The New Appointment Framework

Next spring, the Public Service will have a new appointment framework. This framework will guide departments in determining how to make appointments in their organizations. So, what is an 'appointment framework' anyway?

Simply put, it is a set of broad policies to govern how appointments are made in the Public Service. What makes the appointment framework different from a traditional policy suite is the flexibility it allows deputy heads — the flexibility to develop policies tailored to their department's specific needs.

The appointment framework can be broken down into three parts: appointment policy, delegation, and accountability. In keeping with the spirit of the new Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), the policy component of the framework is not prescriptive. Rather, it comprises high-level statements and requirements for the key decision points in an appointment process — the points at which merit tends to be most at risk.

Under the appointment framework, the PSC continues to maximize its delegation of appointment authorities and encourages deputy heads to sub-delegate those authorities to the lowest possible level in their organization.

However, the framework balances this freedom and flexibility with a strong emphasis on the accountability of those exercising authority. Deputy heads are expected to answer for how they use their delegated responsibilities. To ensure that this accountability is in place, we have the Staffing Management Accountability Framework. This tool, based on the policy and delegation obligations, sets out the requirements that deputy heads must meet, as well as the indicators that will be used to evaluate performance.

For more information on the new appointment framework and the new PSEA, please visit the PSEA Web site.