Guide on Priority Entitlements for Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police released or discharged for medical reasons

Table of Contents

• 1.  Introduction
• 2.  Transition support
• 3.  What is a priority entitlement?
• 4.  The priority entitlement order of precedence
• 5.  Medically released priority entitlements
• 6.  What are essential qualifications and conditions of employment?
• 7.  Conditions, period of eligibility and duration of the priority entitlement
• 8.  Activating your priority entitlement
• 9.  How is the priority entitlement applied?
• 10. Matching of positions and persons with a priority entitlement
• 11. Employment equity
• 12. Assessment of persons with a priority entitlement
• 13. Roles and responsibilities
• 14. Resolving issues
• 15. Conclusion
• 16. Questions and answers
• Appendix A
  • List of acronyms
  • References
• Appendix B
  • Privacy Consent Form for Persons with a Priority Entitlement

1.  Introduction

This guide was prepared by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to help you better understand the nature of the “medically released” priority entitlements, priority appointments and how the Priority Entitlements Program works.

This guide contains general information and explains certain basic concepts related to the Priority Entitlements Program and the particular conditions that apply to the three distinct medically released priority entitlements: A statutory and a regulatory priority entitlement for medically released members of the Canadian Armed Force^{Footnote 1}  (CAF) and a regulatory priority entitlement for medically discharged members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

For more information on priority entitlements, please consult the PSC Guide on Priority Entitlements, the reference documents listed in Appendix A of this guide and the support services provided by your organization (outlined in the next section of this guide).

This guide does not replace current agreements, directives, policies or legislation governing entitlement to priority appointments.

2.  Transition support

We recognize that the transition from being a serving member of the CAF or RCMP to seeking and obtaining “civilian” employment can be difficult. Some people may experience considerable stress and their initial reaction to the situation may be to feel angry, frightened or helpless. If you need additional help, you have options.

CAF members

The Directorate of Casualty Support Management (DCSM) and the Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) of the Department of National Defence (DND) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) can help you. The purpose of these organizations is to provide injured and retired military members and their families with information and services. Take advantage of their support services.

Contact information

E-mail:
dcsm-dgsb@forces.gc.ca

Telephone:
Canada-wide toll free: 1-800-883-6094
In Ottawa: 613-995-1457
Worldwide via the Military network at: CSN 995-1457
From the United States (Collect call): 613-995-1457

For CAF personnel serving outside Canada on operations, DCSM may also be contacted through the National Defence Command Centre (NDCC) in Ottawa. Ask NDCC to connect you to 995-1457.

Fax:
613-944-7728

TTY / TDD :
1-800-467-9877

RCMP members

The Divisional Public Service Staffing office and the Member/Employee Assistance Program of the RCMP can help you. There are also services and benefits available for you from Veterans Affairs Canada. Please refer to these Web pages for contact information:

RCMP Health Services and Benefits

VAC services & benefits available to RCMP members

HR Advisor Support

In addition to those support services, your home organization (DND/CAF or RCMP) is required to provide a human resources (HR) advisor to help you understand your priority entitlement rights and obligations. The HR advisor will provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions about your entitlement. Take the time to seriously consider all of the options available to you, but be sure to respond within the set timeframes.

Your organization must also provide you with the tools needed to help you in your job search (counselling services, résumé writing assistance, how to prepare for assessments such as interviews or written tests, career transition assistance, etc.). Make sure that you talk to the HR advisor assigned to you, find out what your rights and obligations are and ensure that you provide up-to-date contact information so they can easily contact you.

PSC Veterans Advisors

These former CAF members, now working with the PSC as Veterans Advisors, provide information, guidance and advice on the Priority Entitlements Program to medically released veterans. They engage with veterans directly, helping them use the PSC’s Priority Information Management System (PIMS), Priority Portal and job search tools, and by advocating on their behalf with hiring organizations; following up when necessary to ensure they receive fair treatment.

veterans@cfp-psc.gc.ca

3.  What is a priority entitlement?

Appointments to public service positions are governed by the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and the Public Service Employment Regulations (PSER). Among their provisions are exceptional clauses that provide an entitlement, for limited periods, for certain persons who meet specific conditions, to be appointed before anyone else. These exceptional clauses are referred to as “priority entitlements” and those eligible for these priority entitlements are referred to as “persons with a priority entitlement”. Appointments of persons with a priority entitlement are referred to as “priority appointments”.

