Appendix 6

Glossary

Aboriginal peoples (Autochtones)

As defined in the Employment Equity Act, persons who are Indians, Inuit or Métis.

Abuse of authority (Abus de pouvoir)

An intentional improper use of a power. It includes bad faith and personal favouritism.

Access (Accessibilité)

One of the guiding values of the Public Service Employment Act, it requires that persons from across the country have a reasonable opportunity to apply, and to do so in the official language(s) of their choice, and to be considered for public service employment.

Acting appointment (Nomination intérimaire)

The temporary appointment of an employee to another position, if the appointment on a term or indeterminate basis would have constituted a promotion.

Advertised appointment process (Processus de nomination annoncé)

An appointment process where persons in the area of selection are informed of and can apply to an appointment opportunity.

Affirmation of Aboriginal Affiliation Form (AAAF) (Formulaire d'affirmation d'affiliation autochtone — FAAA)

A form required to be completed for Aboriginal-targeted processes, internal and external, advertised and non-advertised. It is a solemn acknowledgement of the Aboriginal affiliation of the person to be appointed and is a condition of appointment.

Appointment (Nomination)

An action taken to confer a position or set of duties on a person. Appointments to and within the public service made pursuant to the Public Service Employment Act are based on merit and non-partisanship.

Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument (ADAI) (Instrument de délégation et de responsabilisation en matière de nomination — IDRN)

The formal document by which the Public Service Commission delegates its appointment and appointment-related authorities to deputy heads. It identifies authorities, any conditions related to the delegation and sub-delegation of these authorities and how deputy heads will be held accountable for the exercise of their delegated authorities.

Appointment Framework (Cadre de nomination)

Policy instruments related to appointment policy, delegation and accountability, which set out the Public Service Commission's expectations for deputy heads when designing their staffing systems to ensure that they respect legislative requirements and values guiding staffing in the public service.

Appointment Framework Knowledge Test (AFKT) (Examen de connaissances sur le Cadre de nomination — ECCN)

A test developed by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to assess human resources (HR) specialists' knowledge of the PSC Appointment Framework and the related legislation. A condition of delegation is that deputy heads must ensure that those to whom authority is sub-delegated have access to HR specialists whose knowledge of the Appointment Framework has been validated by the PSC.

Appointment policy (Lignes directrices en matière de nomination)

A policy suite consisting of 11 policies on specific subjects that correspond to key decision points in the appointment process.

Area of selection (Zone de sélection)

The area of selection refers to the geographic, occupational, organizational and/or employment equity criteria that persons must meet in order to be eligible for an appointment process. (See National area of selection).

Assessment accommodations (Mesures d'adaptation en matière d'évaluation)

Changes or modifications that are made to an assessment procedure, format or content that remove obstacles arising from prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act; they do not modify the nature or level of the qualification that is being assessed.

Assessment methods (Méthodes d'évaluation)

Methods such as interviews, written tests, reference checks and simulations designed to assess candidates against the qualifications for the position.

Assessment requirements (Exigences relatives à l'évaluation)

Specific requirements set out in the Public Service Commission Assessment Policy to ensure that assessment processes and methods result in the identification of the person(s) who meet(s) the qualifications and other merit criteria used in making the appointment decision and provide a sound basis for making appointments according to merit.

Asset qualifications (Qualifications constituant un atout)

Qualifications, other than official language requirements, that are not essential to perform the work, but that would benefit the organization or enhance the work to be performed currently or in the future.

Assignment (Affectation)

The temporary movement of an employee at level within an organization to perform a set of duties or functions of another existing position or to take on a special project. An assignment is an administrative measure that is not an appointment or a deployment, and it cannot constitute a promotion or extend an employment period. The employee continues to be the incumbent of their substantive position while on assignment.

Audit (Vérification)

An objective and systematic examination of activities that provides an independent assessment of the performance and management of those activities.

Barrier (Obstacle)

Physical obstacles, policies, practices or procedures that restrict or exclude persons in designated groups or those protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act from employment-related opportunities in the federal public service.

