GLOSSARY

This glossary has been prepared to give you informal explanations for common staffing terms. These explanations are not meant to replace the technical or legal definitions.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X-Y-Z

Abilities/Skills

Refer to what a person can do. For the purpose of establishing qualifications, these terms may be used interchangeably and may include a variety of abilities such as operating machinery, communicating or analyzing. Certain standards with respect to Abilities/Skills exist for specific groups and levels. (Capacités/habiletés)

Aboriginal Person

Is a North American Indian or a member of a First Nation, a Metis, or Inuit; North American Indians or members of a First Nation include status, treaty or registered Indians, as well as non-status and non-registered Indians. (Autochtone)

Accelerated Economist Training Program (AETP)

This two-year program recruits masters level university graduates who demonstrate potential to become decision-makers on various social, economic, and international policies. (Programme de formation accélérée pour les économistes - PFAÉ)

Accelerated Executive Development Program (AEXDP)

This program identifies a representative group of executives at the EX-1 to EX-3 level who demonstrate the potential to become Assistant Deputy Ministers, and accelerates their development and career advancement. (Programme de perfectionnement accéléré pour les cadres supérieurs - PPACS)

Accommodation

Tailoring of a work rule, practice, condition or requirement to the specific needs of a particular group. (Aménagement)

Accountability

Is a method of enforcing and explaining responsibility. Accountability involves rendering an account to someone, such as Parliament or a senior officer, on how and how well one's responsibilities are being met along with actions taken to correct and prevent the recurrence of problems. (Responsabilisation)

Acting Appointment

The temporary assignment of an employee to perform the duties of a higher position where the difference in the maximum rates of pay constitutes a promotion.(Nomination intérimaire)

"Ad Hoc" Employment Equity Program

A program established by the PSC, which it uses to limit candidate referrals to one or more of the designated employment equity groups. This program is intended for use where the situation does not warrant a departmental EE program. (Programme spécial d'équité en emploi)

Adverse Impact

Arises when an employer for business reasons adopts a rule or standard which is on its face neutral and will apply equally to all employees, but which has a discriminatory effect based on a prohibited ground. The effect may be on one employee or group of employees in that it imposes, because of some special characteristic of the employee or group, obligations, penalties or negative conditions not imposed on other groups in the work force. (Effect préjudiciable)

Allowance

Is the compensation payable in respect of a position, or in respect of some of the positions in a group, by reason of duties of a special nature, or, a compensation for duties that an employee is required to perform in addition to the duties of the employee's position. (Indemnité)

Alternate Administrative Arrangements

Administrative measures whereby an employee, other than the incumbent of a position, meets the language requirements established for that position and provides the bilingual services required. (Diverses mesures administratives)

Alternative Delivery Initiative

Is the transfer of any work, undertaking or business of the Public Service to anybody or corporation that is a separate employer or that is outside the Public Service. (Diversification des modes d'exécution)

Anglophone

Any person of whatever ethnic origin or mother tongue whose first official language is English. (Anglophone)

Annual Rate

Is the rate of pay authorized for one calendar year. (Taux annuel)

Anticipatory Staffing

Conducting a selection process to fill anticipated, as opposed to actual, vacancies. (Dotation anticipée)

Appeal

The recourse that an unsuccessful candidate may exercise as a result of an appointment made or proposed without or by closed competition. The purpose is to determine if the appointment was made according to merit. (Appel)

Appeal Board

A quasi-judicial board established by the Public Service Commission to inquire into whether an appointment within the Public Service was made according to merit. (Comité d'appel)

Appeal Document

A written statement addressed to the Public Service Commission by which a person initiates an appeal against an appointment made or about to be made from within the Public Service. (Document d'appel) Appellant

The employee who has filed an appeal against an appointment or proposed appointment made with or without competition. Reference to an appellant also includes their representative. (Appelant/appelante)

Application

Written information provided by a candidate to be considered for a selection process. This can be done electronically or in print form and may include such items as an application form, a covering letter, a résumé, and other information required. A person who has a disability that affects their capacity to make an application in writing may use an alternate format. (Demande d'emploi)

