Alternative Resourcing Options

This report presents the findings of a study on the use of alternative resourcing options, conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC). The study presents a portrait of recent trends and analyzes the incidence and impacts of these resourcing options. The findings will allow managers to make more informed decisions about the resourcing actions they take. A better understanding of the changing nature of work will also allow the Public Service to carry out effective human resource planning.

Prepared and Researched by: Marcel Brisson, Marie-Claire Charette, Jean Daigle, Daniel Dion, Gaëtan Pelletier
Marie Ranger, Debbie Romain, Réal St-Amand and Fred Webb
Edited by: Words that Matter Inc.
Graphic Design by: Judy Bisson

Background

In response to pressures to improve—or even expand—services in an era of fiscal restraint and downsizing, many public service managers are relying less on traditional human resource practices and more on alternative options such as contracting out, using temporary help and hiring casual or part-time workers. In fact, the number of core public servants hired under the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) is decreasing, while the number of "non-employees" is increasing. A human resource mix of indeterminate, term and non-standard workers has taken the place of the traditional work force that was made up almost entirely of indeterminate employees.

This fundamental change in the nature of the federal public service and its impact on resourcing principles and values must be better understood. Until now, there has been little more than anecdotal evidence of the popularity of non-standard work arrangements across government. Managers must learn how to manage the contingent work force to maximize its potential and allow for the greatest flexibility. The Public Service as a whole must respond to the challenges of these new work arrangements with strategic human resource planning. The time is right for a broader look at personnel practices.

In 1997 the PSC conducted a study of alternative resourcing options in the federal government. Our objectives were to:

When people are brought into the organization, they can be hired as employees under the PSEA. This staffing decision covers seasonal, part-time and full-time employees, who can be hired for term or indeterminate positions. People can also be hired to do work without becoming employees under the PSEA. This form of staffing covers temporary help, part-time workers under the Exclusion Approval Order and casuals. Each of these options is explained later in this paper. People can also be brought into the organization's sphere of influence through contract assignments.

Employees hired under the PSEA can be moved about within the organization to perform other duties either permanently, through transfers and deployments, or temporarily, through assignments and secondments.

Under the PSEA, employees can also be promoted in the organization, with or without competition.

Most government studies and audits to date have concentrated on the traditional staffing activities, which are guided by the PSEA. Little has been done to study the use of activities that are peripheral to traditional staffing methods. This study therefore focuses on the following peripheral, or alternative, resourcing options:

As the Office of the Auditor General will publish a report on the use of personal service contracts, we chose to exclude this option from our study.

Our study of alternative resourcing options is based on data we obtained from the:

We surveyed 19 federal government departments to gather more detailed information on the use of assignments and secondments, and contracted Ekos Research Associates to conduct seven focus groups in the National Capital, Atlantic and Ontario regions. The comments of some of the managers and human resource officials who participated in these interviews and focus groups are highlighted throughout this paper. We also conducted a bench-marking study of 13 private sector corporations to identify the best practices in the areas of recruitment and management of the work force in the field of science and technology.

Samples were also selected in some parts of Human Resources Development Canada and the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

During on-site visits, in the NCR, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec regions, we reviewed a total of 3,000 transactions covering the six resourcing options.

Casual Employment

What exactly is a "casual" employee? Some of the managers who participated in our focus groups considered casual employees to be the same as term employees. This is not the case. Casuals do not have employee status under the PSEA. They can be hired for a continuous period of not more than 90 calendar days, and for a total of no more than 125 working days a year. Our study found a high level of compliance with these limits: the 90-day limit was exceeded only 8.8% of the time and the 125-day limit only 2% of the time. In most cases when managers exceeded the 90-day limit, they did so unintentionally, and by only one or two days, because they staffed for three months—a total of 92 days for example—rather than for 90 days. Many of the cases exceeding 125 days were in fact within the time limit once leave without pay was deducted from the total.

The increasing use of casual employment is being embraced as a new and welcome trend. In 1995-96, public service managers used this resourcing option 23,571 times, an increase of 25% over the previous year. We expect this growth to continue as more departments become familiar with the benefits of casual employment arrangements.

Managers consider this option a fast and easy way to hire someone, one that allows them to respond to workload increases and emergencies with less red tape than traditional resourcing methods entail. Casuals are therefore often used as fast hires and quick operational fixes. They are particularly well suited to operational settings, where there are fixed schedules and the work does not get done if the position is not filled. Many managers find that the normal staffing process is just not fast enough—engaging casual employees allows them to get around many of the traditional classification, staffing and security procedures.

