Part III – Priority clearance and recruitment requests

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3.1 To obtain a priority clearance and/or recruitment services

Fields with a red * are mandatory.

From the Request for Priority Clearance and/or Recruitment screen of PIMS, select one of the following actions:
- Priority Clearance Only
  For any type of Proposed Appointment Process.
  
  NOTE: Select this action when an organization is responsible for their own external recruitment (creating and posting external job opportunities). In this case, it is important to put an explanatory note in the additional information section; otherwise, your request may be cancelled.
- Priority Clearance and Recruitment (NON-EX positions)
  For one of the following proposed appointment process:
  - External Appointment Processes
    - E. (6) Advertised Processes
    - J. (12) Simultaneous Internal and External Advertised Processes
    - L. (10) External Employment Equity Appointment Processes
  NOTE: Select this action if the PSC Priority Administration Advisor (PAA) is responsible for creating and posting the job advertisement.
- Priority Clearance and EX Resourcing Services
  When staffing EX positions.
  
  NOTE: Select this action if the PSC is responsible for creating and posting the job advertisement.
Once you have selected the appropriate action, click on Continue. This will bring you to the beginning of the Clearance Request Form.
In the section Home Organization Information, it is imperative that the information about the Originator who will receive the subsequent e-mails from the system be accurate, particularly their e-mail address.
It is also strongly recommended that the contact information of another human resources person be indicated in the section entitled Human Resources Officer.
If priority persons are referred to an indeterminate position, an e-mail will be sent informing them of the job opportunity. They should then respond directly to the person indicated in this field, to inform them of their interest in the job opportunity. You must indicate the address to which the priority person should send their reply.
You must also indicate the number of working days in which the priority person should reply to the job opportunity. A minimum of 5 working days to respond must be given however, the default of 5 working days can be increased to a maximum of 10 working days.
In the section Position Identification, type in the group and level of the position(s) to be staffed. Then click on the button Show Corresponding Experience Codes.

The name of the relevant occupational group to which the position belongs will appear. For example, if the group and level indicated is AS-4, the following line will appear below the button: Occupational group: Program and Administrative Services.
This means that all of the Experience Codes associated with that occupational group will now appear in the drop-down list. Select the appropriate Experience Codes for the position.

If an appropriate Experience Code is not listed in the drop-down list, select a general Experience Code. NOTE: The Experience Code chosen must be mentioned in at least one of the essential experience criteria in the Statement of Merit Criteria.
Select the appropriate position Tenure and Type of Employment from the drop-down list.
Select the appropriate Language Requirements of the position(s) being staffed.
- If there is more than one position with various linguistic profiles (bilingual and unilingual, imperative and non-imperative), select Various Requirements. Then, in the Additional Information section, type in all of the various linguistic profiles that will be used (CBC/CBC bilingual Imperative, BBB/BBB non-imperative, English Essential, etc.).
- If the process is Bilingual Imperative, but with different profiles (e.g., BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC), select Bilingual Imperative – various profiles. In the Additional Information section, type in all of the linguistic profiles that will be used.
Type in the position title. Then, from the drop-down list, select the exact geographical location for the position(s) being staffed. IMPORTANT: If more than one geographical location applies, a separate request for each of the other geographical locations MUST be submitted.
In the Position Location (City, town) * box, you may type a greater specificity if the position location chosen does not correspond to the exact location of work.
Position Numbers: Type in the position number(s) you wish to staff. If there are more than 10, indicate in the Additional Information box underneath this section all of the other position numbers. These position number(s) must be accurate. However, in the event that those numbers change, the clearance request must be updated with valid position numbers as they are known.
Additional Information: In this box, provide any and all information concerning your process: Change in the Originator's co-ordinates, position numbers, linguistic profiles, reasons for an update, etc.
In the section Consideration of Priority Persons, it is important to choose between options A, B or C, depending on whether you wish to consider a priority person or a specific priority person, or you do not wish to consider priority persons as per
section 43 of the PSEA.
- To choose option A, click the radio button beside the letter A. If targeting a designated group, complete the Employment Equity section. Click one or more radio buttons to select the employment equity groups. Then choose a Proposed Appointment Process.
- To choose option B, click on the radio button beside the letter B. Then type the last name, Personal record identifier (PRI) and Priority referral number (PRN) in the appropriate fields.
- To choose option C, click on the radio button beside the letter C. Then click the radio button to choose whether you will proceed with an internal advertised appointment process or an internal non-advertised appointment process. Then click on the hyperlink to go to the Selection Process Number section.
Proposed Appointment Process *: In this section, there are three collapsible drop-down lists: Internal Appointment Processes, External Appointment Processes and Other Process. Click on the appropriate drop-down list, depending on your choice of process. You may refer to step 1 above for help in determining what process you need.
Selection Process Number: If you already know the selection process number, enter it in the field. If you know the selection process number at a later time, you must go back and enter the accurate number to enable your organization to track how priority persons have been considered.
Statement of Merit Criteria *: In this section, you must paste all of the essential qualifications of the position and the conditions of employment that apply to the positions being staffed. Note that PIMS will screen priority persons based on conditions of employment (e.g., shift work, overtime, travel). These should only be indicated where these conditions will be part of the letter of offer. REMINDER: Priority persons are NOT required to meet current or future asset qualifications, operational requirements or organizational needs. Please ensure that the essential qualifications appear in both languages, as the statement will be sent to priority persons in their preferred language of correspondence.
Once your form is completed, you are now ready to submit it for activation. If you wish to keep a copy of this form, click on the Printable Page button. Otherwise, click on the Send or Continue button.
On the next screen, you will be asked to confirm whether the proposed appointment process, tenure, classification, position number, title, job category and types are correct. If the information is correct, click on the Yes button. This will bring you to a different screen, which will indicate whether you have an automatic clearance, or whether the system has found potential matches with your request. At the same time, the system will generate an e-mail that is delivered directly to your account. This message will contain further important instructions about the next step of the process. You must read the e‑mail closely and follow its instructions.