Appointment Document

Is an instrument required by the Public Service Employment Act that is used to complete the appointment to a position in the Public Service. (Document de nomination)

Apprenticeship or Occupational Training Program

A program, generally combining formal and on-the-job training, to give employees the knowledge and skills to become qualified for the working level. (Programme d'apprentissage ou de formation professionnelle - PAFP)

Aptitudes

For the purpose of establishing qualifications, this refers to what a person can learn to do given training or exposure to the appropriate environment. In other words, aptitudes refer to the potential or capacity to acquire new abilities/skills. Specific standards with respect to aptitudes exist for certain occupational groups. (Aptitudes)

Area of Selection

The geographic/occupational/organizational criteria that candidates must meet to be eligible for appointment. In a non-competitive process the area of selection indicates who has the right of appeal. (Zone de sélection)

Assignment

An assignment is a temporary arrangement in which an employee, within a department, performs the functions of a position that already exists or to take on a special project. (Affectation)

Assessment Methods

Methods used to collect the information needed to evaluate candidate(s) against specified qualifications. They include such things as interviews, paper and pencil tests, reference checks and simulations. The use of specific assessment methods may be prescribed for certain qualifications and for certain groups and levels. (Méthodes d'évaluation)

TOP OF PAGE

Bargaining Agent

Is an employee organization that has been certified by the Public Service Staff Relations Board as a bargaining agent for a bargaining unit, provided that certification has not been revoked. (Agent négociateur)

Bargaining Unit

Is a group of two or more employees determined in accordance with the Public Service Staff Relations Act to constitute a unit of employees appropriate for collective bargaining. (Unité de négociation)

Bilingual Office

Regarding service to the public, any office of a federal institution that, as set out in the Official Languages Act and its regulations, must communicate with and serve the public in both official languages. (Bureau bilingue)

Bilingual Position

Positions requiring the use of both official languages, which may be staffed on an imperative or non-imperative basis. (Poste bilingue)

Bilingual Region

A region where, for language-of-work purposes, both official languages are used as languages of work. (Région bilingue)

Bona Fide Occupational Requirement

Refers to the prescription of a standard (e.g. a qualification) that is discriminatory on a prohibited ground, yet deemed necessary to get a job done efficiently, economically and safely. The standard's purpose must be essential to the performance of the work; necessary to the fulfilment of the purpose and not motivated by discriminatory intent; and finally, accommodation of individuals who don't possess the standard will result in undue hardship. (Exigence professionnelle justifiée)

TOP OF PAGE

Canadian Workforce

All persons in Canada of working age who are willing and able to work. (Population active du Canada)

Career Assignment Program

A management development program used to identify a representative group of individuals with demonstrated executive potential and to accelerate their development and advancement. Participants can expect to attain management and leadership experience that will prepare them to perform successfully at pre-executive and executive levels. (Programme Cours et affections de perfectionnement)

Casual Employment

Refers to a temporary appointment of not more than 90 calendar days. A person hired on a casual basis may not work in one department more than 125 days in a 12-month period, nor enter closed competitions. (Emploi temporaire)

Certificate of Appointment

See appointment document. (Certificat de nomination)

Classification

Is the occupational group, sub-group (where applicable) and level assigned to a person or a position. (Classification)

Closed Competition

A competition open only to persons employed in the Public Service. (Concours interne)

Collective Agreement

Is a written agreement entered into under the Public Service Staff Relations Act between the employer and a bargaining agent and containing provisions covering terms and conditions of employment and related matters. (Convention collective)

Compensation Specialists' Terminology

The Glossary of Terms and Definitions for Compensation Specialists. (Terminologie des spécialistes)

Competency

In establishing qualifications, the knowledge, abilities, skills and behaviours that an employee must demonstrate to perform the work and achieve results. (Compétence)

Competition Notice

The mechanism used to inform potential candidates of vacancies (immediate or anticipated), whether in paper or electronic format. (Avis de concours)

Conditions of Employment

Requirements, such as reliability checks, medical and security clearances and the agreement to be deployed, which must be complied with before appointment. (Conditions d'emploi)