"Yes, I know of a way you can have someone tomorrow."

Managers also use casual employment arrangements to obtain specialized skills that they may need for only a short period of time. This helps them to use their resources more efficiently, as they can staff a core group of regular employees and bring in additional people for specific projects. This option is particularly useful in areas where staff, such as research professionals, are expensive.

In a workplace where for many years there have been staffing freezes and little movement of employees, this resourcing option is a way to bring in fresh blood. Managers appreciate the opportunity to test out potential employees to see how well they perform and whether they fit in with the rest of the group before they make a commitment to staff on a permanent basis. Casual employees can also benefit from the chance to test out different departments or branches to see where they would prefer to work in the long run. Our study showed that one in four casual employees go on to join the Public Service as regular employees under the PSEA, despite the fact that the policy on casual employment discourages this. Most managers would welcome a policy that makes the transition from casual to regular staff easier to accomplish.

"New employees can have a revitalizing effect on a organization."

Finally, managers spoke about the new business orientation. The emphasis on cost recovery means that they must be able to respond to various situations quickly. Casual employment provides this flexibility. In addition, the Matching Investment Initiative gives managers access to private sector funds that they can use to hire casual employees as the need arises. The Matching Investment Initiative has had a considerable impact on how Agriculture Canada, for example, fills available positions.

"As our clients have gone to cost recovery, they don't know their budgets, so we don't know what our budget will be; we don't know what business they want, what projects they will be able to afford, so this leads to a huge need for flexibility."

On the down side, however, there is a growing concern about inequality. When different classes of employees, with different rights and benefits, work side by side, there can be a negative impact on employee morale. Regular employees may complain about losing valuable team members or constantly having to train new staff.

"Casuals are the dead-end staffing route—if you have any sense that you would like to keep these people around, don't bring them in as a casual."

Many managers also spoke about the problem of not being able to keep a good employee beyond the 125-day limit. When they have made an investment in training the individual, this restriction can be even more frustrating. After having to let go several employees they would rather have kept, some managers have become reluctant to hire people on a casual basis.

Casual employees may also have unrealistic expectations about the possibility of landing a permanent job with the federal government after a casual assignment. This can be difficult for managers as well as employees. Some of the managers we interviewed felt that they had to watch their behaviour constantly so as not to mislead the casual worker about his or her career prospects. Some also felt a sense of obligation to find the employee another position, and expressed frustration when this proved impossible. Finally, some managers worried about a possible lack of commitment and loyalty on the part of casual employees who are always looking elsewhere for job security.

Opposition by the unions can act as a barrier to using this resourcing option. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission introduced union consultation as mandatory in the first six months of implementing a policy on casual employment. Managers informed union representatives 24 hours in advance of making any offers, specifying the group, level and length of employment.

Health Canada has introduced a monitoring program to track and control the use of this resourcing option. The British Columbia Region has adapted this program to serve managers even better, by providing them with a comprehensive reference package as well as monthly calendars and checklists for casual appointments and extensions.

The use of casual employment appears to be low risk, highly effective and appropriate. However, the time limits imposed on the length of employment are arbitrary and do not meet long-term needs. Managers would like to be able to hire casual employees for six months to a year, or for the duration of the project they are working on. They would also like, more easily, to be able to hire former casuals as regular employees.

Part-time work

Part-time workers in the Public Service fall into two categories: those employed under the PSEA, who work one-third of the regular work week or more, and those regulated under the Exclusion Approval Order, who work less than a third of the normal number of hours of work. Employees hired under the PSEA have all the benefits of public service employment, including such things as sick leave and the right to participate in the superannuation plan. People engaged under the Exclusion Approval Order are not employees.

Data available on the incidence of part-time employment under the PSEA indicates that this is a little-used option in the federal public service. Statistics Canada tells us that the number of part-time workers in the private sector has doubled over the last 20 years, now accounting for 17% of the total work force. In contrast, the 8,708 part-time employees in the Public Service represent only 3% of the total work force. This proportion has not changed over the last ten years in spite of endorsements by Treasury Board and the issuance of a policy on part-time employment.

