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Updates from the HRC – February 29, 2024

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Did You Know?

Human Resources Council (HRC)

Have you joined the HRC GCXchange Page?

To join the HRC GCXchange page for the HR Community, please follow these five steps.

Once registered, you will be able to access a variety of useful tools and resources to support you in your day-to-day work as well as in your development as an HR professional, including the following:

  • HR Resources Centre: One-stop-shop platform for finding legislation, policies, contacts, best practices, trends and tools related to the human resources function. Makes day-to-day work much easier!
  • HelloHR: Online toolbox of self-directed informational and developmental resources for all members of the HR community.
  • HR Learning Lounge: Suggested learning resources aligned with the HR competencies to enable HR professionals to develop their skillsets.
  • HRC SmartShops: To access recordings of recent Smartshops and find out about upcoming ones!

If you encounter any issues or have questions about GCXchange, please email support-soutien@gcx-gce.gc.ca.

Call for Nominations: 2023 Government of Canada HR Leadership Awards

The Human Resources Council (HRC) is thrilled to open the nomination process for the 2023 Government of Canada HR Excellence Awards. This prestigious recognition, formerly known as the Michelle C. Comeau HR Leadership Awards, was renamed by the HR community in November 2023 to reflect the collective spirit of excellence and unity that defines our professional network.

The 2023 Government of Canada HR Excellence Awards are specifically designed to recognize:

  • The HR Community – Individuals and teams working in all HR disciplines and at all levels within human resources divisions, directorates, sectors or branches including people management teams established as a Deputy Head priority such as anti-racism secretariats or offices of conflict resolution. They can be affiliated with a central agency, a department, a separate agency or any other organization within the federal public sector from across Canada and overseas, including crown corporations, agents of parliament and parliamentary entities.
  • And our client-partners, working outside of the HR construct, who are essential to people management excellence. We encourage their nomination in the Business Leader Award Category.

This year, we are introducing a new award category, the “HR Administrative Support Professional Award”, to recognize the indispensable role played by our administrative and clerical support members in ensuring seamless HR service and/or HR program delivery.

With these award categories, no achievement goes unnoticed:

  • HR Administrative Support Professional Award (New)
  • Human Resources Team
  • New Human Resources Talent
  • Human Resources Professional
  • Human Resources Leader
  • Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Team
  • Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Individual
  • Business Leader
  • Career Contribution in Human Resources 
  • Head of Human Resources

The names of the top three finalists of each category will be announced in June 2024 and the award recipients will be revealed during the Government of Canada HR Excellence Awards ceremony in early Fall. To honor their outstanding contributions to people management in the public service, the recipients will receive a trophy.

Visit the GCconnex or the GCXchange pages to submit nominations according to the Guidelines and Forms. Completed nominations must be received by email no later than 23:59 (Pacific Time) on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Please note that requests to permit nominations for a group larger than ten (10) people for the Team awards must be received by no later than Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact the Human Resources Council at HRCouncil/ConseilRH@tbs-sct.gc.ca.

Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO)

2023 Update Regarding Home Office Expense Deduction

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has indicated that the temporary flat rate method which was applicable during the 2020 to 2022 tax years for Canadians to claim home office expenses will not apply to the 2023 tax year. Eligible employees who worked from home in 2023 will be required to use the detailed method to claim home office expenses.  

The CRA has developed several scenarios to guide taxpayers and managers on applying the detailed method. Based on these scenarios, employees with telework agreements could request the T2200 form be signed by their manager.

Form T2200, Declaration of Conditions of Employment, asks the manager to certify the conditions of employment, including the requirement that an employee use a workspace in their home.  For 2023, if an employee has voluntarily entered into a telework arrangement with their employer, the CRA considers that employee to have been required to work from home. Managers should sign Form T2200 if this condition is met, and the employee requests the form to be signed. To claim a deduction for home office expenses, an employee must have a completed Form T2200, signed by their manager, and submit all required documents and receipts when they file their taxes.