Continuous Employment

Means one or more periods of service in the Public Service, as defined in the Public Service Superannuation Act, with allowable breaks only as provided for in the terms and conditions of employment applicable to the employee. (Emploi continu)

Continuous Service

Is an unbroken period of Public Service employment. Continuous service is broken when employment ceases between two periods of Public Service employment for at least one compensation day. (Service continu)

Conversion

Conversion refers to a change in the method of establishing the relative value of positions for an entire occupational group. Conversion is determined by the Treasury Board Secretariat and, unlike reclassification, does not require a staffing action. (Transposition)

CO-OP (Post-Secondary Co-op/Internship Program)

A program designed to provide post-secondary students with assignments related to their field of study and the opportunity to use their academic knowledge in a work setting. (Programme CO-OP (Programme de stage d'enseignement coopératif et d'internat de niveau postsecondaire))

Credentialism

Placing an excessively high value on educational degrees and certificates. (Diplômanie)

TOP OF PAGE

Daily Rate

Is the weekly rate of pay divided by the number of days in the standard work week (e.g. 5).

Delegation

The means by which they Public Service Commission shares its roles, responsibilities and authority under the Public Service Employment Act with deputy heads. Staffing Delegation and Accountability Agreements set out the specific authorities, responsibilities and accountabilities of the Commission and the department. (Délégation)

Demotion

Is the mechanism by which an employee is allocated to a position at a lower maximum rate of pay, for reasons other than discipline or misconduct (paragraph 11(2)(g), FAA) (Rétrogradation)

Deployment

The transfer of an employee from one position to another in the same or, where authorized by the PSER, another occupational group. A deployment may not result in a promotion, nor a change of tenure. It requires the consent of the employee, unless an agreement to being deployed is a condition of his or her employment. (Mutation - qui ne constitue pas une nomination)

Deployment Complaint

The recourse mechanism used by an employee being deployed or an employee in the work unit to which the deployment is being made. The grounds for complaint are that there was an abuse of authority or that the deployment was not made in accordance with the Public Service Employment Act. (Plainte visant une mutation)

Designated Groups

Groups designated for employment equity purposes. They are women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and persons in a visible minority. (May also be referred to as disadvantaged groups.) (Groupe désigné)

Diagnostic Test

Measures the ease with which the employee can learn a second language (valid for eight years). (Test diagnostique)

Disability Priority

Entitles a person who became disabled while an employee of the Public Service, to be appointed without competition to a position in the Public Service for which he or she is qualified. (Priorité de personne qui devient handicapée) Disadvantaged Group

Groups designated for employment equity purposes. They are women, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and persons in a visible minority. (Groupe défavorisé)

Discharge

Means the involuntary termination of employment for breaches of discipline or misconduct.

Disclosure

The mandatory process during which parties in an appeal exchange information about the selection process and decision, as well as the allegations that will be tabled at the hearing. (Divulgation)

Double Banking

An expression used to describe the situation in which there is more than one incumbent occupying a position. (Jumelage provisoire)

TOP OF PAGE

Early Intervention

A voluntary, non-binding means to assist an appellant and a department to address, and where possible to resolve, concerns related to a selection process, in a non-adversarial context before proceeding with the appeal hearing. (Intervention précoce)

Education

In establishing qualifications, refers to formal studies and training through, or accepted by, a recognized Canadian educational institution. Departmental training programs may be accepted as meeting education requirements in some situations. Specific standards with respect to education, including acceptable alternatives, exist for certain groups and levels. (Études)

Eligibility List

A list of qualified candidates in order of merit created as a result of a competition. (Liste d'admissibilité)

Employee

Means a person employed in that part of the Public Service to which the Public Service Commission has the exclusive right and authority to appoint. (Fonctionnaire)

Employment Barriers

Employment-related policies, procedures and practices that disadvantage one or more of the designated groups. (Obstacles à l'emploi)

Employment Equity Program

A policy or program established by the Treasury Board with respect to increasing the representation of designated group members in the Public Service. An EE program may be established at the request of a department, of the Treasury Board, or by the Public Service Commission. (Programme d'équité en emploi)

Employment Systems Review

Formal review of employment systems to identify employment barriers. (Examen des systèmes d'emploi)