We found that 91% of all indeterminate part-time employees are women. Most choose to work part-time as a way to balance work and family commitments. Just over half of these employees work in two large departments: Revenue Canada and Human Resources Development Canada.

The option of part-time work under the Exclusion Approval Order is even less well known and less widely used. Although the Government introduced the Exclusion Approval Order option in 1980, many of the managers we interviewed were not aware of its existence. Only 610 part-time appointments, or 0.5% of the total number of public service appointments, were made under the Exclusion Approval Order in 1995-96. Four departments—the Department of National Defence, Human Resources Development Canada, Public Works and Health Canada—accounted for 85% of these appointments.

Managers mentioned speed, efficiency, getting the work done, fresh blood, and the ability to bring back expertise as some of the advantages of part-time employment. Project-based organizations, such as research institutions, are particularly well suited to this arrangement. In the science and technology field, managers used this resourcing option extensively to allow retired scientists to continue their research, and found that the scientists often put in much longer hours than the 12.5 for which they were paid.

"...in research, to support a base research role and, as things happen, bring people in when they are needed."

Another benefit of hiring back retirees on a part-time basis is that the organization is able to retain its corporate memory. This is especially important given the number of public servants who are approaching retirement age and the fact that there has been little new staffing in recent years.

Flexibility is another key feature of this option. When regular employees fall ill or the workload fluctuates unexpectedly, part-time employees can be called in for a quick fix. Shift-splitting with part-timers is also a way of dealing with overloads and overflows in the workload and covering telephones after regular working hours.

"I can't risk getting locked into permanent staff with particular skills because I never know what projects will be coming up, and hence, don't know what skills I'll need."

Many managers want to avoid a permanent financial liability when they are unsure what their future needs will be. Hiring part-time workers under the Exclusion Approval Order allows them to get the work done without putting their budgets at risk. A few of the managers we interviewed also use part-time and casual workers when they find that they have extra money on hand.

Some people, such as parents trying to juggle work and family commitments or former employees who have taken cash-outs but who miss the social aspects of work, prefer part-time work arrangements. Others would prefer a permanent, full-time job but take part-time work if it is all they can find. If a better offer comes along, these part-time workers may leave without much second thought. The lack of organizational stability this creates makes it difficult for managers to carry out long-term planning. For this reason, some may be reluctant to invest heavily in training their part-time workers, which leads to the development of different classes of employees with different rights and benefits.

"Some people are still looking for job security—they aren't content to sit to see what will emerge in your shop but will take things into their own hands and look for permanent employment elsewhere."

The part-time employment option also adds an extra layer of complexity to the job of managing. Not only do different resourcing arrangements increase the paper burden, but they make the task of assigning work more complicated.

"It is complex to manage when you have all of your people on different types of arrangements. You always have to think about who is working for whom, for how long, and being paid out of which pot. It takes a lot of time to figure everything out."

Health Canada uses what is known as the "as and when required" method of recruitment to provide support operations at the Blood Indian Hospital in Cardston, Alberta. The hospital hires licensed practical nurses, general duty nurses, and housekeeping and dietary aides under part-time work arrangements. These employees, most of whom are Aboriginal, work 12 hours a week, but not more than 312 hours in a six-month period. Some have been working at the hospital for 15 years. The selection process is very thorough, to ensure that candidates meet all the required professional qualifications. For Aboriginal applicants, it also involves interviews with Band representatives.

Participants from Agriculture Canada recommended using part-time employment as a transition to retirement. People approaching retirement could ease in gradually, scientists could continue their research and the organization could retain its corporate memory.

The Exclusion Approval Order states that departments must obtain referrals from the Public Service Commission or Human Resources Development Canada; however, this is not the current practice. Overall, the option of part-time work under the Exclusion Approval Order is well managed in the few departments where it is used.

This resourcing option is convenient and risk free. The Exclusion Approval Order needs to be better publicized so that more departments become aware of its existence.

Temporary Help Agencies

Using temporary help is one of the better known alternative methods of staffing in the federal government. Policies and procedures on the use of temporary help agencies have been in place for a long time and they are well understood. We found that managers hired temporary personnel for longer than the 20-week limit 2.9% of the time.

In 1995-96 temporary help represented the equivalent of 1,989 full-time-equivalent positions. Nevertheless, this resourcing option appears to be on the decline—its use decreased 11% between 1994-95 and 1995-96. This no doubt reflects the corresponding increase in the use of casual employees. Five departments—the Department of National Defence, Health Canada, Environment Canada, Industry Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada—accounted for 43% of all the temporary help used.

