Employment Equity in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada - Annual Report 1998-99

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Introduction

This Annual Report on Employment Equity in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada highlights employment equity activities during the period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999.

It also presents information on the representation of designated groups as at 31 March 1999.

The Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Enabling Legislation

The Auditor General Act, the Financial Administration Act and a variety of other acts and orders-in-council set out the duties of the Auditor General as they relate to legislative auditing and monitoring of federal departments and agencies, Crown corporations and other national and international organizations.

Independence from Government

We are different from departments and agencies through our independence from the government of the day and our reporting relationship to Parliament. Our independence is assured by a broad legislative mandate, freedom from certain controls over our budget and staff, and a ten-year term for the Auditor General. The first independent Auditor General was appointed in 1878.

Application of the Employment Equity Act to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada

The Office of the Auditor General of Canada falls under the Employment Equity Act, section 4.(1)(c) as a portion of the Public Service of Canada - set out in Part II of Schedule I to the Public Service Staff Relations Act - employing 100 or more employees.

Our Vision and Mission

Our vision and mission statements guide the work of the Office.

Our Vision

We are committed to making a difference for the Canadian people by promoting, in all our work for Parliament, answerable, honest and productive government that reflects a commitment to sustainable development.

Our Mission

The Office of the Auditor General of Canada conducts independent audits and examinations that provide objective information, advice and assurance to Parliament. We promote accountability and best practices in government operations.

Our Work

The principal activity of the Office is legislative auditing - providing reliable, relevant and timely assurances and other information on financial and program performance to help legislators hold government accountable.

Our Organization

The Office is organized into three branches - Audit Operations, Corporate Services and Executive - along with the Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. Most of the staff work from the head office in Ottawa. Regional offices are located in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal and Halifax.

We have a specialized workforce, with roughly two thirds of our 527 employees at the middle manager and auditor levels.

Our Employment Equity Environment

Our Values

Employment equity is an underlying value of the Office of the Auditor General. Our Strategic Framework includes five principles that guide us in achieving our mission. One of these principles - Caring about people - includes the following statement:

We value the talent and diversity each individual brings to the Office.
In 1995, a Strategic Framework initiative was launched to identify ways in which staff can work toward day-to-day demonstrations of the people skills that lead to creating a respectful workplace.

The Auditor General announced our new corporate goal of Inclusion in November 1997. This goal was chosen to cover many important, contemporary issues like diversity, empowerment, equity and communications.



Our Structure

In January 1998, we updated our Strategic Framework and added a new employment equity strategy - to identify under-represented groups and take action to meet Office goals. This strategy has been incorporated into our Human Resources Corporate Plan.

In March 1998, the creation of a new senior committee - the Human Resources Committee - was approved. This committee is now responsible for monitoring the implementation of both our Human Resources Corporate Plan and our Employment Equity Plan.

Our Employment Equity Committee is committed to ensuring equal opportunity in the workplace for all employees, including, but not limited to, members of designated groups.

There are sub-committees established for each of the four designated groups. The Employment Equity Committee reports to the Human Resources Committee.

Implementing Employment Equity

Implementation of the Legislation

Our Employment Equity Committee and its sub-committees, including a union representative, represent the interests of designated groups in the Office. This committee has existed in our Office for many years. Each year, it has organized events and activities to promote awareness of employment equity and diversity issues in the workplace.

Our first step in implementing the requirements of the legislation was to organize and complete a self-identification survey in April 1997.

Working with the results of this survey, we completed a workforce analysis to determine the degree of under-representation of members of designated groups in each occupational group at 31 March 1997. This analysis has been updated and the results at 31 March 1999 are presented in this report.

Employment Equity Records

We have implemented procedures for the maintenance of orderly and accurate employment equity records. We have also developed information vehicles and practices to keep our employees up-to-date on employment equity matters. For example, we have an electronic bulletin board that provides all employees with easy access to current employment equity information. Periodic notices are sent to remind all employees of their right to self-identify at any time.

Activities and Events

In addition to promoting a corporate environment that supports employment equity values and ideals, a number of Office activities took place that supported designated groups and promoted an equitable work environment (see Figure 1).