Casual employment (Emploi occasionnel)

A short-term employment option to hire a person. Under the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), a casual worker cannot work more than 90 working days in one calendar year in a given organization, with the exception of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, where, in certain circumstances, the maximum period is 165 working days in one calendar year. Other provisions of the PSEA, including the merit requirement and eligibility for internal appointment processes, do not apply to casual workers.

Classification (Classification)

The occupational group, sub-group (if applicable) and level assigned to a person or a position.

Collective staffing process (Processus de dotation collective)

An approach that allows for one appointment process to fill several similar positions within or between departments and agencies.

Co-operative Education/Internship Program (CO-OP) (Programme de stages d'enseignement coopératif et d'internat — Coop)

A program designed to provide post-secondary students with relevant and practical work experience in the public service to help them fulfill the requirements of their academic program.

Corrective action (Mesures correctives)

Action taken to correct an error, omission or improper conduct that affected the selection of the person appointed or proposed for appointment; or action taken to address situations in which an employee has engaged in an inappropriate political activity.

Cost recovery (Recouvrement des coûts)

Setting user fees to cover some or all of the costs incurred in providing a product or service, rather than funding the product or service.

Departmental Staffing Accountability Report (DSAR) (Rapport ministériel sur l'obligation de rendre compte en dotation — RMORCD)

A periodic report provided by each organization subject to the Public Service Employment Act to the Public Service Commission (PSC) concerning the management and results of the organization's staffing; provided in response to questions from the PSC, which are based on the Staffing Management Accountability Framework and the appointment values.

Deployment (Mutation)

The movement of a person from one position to another in accordance with Part 3 of the Public Service Employment Act. A deployment does not constitute an appointment. It cannot be a promotion and cannot change the tenure of employment from specified term to indeterminate. A person who is deployed is no longer the incumbent of their previous position.

Designated groups (Groupes désignés)

As defined in the Employment Equity Act, women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities.

Employee (Fonctionnaire)

A person employed in the part of the public service to which the Public Service Commission has the exclusive authority to make appointments. Casual and part-time workers are not employees. For the purposes of political activities, it also includes persons employed in the following organizations: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, Canada Revenue Agency, Parks Canada Agency, the National Film Board of Canada and the Public Service Staffing Tribunal.

Entity audits (Vérifications d'entités)

Entity audits cover the staffing activities and issues of individual government departments and agencies. Generally, the objectives of these audits are to determine whether an organization has the appropriate framework, systems and practices in place to manage its staffing activities and to determine whether staffing activities complied with the Public Service Employment Act, other governing authorities and policies and the instrument of delegation signed with the Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC may make recommendations to deputy heads and heads of agencies in its audit reports and conduct follow-up audits to ensure that the organization has taken the corrective actions prescribed to resolve the issues raised.

Essential qualifications (Qualifications essentielles)

Qualifications that are necessary for the work to be performed and that must be met in order for a person to be appointed.

E-staffing (Dotation électronique)

The use of technology to support managers conducting staffing processes, such as by electronically screening large numbers of applications.

Exclusion Approval Orders (EAO) (Décrets d'exemption)

These orders allow for the exclusion of person(s) or position(s) or class of persons or positions from the application of some or all of the provisions of the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), where the Public Service Commission (PSC) decides that it is neither practicable nor in the best interests of the public service to apply the PSEA or any of its provisions. An EAO requires the approval of the Governor in Council, and is generally accompanied by Governor in Council regulations, made on the recommendation of the PSC, prescribing how the excluded position(s) or person(s) are to be dealt with.

Executive Group (Groupe de la direction)

An occupational group providing leadership to the public service. It consists of five levels (EX-1 to EX-5).

External appointment process (Processus de nomination externe)

A process for making one or more appointments in which persons may be considered, whether or not they are employed in the public service.