Given that taxation is a personal matter, managers should not provide tax advice. Additional information is available to employees on the CRA website.

Language Training Hub

The Treasury Board Secretariat’s Official Languages Centre of Excellence has launched its Language Training Hub on GCwiki! This hub aims to be a one-stop shop for second official language training. As new products roll out, information will be updated on the hub. 

Three new tools are already available. 

  1. A language training prioritization guide that provides advice to institutions and managers to help them plan and prioritize access to language training. Among other things, this tool seeks to ensure equitable access by employment equity groups to language training;   
  2. A best practices guide for managers on how to create a workplace conducive to the learning and use of both official languages; and 
  3. A guide for learners that includes free self-directed learning tools at all levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). 

These tools provide a preview of the new second official language training framework which will be launched in spring 2024. The framework will include guidelines on second official language training, an implementation handbook and a series of learning paths. 

Cyber Incident Involving the Public Service Health Care Plan

On February 9th, a cyber incident impacted MSH International’s systems. MSH provides emergency travel and comprehensive coverage services on behalf of Canada Life for the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) for those travelling or posted abroad.

At the time of the incident, MSH turned off its services to protect its data and retained an external cyber incident response firm to help with safe service restoration.

As of February 27, MSH’s claims processing system and the PSHCP Member Portal are operational and services have fully resumed.

For more information, please visit:

Human Resources Data Model

The Human Resources Data Model provides the Government of Canada (GC) with strategic HR data architecture to support data-driven strategies and decision-making, maximize the value of workforce data and contribute to establishing comprehensive data management practices. It serves as a structured inventory and is the foundation of the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) Data Strategy. By improving data connectivity, it drives awareness of relationships, better insights and increased operational efficiency.

It is recommended to download the HR Data Model from the Files page to explore further, as well as to sign up for the community membership to get access to additional restricted content.

Change of the Payment in Lieu of Designated Paid Holidays for Part-Time Students

Effective April 1, 2024, the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Students will be amended so that, on a go-forward basis, all part time students will be paid 4.6% of straight-time hours worked in lieu of designated paid holidays (including the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th).

Any questions regarding the above should be directed to your organization’s Corporate Labour Relations or Corporate Compensation representatives who, if required, will direct their questions to the interpretations team within the Employee Relations and Total Compensation Sector using the designated form.

Interdepartmental Network on Values and Ethics

The Interdepartmental Network on Values and Ethics (INVE) IS seeking candidates at any level or tenure, to co-lead the meetings for this exceptional community of practice. Volunteer to be a co-chair and you can enhance the INVE experience by:

  • Collaborating with your colleagues at TBS and across the public sector
  • Broadening your horizons on trends in values and ethics
  • Influencing agenda items with your innovative ideas

Please send an email to Integrity-integrite@tbs-sct.gc.ca if you would like to be a co-chair, coupled with your time commitment (6 months or 1 year).

Values and Ethics of the Public Sector

The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector (Public Sector Code) describes for public servants at all levels the values and ethical practices that guide direction, decision making and behaviour. They are of benefit, however, only when they do not remain words on a page but become living principles, practised every day both among ourselves in the workplace and in the work we do for Canadians.

Explore the principles and behaviours related to values and ethics in the public sector via the Values Alive: A Discussion Guide to the “Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector”. Learn more about related topics such as the Duty of loyalty, Public servants disclosure protection, Conflict of interest and post-employment and the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report.

Together, we may all contribute to a healthy and respectful workplace!

Action Plan for Black Public Servants Press Release

On February 21, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board, announced the first initiatives of the Action Plan to support Black public servants stating: 

“These and future investments will continue to be guided by the lived experiences of Black public servants. There is much more to be done to develop initiatives to help ensure that Black public servants are healthy and supported throughout their careers. We will keep working with Black public servants to address all forms of anti-Black racism and discrimination because a diverse, inclusive, safe, and rewarding public service not only benefits employees, but it also strengthens our organizations and improves our service delivery for Canadians.”

