Laws for the protection of interns in the workplace

In the province of Quebec, interns have protections while completing an internship in the workplace.  

The law grants interns rights equivalent to those provided under the act Respecting Labour Standards in regards to short-term leave, as well as psychological or sexual harassment. 

Every trainee is entitled to a training environment that is free from psychological or sexual harassment. 

Every trainee is entitled to leave for events that occur during the training period. 

Resources: 

• Protection of trainees in the workplace 

• Harassment in the workplace 

At McGill: 

• The Office for Mediation and Reporting 

• Office for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education 

Additionally, there are federal labour standards for interns who are working in a federally regulated workplace or industry:

• Federal labour standards for interns and student interns 

All federally regulated employers are required to follow the Canada Labour Code and meet the labour standards regarding occupational health and safety, standard hours, wages, vacations and holidays. 

If you have questions or concerns, you can always contact your internship advisor or CaPS.