Figure 1

Employment Equity Activities


Throughout the year, the Office also celebrated a number of events to recognize and heighten awareness of diversity issues. These included seminars and presentations to observe:

Retention and Development

In 1998-99, we implemented measures to assist in retaining members of designated groups. These measures included revising our exit interview program to better capture information on reasons why employees leave the office, and implementing changes to our audit trainee programs.

The Employment Equity Numbers

The data in this report are as at 31 March 1999.

Tables 4 through 7 show comparative numbers as at 31 March 1998. Tables 8 through 10 show the numbers of people hired, promoted and who left during 1998-99.

Our employment equity numbers have been prepared on the basis of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system, developed by Human Resources Development Canada. This system comprises 14 Employment Equity Occupational Groups (EEOGs) - as defined in Schedule II of the Employment Equity Regulations - and 522 NOC unit groups.

Classifying our employees under this system shows that we have a very specialized workforce:


Figure 2

Classification of OAG Employees under the National Occupational Classification System

Employment Equity Occupational Group (EEOG)

Major National Occupation Classification (NOC) unit group

1- Senior Managers

2- Middle and Other Managers

3- Professionals

4- Semi-professional & Technicians

7- Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel

10- Clerical Personnel

0012 - Senior Managers

0414 - Middle Managers

1111 - Auditors N/A

 

1221 - Administrative Officers

1441 - Administrative Clerks



Figure 3

Distribution of Employees by Major NOC Unit Groups




The following comments highlight the data in the Appendix.

Designated Groups Representation

We have compared our representation in each designated group to the most recent workforce availability figures provided by Human Resources Development Canada - the 1996 Employment Equity Data Report. We have used national figures for this comparison.

Women - Table 4

Women represented 49.7 percent of our workforce at 31 March 1999. During 1998-99, we achieved full representation for women in the senior manager and professional groups. We are now representative in all groups but one.

Under-representation for women persists in the large middle manager group where they are at 74 percent of the workforce availability.

Aboriginal Peoples - Table 5

In 1998-99, Office-wide representation for Aboriginal Peoples increased from 57 percent to 81 percent. However, this is due in large part to the significant decrease in the workforce availability of Aboriginal Peoples as reported in the 1996 census figures.

We have made good progress in increasing representation in professionals, our largest group, and we exceed workforce availability in two additional groups. Under-representation in the three other groups remains a challenge.

Persons with Disabilities - Table 6

We now exceed workforce availability in two groups, including the large middle manager group.

Under-representation still exists in the four other groups, although this year we made significant improvements in representation in two of these groups.

Persons in a Visible Minority Group - Table 7

During 1998-99, representation in the two largest groups, middle managers and professionals, increased considerably.

Under-representation is most pronounced in the semi-professional group and the two clerical groups. Recruiting clerical staff in a visible minority group is our greatest challenge.

Representation in Hirings, Promotions and Separations

This annual report includes an analysis of the numbers of employees hired, promoted and terminated, and the degree of representation in those numbers, of persons who are members of each designated group.

Hirings - Table 8

Sixty-two people were hired during the year.

The percentage of women hired exceeded the workforce availability. For the other three designated groups, the percentage hired was below the workforce availability.

The best progress was made in hiring women in the senior manager and semi-professional groups, and also in hiring persons in a visible minority in the professional group.

Promotions - Table 9

In 1998-99, 55 people - 10.3 percent of all employees - were promoted.

The rate of promotion for women (15.3 percent) exceeded this Office-wide figure. The promotion rate for persons in a visible minority group was 8.7 percent. No one was promoted in the other two designated groups.

Separations - Table 10

Last year, our rate of separation for three designated groups was lower than the Office-wide attrition rate of 10.5 percent.

Overall, women left at a slightly higher rate (11.8 percent). In the professional group, however, women left at a much higher rate (16.9 percent).

Our Employment Equity Plan

In prior years, our Employment Equity Committee developed an employment equity plan that outlined activities and initiatives intended to increase awareness of equity and diversity issues and to improve opportunities in the workplace for all employees.

Our New Employment Equity Plan

In 1997-98, a new Employment Equity Plan was prepared to meet the specific requirements of the Employment Equity Act, section 10. Our Plan, Version I, covers an initial three-year period, 1998-99 to 2000-01. It includes short-term numerical goals to reduce under-representation of the designated groups over that period. The Office's Executive Committee has endorsed these short-term numerical goals.