Fairness (Justice)

One of the guiding values of the Public Service Employment Act, it requires that decisions be made objectively and free from political influence and personal favouritism; policies and practices reflect the just treatment of persons; and persons have the right to be assessed in the official language(s) of their choice in an appointment process.

Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) (Programme fédéral d'expérience de travail étudiant — PFETE)

A program through which federal organizations recruit students. FSWEP provides full-time secondary or post-secondary students in an accredited institution with employment opportunities to learn about the federal government and gain valuable experience while developing and improving their employability skills.

Fiscal year (Exercice financier)

April 1 to March 31, for the federal public service.

Follow-up audits (Vérifications de suivi)

As a result of its audits, the Public Service Commission (PSC) makes recommendations to departments and agencies for improvement in their staffing systems and practices. The PSC may also remove or impose conditions on the delegation of staffing authority. It monitors the implementation of the recommendations and conducts follow-up audits. In those situations in which the PSC has imposed conditions on the delegation of staffing authority, it proceeds with follow-up audits when the results of the monitoring activities indicate that significant improvements have been made and the organization may be in a position for the PSC to remove those conditions.

Government-wide audits (Vérifications pangouvernementales)

Government-wide audits cover cross-cutting issues and staffing activities across several departments and agencies. The Public Service Commission may, when appropriate, base its conclusions on a sample of organizations. Government-wide audits provide independent assessments of the performance and management of staffing activities in organizations subject to the Public Service Employment Act. They provide objective information, advice and assurance to Parliament and, ultimately, to Canadians on the integrity of the appointment process in the federal public service.

Human resources planning (Planification des ressources humaines)

A process that identifies an organization's current and future human resources needs and the objectives and strategies planned to meet these needs.

Imperative appointment (Nomination impérative)

The requirement that the person appointed to a bilingual position meet the language requirements of the position at the time of appointment.

In-basket exercise (Exercice In-basket)

An assessment technique that simulates the important aspects of a management position. The candidate must respond to managerial issues and problems that are presented in the form of documents such as e-mails from superiors, peers and subordinates; organizational reports; letters from stakeholders as well as messages and other correspondence that have accumulated in the manager's "in-basket."

Indeterminate (permanent) employment (Emploi pour une période indéterminée — emploi permanent)

Employment of no fixed duration, whether part-time, full-time or seasonal.

Indicator (Indicateur)

One of the elements of the Staffing Management Accountability Framework, indicators are used to measure various characteristics of the staffing system to assess the extent to which an expected result is achieved and the current health of the federal public service appointment system.

Informal discussion (Discussion informelle)

The opportunity for a person eliminated from consideration in an internal appointment process to discuss the decision informally before an appointment is made.

Infotel (Infotel)

A toll-free telephone service provided by the Public Service Commission that allows Canadians to hear the employment opportunities open to the public advertised on the jobs.gc.ca Web site. Internal appointment process (Processus de nomination interne) — A process for making one or more appointments in which only persons employed in the public service may be considered.

Inventory (Répertoire)

A repository of persons who have responded to an advertisement and meet the registration condition(s); however, they are usually not yet assessed.

Investigation (Enquête)

An inquiry into concerns or allegations related to appointment processes or into allegations of improper political activities of employees.

Key success factors (Facteurs clés de réussite)

Infrastructure, processes, practices and actions, as articulated under the Staffing Management Accountability Framework's key change areas that are necessary for the achievement of positive staffing performance.

Language requirements of the position (Exigences linguistiques du poste)

The designation of a public service position, by the deputy head, as bilingual or unilingual, according to the following categories: bilingual, English essential, French essential or either English or French essential.

Lay-off (Mise en disponibilité)

The termination of an employee's services because of the discontinuance of a function, a lack of work or the transfer of a function outside the public service.

Members of visible minorities (Membres des minorités visibles)

As defined in the Employment Equity Act, persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.

Merit (Mérite)

One of the core values of the Public Service Employment Act. An appointment is made on the basis of merit when a person to be appointed meets the essential qualifications of the work to be performed, as established by the deputy head, including official language proficiency. Any current or future asset qualifications, operational requirements, and organizational needs as identified by the deputy head may also be considered.