Check out the News Release and share broadly within your networks!

For more information about the Action Plan, public servants can contact the Task Force for Black Public Servants at TFBPS-GTFN@tbs-sct.gc.ca.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS)

Updates to the Guide on the Use of Generative AI

The second version of the Government of Canada Guide on the use of generative AI is now available. The guide was first published in September 2023 and provided preliminary guidance to federal institutions in their use of generative AI tools.

Updates include the following:

  • Enhanced definitions for the FASTER principles
  • Introduction of new sections that address responsibilities for federal institutions and documentation requirements
  • Strengthened and refined sections throughout, such as cybersecurity best practices and privacy considerations
  • New Frequently Asked Questions

Reach out to the OCIO Responsible Data and AI team at ai-ia@tbs-sct.gc.ca if you have any questions.

Public Service Commission (PSC)

Recruiting Diverse Student Talent

Now is the time to think about summer hiring! Work with the next generation of talent and hire a student, a cost-effective resourcing option, who could potentially be your next employee. Put their energy, enthusiasm and skills to work for your organization now. The Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) provides managers with quick access to students across the country:

Student Employment Programs Updates

The PSC is conducting a maintenance exercise of its student program databases (COOP/internship program, Federal Student Work Experience Program) to ensure that they continue to align with the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials definitions of “recognized” and “authorized” as they are both incorporated within the accepted definition of “accredited academic institution” in the Treasury Board Policy on People Management and the definition of “recognized post-secondary institution” in the Qualification Standards.

For questions about student program maintenance, please contact: cfp.coop-coop.psc@cfp-psc.gc.ca.

Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA)

OPSA’S Guide to Recruiting Neurodivergent People

In 2022, the Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA) at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) organized a pilot program that hired 16 neurodivergent people into 3 federal institutions.

In partnership with participants and employers, OPSA has developed a Guide for Recruiting Neurodivergent People: Reflections from the Neurodiversity Recruitment Pilot, designated for hiring managers, human resources specialists and senior managers. It aims to make recruitment, onboarding and promotion processes more inclusive, efficient and effective for neurodivergent candidates.

Any questions about this Guide should be directed to Accessibility.Accessibilite@tbs-sct.gc.ca.  

Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service (APEX)

APEX Newsletter

Please stay apprised of APEX news via their monthly Newsletter.  

Canada School of Public Service (CSPS)

  • Staffing for HR Specialists – Part 3: Making it Happen (COR131): This course is currently being developed, launch date expected for Q1 2025-26. The CSPS is working closely with the PSC to design the course.
  • Staffing: A Resourcing Tool for Managers (COR132): This course is scheduled for launch in early Q1 2024-25. The CSPS is working closely with the PSC to design the new version of the course.
  • Preparation for the English as a Second Language Evaluation: Oral Proficiency – Levels B and C (FON403) and Preparation for the French as a Second Language Evaluation: Oral Proficiency – Levels B and C (FON404) – These two courses are in the planning and analysis phase. The CSPS is working with the PSC and TBS to develop initial content for the redesign of both online courses.

2024-25 Learning Projects for the GoC and Public Sector Skills (GCPSS)

The GCPSS business line at the CSPS shared its priority projects for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The list includes the following HR courses: Managing Official Languages Obligations (FON413), Values and Ethics Foundations for Employees (FON301) and Values and Ethics Foundations for Managers (FON302).

The complete projects list is available on the GCPSS GCXchange page.

Courses

Learning Paths

Learning Tools

The Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace

The January-February Mental Health in a Minute Bulletin : Traumatic Incidents in the Workplace is now available.

National Managers’ Community (NMC) February Newsletter

The National Managers’ Community (NMC) February Newsletter is now available!

Government of Canada 2024 Public Service Pride Awards

Nominations are now open for the Government of Canada 2024 Public Service Pride Awards! 

These annual awards celebrate the outstanding efforts of individuals, teams and organizations within the federal public service that have shown exemplary leadership in promoting and enhancing diversity, inclusion, and pride for the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. 