Priority entitlements help people cope with career transitions caused by various events that occur in their personal and professional lives, including being released or discharged for medical reasons from the CAF or RCMP. These entitlements also help the employer retain qualified, skilled employees and meet its obligations under the PSEA

A priority entitlement is not a guarantee of a job. It is the right to be appointed before all others who do not have a priority entitlement, if you meet the essential qualifications and the conditions of employment of a position.  These priority appointments must be in accordance with the priority entitlement order of precedence.

4.  The priority entitlement order of precedence

While persons with a priority entitlement must be appointed before any other person, there is an “order of precedence” that is established by the PSEA that must be respected when appointing persons with a priority entitlement.

The priority entitlement order of precedence is as follows:

Statutory priority entitlements

The priority entitlements within the PSEA are referred to as “statutory” priority entitlements. Persons with a statutory priority entitlement are appointed ahead of all others, in the following order:

1. CAF members released for medical reasons attributable to service (PSEA, paragraph 39.1(1)). All CAF members, including regular force, reserve force and special force are eligible.
   
   Note: A CAF member who is medically released for reasons not attributable to service has a regulatory priority entitlement under PSER, subsection 8(1).
2. An organization's own surplus employees who have been informed by their deputy head that their services are no longer required, but before any lay-off becomes effective (PSEA, section 40);
   
   Note: An employee who is surplus from another organization has a regulatory priority entitlement under the PSER. For more information, refer to the next section on regulatory priority entitlements;
3. Leave of absence: Employees on leave of absence, where their positions have been staffed indeterminately, or the employees who replaced them on an indeterminate basis if they are displaced when the employee returns from leave (PSEA, subsection 41(1)); and
   
4. Lay-offs: Persons who have been laid-off pursuant to subsection 64(1) of the PSEA, due to a lack of work, the discontinuance of a function or the transfer of work or a function outside the public service (PSEA, subsection 41(4)).

Regulatory priority entitlements

The priority entitlements within the PSER are referred to as “regulatory” priority entitlements. Persons with a regulatory priority entitlement are appointed after persons with a statutory priority entitlement, but in no relative order.

•  Surplus employees: Employees from other organizations who have been advised by their deputy head that their services are no longer required, but before any lay-off becomes effective (PSER, subsection 5(1));
  
  Note: Within their own organization, a surplus employee has a statutory priority entitlement under the PSEA. For more information, refer to the section above on statutory priority entitlements.
• Employees who become disabled: Employees who become disabled and who, as a result of the disability, are no longer able to carry out the duties of their position (PSER, subsection 7(1));
   
• CAF members: Certain members released for medical reasons not attributable to service (PSER, subsection 8(1)). Only members of the regular force, the special force, the reserve force on Class B service of more than 180 consecutive days or on Class C reserve service are eligible;
   
• RCMP members: Certain members discharged for medical reasons (PSER, paragraph 7.1(1));
   
• Relocation of spouse or common-law partner: Indeterminate employees who have been granted leave for such relocations, whose positions have not been staffed indeterminately (PSER,  subsection 9(1));
   
• Reinstatement: Certain persons with a priority entitlement who were appointed or deployed to a position in the public service at a lower level (PSER, subsection 10(1));and
   
• Surviving spouse or common-law partner: Surviving spouses or common-law partners of public service employees, the CAF or the RCMP, whose death is attributable to the performance of duties (PSER, paragraph 8.1(1)).

Additional information

Additional information

Additional information about each priority type is provided in Part II of the PSC Guide on Priority Entitlements.

5.  Medically released priority entitlements

There are three distinct priority entitlements for medically released or discharged members. Two of these apply to medically released CAF members and one applies to medically discharged RCMP members.

Canadian Armed Forces members medically released for reasons attributable to service

This statutory priority entitlement applies to members of the CAF who were medically released for reasons attributable to service, as determined by VAC. Information about this VAC determination and how to request it is available from your local Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) or from Directorate of Casualty Support Management (DCSM).

Persons with this priority entitlement are entitled to be appointed to a position before all other persons, including those with other priority entitlement types, if they meet the essential qualifications and conditions of employment for that position. This priority entitlement ranks first in the order of precedence.

Canadian Armed Forces members medically released for reasons not attributable to service

This regulatory priority entitlement applies to certain members of the CAF whose medical release is not attributable to service.