3.2 To view a priority person's résumé (to screen and/or assess)

From the Main Menu, click on Obtain a Priority Clearance and/or Recruitment Services.
Select Feedback on Priority Referrals. Enter the Clearance Request ID. Click on the Continue button .
Click on the hyperlink where the name of the priority person referred appears.
Click on the Refer to Priority File button. The Priority Profile Menu will appear. Click on Résumé.
You are now in the priority person's registration. Click on the Résumé section; you will see a box containing the person's résumé. It is recommended that you copy and paste the entire résumé in Word or WordPerfect, as it will be easier to consult and forward to the hiring manager. It is also recommended that you read the notes, if any, in the Additional Information section; any special information concerning the priority person will be indicated in this section.

3.3 To provide feedback

3.3.1 Referrals for indeterminate positions

From the PIMS main menu, select Priority Clearance and/or Recruitment services and Feedback on Priority Referrals; then enter the Clearance Request ID.
Click on the Continue button. This will bring you to the Priority Referral Feedback Form. This screen displays the names of all of the priority persons referred by the PSC PAAs, for whom feedback is required. Click on the name of the priority person to view or edit results for that person. NOTE: You may complete the form for each person at different times as you complete the assessments of those persons, or you may complete the form for all priority persons at the same time.
Select the appropriate code from the drop-down list of Referral Results*. See Section 4.3.2 to obtain information on which results codes to use.
In the Rationale & Comments box, enter a detailed explanation of the referral feedback. IMPORTANT: Because the feedback is sent directly to the priority persons, you must provide it in the official language of choice for correspondence of each priority person. You must provide sufficient detail in this section to allow the priority person, the home organization and the PSC PAA to understand the decision behind the referral results for each priority person. You may paste a copy of any exchange that took place between the different parties directly in this box. Then, click on the Save button at the bottom of the page. NOTE: For indeterminate processes, there must be evidence that the priority person was assessed, if they felt that they met the essential qualifications of the position.
Click on the next priority person's name and follow steps 3 to 4 above.
When you have saved the referral feedback for the last priority person in the form, check the box below the following statement: I confirm that feedback has been provided for all priority persons referred. Once the box has been checked, click the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
A "Thank You" message appears in the next screen. This message means that your priority referral feedback has been sent successfully to the PSC PAAs, to the priority person(s) and to the home organization. Following the three-day waiting period, a PSC PAA will decide whether to issue clearance. If necessary, the priority person(s), the home organization or the PSC PAA may contact you for further information.