Public servants are encouraged to acknowledge the achievements, initiatives, and dedication of their colleagues by nominating them in one of the following five categories: 

  • Agent of Change Award: Recognizing advocates and leaders who are actively working to eliminate systemic barriers and advance the inclusion of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in the federal public service.
  • Pride Network of the Year Award: Acknowledging a department or agency pride network that has demonstrated outstanding commitment and contributions to advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion across their department or agency.
  • Workplace Pride Initiative of the Year Award: Celebrating an individual or team’s innovative workplace policy, plan, event or activity that has proven beneficial for promoting 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace. 
  • Career Impact Award: Honoring individuals who have made a lasting and substantial impact throughout their career by actively supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities within the federal public service.
  • Department/Agency Award for Excellence in Pride Leadership: Recognizing, in response to the Open Letter, a department or agency that has exhibited exceptional leadership by actively implementing and demonstrating results through sustained organization-wide actions or initiatives, such as those outlined in the letter, in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ employees.  

The deadline for submitting nominations to the Public Service Pride Secretariat is April 18, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. (ET). The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, August 22, 2024, during Public Service Pride Week. 

To learn more about the Public Service Pride Awards and how to submit a nomination, please visit the GCconnex page or email PSPN-RFFP@csps-efpc.gc.ca.

Submitting a nomination is a great way to involve many people from your organization in raising awareness about 2SLGBTQIA+ workplace inclusion.

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What’s Coming Up

HRC

HRC SmartShops – Registration Now Open!

March 21, 2024 – HRC SmartShop: Exploring People Management Data

This HR Council SmartShop is organized in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) and the Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC). It is designed to highlight the various people management data available to the entire HR community, by showcasing concrete examples of how they are used and applied in HR activities.

Audience: Human Resources Community

Documents: Related documents will be published on GCXchange.

Registration:

March 28, 2024 – HRC SmartShop: Data Analysis 101

This HR Council SmartShop, organized in collaboration with Statistics Canada, is designed to help HR professionals understand the six key steps of the data analysis process, focusing on planning the analysis, the analysis itself, and finally, the dissemination of results. Furthermore, it will highlight the use of StatCan’s departmental HR Business Intelligence, exemplifying its practical application. Questions to presenters may be submitted by March 15th via MS Form.

Audience: Human Resources Community

Documents: Related documents will be published on GCXchange.

Registration:

HRC Meetings

  • February 26 to March 6, 2024 – Heads of HR Cluster Group Discussions
  • March 19, 2024 – HR Council Meeting
  • March 27, 2024 – HR Community Engagement Hub
  • April 9, 2024 – HRC Executive Committee Meeting
  • April 16, 2024 – HR Council Meeting
  • April 23, 2024 – Human Resources Community Talent Management Steering Committee Meeting
  • April 24, 2024 – HR Community Engagement Hub

APEX

APEX 2024 Leadership Summit and Awards of Excellence Ceremony

APEX will host the 2024 Leadership Summit and Awards of Excellence Ceremony, a premier annual learning event, offering professional learning, networking and inspiration – exclusively for Canada’s public service executive community.

This unique learning event will be held in-person and online on May 14-15, 2024 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa.

This year’s Summit themed Leadership Excellence: Rethinking and Reinventing Together is much more than just a conference; it is a convergence of visionaries, thought leaders, and trailblazers shaping the future of work, public service and leadership. This year’s theme is dedicated to exploring Leadership Excellence: Rethinking and Reinventing Together – reflecting our commitment to fostering, growing, and adapting leadership in an ever-evolving global landscape. The high-profile lineup of keynote speakers and industry experts will share their insights, strategies, and success stories, providing invaluable perspectives on leadership excellence of today and tomorrow.

Registration is now open.

Stay apprised of upcoming APEX events and resources from previous events.

CSPS

Upcoming Events

National Managers’ Community (NMC)

Stay apprised of NMC events and activities!