Equality in Employment

Is a concept that seeks to identify and remove barrier by barrier, discriminatory disadvantages. (Égalité en matière d'emploi)

Experience

In establishing qualifications, refers to activities carried out that provided an opportunity for the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills/abilities relevant to the work to be performed in a job. (Expérience)

TOP OF PAGE

Fact-Finding Meeting

A meeting between the parties to a complaint, which may be held during the course of an investigation. The meeting gives the parties an opportunity to be heard and to explain their actions and allows the investigator to gather pertinent facts. (Réunion d'enquête)

First Official Language

The official language with which an employee has a primary personal identification (that is, the official language in which a person is generally more proficient). (Première langue officielle)

FORD/IARD (Financial Officer Recruitment and Development/ Internal Audit Recruitment and Development)

This program provides post-secondary recruits with both formal and practical training in financial management and internal audit through developmental assignments with a federal department or agency.(PRPA/PRPVI Programme de recrutement et de perfectionnement des agents financiers/ vérificateurs internes)

Francophone

Any person, of whatever ethnic origin or mother tongue, whose first official language is French. (Francophone)

FSWEP (Federal Student Work Experience Program)

This program offers employment opportunities for students, which need not be related to the student's field of study in order to develop their employability skills. It offers insights into future employment opportunities, particularly within the federal Public Service. (PFETÉ Programme fédéral d'expérience de travail étudiant)

TOP OF PAGE

Geographic Criterion

Refers to where persons must reside or be employed, in order to be eligible for appointment. In the case of students, it may be the location of their permanent residence or the educational institution they attend. (Critère géographique)

Governor in Council

The Governor General acting on the advice of the Privy Council

Guarantee of a Reasonable Job Offer

Is a guarantee of an offer of indeterminate employment within the Public Service provided by the Deputy Head to an indeterminate employee who is affected by work force adjustment. Deputy Heads will be expected to provide a guarantee of a reasonable job offer to those affected employees for whom they know or can predict employment availability in the Public Service. Surplus employees in receipt of this guarantee will not have access to the Options available in Part VI of the WFAD or WFAA. (Offre d'emploi raisonnable garantie)

Guidance Process

Process used to assess a person's aptitude to learn a second language, to estimate the duration of training needed to attain the required level of proficiency and to determine the most appropriate training program. (Processus d'orientation)

TOP OF PAGE

Holding Rate

Is the rate of pay applicable to an employee when, as a result of a reclassification to a group and level with a lower maximum rate of pay, there is no rate of pay equal to or greater than the employee's rate of pay in the former group and level. (Taux maintenu)

Hourly Rate

Is the annual rate for the occupational group and level divided by 52.176 and further divided by the standard number of hours in the work week, or the hourly rate specified for the occupational group and level. (Taux horaire)

TOP OF PAGE

Imperative Staffing

The requirement that a person about to be appointed meet the bilingual language requirements of the position at the time of appointment. (Dotation impérative)

Increment

Is a progression from one step to the next higher step in any range of pay rates, where there are intermediate steps in that pay rate. (Augmentation)

Incumbent

A person currently occupying a position as the result of an appointment or a deployment to that position. (Titulaire)

Individual Merit

Merit is determined by assessing a person against a standard of competence rather than in comparison to the competence of others. Individual merit appointments can only be made in the circumstances described in the Public Service Employment Regulations. (Mérite individuel)

Interchange Canada

This developmental program promotes and facilitates the exchange of employees through temporary assignments between federal Public Service departments and agencies (listed under Public Service Staff Relations Act, Schedule I, Part I) and other sectors, within Canada and internationally. (Échanges Canada)

Investigation

An inquiry into a complaint alleging a violation of the Public Service Employment Act and/or Public Service Employment Regulations. (Enquête)

TOP OF PAGE

Knowledge

In establishing qualifications, refers to the awareness and understanding of facts, theories, systems, practices, regulations and other information. (Connaissances)

TOP OF PAGE

Late application

In the context of a competition, an application that is postmarked or, if sent other than by mail, received after the closing date for receipt of applications specified in the notice. In closed competitions, if exceptional circumstances beyond the control of an eligible person prevent him or her from submitting an application by the closing date specified in the notice, the selection board may examine and consider the application, provided that the selection board has not completed its assessment of the candidates. (Candidature en retard) Lay-off