Persons with this priority entitlement are entitled to be appointed to a position before all other persons, except those with a statutory priority entitlement, if they meet the essential qualifications and conditions of employment for that position. Any such appointment must be in accordance with the priority entitlement order of precedence that is explained earlier in this guide.

CAF members – Veterans Hiring Act Transitional Provision

The Transitional Provision provides that medically released members of the CAF who held an active CAF medically released priority entitlement upon coming-into-force (CIF) of the Veterans Hiring Act (VHA) or whose medically released priority entitlement expired between April 1, 2012 and CIF of the VHA, and who have not been indeterminately appointed to the public service nor refused such an offer without good and sufficient reason, have a new five year priority entitlement period. Medically released CAF members who meet the above criteria and who have not already been contacted by the PSC regarding this Transitional Provision, should contact the PSC at the following email.

Persons with an active CAF medically released priority entitlement.

Medically released CAF members whose priority entitlement was active upon CIF of the VHA will have a new five-year regulatory priority entitlement period, beginning at CIF of the VHA and until such time as VAC determines that their medical release was attributable to service. If VAC determines that the member's medical release was attributable to service, they will receive a new five-year statutory priority entitlement, beginning on the date of the VAC determination.

Persons who had a CAF medically released priority entitlement that expired between April 1, 2012 and CIF.

Medically released CAF members whose priority entitlement expired between April 1, 2012 and CIF of the VHA and who have not been indeterminately appointed to the public service nor refused such an offer without good and sufficient reason, will have a new five-year regulatory priority entitlement period, beginning at CIF of the VHA and until such time as VAC determines that their medical release was attributable to service. If VAC determines that the member's medical release was attributable to service, they will receive a new five-year statutory priority entitlement, beginning on the date of the VAC determination.

Persons with an active or expired CAF medically released priority entitlement resulting from Class A or Class B service.

Medically released members of the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces on Class A or Class B Reserve Service of 180 days or less, whose priority entitlement is either active upon CIF of the VHA or expired between April 1, 2012 and CIF of the VHA and who have not been indeterminately appointed to the public service nor refused such an appointment without good and sufficient reason, will have a new five-year statutory priority entitlement period, beginning at CIF of the VHA, since the determination that their medical release was attributable to service was previously established for their existing or expired priority entitlement.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police members who were medically discharged

This regulatory priority entitlement applies to medically discharged RCMP members. Reserve members of the RCMP are eligible only if their medical discharge was for reasons attributable to service.

Persons with this priority entitlement are entitled to be appointed to a position before all other persons, except those with a statutory priority entitlement, if they meet the essential qualifications and conditions of employment for that position. Any such appointment must be in accordance with the priority entitlement order of precedence that is explained earlier in this guide.

The “other members” of the RCMP, also referred to as “civilian members”, are also eligible for the RCMP medically discharged priority entitlement. This means that this priority entitlement is not restricted solely to uniformed officers of the RCMP.

Public service employees of the RCMP appointed under the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), including those casual employees of the RCMP appointed under PSEA section 50, are not eligible for this priority entitlement.

6.  What are essential qualifications and conditions of employment?

The essential qualifications are the basic requirements for the position and can include such requirements as the education, experience, knowledge, occupational certification, official language proficiency, abilities and skills, aptitudes and personal suitability that are “essential” for someone to be able to perform the duties of the position. When a manager identifies a qualification as essential, the manager is stating that if a person does not meet that qualification, that person could not function in the position. Please refer to the Treasury Board Secretariat Web page for more information on types of qualifications and Qualification Standards specific to each occupational group. Your HR advisor can assist you with understanding or interpreting these Qualification Standards.

The Office of the Auditor General and the five separate agencies that conduct their staffing in accordance with the PSEA are not subject to the aforementioned Treasury Board Qualification Standards. If you require information about the qualifications used by these organizations, please contact them directly. The Government Electronic Directory Service (GEDS) can provide you with contact information for these organizations.

For each position to be staffed, a Statement of Merit Criteria is established, composed of essential qualifications (basic requirements), asset qualifications (qualifications that are not essential, but would be an asset for the work to be performed), organizational needs, operational requirements and conditions of employment (such as a security clearance).

As a person with a priority entitlement, you will be assessed only against the essential qualifications to determine if you are qualified for appointment. You must also meet any conditions of employment in order to be appointed. You are not required to meet the asset qualifications, organizational needs or operational requirements of a position in order to be found qualified for appointment to that position.