Joint Learning Program Workshops

The Joint Learning Program (JLP), created in 2001 as a partnership between the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the TBS, continues to deliver free joint learning activities. All union members and management in the core public administration are eligible to participate in the JLP as organizers, facilitators and participants.

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HRC Meeting – February 20, 2024

Item 1: Registration and Networking

Heads of HR had the opportunity to exchange in person on various topics.

Item 1: Opening Remarks

Kiran Hanspal, Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and HRC Executive Committee Member began the meeting by giving a warm welcome to two newly appointed Heads of HR: Cheryl Keats from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Mireille Drouin from the Canada Water Agency.

Kiran reminded Heads of HR that the call for nominations for the Government of Canada HR Excellence Awards (previously known as the Michelle C. Comeau HR Leadership Awards) was launched. The deadline to submit a request to nominate a team of more than 10 individuals is April 24th and for all nominations, on or before May 8, 2024. Heads of HR who wish to sit on the Award Selection Committee may share their interest with the HRC by February 26th.

Kiran encouraged Heads of HR to share the call out for nominations within their organizations, and to submit nominations to recognize outstanding achievements of their employees and colleagues. She noted that this year, a new award category was added to recognize the essential work of our HR Administrative Support Professionals (usually employees occupying CR-03 to AS-02 positions or equivalents).

Kiran informed attendees that to better equip the community, the HRC will be launching an inventory of former experienced HR professionals in the coming weeks. This includes executives and non executives who are seeking various short-term roles, such as coaching, managing special projects or providing subject matter expertise. Those interested who are nearing retirement or are retired are invited to get in touch with the HR Council.

Kiran noted several noteworthy events, including;

  • February is Black History Month. The theme of this year’s campaign is “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build.”
  • February is also Psychology Month
  • February 28th is Anti-Bullying Day, commonly referred to as Pink Shirt Day
  • March is Fraud Prevention Month as well as the month of Rendez-vous de la francophonie.
  •  Two HRC SmartShops in March:
    • March 21, 2024: “Explore People Management Data”, co-organized with the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO) and the Public Service Commission (PSC)
    • March 28, 2024: “Data Analysis Process 101”, co-organized with Statistics Canada.

Kiran concluded by sharing a few words regarding the successful OCHRO-HRC Executive Strategic Retreat that took place on February 2nd. The intent of the retreat was to solidify the partnership to advance the people management agenda across the federal public sector.

Item 3: Public Service Commission’s Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2022 to 2023

Marie-Chantal Girard, President, PSC, provided insight into the PSC Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2022 to 2023.

Over the past decade, there has been a 6.5% increase in the overall Public Service, including turnover, with external hires rising by 9.9% compared to the previous year, despite the number of applicants declining. Nearly 60% of external hires and promotions were non-advertised, a trend consistent with the previous year.

Highlighting the critical role of student programs in shaping the future of the public service, Marie-Chantal Girard noted an uptake. Nearly 9000 students were hired through the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP) last year, marking a 17.4% increase. Additionally, there was a 36% surge in hiring among all four designated employee groups, particularly among students who self-identified as persons living with a disability.

Persistent regional representation trends have attracted attention beyond government, with the PSEA population in the National Capital Region comprising 47.6% as of March 31, 2023, contrasting with 52.2% in other regions.

In terms of job applications, over 400,000 applicants showed interest in externally advertised positions, with a noted increase in permanent resident applicants. However, there are disparities in applications from Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities when compared to their representation in the workforce. Initiatives are underway to address this gap through targeted outreach and recruitment campaigns.

Internal mobility within the public service reached a 10-year high, possibly influenced by the pandemic, with a renewed focus on addressing service delivery and program challenges. Priority entitlements for veterans remain important, with collaborative efforts underway to promote veteran hiring.

With the coming into force of the last two amendments to the Public Service Employment Act aimed at enhancing diversity and inclusion, hiring managers and HR specialists are tasked with evaluating assessment methods for biases and barriers impacting equity-seeking groups. They must then take proactive measures to mitigate or eliminate them. The PSC has taken proactive steps to support this effort, offering a range of assessment tools and training to ensure effective evaluation.