The process whereby an employee whose services are no longer required by reason of lack of work, discontinuance of a function or the transfer of work or a function outside the Public Service may be terminated. This does not include situations in which an employee's employment is terminated in the circumstances referred to in paragraph 11(2)(g.1) of the Financial Administration Act. (Mise en disponibilité)

Lay-off priority

Entitles an employee who is laid off to be appointed without competition to a position in the Public Service for which the person is qualified or could be qualified with training. (Priorité de mise en disponibilité) Leave of absence priority

Entitles an employee on leave of absence to be appointed, without competition to another position in the Public Service for which he or she is qualified, if his or her position was filled on an indeterminate basis. If the employee on leave of absence returns to the position, their indeterminate replacement may be entitled to the same priority. (Priorité de fonctionnaire en congé)

Linguistic Profile

A description of the language requirements of a bilingual position and the proficiency level required in the second language for each of the skills: reading, writing, and oral interaction. (Profil linguistique)

TOP OF PAGE

Management Trainee Program (MTP)

This four-year program recruits and develops university graduates who demonstrate potential to become middle managers. (Programme de stagiaires en gestion - PSG)

Mediation

A voluntary and confidential process to assist the parties to settle workplace disputes. The mediator assists the parties to reach an agreement by helping them to identify the issues, to explore and collaborate on a possible basis for agreement and to recognize the likely consequences of not settling the dispute through mediation. (Médiation)

Merit

See Relative and Individual Merit. (Mérite)

Ministerial Staff Priority

Entitles, in some circumstances, a person who was employed in the office of a Minister, to be appointed without competition to a position in the Public Service for which the person is qualified. (Priorité de personnel de cabinet de ministre)

Mother Tongue

The first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual. (Langue maternelle)

TOP OF PAGE

Named Referrals

The common expression refers to the process used to obtain PSC authority to hire a specific individual from outside of the Public Service without consideration of other candidates. (Présentation de candidats et candidates nommément désignés)

Non-imperative Staffing

Situation in which a bilingual position is staffed with an individual who does not meet the language requirements but is eligible for language training or is otherwise excluded. To be eligible for language training, a person must demonstrate the potential to become proficient in the use of their second official language within the allowable training time and 24-month exemption period. (Dotation non impérative)

Notice of Deployment

The means used to inform employees being deployed and employees in the work unit to which a deployment is being made about the deployment and of their right to bring a complaint. (Avis de mutation - Politique du Conseil du Trésor)

Notice of Right to Appeal

The means used to inform unsuccessful candidates of their right to appeal an appointment or a proposed appointment. Notice ma be given by letter or by written public notice. (Avis de droit d'appel)

TOP OF PAGE

Occupational Certification

In establishing qualifications, refers to the possession of, or eligibility for, credentials such as a license, certificate, registration, or other document(s) that constitute acceptable evidence of occupational competence and that are granted by an organization legally established by federal, provincial or territorial law. Certain standards with respect to Occupational Certification exist for specific groups and levels. (Attestation professionnelle)

Occupational criterion

Refers to an occupational stream that may span several occupations (such as health care services, social services, etc.) or may be more specific and refer to a particular occupation (such as registered nurse, lawyer, etc). (Critère professionnel)

Open Competition

A competition open to the public, including persons employed in the Public Service. (Concours public) Opting employee

Is an indeterminate employee whose services will no longer be required because of a work force adjustment situation and who has not received a guarantee of a reasonable job offer from the Deputy Head and who has 90 days to consider the Options of the WFAA or Part 6.3 of the WFAD. (Fonctionnaire optant)

Organizational Criterion

Refers to the organization in which individuals must be employed, or in the case of students the educational institution which they are attending, to be eligible to be considered for appointment. (Critère organisationnel)

TOP OF PAGE

Part-time Employee

Is a person employed to work less than the normally-scheduled daily or weekly hours of work established for a full-time employee of the same occupational group and level. (Fonctionnaire à temps partiel)