7.  Conditions, period of eligibility and duration of priority entitlement

Each of the different priority entitlements is subject to specific conditions. The conditions for each are explained in detail in Part II of the PSC Guide on Priority Entitlements.

This section explains, in general terms, the conditions applicable to the medically released or discharged priority entitlements. You should also refer to the relevant chapter for your priority entitlement type in Part II of the PSC Guide on Priority Entitlements. Your HR advisor can answer your questions.

To determine which of the CAF medically released priority entitlements applies to you, contact your local Joint Personnel Support Unit (JPSU) or the Directorate of Casualty Support Management (DCSM).

CAF members have five years from either the date of their medical release or from the date of the Veterans Affairs Canada determination that their medical release was attributable to service, whichever is later, to request their priority entitlement. Their request must be provided to their local JPSU or to DCSM.

RCMP members have five years from the date of their medical discharge to request their priority entitlement and must contact their RCMP Divisional Public Service Staffing office.

Both CAF and RCMP members must obtain certification in writing from a competent authority that they are ready to return to work and provide it when they request their priority entitlement. The meaning of “competent authority” is explained later in this section.

The date of that certification letter from the competent authority is the date on which you are “certified” ready to return to work, unless the body of the letter specifically states a different date. For all RCMP members and for only those CAF members with a regulatory priority entitlement (CAF medical release not attributable to service), this is also the effective date of your priority entitlement for the purpose of registering and activating the entitlement in the Priority Information Management System (PIMS).

For CAF members with a statutory priority entitlement (medical release attributable to service), the effective date of your priority entitlement is the later of either the date of the positive Attributable to Service determination from VAC or the date specified by the competent authority in the certification letter.

As a result, for CAF and RCMP members eligible for a regulatory priority entitlement, it is very important to obtain this certification letter only when you are ready to activate your priority entitlement. Once you have obtained this certification letter, you must immediately contact your home organization for activation of your priority entitlement, as outlined below. Delays in activating your priority entitlement once you have received your certification letter will shorten the period PIMS identifies job opportunities.

For both CAF and RCMP members, once it has been activated, your priority entitlement (statutory or regulatory) ends when one of the following occurs:

1. CAF members – when five years have elapsed since the start date of your priority entitlement;
   
   RCMP members – when two years have elapsed since the start date of your priority entitlement;
   
   OR
    
2. You are appointed to an indeterminate position in the public service;
   
   OR
    
3. You decline an indeterminate appointment without good and sufficient reason.

Competent authority

The competent authority who must certify that a person is ready to return to work is typically a health care professional, usually the attending physician. Depending on the situation, the competent authority could also be an ergonomic specialist, a psychologist, physiotherapist or any other specialist who, for the case at hand, could reasonably be considered to be a “competent authority”. To determine what constitutes a competent authority, contact the PSC Priority Entitlements Program.

The certification of readiness to return to work must be provided by the competent authority who has examined or treated the person and is qualified to provide a diagnosis of their readiness to return to work and of any limitations or accommodation requirements. A clear description of any employment limitations will aid in identifying appropriate job opportunities and any required accommodation needs.

8.  Activating your priority entitlement

As a person with a priority entitlement, you must actively participate in the Public Service Commission's priority registration and job opportunity identification process. Registration in the Public Service Commission's Priority Information Management System is required for all persons with a priority entitlement who wish to be considered for job opportunities. A late registration of your priority entitlement in Priority Information Management System will reduce the period that you will be receiving job opportunity notifications from Priority Information Management System and could result in lost job opportunities for you.

All persons with a priority entitlement must consent to the sharing of their personal information (sample attached at Appendix B) before their personal information can be entered into PIMS. Consent to have your personal information entered into PIMS is voluntary and you may, without prejudice, request that your information not be entered. You will continue to have a priority entitlement, even if you do not consent to having your personal information entered into the system. However, this will make administering your priority entitlement very difficult, as the PSC has no other automated means to identify persons with a priority entitlement for job opportunities for which they may be qualified. It would be up to you to personally contact organizations to self-refer to job opportunities, if you think you are qualified.

Canadian Armed Forces members

Medically released Canadian Armed Forces members must contact Directorate of Casualty Support Management to start the process for activating their priority entitlement, including any request to Veterans Affairs Canada for a determination of whether their release for medical reasons was attributable to service.

Directorate of Casualty Support Management will provide you with a letter stating the date of your release for medical reasons. Directorate of Casualty Support Management will provide that attestation after reviewing the release document provided by the Director of Military Careers Administration, as well as other career-oriented information within the Canadian Armed Forces.

