INFO-PSC Newsletter

October 2009

Message from the President - The Public Service Commission tables its Annual Report

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has tabled its 2008-2009 Annual Report in Parliament. It also tabled audit reports for Infrastructure Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, Health Canada and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, as well as a follow-up audit of the Office of the Correctional Investigator. The PSC also released three studies and updates to four previous studies.

Audits

The Public Service Commission performed audit reports of four organizations:  Infrastructure Canada, Health Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

A follow-up audit of the Office of the Correctional Investigator was also tabled.  

Studies

The Public Service Commission also released three studies, namely:

• Study on the data collection of non-advertised appointment processes;
• Drop-off of employment equity groups in recruitment;
• Career progression in the federal public service – Temporary versus permanent start-ups.

We also released updates to four previous studies:

• Time to staff in the federal public service – An update;
• Acting Appointments and Subsequent Promotions in the Federal Public Service (Update);
• New indeterminate employees: Who are they? (Update); and
• To what extent do casuals become employed under the Public Service Employment Act? (Update).

Report

A special report on investigations involves founded cases of fraud and improper political activities by public servants.

Other topics of interest

Approach to affirm Aboriginal affiliation for targeted processes

Since July 1997, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) has had a 50% Aboriginal Hiring Policy and an Aboriginal Employment Program. Recruitment and staffing processes open only to Aboriginal persons are sometimes used to achieve this objective.

Former ministers' staff mobility provision

When the Federal Accountability Act came into force on December 12, 2006, it brought an important change to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and, consequently, for ministerial staff.  The previous priority appointment right for ministerial staff in the PSEA was repealed and replaced with a mobility provision.

The future for jobs.gc.ca

Since August 31, 2009, job seekers using the jobs.gc.ca Web site have even more options and flexibility than ever before.

The 2009 Post-secondary Recruitment Campaign generates the highest level of interest ever from departments and agencies

This year’s Post-secondary Recruitment (PSR) campaign is drawing higher interest than ever as it prepares to administer tests on behalf of over 18 departments and agencies with more than 57 career choices up for grabs.

Thinking about becoming a candidate in an upcoming election?

The Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) provides a regime for governing employees’ political activities. More specifically, Part 7 of the PSEA recognizes the rights of employees to engage in political activities, while maintaining the principle of political impartiality in the public service.