Consistent with the Plan, a detailed employment systems review was conducted in summer 1998. This review built on the results of the general systems review conducted in 1997 and focused on the occupational groups in which under-representation has been found. It examined those policies and practices relating to recruitment, selection, hiring, development, training, promotion, retention, termination and accommodation.

The objective of the detailed systems review was to find explanations for under-representation and to provide a reasonable basis for corrective action. The consultants' report, received in October 1998, concluded that the Office was a highly principled and professional organization that was addressing its human resource management challenges in a thorough and competent manner. The review found that we have given considerable attention to employment equity matters and that there are some areas that require further effort. The report contained a number of recommendations addressing employment systems barriers for members of designated groups.

The Plan will be updated in 1999-2000 to provide for short-term measures to eliminate any employment barriers identified by the detailed systems review. Policies and practices will also be developed and implemented to provide increased opportunities to the employment equity designated groups.

There are a number of areas where new and expanded activities could offer greater employment opportunity to the designated groups:

Consultation and Communication

During 1998-99, year one of our Plan, we began consultation with employee representatives, including bargaining agents, on the assistance that they could provide on communication with employees and the implementation of employment equity.

In July 1998, a memo was sent to all staff advising them that the Executive Committee had approved the Employment Equity Plan and that it was available to them on the Office Intranet. They were also informed that consultations on the Plan would begin during the summer. In fact, seven facilitated sessions were held during the remainder of 1998-99.

We make every effort to ensure that our consultation initiatives are meaningful and appropriate in terms of the Employment Equity Act. The Office of the Auditor General of Canada is committed to employment equity ideals. Our challenge is to reflect these ideals in both our workforce and workplace.

We believe that our Employment Equity Plan, as implemented, will constitute reasonable progress toward implementing employment equity as required by the Act.


APPENDIX - STATISTICS

Technical Notes

Report Coverage

This report contains information on our indeterminate employees and term employees of three months or more as at 31 March 1999. Employees who were on secondment to other organizations are also included in our numbers.

Employees who were on leave without pay from our Office at 31 March 1999 are not included in the population. Because of the rapid turnover of students and casual employees, no information is reported on them.

Data on People in the Designated Groups

All data, other than those for women, were obtained through self-identification, the process by which people identify themselves as being from one of the other three designated groups. The data on women were obtained from other human resources information.

The completeness and accuracy of employment equity data depend on employees being willing to self-identify and on being given the opportunity to do so.

Our self-identification process, including the questionnaire completed on a voluntary basis, began in April 1997. Employees who joined the Office since then were provided with the questionnaire when they began working.

At any time during the year, any employee may complete or revise a self-identification questionnaire, available from our Human Resources Group.

On tables 3 to 7, we show our representation as a percentage of the workforce availability, with comparative figures for the prior year. We believe this is the best single statistic to show how well we are doing in achieving a representative workforce.

We provide information by Employment Equity Occupational Group (EEOG). On tables 4 through 7, we also provide information for the two National Occupational Classification (NOC) unit groups that comprise the majority of our employees - Middle Managers (NOC Unit 0414), which is part of EEOG 2 (Middle and Other Managers) and Auditors (NOC Unit 1111), included in EEOG 3 (Professionals).

Change in Classification of Employees

In 1998-99, we restructured our management category. As a result, a number of employees previously classified in NOC Unit 1111, in the Professional EEOG, are now included in NOC Unit 0414, within the Middle and Other Manager EEOG.


List of Tables

Table 1 - Representation of Designated Groups in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Table 2 - Distribution of Employees by Designated Group and Region of Work

Table 3 - Representation of Designated Groups by Employment Equity Occupational Group

Table 4 - Representation of Women by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

Table 5 - Representation of Aboriginal Peoples by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

Table 6 - Representation of Persons with Disabilities by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

Table 7 - Representation of Persons in a Visible Minority by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

Table 8 - Hirings by Designated Group and Employment Equity Occupational Group - 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

Table 9 - Promotions by Designated Group and Employment Equity Occupational Group - 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

Table 10 - Separations by Designated Group and Employment Equity Occupational Group - 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

Table 11 - Distribution of Employees by Designated Group and Salary Band


Table 1

Representation of Designated Groups in the Office of the Auditor General of Canada

 

