Want to Work for the City of Toronto? You’ll Be Paid Less Than Minimum Wage

Working for the government – what a cool job.

Applying your labour for the good of the people, comfortable working conditions, decent pay… except not really.

The City of Toronto has recently began posting job openings for upcoming municipal election. These jobs basically entail picking up any of the admin tasks required to execute an orderly vote – picking up supplies, opening and closing booths, keeping records, things of that nature.

Three of the six jobs advertised pay $170 a day. Not a bad return, though again there’s an exception: given the number of hours required, this compensation falls below Ontario’s minimum wage.

As one redditor points out:

The Accessibility or Information Officer (AIO) job is advertised as having an hour long training session, and working on election day from approximately 9 a.m – 9 p.m for a total of 13 hours.

The Tabulator Deputy Returning Officer (TDRO) job is advertised as having an hour long training session, an approximately hour long system test (which may not be something they are legally mandated to pay you for), and working on election day from approximately 8:30 a.m to 9 p.m, for a total of either 13.5 or 14.5 hours.

The Voter Assist Terminal Officer (VATO) job is advertised as having an hour long training session, and working on election day from approximately 8:30 a.m – 9 p.m for a total of 13.5 hours.

Therefore, compensation for these roles would look something like this:

AIO: $13.08 (13 hours)
TDRO: $11.72 (14.5 hours) or $12.59 (13.5 hours)
VATO: $12.59 (13.5 hours)

This is the part we remind you that minimum wage in Ontario currently stands at $14 an hour.

The person who brought this to the attention of the Internet also points out that employees in these positions often work more than the hours advertised. This overtime is reportedly not compensated and the hours aren’t tracked. A screenshot of their correspondence with a City of Toronto official was included to expand on the matter:

So the next time someone tells you they work for the government and you assign them an assumption of lavish living, consider that Tim Horton’s isn’t the only Canadian giant cutting corners.