Parties

In the context of an appeal or a deployment complaint, refers to the appellant, the Deputy Head and their respective representatives. (Partie)

Pay Increment Period

Is the period between successive pay increments. (Période d'augmentation d'échelon de rémunération)

Performance Indicator

Is a quantification or qualification characteristic that is measured to assess the extent to which an expected result is achieved, e.g. results of analysis of complaints (appeals and investigations); or results of follow-up with managers on outside recruitment (probationary period). (Indicateur de rendement) Person Employed

In relation to the Public Service Employment Act, refers to employees of separate employers or organizations that are designated to be part of the Public Service for the purpose of competitions or appointments without competition, in addition to employees as defined in the PSEA. (Personne employée)

Personal Suitability

In establishing qualifications, refers to personal traits, attributes or characteristics that affect the performance of one's duties. This can include a wide range of behaviours such as stress tolerance, resourcefulness, and flexibility. (Qualités personnelles)

Person with a Disability

An individual who has a long-term or recurring condition or health problem which limits the kind or amount of work he or she can do in the workplace or feels that he or she may be perceived as limited in the kind or amount of work they can do because of a physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric or learning impairment. (Personne handicapée)

Placement Test and Interview

The means used to measure the level of second language proficiency in each of the three language skills (reading, writing, oral interaction). (Examen et entrevue de placement)

Post-selection Feedback

(Also called post-board) A discussion between a candidate in a competitive process and a member or members of the selection board the purpose of which is provide feedback on performance in a competitive process. (Rétroaction postérieure à la sélection)

Prime User

Is a department which is the sole, nearly the sole or a major recruiter of an occupational group and level and to which the Commission may have delegated recruitment authority subject to certain conditions (and generally at the entry level). (Employeur principal)

Priority Administration System

A Public Service-wide inventory of persons entitled to a priority, administered by the PSC and used to match individuals with positions for which they might be qualified for appointment. (Système d'administration des priorités)

Priority Status

Refers to situations in which individuals have been identified as having a right under the Public Service Employment Act and Public Service Employment Regulations to be appointed to vacancies before others and without competition. There are three types of statutory priorities (leave of absence, ministers' staffs and lay-off, in that order) and four regulatory priorities (surplus, reinstatement, spousal relocation and employees who become disabled, in no specific order). The statutory priorities have a higher rank than the regulatory. (Statut de bénéficiaire de priorité)

Probation

A period following the appointment of individuals hired from outside the Public Service during which their performance is assessed and their employment may be terminated for failing to meet performance expectations. This period, established under the Public Service Employment Regulations, must be served in its entirety even if the employee moves to another position. The probationary period for a person with a disability does not start until any required job accommodation has been made. (Stage)

Promotion

A temporary or permanent appointment to a position having a higher maximum rate of pay than the position previously occupied by the employee, as defined in the Public Service Employment Regulations. (Promotion)

PSC Training Plan

Language Training Plan established following a positive prognosis to determine the number of training hours required, the recommended teaching method, the starting class and the pace at which an individual will be able to progress. (Plan de formation de la CFP)

Public Service

Means the positions in departments or other organizations specified in Schedule 1 (Parts I and II) of the Public Service Staff Relations Act. (Fonction publique)

TOP OF PAGE

Range of Rates

Are rates of pay, from minimum to maximum, payable to employees in a given group and level as established by a collective agreement or pay plan. (Fourchette des taux)

Reclassification

In respect of a position, means a change in either or both the occupational group and level of the position as a result of a classification decision. This does not include a classification decision that affects an entire occupational group (conversion). (Reclassification)

Recourse

A means to bring forward concerns with respect to a selection decision. Recourse varies with the selection process, e.g. appointments are subject to appeal, deployments to a complaint, assignments and secondments to a grievance, etc. (Recours)

Red Circle

Identification of a salary rate or range lower than that applicable to a position prior to its downward reclassification or conversion. (Poste bloqué)

Registrar

Means the Registrar of the Public Service Commission's Recourse Branch. The Registrar receives appeals and requests for investigations and provides administrative services to the Recourse Branch. (Greffier)

