Embracing Change in the Federal Public Service - Task Force on the Participation of Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service

• The need for such a program is based on significant under-representation in one or more occupations and/or by location.
• Selection can be confined to visible minorities and other designated group(s).
• Person selected must be qualified.
• Legal authority is provided under PSEA 5.1(2).

• Managers can use their authority for term or indeterminate appointments.
• Person selected must be qualified.
• Legal authority is provided under PSEA 5.1(1).

Note: If a term employee is hired under the ad hoc program, employment status can be changed from term to indeterminate at a later date. This subsequent appointment will not require the assessment of other candidates or the posting of a notice of right to appeal. However, the appointment must not result in a promotion.

• Managers can ask for the minimum area of selection to be expanded to include one or more EE groups from a larger area of selection.
• This authority applies to external and internal processes.
  e.g., external - open to residents of Montreal and all visible minorities within a 100 mile radius.
  e.g., internal - open to employees of Canadian Heritage in the National Capital Region and all visible minority employees of Citizenship and Immigration.
• Legal authority is provided under PSEA 13(2).

• The program has a built-in algorithm to ensure representative referrals of employment equity group members.
• The search for referrals can be restricted to one or more of the EE designated groups

• Managers who have invested in students by providing them with significant work experience through a FSWEP or Co-op approved program may "bridge" the student into Public Service employment using one of the following two options:

Option one: competitive option

• The area of selection in closed competitions must specifically include them.
• Students must meet the criteria of area of selection.
• Students must demonstrate they are capable of completing the post-secondary program in which they are registered at the time of their most recent appointment and within the timeframe indicated on the competition notice.

Option two: non-competitive option

• The Public Service Commission has delegated authority to deputy heads to appoint, without competition from outside the federal Public Service, qualified graduates in whom the department has invested. Appointment may occur within 12 months of students completing their post-secondary education program or vocational training program.
• Further details on these two options may be found in the Letter to Heads of Personnel (reference: 98-16) dated August 12, 1998.
  web site address: www.psc-cfp.gc.ca

For more information:
Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials
252 Bloor Street West, Suite 5-200
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1V5
Telephone: (416) 964-1777
Fax: (416) 964-2296
E-mail: info@cicic.ca
web site: http://www.cicic.ca/

• Internet (http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/menu/home_e.htm)
  • Over 22,000 visits are made per day (visit equals 10 minutes plus).
  • Candidates may apply on-line.
  • An alternate text format is available to allow candidates with visual impairment to apply on-line.
  • EE associations have hyper-links to this site.
• Infotel - local telephone numbers are used to advertise jobs.
• Jobs may be advertised in professional journals and occasionally in ethnic press and in the language of press.
• PSC reception areas have computers available and connected to Internet.
• Job notices are faxed to selected EE organizations that are not hyper-linked to PSC site.
• Database of EE organizations/associations that support PSC recruitment efforts (2,300 addresses) and to which PSC communicates information regarding its major recruitment campaign efforts.
• PSC is increasing its presence at universities and colleges, undertaking numerous job fairs and actively participating at EE events in the community.

• Maintaining EE inventories to support recruitment efforts for that region (check http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/menu/home_e.htm for locations).
• Developing partnerships and working relationships with EE organizations and provincial governments in order to maximize recruitment efforts and results.

• Administered by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), this fund supports and kick-starts initiatives or interventions which address unique cross-departmental issues or issues identified either from EE business plans, Canadian Human Rights Commission audits or which respond to major government priorities.
• For more information, please contact TBS's Employment Equity Division or visit the program's web site at: /pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=12543.

EEPMP Partnership Fund

• Administered by the Public Service Commission (PSC), this fund supports the unique needs of each region in dealing with EE barriers.
• For more information, contact PSC Regional or District offices or visit the program's web site at: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ee/eepmp_e.htm.

Employment Equity Career Development Office (EECDO)

• Administered by the PSC, this office facilitates the delivery of effective and appropriate career counselling to designated group members through the transfer of knowledge to departments and regions.
• The office is developing a Centre of Excellence that provides current research, resources and opportunities to share best practices.
• The office is developing an accredited course on EE Career Counselling.
• For more information, visit the program's web site at http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ee/eepmp_e.htm.

Enabling Resource Centre for Persons with Disabilities

• Administered by the PSC, this centre of expertise provides operational support and advice to managers on how to meet the work-related accommodation needs of persons with disabilities.
• Upon assessment of needs, work-related assistive devices can be borrowed by departments on a short-term loan basis.
• For more information, visit the program's web site at http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ee/eepmp_e.htm.

• Check job requirements (especially education and experience) to see if they are job related and not overly demanding.
• Check language requirements to see if they truly reflect needs.
• Ensure EE representation on selection boards.
• Understand your workforce representation and identify where progress is needed.
• Don't screen out candidates because they have a degree from a non-Canadian institution. Have it verified through existing services.

• CAP selection is delegated to departments and is through merit-based processes.
• Departments may encourage their visible minority employees to apply for CAP competitions.
• CAP selection tools have been tested to eliminate any systemic biases.

• Ten PSC selection instruments were selected for review based on importance in selection in the Public Service and to cover the variety of instrument types available. These were: the General Intelligence Test, General Competency Test: Level 2, Office Skills Test, Foreign Service Knowledge Test, Supervisor Simulation, Middle-Manager In-Basket Exercise, Track Record Interview, Assessment Centre for Executive Appointment, Assessment Centre for the Management Trainee Program and Second Language Evaluation Oral Interaction Test.
• Details on PSC selection instruments and services may be found at the Personnel Psychology Centre web site at: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc/coverpg_e.htm

• The workshop entitled Sensitivity Training for Employment Equity is available from the Personnel Psychology Centre.

• Ensure that the proportion of visible minorities who participate in a given selection campaign is maintained at each successive phase from application to selection.
• Encourage participation of visible minority assessors on all selection boards in regions where there is a high representation of visible minorities.
• Conduct consultations with groups/associations representing visible minorities.
• Conduct sensitization training for selection board members, including managers.
• MTP selection tools have been tested to eliminate any systemic biases.
• The PSC markets the MTP on campuses to attract visible minority applicants. www.psc.cfp.gc.ca/.

• Departments have been delegated the administration of ICP assignments below the executive level.
• Departments may encourage their visible minority employees to diversify their expertise through an IC assignment in an outside organization e.g., other level of government, industry, academic and research institutions, non-profit.

• Departments may seek the expertise of visible minority employees from outside organizations to help develop a better understanding between the federal public service and outside organizations for the purposes of creating and supporting informed policy development and improved services, and to strengthen Canada's international and national relations and partnerships.

• Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
• Moncton, New Brunswick
• Montreal, Quebec
• Ottawa, Ontario
• Halifax, Nova Scotia
• St. John's, Newfoundland
• Quebec, Quebec
• Toronto, Ontario
• Whitehorse, Yukon
• Regina, Saskatchewan
• Iqualuit, Nunavut
• Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Vancouver, British Columbia
• Edmonton, Alberta
• Victoria, British Columbia