Is this legal?

[bongi]

Hi
I found a job, at last, as an accountant. The job is great the, company is great but they ask us to work at least 10 hours a day during the tax season (all winter and spring), sometimes it will be necessary to work on the weekends and there is no paid overtime. Do you think this is legal?

[Tsveta]

Congratulations on your new job!
They should pay you overtime, however they could only give you a bonus at the end of the year...

[Mike]

If they are giving you all of this information up front as part of the conditions of your employment, it's really about you making a choice to agree with them or not. Even if they were borderlined on breaching employment standards, you're not going to get very far if they tell you everyhing up front and you sign the contract... They can aquire permits for extended work hours for extrenuating circumstances, and tax season for accounting firms probably qualifies.
For more info on this topic:
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/asp/gateway.asp?hr=en/lp/lo/lswe/ls/publications/9.shtml&hs=lxn

[Ladyluck]

Yes, most employers would not tell you this until you started working, in which case it would be borderline illegal.

However they do realise that if you don't agree to it, they can sack you and always find someone else who is willing to do the overtime.

Personally I would not do it - I find it a huge demand.