Merit criteria (Critères de mérite)

For the purpose of determining merit for appointments made pursuant to the Public Service Employment Act, the four types of criteria are essential qualifications, asset qualifications, organizational needs and operational requirements.

Monitoring and feedback (Surveillance et rétroaction)

The Public Service Commission (PSC) monitors trends and activities to identify government-wide issues and practices that could pose a risk to the integrity of the staffing system. This monitoring includes a wide range of activities, such as data analysis and review of complaints.

The PSC also monitors the performance of the public service organizations that have delegated appointment authorities to assess the general state of the system. The PSC assesses their staffing performance and provides feedback to deputy heads to ensure continuous improvement in the public service appointment system.

The PSC uses the Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF) to review and assess staffing performance and to provide feedback to delegated organizations. The SMAF sets out the PSC's expectations for a well-managed appointment system that respects the Public Service Employment Act.

National area of selection (NAOS) (Zone nationale de sélection — ZNS)

Refers to the use of a geographic criterion in an area of selection that includes persons residing in Canada and Canadian citizens residing abroad.

Non-advertised appointment process (Processus de nomination non annoncé)

An appointment process that does not meet the criteria for an advertised appointment process.

Non-imperative appointment (Nomination non impérative)

An indeterminate appointment to a bilingual position that the deputy head has identified as not requiring a person who meets the required level of language proficiency at the time of appointment. Individuals appointed as a result of a non-imperative appointment either meet the language requirements at the time of appointment, agree to attain the required level of language proficiency within two years of the date of appointment or are exempted from meeting the language requirements of the position on medical grounds or as a result of their eligibility for an immediate annuity within two years of appointment.

Non-partisanship (Impartialité politique)

One of the core values of the Public Service Employment Act, it is essential to a professional public service and responsible democratic government, and ensures that appointments and promotions to and within the public service are based on merit and free from political influence. It supports the capacity and willingness of employees to serve governments, regardless of political affiliation. It enables employees to provide objective policy advice and administer programs and services for Canadians in a politically impartial manner.

Notification (Notification)

The two-step requirement to provide, in writing, the name(s) of the person(s) being considered for appointment, known as Notification of Consideration, and the name of the person being appointed or proposed, known as the Notification of Appointment or Proposal of Appointment, to persons in the area of selection who participated in an advertised internal appointment process and to all persons in the area of selection for a non-advertised internal process.

Occupational group (Groupe professionnel)

A grouping used for classification, comprising similar kinds of work requiring similar skills.

Officer-level jobs (Postes de niveau d'agent)

Includes jobs involved in scientific, professional, administration and technical functions. Examples include biologists, commerce officers and statisticians.

Operational requirements (Exigences opérationnelles)

A merit criterion that relates to current or future requirements of the organization for the proper functioning of the work unit or the organization (such as work done on weekends, travel, shift work).

Organizational needs (Besoins organisationnels)

A merit criterion relating to current or future needs that could enhance the way in which the organization operates or fulfills its mandate. Organizational needs could include the consideration of employment equity designated group members.

Organizations (Organisations)

In this report, the term "organizations" refers to federal government departments and agencies subject to all or part of the Public Service Employment Act.

Personal favouritism (Favoritisme personnel)

Involves an inappropriate action or behaviour by a public servant who, by using knowledge, authority or influence, provides an unfair advantage or preferential treatment to a current employee or to a candidate for employment in the public service.

Persons with disabilities (Personnes handicapées)

As defined by the Employment Equity Act, persons who have a long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric or learning impairment and who consider themselves to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment, or who believe that an employer or potential employer is likely to consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment. The definition includes persons whose functional limitations resulting from their impairment have been accommodated in their current job or workplace.

Political activity (Activité politique)

As defined by Part 7 of the Public Service Employment Act, political activity includes carrying on any activity in support of, within or in opposition to a political party; carrying on any activity in support of or in opposition to a candidate before or during an election period; or seeking nomination as or being a candidate in a federal, provincial, territorial or municipal election before or during the election period.