Reinstatement Priority

Entitles an individual appointed or deployed to a position at a lower level as a result of their surplus, laid-off, or disabled priority, to be appointed without competition to a position of an equivalent level to the one he or she held immediately before the appointment or deployment to the lower level position, providing the person is qualified. (Priorité de réintégration) Rejection on Probation

If, during the probation period set out in the Public Service Employment Regulations, an employee is found to be unsuitable for their position the Deputy Head may, at any time during that period, give notice to the employee of the intent to reject him or her for cause at the end of the notice period. The individual ceases to be an employee at the end of that period. (Renvoi en cours de stage)

Relative Merit

Merit is determined by assessing a person's qualification for appointment in relation to that of others. Relative merit must be used for appointments unless an individual merit circumstance exists in the Public Service Employment Regulations and may be established with or without competition. (Mérite relatif)

Relocation of Spouse or Common Law Partner Priority

Entitles an employee who is on a leave of absence as a result of the relocation of their spouse or common law partner, and whose position has not been filled on an indeterminate basis, to be appointed without competition to a position in the Public Service for which, in the opinion of the Commission, the employee is qualified. (Priorité de réinstallation du conjoint ou d'une partenaire de droit commun)

Relocation of Work Unit

Is the authorized move of a work unit of any size to a place of duty beyond what, according to local custom, is normal commuting distance from the former work location and from the employee's current residence. (Réinstallation d'une unité de travail)

Remuneration

Means pay and allowances. (Rémunération)

Resignation

Is an employee's voluntary termination of employment, other than at the end of a specified period. Resignation must be accepted in writing by the employer to be effective. (Démission)

Retirement

Is a voluntary separation where the employee's entitlement is an immediate annuity. (Retraite)

Retroactive Period

Is that period from the effective date of the revised rates of pay up to and including the day before the day on which the collective agreement is signed or the arbitral award is rendered. (Période de rétroactivité)

Reverse Order of Merit

Process by which the employees who are the most competent, based on merit, are selected to carry out the continuing functions of the organization, when not all, but some of the positions are being eliminated in an organization. The employees ranking lowest are declared surplus first. (Ordre inverse de mérite)

Revision

Is a change in the rate or rates of pay applicable to an occupational group and level. (Révision)

TOP OF PAGE

Salary

Is the compensation received for the performance of the regular duties of a position or office, exclusive of allowances, special remuneration, overtime or other compensation or gratuities. (Traitement)

Salary Protection

A salary protected employee continues to receive the rate of pay applicable to the classification prescribed on the employee's certificate of appointment before downward reclassification or appointment to a lower-level position as a result of work force adjustment. The employee continues to be eligible to receive any salary revisions/increments, various merit increases or any other merit award, based on the provisions specified for the former group and level. (Protection salariale)

Screening

A part of the selection process to identify candidates who meet the criteria or possess the qualifications identified for screening purposes. These may include the area of selection criteria, closing date for receipt of applications, education, experience, occupational certification or other qualifications. (Présélection)

Second Language Evaluation (SLE)

A language test that the Public Service Commission uses to determine the second language proficiency of employees and of candidates for positions in the Public Service. (Évaluation de la langue seconde (ELS))

Secondment

A secondment is a temporary arrangement in which an employee temporarily performs functions in another department, at the end of which he or she returns to the home organization. (Détachement)

Selection Standards

The Standards for Selection and Assessment establish basic assessment principles, and minimum group-specific requirements for most occupational groups. (Normes de sélection)

Special Assignment Pay Plan (SAPP)

Departments may assign a specified number of employees, for a period of up to three years, to duties and responsibilities which have not been classified, or have been classified at a lower level than the level to which the employee is appointed. (Programme de rémunération d'affectation spéciale (PRAS))

Special Measures

Positive employment-related measures to redress inequities caused by systemic discrimination. (Mesures spéciales)

Specified Period Employee

Is a person appointed for a specified period in accordance with Section 25 of the Public Service Employment Act. (Fonctionnaire nommé pour une période déterminée)

Standard of Competence

A standard of competence is the means used to determine if a person is qualified for appointment on the basis of individual merit. It is comprised of a statement of qualifications and related assessment methods and cut-off scores. (Norme de compétence)