The PSC modernization efforts in staffing include the implementation of online unsupervised second language tests on the new Candidate Assessment Tool platform with over 50,000 tests administered as of March 31, 2023. However, challenges persist regarding time to staff.

Measures to safeguard the staffing system include issuing reminders about political activities and non-partisanship, as well as assessing employee engagement in political roles.

Looking ahead, managers must gain a thorough understanding of forthcoming regulatory changes. Efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion, particularly for individuals with disabilities and Indigenous communities, will continue. Emphasis is placed on continuous monitoring and sharing of best practices to foster collective learning and improvement.

For additional details and insights, please consult the Annual Report 2022 to 2023: Building tomorrow’s public service today.

Item 4:  Update from Office of Public Service Accessibility

Stéphanie Austin, Director of Policy and Engagement, Office of Public Service Accessibility (OPSA), Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) announced that Deputy Heads and Heads of HR will receive, in the coming weeks, an update on enterprise-wide progress on hiring 5000 persons with disabilities by 2025 and their hiring commitments.

This year, 24 organizations met or exceeded their hiring target, an increase from the 11 organizations that did so last year. An updated ranking chart of organizations, highlighting performance and target achievements, will also be shared. Heads of HR are encouraged to have conversations with top-performing organizations to understand their strategies in effectively recruiting, retaining, and promoting employees with disabilities and to utilize tools and talent pools to maximize the hiring and retention of persons with disabilities.

Adrian Larose, Senior Advisor within OPSA then thanked the 55 organizations who have formally adopted the Word version of the GC Workplace Accessibility Passport. Following consultations with various communities, OPSA is currently finalizing the digital version to be available on TBS Application Portal (TAP) by April 1st for pilot organizations such as Health Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The launch for the remaining organizations onboarded on TAP will occur during the National Accessibility Week at the end of May, beginning of June. A communication package will be shared in advance to support organizations in their launch.

For more information, please refer to the PowerPoint presentation.

Item 5: Overview of Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Pools

Anne-Marie Kirouac, Director, Recruitment and Talent Acquisition, Digital Talent and Leadership Sector, Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), TBS provided an overview of the GC Digital Talent Platform, a portal to source digital talent and provide hiring managers access to internal and external pools of qualified candidates, representative of the Canadian population. All essential skills are assessed by the OCIO, including technical and behavioral skills. To reduce time to staff, steps in the process have been standardized and automated.

Anne-Marie encouraged organizations to maximise the use of the GC Digital Talent Platform to recruit and retain digital / IT talent. The platform is the central hub where managers may find candidates based on selected requirements, and for candidates, to be exposed to multiple organizations and opportunities.

Please refer to the PowerPoint presentation for more information.

Item 6: CSPS Indigenous Learning

Cara Vandale, Director General, Indigenous Learning, Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) presented an overview of available CSPS learning that is focused on Indigenous realities.

She mentioned that the CSPS recently published a 40-minute video Understanding Indigenous Realities: Revitalization and Reconciliation (IRA1-V59) that organizations may want to include in their onboarding package. The video is also open to the public.

There is a new course available for Executives, through Deputy Minister nominations, with immersive culture experience to build meaningful relationship with Indigenous Peoples, which is split with a virtual pre-requisite and 4 days in-person.

With respect to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) implementation, the CSPS Indigenous Learning is currently developing a learning bundle to increase awareness and understanding. They will also be launching an UNDA interdepartmental working group with Justice Canada.

To strengthen the coordination of Indigenous learning and activities across the federal public sector, Cara Vandale will be organizing workshops with the DG Interdepartmental Working Group. Heads of HR who wish to join the working may contact Cara Vandale.

The CSPS also showed interest in collaborating with the HR Community to create a career path on Indigenous learning for HR Professionals.