Political influence (Influence politique)

Interference in the appointment process, it could include, but is not limited to, interference by the office of a minister or a Member of Parliament.

Post-Secondary Recruitment Program (PSR) (Programme de recrutement postsecondaire — RP)

A program managed by the Public Service Commission that supports organizations wanting to recruit post-secondary graduates from across the country into entry-level positions. The program has two components: a general inventory and a targeted approach through which organizations can advertise specific job opportunities or career choices.

Priority entitlement (Droit de priorité de nomination)

The right to be appointed to positions ahead of all other persons if the essential qualifications are met. There are three types of statutory priorities under the Public Service Employment Act (surplus employees appointed within their own organization, employees on leave of absence whose positions have been backfilled indeterminately or their replacements, and persons laid off, in that order) and six regulatory priorities under the Public Service Employment Regulations (in no particular order: surplus employees appointed outside their own organization; employees who become disabled; members of the Canadian Forces who are medically released and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who are medically discharged; employees on approved leave to relocate with their spouse or common-law partner; employees with entitlement to be reinstated to their former group/level; and surviving spouses or common-law partners of employees, members of the Canadian Forces and members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police whose death is attributable to the performance of duties).

Priority Information Management System (PIMS) (Système de gestion de l'information sur les priorités — SGIP)

The Public Service Commission's Web-based tool that helps to ensure that entitlements to a priority in appointment are observed, as mandated by the Public Service Employment Act and the Public Service Employment Regulations.

Priority person (Bénéficiaire de priorité)

A person who has an entitlement under the Public Service Employment Act or the Public Service Employment Regulations, for a limited period, to be appointed ahead of all others to vacant positions in the public service. To be appointed, the person must meet the essential qualifications of the position.

Public service (Fonction publique)

As defined by the Public Service Employment Act, the positions in or under the departments named in Schedule I to the Financial Administration Act (FAA), the organizations named in Schedule IV to the FAA and the separate agencies named in Schedule V to the FAA.

Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Order (PSOLEAO) (Décret d'exemption concernant les langues officielles dans la fonction publique — DELOFP)

Order to provide for certain circumstances in which a person is excluded temporarily or permanently from meeting the official languages proficiency requirements of a bilingual position.

Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) (Système de ressourcement de la fonction publique — SRFP)

An electronic recruitment system used to advertise external employment opportunities and receive on-line applications. PSRS includes candidate management functionality such as e-screening of applications, e-communications with candidates, volume management and selection tools, and allows electronic referral of applications to federal public service organizations.

Public Service Staffing Modernization Project (PSSMP) (Projet de modernisation de la dotation de la fonction publique — PMDFP)

A multi-year project to modernize staffing across the Government of Canada. It will put in place a flexible environment that addresses differing organizational needs, provides common staffing tools and support and supports accountability, oversight and the guiding values of fairness, transparency, representativeness and access.

Public Service Staffing Tribunal (PSST) (Tribunal de la dotation de la fonction publique — TDFP)

An independent, quasi-judicial body established under the Public Service Employment Act, its mandate is to deal with complaints related to internal appointments, selection for lay-off, implementation of corrective measures ordered by the Tribunal and revocation of appointments. The Tribunal conducts hearings and provides mediation services in order to resolve these complaints.

Recruitment (Recrutement)

Hiring from outside the public service.

Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program (RPL) (Programme de recrutement des leaders en politiques — RLP)

The program targets and recruits Canadian graduate students from universities within Canada and abroad who have achieved academic excellence, acquired policy-relevant experience and demonstrated leadership skills through their work, volunteer activities or academics.

Representativeness (Représentativité)

One of the guiding values of the Public Service Employment Act, it requires that appointment processes be conducted without bias and do not create systemic barriers to help achieve a public service that reflects the Canadian population it serves. Research Affiliate Program (RAP) (Programme des adjoints de recherche — PAR) — A program that recruits, throughout the year, post-secondary students who require experience in applied research.

