Directive on Occupational Health Evaluations

The Directive aims to prevent or mitigate injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the workplace and to improve the overall health and productivity of employees. It streamlines the planning and use of fit-to-work assessments and periodic health evaluations linked to staffing requirements.
Date modified: 2020-04-01

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1. Effective date

  • 1.1This directive takes effect on April 1, 2020.
  • 1.2This directive replaces the Treasury Board Occupational Health Evaluation Standard dated December 1, 2003.

2. Authorities

  • 2.1This directive is issued pursuant to the same authorities indicated in section 2 of the Policy on People Management.

3. Objectives and expected results

  • 3.1The objectives of this directive are as follows:
    • 3.1.1Prevent or mitigate occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities;
    • 3.1.2Reduce the effects of stressful work situations;
    • 3.1.3Improve the overall health and productivity of persons employed; and
    • 3.1.4Comply with the Canada Labour Code, Part II, and the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.
  • 3.2The expected results of this directive are as indicated in section 5 of the Policy on People Management.

4. Requirements

  • 4.1Managers are responsible for the following:
    • 4.1.1Planning periodic health evaluations of persons employed to determine whether they meet the occupational health requirements of their position and whether their health is negatively impacted by their work;
    • 4.1.2Planning health evaluations for persons employed and their dependants before, between and after foreign postings;
    • 4.1.3Conducting workplace hazard assessments in accordance with the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations;
    • 4.1.4Planning a pre-placement health evaluation when a candidate’s qualification is conditional on their ability to meet the occupational health requirements of the position;
    • 4.1.5Requesting fitness-to-work evaluations to ensure that persons employed are able to perform their duties and will not be a hazard to themselves or others;
    • 4.1.6Informing persons employed and candidates about the purpose of occupational health evaluations and about the evaluation process, and explaining the fundamentals of medical confidentiality in the federal public service; and
    • 4.1.7Covering the additional operational costs to provided health services as determined by Public Service Occupational Health Program, including new hires and changes in programs in all occupational groups.
  • 4.2Persons employed are responsible for making themselves available for occupational health evaluations and for participating in the processes determined by Health Canada.

5. Roles of other government organizations

  • 5.1This section identifies the roles of other key government organizations in relation to this directive. In and of itself, this section does not confer any authority.
  • 5.2Health Canada is responsible for the following:
    • 5.2.1Providing occupational health services for federal public service persons employed; and
    • 5.2.2Conducting the occupational health evaluations for persons employed in the core public administration.

6. Application

  • 6.1This directive applies to persons employed and the organizations listed in section 6 of the Policy on People Management.

7. References

8. Enquiries

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the President of the Treasury Board, 2020,
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