Horizontal Initiatives - 2016–17 Departmental Results Report - Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Workplace Wellness and Productivity Strategy (WPS)

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Employment and Skills Development Canada (Labour Program)

Public Services and Procurement Canada

Health Canada

The WPS represented an important partnership between several areas of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Labour Program of Employment Skills Development Canada (ESDC), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Health Canada, and bargaining agents.

November 2013

Funding is ongoing until 2021.

The amount of $25,010,838 in total funding has been allocated over a 4-year period for the Secretariat, PSPC, ESDC and Health Canada to carry out a range of activities to modernize the current system of disability and sick leave management. The total allocated funding consists of $21,092,649 from the fiscal framework and $3,918,189 from existing departmental reference levels.

Funding for the WPS was re-profiled to bring forward unspent amounts from the WPS for previous years, which are being used to support the development and implementation of a range of wellness measures, including those requested by bargaining agents.

Total cumulative federal planned spending on the WPS from its inception to March 31, 2017, is $25,010,838.

Total spending for the WPS from 2013 to 2017 was $11,766,205. Unused resources have been re-profiled to support the development and implementation of a range of wellness measures, as a result of the various memoranda of agreement concluded during the last round of collective bargaining.

The WPS initiative has put in place a detailed governance structure to support effective, collaborative and timely decision making for resolving emerging issues. The governance structure includes oversight at the highest levels, through the Assistant Deputy Minister Steering Committee and a working-level group of committees covering each of the initiative’s major activities.

In 2016–17, the governance was adjusted to reflect the establishment of two task forces on wellness. As a result, the Secretariat created 2 steering committees and 2 technical committees, with each one having equal representation from bargaining agents and from the employer. Discussions will be led by the technical committees, which report to their respective steering committee.

Sean Ross, Senior Director

Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer
8th Floor, 140 O’Connor Street, L’Esplanade Laurier, East Tower
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R5

The objective of the initiative is to modernize the management of disability and sick leave in the federal public service. Several structural problems in relation to the existing disability management framework have been identified. These include lack of active case management with return-to-work support, gaps in income coverage during disability, and increasing system costs.

A business case was developed and identified options for addressing the structural gaps in the current system. The options were based on leading industry practices and on practices adopted by other public jurisdictions. Funding for the initiative was subsequently earmarked in the fiscal framework and supplemented by resources from existing departmental reference levels.

To be confirmed

The targeted result to be achieved by the Secretariat and its partners, including public service bargaining agents, is support for employee wellness. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Consequential changes to existing leave provisions and the long-term disability plan
• Workplace accommodations
• For employees on disability, internal case management and return to work

A range of other measures to support an integrated approach to employee health.

New performance indicators will be developed for employee wellness, as this work takes place under a new framework.

See above

To be confirmed

The WPS laid the groundwork for improved health supports for employees. This work is continuing, as part of the discussions about employee wellness, which are aligned with the objectives outlined in the original WPS framework.

Pensions and Benefits

15,623,157

3,092,515^{table 1 note *}

592,086

Transition to new employee wellness support programs

Wellness work operating under a new framework

Discussions underway with bargaining agents

Acquisitions and PSPC Accounting, Banking and Compensation branches

5,227,999

746,066

On hold pending further discussion with bargaining agents

.

On hold.

PSPC has confirmed that they will carry unspent forward amounts in their capital budget until discussions with bargaining agents have concluded and joint recommendations on the way forward have been developed.

Labour

2,412,000

641,592

208,159

Activities focused on modernizing systems and arrangements involving occupational injury or illness claims filed under the Government Employees Compensation Act, to reduce reporting times and improve data collection and information available to departments and agencies

Finalization of key terms of agreement with several provincial worker compensation organizations

Completed

1,747,682

425,758

192,497^{table 1 note **}

Activities in support of an updated Policy on Employee Assistance Program and related departmental advice

Activities in support of a streamlined application process for medical retirement under the Public Service Superannuation Act

Completed

25,010,838

4,905,931

840, 245