For further information, please refer to the PowerPoint presentation.

Item 7: Break – Networking

Heads of HR had the opportunity to exchange in person on various topics.

Item 8: Duty to Accommodate: Guidance and Resources

Christopher LeBrun, Senior Director, Workplace Policies and Programs, People and Culture, OCHRO, TBS, provided an update on OCHRO guidance on the duty to accommodate to enable an inclusive and barrier-free workplace.

The Directive on the Duty to Accommodate (DTA) is about preventing discrimination on the 13 prohibited grounds under the Canadian Human Right Act (CHRA). When the DTA has been deemed to apply, reasonable accommodation is required on a case-by case basis. DTA is about setting employees up for success through reasonable accommodation to address workplace barriers.

Heads of HR play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of accommodation processes within the workplace. They ensure that that managers and supervisors understand their responsibilities and obligations in addressing accommodation needs, including addressing any policies or practices that may pose barriers to full participation in employment.

DTA requests should be handled on a case-by-case basis and addressed promptly without necessitating a formal request, as far as it’s reasonable. The Common hybrid work model did not change the DTA. Documentation, like medical notes, may not be needed when the barrier or accommodation measure is evident. It’s crucial to handle these requests with respect for the individual’s dignity, privacy, and confidentiality. Accommodations should be provided up to the point of undue hardship, considering factors like health, safety, and cost.

Key considerations for addressing workplace barriers include equipping employees for success, streamlining the DTA process through temporary accommodations, acquisition card usage for accommodation purchases, and specialist guidance for managers. Additionally, addressing DTA requests related to the common hybrid work model under the DTA process, recognizing DTA’s applicability beyond traditional workplaces, and supporting employee mobility while maintaining necessary accommodations are crucial.

For additional information and support, please refer to the new Duty to Accommodate Manager’s Pocket Guide and the PowerPoint presentation available on GCXchange.

Item 9: Updates from Central Agencies and Partners

Pilot project for co-op students at the University of Waterloo

Dennis Caravoulias, Director General and Head of HR at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) informed attendees about ISED’s Pilot project for co-op students at the University of Waterloo, specifically for cybersecurity specialists’ students that are looking for employment opportunities.

Departments such as Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), Statistics Canada (StatCan), ISED and a few others are taking part of this project pilot.

ISED and University of Waterloo are seeking placements for students with sought-after skills in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and computer science from the identified spring cohort, aiming to fill around 30 positions from a pool of 50-70 identified candidates.

If anyone wishes to participate, please contact Dennis Caravoulias for additional information. The job opportunities will be posted in March at the University of Waterloo. If this pilot is successful, it may be expanded, in collaboration with the PSC and OCHRO.

APEX

Josée Lafontaine, APEX Executive, reminded Heads of HR that registration is open for the 2024 APEX Leadership Summit, which will take place at the Ottawa Shaw Center from May 14 to May 15. To take advantage of early bird pricing, she encouraged EXs to register before April 8, 2024.

She also mentioned that APEX would like to update their organizational point of contact to ensure that the list of new executives is kept up to date on a monthly basis. APEX will share their latest contact list with the HRC and ask that Heads of HR validate their organization’s point of contact.

NMC

Marc Hamilton, Atlantic Regional Lead, Public Sector Innovation, CSPS, provided information on upcoming National Managers’ Community events and activities, such as the event “A Conversation for Managers about Values and Ethics with the Clerk” taking place March 1st and the Managers Connect in Edmonton on March 7th.

PSPC

The PSPC Pay Governance team provided a written briefing on HR and Pay available on GCXchange.

Item 10: Closing Remarks

Kiran Hanspal, HRC Executive Committee Member and ADM, PSPC, closed the meeting by thanking presenters and attendees for their contribution and mentioned that the subsequent HRC meeting is scheduled for March 19th.

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HRC Planning Calendar

Please see the HRC Planning Calendar for upcoming meeting dates.

Contact Us

HRCouncil/ConseilRH@tbs-sct.gc.ca

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