All
Employees


Women


Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

As at 31 March 1999

527

262

49.7

9

1.7

15

2.8

31

5.9

Workforce Availability

 

 

46.4

 

2.1

 

6.3

 

10.3

Table 2

Distribution of Employees by Designated Group and Region of Work

As at 31 March 1999


Region of Work

All
Employees


Women


Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

National Capital Region

466

230

49.4

7

1.5

13

2.8

27

5.8

All Other Regions

61

32

52.5

2

3.3

2

3.3

4

6.6

Total

527

262

49.7

9

1.7

15

2.8

31

5.9

Table 3

Representation of Designated Groups by Employment Equity Occupational Group

As at 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees


Women


Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

All Occupations

527

262

49.7

9

1.7

15

2.8

31

5.9

Senior Managers
14

3

21.4

0

-

0

-

1

7.1

Middle and Other Managers
172

43

25.0

0

-

6

3.5

14

8.1

Professionals
211

115

54.5

2

0.9

5

2.4

15

7.1

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
17

11

64.7

0

-

1

5.9

0

-

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
38

34

89.5

3

7.9

1

2.6

0

-

Clerical Personnel
75

56

74.7

4

5.3

2

2.7

1

1.3

Table 4

Representation of Women by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

As at 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees


Women

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

All Occupations

527

262

49.7

46.4

100+

100+

Senior Managers
14

3

21.4

20.8

100+

81.3

Middle and Other Managers
172

43

25.0

33.6

74.4

73.1

Professionals
211

115

54.5

52.7

100+

92.9

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
17

11

64.7

48.3

100+

100+

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
38

34

89.5

85.3

100+

100+

Clerical Personnel
75

56

74.7

71.0

100+

100+

 

National Occupational
Classification Unit Group

All
Employees


Women

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

Middle Managers
160

39

24.4

36.1

67.5

73.9

Auditors
173

94

54.3

45.4

100+

100+

Table 5

Representation of Aboriginal Peoples by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

As at 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees

Aboriginal
Peoples

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

All Occupations

527

9

1.7

2.1

80.9

56.7

Senior Managers
14

0

-

2.6

0.0

0.0

Middle and Other Managers
172

0

-

1.0

0.0

0.0

Professionals
211

2

0.9

1.3

69.2

40.0

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
17

0

-

2.0

0.0

0.0

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
38

3

7.9

1.6

100+

100+

Clerical Personnel
75

4

5.3

1.6

100+

100+

 

National Occupational
Classification Unit Group

All
Employees

Aboriginal
Peoples

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

Middle Managers
160

0

-

1.2

0.0

0.0

Auditors
173

1

0.4

0.5

80.0

33.3

Table 6

Representation of Persons with Disabilities by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

As at 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees

Persons with
Disabilities

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

All Occupations

527

15

2.8

6.3

44.4

34.9

Senior Managers
14

0

-

4.1

0.0

0.0

Middle and Other Managers
172

6

3.5

3.3

100+

93.9

Professionals
211

5

2.4

3.6

66.7

52.8

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
17

1

5.9

5.3

100+

0.0

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
38

1

2.6

4.2

61.9

57.1

Clerical Personnel
75

2

2.7

6.0

45.0

45.0

 

National Occupational
Classification Unit Group

All
Employees

Persons with
Disabilities

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1997-98

1996-97

Middle Managers
160

6

3.8

n/a

n/a

n/a

Auditors
173

3

1.7

3.3

51.5

66.7

Table 7

Representation of Persons in a Visible Minority by Employment Equity Occupational Group and Two Largest National Occupational Classification Unit Groups

As at 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees

Persons in a
Visible Minority

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

All Occupations

527

31

5.9

10.3

57.2

47.3

Senior Managers
14

1

7.1

7.3

97.3

100+

Middle and Other Managers
172

14

8.1

9.4

86.2

62.1

Professionals
211

15

7.1

10.4

68.3

55.7

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
17

0

-

9.1

0.0

0.0

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
38

0

-

7.3

0.0

0.0

Clerical Personnel
75

1

1.3

11.6

11.2

13.1

 

National Occupational
Classification Unit Group

All
Employees

Persons in a
Visible Minority

Workforce
Availability (WFA)

Representation as a
Percentage of
WFA

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Percentage

1998-99

1997-98

Middle Managers
160

14

8.8

5.2

100+

100+

Auditors
173

14

8.1

14.7

55.1

42.4

Table 8

Hirings by Designated Group and Employment Equity Occupational Group

1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees


Women


Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

All Occupations

62

35

56.5

0

-

1

1.6

3

4.8

Senior Managers
1

1

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Middle and Other Managers
6

1

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Professionals
46

26

 

0

 

1

 

3

 

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
2

2

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
0

0

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Clerical Personnel
7

5

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Includes employees hired into term positions (three months or more) and indeterminate positions.