Our study revealed significant differences in the amount of temporary help used in headquarters and the regions: the National Capital Region accounted for 69% of all temporary help used, while Quebec and British Columbia each accounted for 9%.

Our study showed that 6.5% of temporary help agency workers eventually join the Public Service under other work arrangements: 3.3% as casuals and 3.2% as term employees.

While 75% of the temporary help used in the Public Service is for administrative support, the remaining 25% is used to fill professional and technical needs, in health care or information technology for example. Pre-testing and training are done by the temporary help agency, which is a great boon to busy managers with limited time and limited budgets.

Other advantages of this option include flexibility and speed. Managers whose requirements may change from one year to the next appreciate the fact that they can bring in people who have the appropriate skills without making a long-term commitment. If they have someone in mind for a job, they are able to get the particular person they want, and there is no obligation on either side if things do not work out as well as planned. Since hiring someone through a temporary help agency involves less paperwork than the traditional staffing route, acquiring the skills they need is fast and easy.

Another aspect of this flexibility is financial. The cost of temporary help is not a salary cost, but comes out of other operating budgets. This allows managers to deliver services or complete projects that they might not otherwise be able to afford.

"Thank goodness for another pair of hands, because I don't know how we'd get through the day otherwise."

Temporary help can be used to replace regular employees on vacation or other leave. This is good for morale and ensures that staff do not get burned out from extra workloads. And last but not least, temporary help can be used in a pinch, when there is no other way to get the work done.

While a few managers commented that the quality of people supplied by temporary agencies is not as high as they would like, many more expressed concerns about issues relating to wages. They felt uncomfortable paying the agency its fee, knowing that the employee would receive only a portion of this amount and not what they felt he or she deserved.

Other reasons managers gave for not using temporary help agencies included fear of creating an employer-employee relationship, inability to find the particular skill they needed through an agency, inadequate funding and increased liability because temporary workers are not government employees. In some cases, hiring a casual employee is more convenient or appropriate.

In British Columbia, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has established its own data base and reporting system to monitor the use of temporary help agencies.

Health Canada produced a comprehensive 1996 Audit Report, which resulted in appropriate corrective action.

The use of temporary help agencies is well managed and the appropriate mechanisms are in place to minimize risks. Nevertheless, many managers and human resource specialists prefer hiring casual employees over using temporary help.

Deployment

Deployment was introduced as a resourcing option in 1993, as a way for employees to move horizontally in the Public Service. In contrast to a temporary assignment or secondment, the move is permanent in that the employee does not return to his or her original position.

In 1995-96, a total of 12,150 deployments were made, more than half involving employees in the PM (Program Management) and CR (Clerical) occupational groups.

Most departments inform their employees within ten working days of the effective date of a deployment; however, the way they do this differs widely. Some post written notice of the deployment, while others inform staff during meetings or via e-mail. We rarely saw evidence of advance notice of deployment opportunities.

Deployment serves the needs of managers and employees alike, and very few complaints have been lodged about it.

Managers often use deployment when they have found the right person for a job and want to avoid the complexities of the traditional staffing process. They reported using it to solve resourcing problems resulting from mergers and restructuring. They also used deployments to effect alternations—exchange arrangements whereby an employee who is willing to be declared surplus switches jobs with an employee declared surplus who does not want to leave the public service—in connection with workforce adjustment and downsizing.

From the employee's perspective, deployment is a chance for personal development in a work world where there are few opportunities for advancement and growth.

One of the drawbacks of the current deployment policy is that it does not allow movement of employees between occupational groups. For example, a manager cannot deploy an employee in the AS group (Administrative Services) to a PM position. Many managers expressed the hope that the new Universal Classification Standard will make it easier for people to move around from job to job through deployments. They also maintained that a new policy that allows intergroup movement would greatly increase their use of this resourcing option. They eagerly await approval of the proposed changes that will make intergroup deployment possible. (This change was approved by the PSC as of July 16, 1997.)

In the past, deployment was sometimes used as a way to get rid of problem employees. Because of this reputation, some managers are still suspicious of individuals who are offered to them as candidates for deployment. As one of the participants in our focus groups said, "You don't get the truth from managers who are exporting duds." Thorough reference checks are essential.