You must then provide the following documentation to your local Department of National Defence Civilian Human Resources Service Centre in order to have your priority entitlement registered/activated in the Priority Information Management System:

• The Priority Information Management System electronic on-line Registration Form;
• A signed copy of the Privacy Consent Form for persons with a priority entitlement if the organization has completed a full registration;
• A letter from the Directorate of Casualty Support Management concerning your release for medical reasons;
• A letter from a competent authority indicating the date on which you can return to work, with a description of any accommodation required to assist with the identification of suitable job opportunities for you; and
• A copy of the determination from Veterans Affairs Canada whether your release was for medical reasons attributable to service, in order to request registration/activation of your statutory priority entitlement.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police members

Medically discharged Royal Canadian Mounted Police members must contact Royal Canadian Mounted Police Divisional Public Service Staffing office to start the process for activating their priority entitlement.

Medically discharged Royal Canadian Mounted Police members must provide the following documentation to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Public Service Human Resources area in order to have their priority entitlement registered in Priority Information Management System:

• The Priority Information Management System electronic on-line Registration Form;
• A signed copy of the Privacy Consent Form for persons with a priority entitlements if the organization has completed a full registration;
• Letter of Discharge for Medical Reasons pursuant to section 32.1 of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act; and
• A letter or form from a competent authority indicating the date on which the person can return to work, with a description of any accommodation that is required to assist with identifying suitable job opportunities  and any required accommodation needs.

9.  How is the priority entitlement applied?

Your priority entitlement as a medically released or discharged CAF or RCMP member applies to appointment processes for both term (a specific period) and indeterminate (permanent) positions, with certain exceptions to the requirement for priority clearance. This means that:

• It applies in all regions and to all organizations subject to the PSEA;
• There are no limits to the occupational groups and levels to which you can be appointed, as long as you are qualified;
• Areas of selection^{Footnote 2}  in an appointment process do not apply to you as a person with a priority entitlement;
• You can self-refer for any job being staffed or about to be staffed, in which case your priority entitlement must be respected;
• As a person with a priority entitlement you only have to meet the essential qualifications and conditions of employment of a position in order to be appointed. You are not required to meet any other merit criteria, such as asset qualifications, operational requirements or current and future organizational needs;
• Priority appointments are not subject to recourse through the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board (PSLERB).

If you accept a term (specified period) position, your priority entitlement remains in force and PIMS will continue to identify job opportunities for which you may be qualified until your priority entitlement ends or you obtain an indeterminate position, whichever happens first.

In accordance with section 43 of the PSEA, if appointing a person with a priority entitlement would result in creating a priority entitlement for another person, the PSC may decide to allow the organization to proceed with the proposed appointment without having to consider any person with a priority entitlement. The PSC would then provide priority clearance to the organization for their proposed appointment.

For example, if appointing you in priority would result in the need to declare surplus another employee affected by a Workforce Adjustment situation, and who is being proposed for an appointment, the PSC may decide to allow the organization to proceed with the appointment of the affected employee without having to consider any person with a priority entitlement.

10.  Identification of job opportunities and persons with a priority entitlement

It is very important that the information you provide through the Priority Portal, or that you give to your HR advisor for your registration in PIMS, is accurate.  That information will affect which job opportunities are identified for you to consider.

While public service employees with a priority entitlement receive job opportunity notifications at their substantive group and level or equivalent, because CAF and RCMP ranks differ from the classification structure for the rest of the public service, PIMS will notify you about any job opportunities for which you may be qualified, regardless of their group and level.

You can identify opportunities for self-referral from the following sources:

• Internally and externally advertised job postings are both available on the Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) at Public service jobs website. Not all federal government organizations post their internal job notices on PSRS, but a list of organizations who do so is available on the Web site;
• Jobs posted internally within an organization;
• Newspaper job postings; or
• Personal contacts.

Persons with a priority entitlement are encouraged to create an online account and to use the e-mail alert function. This service provides you with a list of the latest job opportunities according to criteria you specify when you register your account. If you have questions about creating your account or with applying to jobs on-line, you can submit your questions on-line via the “contact us” link.

Persons without Internet access may also review jobs open to the public through InfoTel at 1-800-645-5605. The InfoTel number for persons using a TTY/TDD is 1-800-532-9397.

