Frequently asked questions – priority feedback form and request for additional feedback

The PSC does not review the feedback that is submitted by the hiring organization before the person receives it. For indeterminate positions, the information that is submitted through the Priority Feedback Form is automatically and simultaneously sent to the person with a priority entitlement, the PSC and, in certain cases, the home organization (when it is a surplus priority or reinstatement, formerly a surplus or laid-off, priority). The hiring organization's feedback submitted through PIMS should be treated as direct communication with the person with a priority entitlement.

The parties that will have access to the information are the PSC, the hiring organization and the person with a priority entitlement, as well as the home organization in cases when the person is a surplus priority or a reinstatement priority (formerly a surplus or laid-off priority).

The three-day period refers to working days (i.e., excludes weekends and statutory holidays) and starts the first working day following the day on which the hiring organization sent the feedback to the person. For example, if the feedback is provided on a Monday, the three-day period would start on Tuesday and end on Thursday.

For surplus and reinstatement priority (formerly a surplus or laid-off priority) entitlements only, the home organization will also receive the feedback e-mail that is sent to the person. Providing the home organization with the feedback will ensure that it remains informed of the activity on the person's file (i.e., if a person receives a reasonable job offer).

No, it only applies to former surplus or laid-off persons who are now entitled to a reinstatement priority status.

For indeterminate staffing actions, persons will receive an email through PIMS notifying them of their feedback results.

The auto-feedback e-mail does not apply for term staffing actions. Hiring organizations are expected to continue to use their existing methods of communication, such as e-mail correspondence, to provide feedback to persons, as per section 1.5.6 of the Guide on Priority Entitlements. The PSC also expects hiring organizations to address any request for additional feedback from persons considered for term staffing actions.

Organizations must provide feedback in the person's preferred language of correspondence. You can find the person’s language of choice by clicking their name on the feedback page, then clicking ‘Refer to file’. The preferred language of correspondence is located in the Person Information section. 

The PSC expects that the hiring organization specify the reason(s) why the person was or was not selected for appointment.  The hiring organization is required to indicate the criteria that the person did not meet and at what stage of the assessment. For example, if the person did not pass an essential criterion specific to a knowledge factor, this factor would be identified as well as the assessment tool(s) used to determine that the person did not meet the knowledge requirement.

Note: The code 7 ‘No response from the person within allotted timeframe’ can be used for all persons who have not contacted the organization to express interest in the opportunity. A comment is still required (in the person’s preferred language of correspondence) and in this case, it can be very brief stating the person did not contact the organization to express interest in the opportunity.

Persons with a priority entitlement will have three working days to contact the hiring organization to request additional feedback regarding their feedback results. If they still have further concerns regarding the feedback, the person should first seek clarification from the hiring organization and inform the PSC in a timely manner. If there are still unresolved issues, the PSC may contact the person and/or the hiring organization.

The person, and in certain instances the home organization, are required to inform the PSC Priority Entitlements Consultant when a request is made for additional feedback from a hiring organization.

If a person with a priority entitlement requests additional feedback from a hiring organization at any point before an appointment is made, including after a priority clearance has been granted, the organization is required to provide the additional feedback to the person and may not proceed with an appointment until such time that the PSC is satisfied. In certain circumstances, the PSC may decide to suspend the clearance number.

A priority clearance will be suspended when the PSC is made aware of a concern that warrants further review. A suspension would only occur in cases when a priority clearance has already been issued. When the PSC is satisfied that the concern has been addressed appropriately, the PSC will reissue the priority clearance and notify the hiring organization to continue with its appointment process. Until the priority clearance is reissued, the hiring organization is not authorized to make an appointment to the position.

The hiring organization should contact the person in a timely manner, particularly if the person has a time-limited priority entitlement. Once the person is satisfied with the feedback results the organization must re-submit the amended Priority Feedback Form.

Examples of the type of requests for additional feedback to hiring organizations include:

• If the person is qualified, why another person is being selected for appointment;
• Additional information about why the person is no longer being considered; and
• Additional information regarding the assessment tools used to conduct the assessment of the person.

The PSC may place a hold on a priority clearance request when a person informs the PSC that they have made a request for additional feedback to the hiring organization. If the clearance request is placed on hold, the PSC will determine whether priority clearance will be granted when the hiring organization submits the additional feedback provided through PIMS.

The PSC will issue a priority clearance once all of the following conditions have been met:

• The three working days allocated for the request for additional feedback have passed;
• The PSC is satisfied with the feedback process between the person(s) and the hiring organization, which includes instances when the person may not accept or be satisfied with the feedback provided; and
• All self-referrals have been appropriately considered.