Managers need to be vigilant about the effects of any deployment action they take. Because of the climate of reduced opportunity and uncertainty in which they work, some employees may be resentful if they believe their own career paths have been blocked by "outsiders" brought into their organization on deployment.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in one region, further enhances transparency in career opportunities by inviting interest and assessing potential candidates for deployment.

Health Canada surveyed 1,200 employees, or about 20% of its staff, to gain a better understanding of how deployment is used in the department and what employees think about it.

Deployment is low-risk, highly effective and achieves its intended purpose. The use of this option is growing.

Assignments and Secondments

Almost all of the managers who participated in our study use assignments and secondments to some extent, and many reported using them extensively. Unfortunately, most departments do not keep reliable statistics on how much they use these options and why.

Through the Public Accounts, we were able to estimate that in 1995-96, the federal government disbursed $96 million for home departments to bring people in on secondment from other departments or from the private sector, and $86 million for home departments to send people out to work on secondment elsewhere in the organization or outside the Public Service. These figures, which most likely significantly underestimate the actual use of secondments, represent the equivalent of 1,900 full-time-equivalent positions brought in and 1,700 full-time-equivalent positions sent out.

We found that departments had sound administrative practices to manage these options. In most cases, letters of agreement containing protections for the employees were drawn up between the concerned parties. We also observed that managers in the departments we studied were aware of and regularly used special programs designed to promote mobility, such as Interchange Canada and the Career Assignment Program. Since they are not considered appointments, departments do not have to report assignments and secondments to central agencies such as the Public Service Commission or Treasury Board Secretariat.

Managers expressed a high level of satisfaction with these resourcing options, claiming that they are simple and free of red tape. Since assignments and secondments do not constitute appointments, there is no need to go through a time-consuming competitive process.

"In this environment of reduced opportunity for advancement and limited staffing of indeterminate positions, these options often represent the only opportunity for people to move around within government."

"People who have been in the same positions for too long don't have many opportunities for advancement, but new experiences get them more marketable and re-energize them—and you get someone new in their position which provides new synergy, so it is productive at both ends."

In times of downsizing, staffing freezes and a scarcity of promotions, assignments and secondments are often the only way for employees to move around within the Public Service. The challenge of learning a new job keeps staff motivated and interested, and lets them find out what is going on elsewhere in the organization. Managers are using these options more and more to accommodate staff who are looking for developmental opportunities or to prevent their employees from growing "stale" on the job. One manager noted that giving an interesting assignment is about the only way left to reward a good employee.

"We use assignments from the user community to allow them to build the appropriate knowledge."

Assignments and secondments also provide the opportunity for organizational development. Most employees eventually return to their substantive positions, bringing with them new perspectives and new knowledge that they can share with the rest of the staff. One long-term benefit is that through the use of assignments and secondments, the Public Service is developing a multi-functional work force.

"...in a constantly changing work environment, secondments and assignments allow you to bring in the skills you need."
"...less red tape if an employee doesn't work out."

Flexibility is a key reason for using alternative resourcing options. In terms of assignments and secondments, flexibility means being able to get exactly the person or exactly the set of skills or knowledge required for a particular job. It also refers to the lack of paperwork involved in terminating an assignment or secondment, if either the employer or the employee is not satisfied with the arrangement.

"...want to see how this person actually works with us before making a commitment."

Managers also appreciate the opportunity to test out potential employees by first bringing them in on assignment or secondment. In the same way that casual resourcing arrangements allow them to test individuals who are outside the Public Service, assignments and secondments are ways they can assess how well employees perform and whether they fit in with the team. This testing aspect also benefits employees, who can decide whether they like working elsewhere before giving up the security of their home department or branch.

In these times of uncertainty and change, managers and employees alike may feel a sense of insecurity about using these resourcing options. Some managers think twice before offering an assignment because of the possibility of complaints by regular employees who are going through a downsizing exercise. Some employees, fearing that their substantive positions may be at risk, are reluctant to take secondments while changes are occurring in their home organizations. Indeed, this fear may be justified as managers also expressed concerns about leaving an empty spot in their organization in times of downsizing. One manager cautioned of the "orphan effect", which happens when employees take multiple secondments and their home organization loses sight of them.

"There is so much insecurity and uncertainty around that staff pay extra close attention to every single staffing change that occurs."

Some managers are reluctant to let a good employee leave on an assignment or secondment. Although our study indicated that most employees eventually come back to their home organization, even if they would rather not, managers claim that many of their best employees do not return.

