SIRC Staffing Policy

1 Introduction

Policy Objective

1.1. The policy objective is to support SIRC in meeting its human resource management goals in a manner consistent with SIRC’s legislated duties and organizational needs and in alignment with its human resource management values, as outlined in SIRC’s Staffing Management Accountability Framework.

Scope

1.2 This policy applies to all SIRC appointment processes.

Authorities

1.3 CSIS Act

1.4 TB decision in January 1985 and amended in January 1990

1.5 Terms and Conditions of Employment for the Employees of the Security Intelligence Review Committee

1.6 SIRCGrievance Policy

1.7 SIRCChart of Human Resources Authorities

Definitions

Essential Qualifications are the qualifications required to perform the work. The Essential Qualifications are to be described in terms of qualifications that are based on the requirements of the position and must be such that they can be assessed in an objective manner. These qualifications can include such elements as education, experience, knowledge, abilities, skills and personal qualities as well as language skills in either one or both of Canada’s official languages.

Asset Qualifications are qualifications that are not essential to perform the work, but that, now or in the future, may benefit the organization and be an enhancement in terms of the work to be performed. Asset qualifications are desirable but are not necessarily required for the work to be performed.

Conditions of Employment include those requirements that a candidate must meet in order to obtain an offer of employment in addition to their ability to meet the essential qualifications and any identified asset qualifications. These conditions of employment may include the ability to obtain a top secret security clearance, or willingness to travel, or to work overtime.

Appointment Processes are used to identify and select individuals for appointment to SIRC. Appointment processes will be either competitive or non-competitive as appropriate and are defined as follows.

A competitive process is a selection process in which all eligible candidates are given an opportunity to express an interest to be considered for the position and where the candidate deemed most qualified through assessment of merit (as determined based on assessment of the candidate against the essential and any asset qualifications identified for the position), is selected for appointment. Competitive processes will normally involve an advertised notice that provides sufficient information regarding the essential and asset qualifications of the position and that allow potential candidates adequate opportunity to decide whether or not to apply and submit an appropriate application.

A non-competitive process is a selection process which is restricted to one individual. Non-competitive processes can be used when management is of the opinion that a competitive process would not result in the identification of an employee who is more qualified for the position than the employee being proposed for appointment.

A non-competitive process would also be appropriate to assess an employee for appointment following the reclassification of their position in a case where the duties are similar to the employee’s substantive position.

Area of Selection is a description of who is eligible to express an interest in being considered for appointment. An area of selection may be restricted to employees of SIRC, be open to part or all of the federal public service, or be open to the general public. Areas of selection may be described using geographical (National Capital Region, Canada), organizational (departments, agencies, commissions within the federal public service) or occupational elements (e.g. occupational groups such as AS, ES, CS, FI).

2 Responsibilities

2.1 SIRC’s Corporate Services Manager as the Head of Human Resources to SIRC has overall responsibility for oversight of all matters relating to SIRC’s staffing policy.

2.2 SIRC’s “Chart of Human Resources Authorities” indicates the delegation structure at SIRC concerning “those officers for whom specific delegation has been given to exercise delegated authority over human and financial resources to accomplish the objectives of the organization.

3 Policy Application

SIRC’s staffing policy is described in terms of the three phases of the staffing process. These phases are identified as pre-selection, selection, and post-selection. Each step in the process is to be checked against SIRC’s Staffing Process Checklist.

3.1 Pre-Selection Phase

The pre-selection phase encompasses establishing a statement of qualifications that provides the essential and any asset qualifications for the position, and determining an area of selection.

Statement of Qualifications

Prior to conducting a competitive or a non-competitive process, the hiring manager, in consultation with the Corporate Services manager, will establish a statement of essential qualifications and any asset qualifications against which to evaluate the candidates. Statements of qualifications will include any basic requirements included in Treasury

Board occupational classification standards (e.g. requirement for a university degree, professional certifications). All statements of qualifications will be based on the requirements of the position to be staffed and, as required, SIRC’s organizational needs.

Area of Selection

Prior to determining an area of selection, SIRC management will determine if career development or succession planning commitments, or identified future workforce composition concerns, might be impacted by a potential appointment process.