Standardized Test

A systemic procedure for sampling an individual's behaviour in order to evaluate job-relevant competencies. The content of the test is equivalent for all test-takers. The test is administered according to standard instructions and procedures, is scored according to a set protocol and the test results are communicated in an appropriate manner. (Test standardisé)

Statement of Qualifications

A list of qualifications that a candidate must possess to qualify for an appointment. Qualifications may be for present or future needs and may include knowledge, abilities/skills, aptitudes, personal suitability, experience, education, occupational certification and official language proficiency. Some of these may also be referred to as competencies. (Énoncé de qualités)

Statutory Increase

see increment. (Augmentation statutaire)

Student Bridging Mechanism

This mechanism enables the appointment of students without competition from outside the Public Service (upon referral from the PSC) or by including them in a closed competition, provided they are still employed by a department as an FSWEP or CO-OP student and are included in the area of selection for the closed competition. (Mécanisme de transition des étudiants)

Substantive Level

For purposes of the definition of promotion in the PSER, means the occupational group and level at which the employee (a) is being paid; or (b) was being paid immediately before an acting appointment.

Substantive Position

The position in which an employee is the incumbent. (Poste d'attache)

Successful Candidate

A candidate in a competition whose name appears on an eligibility list and who is selected for an appointment or proposed appointment, or an employee who has been selected for appointment or proposed appointment without competition. (Candidat ou candidate reçu(e))

Surplus Employee

An employee who may be laid off due to lack of work, discontinuance of a function, or the transfer of work or a function outside the Public Service. (Fonctionnaire excédentaire)

Surplus Priority

Entitles an employee whose position is no longer required due to lack of work, discontinuance of a function, or the transfer of work or a function outside the Public Service to be appointed without competition to a position in the Public Service for which the person is qualified, or could be qualified with training. (Priorité de fonctionnaire excédentaire)

Systemic Discrimination

Refers to employment barriers that are hidden in the rules, policies and procedures that employers use to manage their staff. These systems discriminate if they encourage or discourage certain individuals simply because they are members of certain groups, rather than because of their ability to do the job. Usually, these situations are unintentional. (Discrimination systémique)

TOP OF PAGE

Term Employee

See specified period employee. (Fonctionnaire nommé pour une période déterminée)

Term/Specified Period Appointment

An appointment made for a specified period, i.e. a specific start and end date. An employee who is appointed for a specified period ceases to be an employee at the end of that period. (Nomination pour une période déterminée)

Tenure

The period of time for which a person is appointed. This may be on a term or indeterminate basis. (Durée des fonctions)

Transfer

Is an appointment to a position that does not result in a promotion, usually in situations where deployments are not possible, e.g. into the EX, CA or MM groups. (Mutation avec nomination)

TOP OF PAGE

Under-Representation

Representation of a designated group in an employer's work force below availability in the Canadian work force. (Sous-représentation)

Unilingual Office

Regarding service to the public, an office of a federal institution that, pursuant to the Official Languages Act and its regulations, does not have an obligation to provide services in both official languages. (Bureau unilingue)

Unilingual Region

For language-of-work purposes, any region other than a "prescribed bilingual region," where one official language (the language of the majority of the population) is predominant. (Région unilingue)

TOP OF PAGE

Weekly Rate

Is the rate of pay established by dividing the annual rate by 52.176, in the case of employees paid on an annual basis, and the rate of pay established by multiplying the daily rate of pay by five in the case of employees paid on an hourly basis. (Taux hebdomadaire)

Without Competition Appointment

An appointment based on individual or relative merit that is made without holding a competition. (Nomination sans concours)

Work Force Adjustment

Is a situation that occurs when a Deputy Head decides that the services of one or more indeterminate employees will no longer be required beyond a specified date because of a lack of work, the discontinuance of a function, a relocation in which the employee does not wish to relocate or an alternative delivery initiative. (Réaménagement des effectifs)

Workforce Analysis

Based on the voluntary completion of a self-identification survey, data on designated groups in an organization are compared to labour market availability of qualified persons in the designated groups to identify under-representation. (Analyse de la main-d'oeuvre)

TOP OF PAGE