"Before you know it, they have been gone for three or four years, but there are no guarantees about a home for them at the end."

Many secondment agreements contain a one-month escape clause, which makes long-term planning difficult as employees can leave with very short notice.

In one department, managers have to refer to the list of affected employees before they can offer an assignment or secondment to an employee of their choice. This greatly reduces their flexibility and may induce them to consider other resourcing options.

For some people, secondments suffer from the same bad reputation as deployments, in that in the past they may have at times been used as a way to offload problem employees or poor performers. Some managers may refuse employees offered to them on secondment because of this stigma. Thorough reference checks are the solution.

Agriculture Canada has established the Transfer of Work Program to allow researchers to work with experts in their field during international assignments.

Under its Management Development Program, Health Canada uses assignments to develop individuals with high potential.

In Health Canada, the Special Interchange Arrangement supports the health program transfer initiative to First Nations. Participating dental therapists and nurses have access to Medical Services Branch training programs and direction at no cost to the Bands. The First Nations Registered Intern Program provides recent Aboriginal graduates with orientation and experience in community health nursing. This program also addresses the under-representation of First Nations nurses in their communities and the Government's expectations for full devolution of health care to Aboriginal communities.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada is restructuring its West Vancouver Laboratory into a unique research facility involving partnership between government, private sector and university interests. A centre of network excellence in marine affairs will be established for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. The federal government will own the site and retain some staff and programs related to fish nutrition, genetics and biotechnology. Private sector and university partners will cover the operating costs at a savings to government of $1.6 million a year. In return, non-government researchers will have access to a unique research facility and opportunities to work closely with core government scientists. This serves as an example of how important research on fisheries and the environment can be delivered through partnerships, at a reduced cost to taxpayers.

Assignments and secondments are well understood and well-managed ways to fill positions temporarily without competition. Managers appreciate the flexibility these options provide and use them extensively. Employees benefit from the opportunity for personal development.

Seasonal Employment

Seasonal employees are appointed under the PSEA to work on a cyclical basis for a part, or season, of every year. The number of seasonal employees has been fairly stable over the last ten years, at an average of 1,485 employees or 0.6% of the Public Service. These figures are not entirely accurate, however, as our study found that there is considerable confusion about what makes an employee "seasonal."

Although this staffing option was originally intended for indeterminate employees, our statistics show that of the total of 1,355 seasonal appointments made in 1995-96, 1,035 were for term positions. Of these, 48% were reappointments of term employees and 31.5% were appointments of COOP and summer students. This over-reporting of seasonal appointments makes it difficult to assess the usefulness of this option.

"The reality of the downsizing era is that there is enough work to keep them busy all year."

In keeping with recent changes in the nature of work, most managers reported an increasing tendency to replace indeterminate seasonal employees with terms, especially former students or casuals. They also reported that because of cutbacks in the total number of employees they have on staff, seasonal workers are required for longer periods of time than in the past.

Faced with downsizing exercises and budget restraints, managers are looking for innovative ways to streamline their operations and cut expenses. More and more, they are resourcing for low rather than peak periods. In busy times, they can bring in extra people to help out with the increased workload. When it is possible to predict these busy periods, such as in fishing or agriculture, seasonal employment is an ideal solution. Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Heritage Canada account for 57% of the seasonal employees in the Public Service.

"...don't staff for emergency levels any more—staff for the minimum amount and bring in what you need for peak periods—for example, on farms you need more staff for harvest, but you don't need to take them on full time, just hire them for when you need them."

Many managers expressed concerns about the loyalty and commitment of their seasonal employees. Understandably, these workers often take seasonal employment if it is all they can find, but are constantly on the lookout for better or full-time jobs, even casual employment.

"Good employees are hard to retain in positions that do not offer 12 months of work."

Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a well-managed recruitment and training program for seasonal employees. The department hires Seasonal Fisheries Officers at the GT-01 level (General Technical) through open competition. Successful candidates then receive a seven-week Enforcement Course, a one-week Orientation Course and a six-week Regional Training Course. Before being promoted to the GT-02 and GT-03 levels, Fisheries Officers must also complete a specified range of experiential training.

Given budget restraints and the availability of contingent resourcing options, there may no longer be a need for the seasonal employment option. We should further examine the relevance of this option in light of the changing work environment.