3.3.2 Request for additional feedback received – Resubmitting feedback

When you receive a request for additional feedback from the priority person, the home organization or the PSC, you must resubmit the amended Priority Referral Feedback Form. To do so, follow steps 3 to 7 in section 3.3.1 above.

3.3.3 Referrals for term positions

NOTE: For specified term processes, all priorities identified on search are automatically referred to the organization, who then screens the priority person(s) based on information available in PIMS.

From the Request for Priority Clearance and/or Recruitment screen of PIMS, select Feedback to PSC on Priority Referrals; then enter the Clearance Request ID.
Click on the Continue button. This will bring you to the Priority Referral Feedback Form.
This screen displays the names of all of the priority persons on whom a report is required. Click on the name to view or edit the information and to complete the referral result for that person. NOTE: You may complete the form for each person at different times as you complete the assessments of those persons, or you may complete the form for all persons at the same time.
Enter the Date Priority given Feedback in writing * (yyyy-mm-dd).

NOTE: This is the date you certify that you have informed the priority person IN WRITING about the assessment results. This may be done by e-mail. Keep a copy of this e-mail in your staffing file in case of an audit, and paste a copy in the Rationale & Comments box.
If the priority person does not meet some or all of the pre-screening criteria of the Statement of Merit Criteria, select the appropriate code from the drop-down list of
A. SCREENED OUT (Qualifications). See Section 4.3.1 to obtain information about what results codes to use.

If the priority person is found to be qualified, choose from the drop-down list the referral result code 12 - Qualified - for term appointment to this position.
In the Rationale & Comments box, enter a detailed explanation of how the priority person meets or does not meet the essential qualifications in the Statement of Merit Criteria, as well as a copy of the e-mail you sent to the priority person with their assessment results, and click on the Save button at the bottom of the page.
Click on the next priority person's name and follow step 4 to 7 above.
When you have saved the referral results for the last priority person in the form, click the box entitled To Submit to the PSC, and then click on the Submit button at the bottom of the page.
A "Thank You" message appears in the next screen: Your priority referral feedback has been sent successfully to the Public Service Commission of Canada and a PSC Priority Administrator Advisor will examine your report and will either issue a clearance number or a denial of clearance. If necessary, the advisor may contact you for further information.

3.4 To update a priority clearance request

NOTE: Any changes to a request that may affect the search of the inventory are not allowed; the following changes are the ONLY ONES you may make to a request once it has been submitted:

Change to a position number;
Change to the Home Organization Contacts information
Addition of comments requested by the PSC to clarify information.

From the Request for Priority Clearance and/or Recruitment screen in PIMS, select Update a Request.
Click on Continue. This will bring you to the Update a Clearance Request screen.
Enter the Clearance Request Number in the Search Criteria box, then click on the Search button.
A line with the Clearance Request Number highlighted in red will appear at the bottom of the screen. Click on this number. This will bring you directly to your Clearance Request.
Confirm your e-mail address and modify the information that needs to be updated. In the Additional Information box, enter a clear description of what you have changed, and then click on the Send or Complete button at the bottom of the screen. The system will generate a confirmation e-mail that will be sent directly to your e-mail account.

3.5 To cancel a priority clearance request

From the Request for Priority Clearance and/or Recruitment screen of PIMS, select Cancel a Request.
Click on Continue. This will bring you to the Cancel a Clearance Request screen.
Enter the Clearance Request Number in the Search Criteria box, then, click on the Search button.
A line with the Clearance Request Number highlighted in red will appear at the bottom of the screen. Click on this number. This will bring you directly to the Cancel a Request screen.
Confirm your e-mail address, select a Cancellation Reason from the drop-down list and then click on the YES button at the bottom of the screen.
A "Thank You” message with the Clearance Request Number will appear in the next screen, informing you that the request has been cancelled. Since NO confirmation e-mail will be sent, print this screen for your staffing file. NOTE: If you received a clearance number, it is now invalid and cannot be used. clearance number, it is now invalid and cannot be used.