90-Day Trial Period
Published December 11, 2018 (last updated February 5, 2021)
Author: Gabrielle Chan
Before committing to hire permanently, an employer with 19 or fewer employees is allowed to trial a new employee for up to the first 90 days of their employment. This arrangement must be agreed to in writing before the employee starts their first day of work.
Trial periods are an effective way to find out if a new employee is capable of doing the job and a good fit for the company. All employees on a trial period are entitled to the same minimum employment rights as permanent employees.
If the employer is not happy with the arrangement they can dismiss the employee. The employee cannot bring a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal against the employer provided the trial is valid and required notice is given.
