officially the Skills Development Act). The objective is to promote employee skill development, strengthen expertise, and enhance business performance.In practical terms, this means that companies must:Offer relevant training to their employees (related to their position or professional development);Report these activities annually to Services Québec;Provide proof that the required amounts have been invested, failing which the unused balance must be paid to the Workforce Skills Development and Recognition Fund. Example of calculationA company with an annual payroll of $3,200,000 must invest 1% of that amount, i.e.: 3,200,000 × 1% = $32,000 This amount can be invested in: Internal or external training sessions,Structured coaching or mentoring,Online or in-person professional development programs,Or any other eligible activity aimed at developing employee skills. If the company does not invest this amount in training, it must pay the remaining balance to the Workforce Skills Development and Recognition Fund.
- 02In Quebec, French is the only official language. With the adoption of Bill 96 in 2022, the Charter of the French Language (Bill 101) was amended to strengthen companies’ linguistic obligations.The goal is clear: to make French the standard and regular language of work, commerce, and business. For businesses, this means not only complying with the law but also promoting French at the heart of their practices, tools, communications, and professional relationships.What Bill 96 requires: For all companies, regardless of their size:Draft all job postings in French, including online listings;Provide all key internal communications (policies, procedures, memos, instructions) in French;Respect employees’ right to work in French (no requirement to know another language unless a clear necessity is demonstrated);Ensure French is predominant on signage, posters, labels, menus, and client communications;Ensure products and services include all necessary information in French (warranties, manuals, labels, etc.). For companies with 25 or more employees (new threshold under Bill 96):Mandatory registration with the Office Québécois de la langue française (OQLF);Mandatory francization process, including a francization program where applicable;Obtain a certificate of francization, confirming that French is the normal and habitual language of work;Translate all work tools into French (software, forms, policies, internal communications, HR documents);Offer all training sessions in French or provide a French version.What Bill 101 already required (and continues to require): For companies with 50 or more employees: Mandatory registration with the OQLF and submission of a linguistic situation analysis;Establishment of a francization committee;Implementation of a francization program if French is not sufficiently used;Mandatory certificate of francization;Regular follow-ups by the OQLF to maintain compliance.For all companies, even those with fewer than 50 employees, Bill 101 also requires: The use of French in all employee communications (contracts, agreements, policies);Writing of standard-form contracts and pre-established documents in French, unless another language is explicitly requested;Providing all essential consumer documents in French (user manuals, warranties, promotions, after-sales services, etc.);Use of French in public signage and commercial advertising.
- 03Pay Equity: A Legal Obligation and a Strategic Lever Did you know that pay equity is not only a best practice but also a legal requirement in Quebec?Once a company reaches an average of 10 or more employees, it must comply with the Pay Equity Act. This law aims to eliminate wage gaps resulting from systemic discrimination in jobs predominantly held by women. The obligations vary depending on the size of your organization. Here’s a summary: 10 to 49 employees Complete an initial pay equity exercise within 4 years of reaching 10 employees.Assess pay equity maintenance every 5 years.Post the results of the exercise and maintenance.Keep all documentation for at least 6 years.Submit the Employer Declaration on Pay Equity (DEMES). Note : forming a pay equity committee is optional for this category. 50 to 99 employees Establish a structured pay equity program with 4 mandatory steps.Evaluate the pay equity maintenance every 5 years.Post results of both the exercise and maintenance.Keep documentation for at least 6 years.Submit the Employer Declaration on Pay Equity (DEMES). Note : forming a committee is optional but recommended to encourage employee participation. 100 employees or more Establish a structured pay equity program with 4 mandatory steps.Form a pay equity committee including employer and employee representatives — at least two-thirds representing employees, and at least 50% of those representatives must be women.Evaluate pay equity maintenance every 5 years.Post the results of the exercise and maintenance.Keep documentation for at least 6 years.Submit the Employer Declaration on Pay Equity (DEMES).
- 04On September 30, 2021, Bill 59 modernizing Quebec’s occupational health and safety regime was adopted. This reform confirms employers’ obligation to provide a healthy and safe environment for the physical and psychological well-being of their workers. Who is concerned? Since April 6, 2022, all workplaces that do not yet have prevention and participation mechanisms must implement the interim regime of prevention and participation mechanisms. Under this regime, employers must establish: Prevention mechanisms: a prevention program or action plan;Worker participation mechanisms: a health and safety committee, safety representative, or liaison officer. The regime must be implemented before October 2024. Its goal is proactive prevention to protect the health and safety of Quebec workers. What are the consequences of non-compliance? The law increases fines for violations of the Act respecting industrial accidents and occupational diseases. Depending on the nature of the violation, fines range from $500 to $10,000 for individuals and from $1,000 to $20,000 for organizations.Minimum and maximum fines are doubled upon a first repeat offence and tripled for subsequent offences. What should you do?If your company has more than 20 employees, you must form a Health and Safety Committee. Committee responsibilities:Identify and analyze workplace risks, including psychosocial risks; Hold regular meetings on workplace health and safety;Make recommendations to the employer regarding safety measures. If your company has 19 employees or fewer, you must appoint a Health and Safety Liaison Officer. Liaison officer responsibilities:Participate in identifying and analyzing risks; Make recommendations to the employer regarding identified risks. Implementing the interim regime: Step 1 : Identify workplace risksDetect potential hazards in the workplace and determine where they might occur.It is recommended to use the risk identification tool available on the CNESST website. Step 2 : Analyze the risksEvaluate the potential severity and likelihood of incidents. This analysis is key to understanding and prioritizing risks. Step 3 : Prioritize the risksRank risks based on their severity and determine the order in which preventive measures should be implemented. Step 4 : CorrectOnce risks are identified, analyzed, and prioritized, implement preventive measures to correct or eliminate them. Step 5 : ControlEnsure that corrective measures remain effective over time through continuous monitoring and control measures.
Comply
HR Obligations for Companies with 100 or More Employees
Companies with more than 100 employees must comply with the obligations applicable to companies with 1 to 9 employees , those applicable to companies with 10 to 99 employees , as well as the one below.
- 01Under Quebec’s Charter of the French Language reform (Bill 96), any company employing 100 or more people must establish a Francization Committee. The employer is responsible for forming the committee, which must:Include at least 6 members;Be composed equally of management and employee representatives (50% each), selected in collaboration with unions or employees; Represent the company’s various departments; Meet at least three times per year. The Francization Committee is responsible for:Developing a program to promote the general use of French throughout the organization;Monitoring progress of the francization program;Producing reports for the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF). The employer cannot interfere with the committee’s mission but must provide it with the resources needed to operate effectively. Here is a model francization program for companies with 100 or more employees, along with an example of an internal francization charter.
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