11. Employment equity

In the public service, when there is a position to be staffed under an employment equity plan, that position can be staffed with a person with a priority entitlement only if the person with a priority entitlement is also a member of the targeted or designated employment equity group: Women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities or members of a visible minority.

You will only be coded in PIMS as a member of a designated employment equity group if you self-identify as such.

12. Assessment of persons with a priority entitlement

It is important for organizations to ensure that all persons with a priority entitlement are treated fairly and that the appointment process is conducted in a transparent manner and in good faith. The hiring managers may use any assessment method that they consider appropriate to determine whether persons with a priority entitlement meet the essential qualifications for the position. However, before using an assessment method, the hiring manager must conduct an evaluation to identify whether the assessment method and the manner in which it will be applied include or create biases or barriers that disadvantage persons belonging to any equity-seeking group and, if one is identified, make reasonable efforts to remove it or to mitigate its impact on those persons.

Persons with a priority entitlement must be given a reasonable opportunity to prepare for any interviews, exams or other assessment methods that will be used, just like candidates in a regular appointment process. Your HR advisor can provide you with information on different assessment methods and how to prepare.

When PIMS identifies persons with a priority entitlement for a job opportunity, it sends an e-mail to the organization with the names of the potentially qualified persons who will be informed of the job opportunity.

PIMS also sends an e-mail to the persons with a priority entitlement who have been identified for the potential job opportunity. The email contains basic information about the job (organization, position title, group and level, tenure and location) as well as the Statement of Merit Criteria and will instruct the persons with a priority entitlement to respond to the hiring organization by e-mail within the specified timeframe (this is determined by the organization), indicating whether they believe that they meet the essential qualifications for the position.

As a secondary source to validate the experience described in the cover letter, provide an up-to-date résumé that clearly outlines your education and experience, as well as any additional information that demonstrates how you meet the requirements of the position. You may use the Résumé Template that you used to prepare your résumé for registration in PIMS, and customize it as necessary.

If you feel that you are qualified for the job but cannot provide the requested information within the timeframe determined by the hiring organization, you must advise the organization as soon as possible and propose a reasonable date for providing the information. If you believe that you do not meet the essential qualifications for the position, you must provide an explanation in writing to the hiring organization.

The hiring organization must communicate with all persons with a priority entitlement who indicate their interest in being considered for the job opportunity. The organization may assess interested persons with a priority entitlement, based on the priority entitlement order of precedence.

The hiring organization may request that you be assessed through interviews, written exams or other assessment methods. We encourage you to contact the hiring organization to inquire about the methods they will use to better prepare for the assessment. When the assessment is completed, you will receive the feedback results via e-mail. If you have any concerns regarding the feedback, you have three days to request further feedback from the hiring organization. If your assessment was not successful and you have not requested feedback during that three-day period, the PSC will issue a priority clearance number to the hiring organization, allowing them to staff the position by other means if no other person with a priority entitlement was found qualified.

After you have been assessed, if you did not get the job because you were not successful with the assessment, or even if you passed the assessment but another person with a priority entitlement was appointed, we strongly encourage you to ask for feedback on your assessment from the hiring manager in order to understand what areas you did well on and where you could improve. This feedback can be very helpful for you in preparing for future jobs opportunities.

Accommodation in government staffing

Accommodation is a process that seeks to remove obstacles in the staffing process without changing the nature or level of the qualifications being evaluated. Examples of accommodation can include receiving more time to complete a test due to medical reasons, the provision of a sign language interpreter during an interview, or rescheduling an interview if it falls on a religious holiday.

Your responsibilities

As the person being considered for the job opportunity, you have a key role to play in determining your accommodation. You need to:

• Communicate your need for accommodation to the hiring manager or HR person ;
• Provide information about the nature and extent of your specific functional limitations (please see Standards for Professional Documentation); and
• Provide information about past accommodation and their suitability.

Information about the nature and extent of your functional limitations is key to establishing proper accommodation. Without this essential information, it may not be possible to provide the most appropriate accommodation.

Accommodation for persons with disabilities

During the assessment stage, accommodation is designed to remove obstacles that are presented by the method of testing, without modifying the nature or level of the qualification that is being evaluated. Accommodation during testing can include such things as provision of sign language interpreters, information in alternative formats, reader services, technical support or attendant services.

Making a request for accommodation

Make a request for accommodation directly to the hiring organization that has the job opportunity. The person to contact may vary depending on the organization, but it is usually the HR advisor responsible for the hiring process, the hiring manager or, sometimes, an HR representative who specializes in diversity.