SIRC will consider its operational and business needs in determining the area of selection. If well qualified candidates exist within SIRC, management may restrict the appointment process to employees of SIRC. The area of selection for competitive appointment processes will normally include employees of the federal public service, external to SIRC, within the National Capital Region.

Prior to proposing an appointment using a non-competitive process, management will make an informed determination that the employee proposed for appointment is the most qualified employee available as assessed against the essential qualifications, and any asset qualifications, of the position. Management will then notify all employees within SIRC of its intention to make an appointment in this fashion and provide interested employees with the opportunity to further discuss the decision.

3.2 Selection Phase

The selection phase encompasses the notice period, determining and applying methods of assessment, and the selection of assessment board members.

Notice Period

To ensure that all eligible individuals have a reasonable opportunity to indicate their interest in appointment opportunities, the minimum period of notice to be given for competitive processes shall be five working days. Management will attempt to ensure that all potential interested individuals receive adequate notice.

Methods of Assessment

Management shall establish the assessment tools to be used to evaluate candidates against the statement of qualifications. Such tools may include interviews, simulation exercises (such as role playing), a review of curriculum vitae, assessments of samples of previous work, reviews of current and past work performance, written tests, reference checks, or other objective approaches to determining a candidate’s qualifications. All methods of assessment shall be barrier free to ensure equitable access to positions at SIRC and shall result in an objective, transparent rating of the candidates’ qualifications.

In circumstances where the various elements have different relative weighting, a rating guide that provides weighting of the relative value of each element of the statement of qualifications will be developed. Pre-determined questions and an indication of what the successful responses are shall be included in the method of assessment.

The Assessment Board determines the person(s) that best fit the requirements of the position. The asset qualifications may be used to determine which candidate (i.e. who meets all the essential qualifications) is the right fit for the position.

Assessment Board Members

SIRC will ensure that the following factors are adhered to when establishing assessment boards:

3.3 Post Selection Phase

The post-selection phase encompasses notice of results, recourse, documentation, and appointment.

Notice of Results

All candidates shall receive a written notice of the results of the appointment process. The notice shall include the name of the successful candidate(s) and a notice concerning the right of any unsuccessful SIRC candidates to recourse through the mechanism of SIRC’s “Grievance Policy.

Recourse

The first and most effective level of recourse open to candidates in an appointment process is continuous, informal feedback provided by management regarding the conduct of the process and the outcome of an individual candidate’s participation. Care must be taken by management in providing feedback to candidates to discuss the performance only of that particular candidate.

The formal level of recourse available to candidates who are SIRC employees, and are not satisfied with the assessment of their qualifications is the SIRC grievance process. Management may indicate a recourse period in the notice of results, which is 5 working days rather than the 35 day period which applies to the normal grievance process.

Although there is no formal recourse process for non-SIRC employees in competitive appointment processes under SIRC’s “Grievance Policy,” all candidates – internal and external to SIRC – will be informed through the mechanism of a written notice on the statement of qualifications that if they have any questions or concerns at any point in the appointment process they are welcome to contact SIRC’s Corporate Services Manager, who will provide informal or formal feedback. The Corporate Service
Manager’s contact information will be provided as part of this notice.

Documentation and Monitoring

Sufficient documentation shall be maintained on the appointment file that would allow a third party to understand how the appointment process was conducted and how the assessment board reached its conclusions as to the relative merit of each of the candidates. In the case of appointments being made as a result of non-competitive processes, the documentation is to include a rationale for the use of that particular process and an indication as to how the appointee meets the essential qualifications and any identified asset qualifications of the position. In all cases, the Staffing Process Checklist will be fully executed and certified as complete by the Senior Manager, Corporate Services prior to closing the staffing file.

Appointment

After the formal recourse period has expired a letter of offer is to be made to the successful candidate. The letter of offer is to include any applicable conditions of employment and either the rate of pay upon appointment (in the case of appointments from outside the public service) or a reference to the applicable pay regulations used to determine the rate of pay (in the case of appointments from within the public service) and any other relevant information (i.e. conditional offer pending security clearance).

Recommended by:
[Original signed by]
Susan Pollak
Executive Director
Approved by:
[Original signed by]
Arthur T. Porter, P.C., M.D.
Chair
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