PIMS Manual: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Priority Information Management System (PIMS)?

PIMS is an automated, web-based, tool of the Public Service Commission (PSC), used to ensure that entitlements to a priority in appointment, as mandated by the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and Regulations, are valid and that they are applied. PIMS lists priority persons in an inventory which is searched by departments conducting staffing or recruitment, and is used to refer priority employees to positions for which they are potentially qualified. PIMS is the primary tool used to assist priority employees in being matched with new positions.

PIMS is an upgrade to the system the PSC is currently using, known as the Integrated Staffing System (ISS). PIMS will contain essentially the same information as is currently in ISS.

How is PIMS different from ISS?

The main difference between ISS and PIMS is that PIMS is web-based and HR Advisors in federal government departments will now have direct access to it from their own departments to facilitate the priority administration process. ISS can no longer be used because it is an old system that will not run on modern Information Technology platforms.

NOTE:

Access to PIMS will be restricted to HR personnel with HR Administration rights on Publiservice. PWGSC, Publiservice will be administering the user IDs and passwords.

What information is in PIMS?

PIMS will contain:

• Priority Employees' resumes
• Information about the types of positions they could be referred to, such as:
• • Groups and levels
  • Mobility
  • Experience
  • Language profiles
  • Skill codes

Why does the PSC need this information in PIMS?

This information is required in PIMS because this is the tool the PSC uses to match priority people with positions for which they are potentially qualified. At any given time there are hundreds of employees subject to priority entitlements. Each year there are tens of thousands of staffing actions conducted within the Public Service for which priority employees could be found qualified and appointed. PIMS provides the capacity to conduct automatic searches to see if there are potentially qualified employees with a priority entitlement to an available position.

Under what authority is the PSC collecting this information?

This information is collected under the authority of the Public Service Employment Act, Sections 29, 30, and 39, as well as the Public Service Employment Regulations (PSER) Sections 35-39. Personal information will be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act and will be stored in Personal Information Bank PSC SPB 033.

Who will see this information?

This information will be available to Priority Administration staff at the PSC, as well as Human Resources Advisors and Assistants in other federal departments. Access to the system will be password protected and only verified HR professionals will be granted passwords. The passwords and access rights will be administered by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), through Publiservice. People with access to PIMS are informed about privacy and the proper use and disclosure of the information contained in PIMS. In the case of improper use or disclosure of information contained in PIMS they will be subject to provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Information may be accessible or protected as required under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Where will this information be stored?

This personal information will be protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act and will be stored in Personal Information Bank PSC SPB 033. Information may be accessible or protected as required under the provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

Will this information be used for anything else?

No. The database for PIMS is separate from other databases and will only be used to administer priority entitlements, including statistical reporting and analyses. There will be no secondary uses or data-matching of this information.

Can employees see their information?

Priority Employees have the right to review the information about them and to correct that information or add annotations to it. They can be assured that it will not be used for unauthorized purposes. To obtain more information, please consult INFO SOURCE.