If you would like more information, visit Understanding the duty to accommodate during an assessment process in the federal public service.

13. Roles and responsibilities

The responsibility for effective management of priority entitlements is shared between the Public Service Commission, you, your home organization and hiring organizations. Your role as a person with a priority entitlement is important and requires your active participation.

This section provides an overview of some of the key responsibilities of the different parties involved in administering priority entitlements. For more information on the roles and responsibilities, please refer to the Priority Administration Directive.

The Public Service Commission sets and interprets the Priority Administration Directive, the priority entitlements guidance materials and their application. It maintains the Priority Information Management System (the national inventory for persons with a priority entitlement) which is used to match persons with a priority entitlement with job opportunities. The Public Service Commission provides Human Resources specialists with information and guidance, monitors the validity of individuals' priority entitlements and ensures that organizations respect those entitlements when making appointments. It notifies persons with a priority entitlement of job opportunities for which they may be qualified.

You are responsible for contacting your home organization to request registration/activation of your priority entitlement. You must provide them with written certification from a competent authority that you are ready to return to work and must provide them with a signed copy of the Privacy Consent Form if the organization completes a full registration for the inclusion of your information in Priority Information Management System.

You must participate actively in the management of your priority entitlement by ensuring that the information in your priority registration is kept up-to-date and accurate at all times, through the Public Service Commission's Priority Portal. This is particularly important for your contact information, including your e-mail address, since this is the primary means by which organizations and the Public Service Commission will communicate with you.

You must respond to Priority Information Management System notifications advising you of job opportunities it has identified for your consideration, as well as any requests for information, by the date requested and be readily available and prepared for assessment by organizations. This includes when you have self-referred to a hiring organization. You should review the feedback results provided by the hiring organization after assessment and seek any feedback from the hiring organization in a timely manner. You must seriously consider all reasonable offers of indeterminate employment and provide a reasonable explanation for any refusal of an offer of appointment.

In addition to fully participating in any job opportunity notifications you receive from Priority Information Management System, you are expected to conduct independent job searches and self-refer to organizations if you believe you meet the essential qualifications of a position.

Hiring organizations are responsible for providing you with timely information about the position to be staffed, including the means of assessment, allowing you a reasonable opportunity to prepare for the assessment and appointing you if you meet the essential qualifications and conditions of employment of the position being staffed.

14. Resolving issues

If you feel that you have not been assessed fairly, we encourage you to ask the manager of the hiring organization for information about your assessment. If discussions with the manager of the hiring organization do not resolve the situation, you should speak to your HR advisor in your home organization or to the responsible PSC Priority Entitlements Consultant.

If you feel that your priority entitlement has not been respected, you should speak to your HR advisor in your home organization or to the responsible PSC Priority Entitlements Consultant. The unit responsible for Priority Entitlements at the PSC intervenes in situations where the process of considering persons with a priority entitlement is still under way or when no appointment has yet been made. Any concerns/issues regarding a specific appointment may be reviewed by the PSC, as appropriate.

15. Conclusion

Priority Administration is a responsibility shared by all players (persons with a priority entitlement, the home and hiring organizations and the PSC) so that the entitlements of persons with a priority entitlement are respected.

This guide is a tool that provides an overview of your priority entitlement. Please consult your organization's HR advisors, the  Priority Administration Directive, the PSC Guide on Priority Entitlements and other information sources related to Priority Entitlements located on the PSC's web page, in order to have full information on your priority entitlement and your roles and responsibilities in terms of Priority Administration.

16. Questions and answers

Appendix A

List of acronyms

PSC: Public Service Commission

PSEA: Public Service Employment Act

PSER: Public Service Employment Regulations

PIMS: Priority Information Management System

TBS: Treasury Board Secretariat

DND: Department of National Defence

CAF: Canadian Armed Forces

DCSM: Directorate of Casualty Support Management (DND)

JPSU: Joint Personnel Support Unit (DND)

RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

VAC: Veterans Affairs Canada

References

• Veterans Hiring Act
• Public Service Employment Act
• Public Service Employment Regulations
• Priority Appointment Policy
• Priority Administration Directive
• Priority Information Management System
• Priority Portal
• PSC Guide on Priority Entitlements
• Other PSC Guides and tools
• Public Service Commission Lexicon
• Information about PSC tests used for assessment

Appendix B

Privacy Consent Form for Persons with a Priority Entitlement