2014-2015 Annual Report - Appendix 3

Public Service Commission study updates

Study on Acting Appointments and Subsequent Promotions in the Federal Public Service (Update) – This study examined whether employees in lengthy acting appointments gain an advantage in obtaining a subsequent promotion. In 2013-2014, the subsequent promotion rate following an acting appointment was 26.8%, above the level in 2012-2013 (22.9%). The duration of acting appointments ending with and without promotion was shorter than in the previous fiscal year, 16.9 months and 13.7 months respectively. The duration of the acting appointment does not affect the likelihood of being subsequently promoted. (See Table 46 for more information.)

Source: Public Service Commission Job-based Analytical Information System

^(a) Fiscal year in this table refers to the fiscal year in which the acting appointment ended.

^(b) Subsequent promotions include any promotion that occurred within the 12 months following the end of an individual’s acting appointment.

Study on Mobility of Public Servants (Update) – This study examined trends in mobility and changes in its components. Indeterminate mobility rates have increased for the second consecutive year, increasing to 24.9% in 2014-2015 from 20.6% in 2013-2014. Three of the four appointment types increased compared to last year’s levels: appointments to the public service increased to 3.6%, acting appointments to 7.7%, and promotions to 5.6%. Lateral and downward mobility was the only type of appointment to decrease, dropping from 8.1% in 2013-2014 to 8.0% in 2014-2015. For more information, see Figure 10.

Figure 10: Indeterminate mobility rates in the public service by appointment type and fiscal year

Figure 10 long description

Source: Public Service Commission hiring and staffing activities files

New Indeterminate Hires and their Previous Public Service Experience (Update) – The Public Service Commission has conducted a number of statistical studies analyzing trends in new indeterminate hires, especially their previous public service work experience, including New indeterminate employees: Who are they? (2007); To what extent do casuals become employed under the Public Service Employment Act? (2007); and Appointment under the Public Service Employment Act following participation in federal student employment programs (2008).

Figure 11 shows trends in new indeterminate hires as a percentage of the indeterminate workforce at the beginning of each fiscal year. New indeterminate hiring was as high as 10% of the indeterminate workforce in the beginning of the 2000s. The trend had slowed to 5.8% in 2004-2005 and gradually increased to its peak of 11.5% in 2008-2009. In 2014-2015, the share of new indeterminate hires grew for the second consecutive year to 2.5% of the total indeterminate workforce, from 2.1% in 2013-2014.

Figure 11: New indeterminate hires as percentage of indeterminate workforce by fiscal year

Figure 11 long description

Source: Public Service Commission Job-based Analytical Information System

Figure 12 displays the previous work experience of new indeterminate hires.^{Footnote 23} In 2014-2015, those with no previous experience increased to 38.5% from 32.4% in 2013-2014. In 2014-2015, the proportion of new indeterminate hires with term experience decreased to 40.3% from 47.1%, though it remained the main source of new indeterminate hiring consistent with most previous fiscal years. New indeterminate hires having only casual experience grew from 11.5% in 2013-2014 to 13.7% in 2014-2015, above the average of 13.2% over the last five years.

Figure 12: New indeterminate hires by previous public service experience and fiscal year

Figure 12 long description

Source: Public Service Commission Job-based Analytical Information System

^(a) Casual may include previous experience as a student, trainee or in other federal organizations.

^(b) Term may include previous experience such as a casual, student, trainee or in other federal organizations.

Footnotes