# 2019-171 Careers, Promotion criteria

Promotion criteria

Case summary

F&R Date: 2020-12-10

The grievor was accepted into the Special Commissioning Program (SCP) at the rank of Sub-Lieutenant (SLt). The grievor's Chain of Command requested an accelerated promotion to Lieutenant (Navy) (Lt(N)) after one year as a commissioned officer. The Director of Military Careers (DMilC) denied the request because the grievor had not reached two years of service as a commissioned officer. The grievor argued that the policy used by DMilC was not in effect at the time his promotion request was denied.

The Initial Authority (IA) noted that previous DMilC internal guidance in 2010 stated that other commissioning plans required officers commissioned directly to SLt to serve two years before being eligible for accelerated promotion. The IA also noted that a Canadian Forces General Order was issued to tie the SCP to other commissioning plans in terms of requirements for promotion to the rank of Lt(N). The IA noted that the DMilC guidance was not properly promulgated until after the decision in his case but found that it was in effect at the time of the decision.

The Committee noted the patch-work state of policy instruments related to promotion, including accelerated promotion. The Committee found that the DMilC had the authority to set criteria for accelerated promotion and that the 2010 DMilC internal guidance sought to ensure that regardless of the commissioning plan, officers at the rank of SLt must have at least two years as a commissioned officer before being promoted to Lt(N). The Committee also found that the guidance had been fairly and consistently applied by the DMilC since at least 2015. The Committee noted the previous lack of transparency regarding the accelerated promotion guidance, but observed that recent guidance had been posted to the Chief of Military Personnel intranet website. The Committee recommended that the Final Authority (FA) not grant redress.

FA decision summary

The FA, the Director Canadian Forces Grievance Authority, agreed with the Committee's recommendation that the grievor not be afforded redress. The FA agreed with the Committee's findings that establishing criteria for accelerated promotions beyond those in the Canadian Forces Administrative Orders was within the approval authority's discretion and that the criteria that had been established was fair and logical, including the two year, time in rank requirement for members commissioned under the Special Commissioning Plan.

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