Contravening take-home exam instructions by consulting, using and submitting another candidate’s exam – Founded

Authority  

This investigation was conducted under section 69 of the Public Service Employment Act, S.C. 2003, c.22, ss. 12 and 13.

Issue

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if a candidate committed fraud in an external advertised appointment process by submitting a take-home exam that appeared to have been completed by another candidate.

Conclusion

The investigation concluded that the candidate committed fraud by knowingly contravening the take-home exam instructions and using their friend’s exam to prepare their own.

Although the candidate’s own exam was never submitted to the assessment board, because they instead submitted their friend’s exam unknowingly, the evidence shows that the candidate intended to submit their own exam prepared using their friend’s exam. Based on the evidence, the candidate’s actions could have compromised the appointment process.

Facts

The organization administered a take-home exam to assess various essential qualifications. The instructions requested that candidates not copy or discuss the exam questions with anyone. The candidate signed a declaration affirming that the attached work represented their own thinking. The organization noticed some irregularities with the exam submitted by the candidate; it contained the name and answers of another candidate previously assessed in the same appointment process, as well as the date the other candidate had submitted their exam.

During the investigation, the candidate admitted they had obtained their friend’s exam to help them complete their own and mistakenly submitted their friend’s version to the assessment board. While the candidate admitted to using their friend’s exam to help them answer only one of the questions, the investigator reviewed both exams, which showed that the candidate’s answers to several questions were nearly identical to their friend’s exam. On the balance of probabilities, the candidate committed fraud in the external advertised process when they contravened the exam instructions by consulting and using their friend’s exam to complete their own. While the candidate never submitted their own exam, they admitted that they intended to submit it, rather than submitting their friend’s exam. The candidate’s actions could have compromised the appointment process.

Corrective actions

Following the conclusion of fraud, the Commission ordered the following corrective actions: 

• the candidate be eliminated from the appointment process
• for a period of 1 year, the individual must notify the Public Service Commission of Canada before accepting any position or work within the federal public service
  • failure to do so will result in the revocation of their appointment
• if the individual accepts a position or work in the federal public service within 1 year, they must complete the Values and Ethics Foundations for Employees course offered by the Canada School of Public Service, and then have a discussion with their director
  • failure to do so will lead to the revocation of their appointment

Investigation File No.: 22-23-03