Hirings as a Percentage
of Workforce Availability

All
Employees


Women


Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

 

Number

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

Number

Percentage

All Occupations

62

35

56.5

0

-

1

1.6

3

4.8

Workforce Availability (WFA)

 

 

46.4

 

2.1

 

6.3

 

10.3

Hirings as a Percentage of Workforce Availability

 

 

121.8

 

0.0

 

25.4

 

46.6

Table 9

Promotions by Designated Group and Occupational Category

1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees


Women

Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

All Occupations

55

40

0

0

2

Senior Managers
0

0

0

0

0

Middle and Other Managers
5

4

0

0

0

Professionals
48

34

0

0

2

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
0

0

0

0

0

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
0

0

0

0

0

Clerical Personnel
2

2

0

0

0

Includes promotions and reclassifications.


Promotion Rate

All
Employees


Women

Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

Number

55

40

0

0

2

Promotion Rate (Percentage)

10.3

15.3

-

-

8.7

Table 10

Separations by Designated Group and Employment Equity Occupational Group

1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999

Employment Equity
Occupational Group

All
Employees


Women

Aboriginal People

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

All Occupations

56

31

0

1

2

Senior Managers
1

0

0

0

0

Middle and Other Managers
8

2

0

0

0

Professionals
37

21

0

1

2

Semi-Professionals & Technicians
1

1

0

0

0

Administrative & Senior Clerical Personnel
2

2

0

0

0

Clerical Personnel
7

5

0

0

0

 


Attrition Rate

All
Employees


Women

Aboriginal People

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

Number

56

31

0

1

2

Attrition Rate (Percentage)

10.5

11.8

0.0

8.3

8.7

Table 11

Distribution of Employees by Designated Group and Salary Band

As at 31 March 1999

Salary Band
($s)

All
Employees


Women


Aboriginal Peoples

Persons with
Disabilities

Persons in a
Visible Minority

 

Number

Cumulative
Percentage

Number

Cumulative
Percentage

Number

Cumulative
Percentage

Number

Cumulative
Percentage

Number

Cumulative
Percentage

up to 24,999 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0
25,000 - 29,999 12 2.3 7 2.7 0 0.0 1 6.7 1 3.2
30,000 - 34,999 59 13.5 47 20.6 2 22.2 0 6.7 3 12.9
35,000 - 39,999 49 22.8 37 34.7 4 66.7 2 20.0 0 12.9
40,000 - 44,999

51

32.4

41

50.4

2

88.9

1

26.7

1

16.1

45,000 - 49,999 43 40.6 26 60.3 0 88.9 1 33.3 3 25.8
50,000 - 54,999 36 47.4 13 65.3 1 100.0 1 40.0 3 35.5
55,000 - 59,999 31 53.3 19 72.5 0 100.0 2 53.3 3 45.2
60,000 - 64,999 62 65.1 24 81.7 0 100.0 3 73.3 3 54.8
65,000 - 69,999

18

68.5

8

84.7

0

100.0

0

73.3

2

61.3

70,000 - 74,999 36 75.3 8 87.8 0 100.0 0 73.3 5 77.4
75,000 - 79,999 9 77.0 3 88.9 0 100.0 0 73.3 2 83.9
80,000 - 84,999 30 82.7 10 92.7 0 100.0 2 86.7 0 83.9
85,000 - 89,999 28 88.0 8 95.8 0 100.0 1 93.3 2 90.3
90,000 - 94,999 7 89.4 2 96.6 0 100.0 0 93.3 1 93.5
95,000 - 99,999

10

91.3

1

96.9

0

100.0

0

93.3

0

93.5

100,000 +

46

100.0

8

100.0

0

100.0

1

100.0

2

100.0

Total

527

100.0

262

100.0

9

100.0

15

100.0

31

100.0