Resourcing (Ressourcement)

External and internal appointment activities.

Second language evaluation (SLE) (Évaluation de langue seconde — ELS)

Language tests administered by the Public Service Commission to determine the second official language proficiency of employees and applicants. Includes reading, writing and oral interaction tests that assess the applicants' ability to read, write and speak and understand their second official language in a work context.

Self-declaration (Autodéclaration)

Voluntary information provided by applicants in appointment processes for statistical purposes related to appointments and, in the case of processes targeted to employment equity groups, to determine eligibility.

Self-identification (Auto-identification)

Collection of employment equity information voluntarily provided by employees, for statistical purposes in analyzing and monitoring the progress of employment equity groups in the federal public service and for reporting workforce representation.

Simulations for the Selection of Executives (SELEX) (Simulations pour la sélection des EX — SELEX)

A Public Service Commission assessment instrument that evaluates the Key Leadership Competencies. It is used in selection processes for entry-level executive positions in the federal public service.

Specified term employment (Emploi pour une durée déterminée)

Employment of a fixed duration, whether full-time or part-time.

Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF) (Cadre de responsabilisation en gestion de la dotation — CRGD)

The SMAF sets out expectations for a well-managed appointment system that enables ongoing monitoring of delegated authorities and reporting to the Public Service Commission. It serves as the basis for measuring key success factors, the achievement of results and respect for the appointment values.

Statistical studies (Études statistiques)

Statistical studies are analytical studies that make use of the Public Service Commission (PSC) extensive data holdings in order to provide information to Parliament and the public on issues related to hiring and staffing activities in the federal public service. Statistical studies usually concentrate on describing in analytical terms how the staffing system functions, addressing specific policy or program issues from an analytical perspective and/or providing analytical support to the PSC's oversight functions.

Students Providing Aligned Research and Knowledge (SPARK) (Étudiants contribuant à l'avancement et à l'innovation en recherche — ÉCLAIR)

Program that provides the means to better match the intellectual capacities of students and professors in academia with public service research needs.

Studies (Études)

Studies are conducted to enhance understanding of the staffing system, draw attention to potential staffing issues, and to identify lessons learned and good practices. Since they address issues that need clarification or are of particular interest to Parliament and the public, studies are largely exploratory in nature, bringing together a range of methodologies to explore these topics. While normally more descriptive than audits, studies can both provide guidance to other oversight functions on ways to assess these topics in the future and help improve policies on appointment processes related to these topics.

Sub-delegated manager (Gestionnaire subdélégué)

A person to whom a deputy head has sub-delegated, in writing, the authority to exercise specific appointment and appointment-related authorities that have been delegated to the deputy head by the Public Service Commission.

Surplus employee (Fonctionnaire excédentaire)

An indeterminate employee whose position has been formally declared surplus in writing by their deputy head owing to a lack of work, a discontinuance of a function, a relocation for which the employee does not wish to move, or the transfer of work or a function outside the public service.

Tenure (Durée d'emploi)

The period of time for which a person is employed.

Test of oral proficiency in the second official language (SLE-TOP) (Test de compétence orale dans la seconde langue officielle — TCO de l'ELS)

The test approved by the Public Service Commission that is used to assess a person's ability to speak and understand spoken language in their second official language (French or English).

Transparency (Transparence)

One of the guiding values of the Public Service Employment Act, it requires that information about strategies, decisions, policies and practices be communicated in an open and timely manner.

Women (Femmes)

An employment equity designated group under the Employment Equity Act.

Workforce availability (Disponibilité au sein de la population active)

The distribution of people in the employment equity designated groups as a percentage of the total Canadian workforce. For federal public service purposes, workforce availability is based on Canadian citizens in those occupations in the Canadian workforce corresponding to the occupations in the public service and is derived from census statistics. Estimates for persons with disabilities are derived from data, also collected by Statistics Canada, in the 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS).