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Horizontal Initiatives - 2018–19 Departmental Results Report - Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

General information

Name of horizontal initiative

Employee Wellness Support Program (EWSP), formerly the Workplace Wellness and Productivity Strategy (WPS)
Lead department

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
Federal partner departments
  • Public Services and Procurement Canada
  • Health Canada
  • Employment and Social Development Canada’s Labour Program (as originally identified under WPS)
Non‑federal and non‑governmental partners
  • Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
  • Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)
Start date of the horizontal initiative

The WPS started in and evolved into the EWSP in 2017.
End date of the horizontal initiative

This EWSP initiative is funded to 2020–21. Work started under the WPS is continuing and is subject to ongoing discussions with key stakeholders, including bargaining agents.
Description of the horizontal initiative

In 2013, funding was approved under the WPS to modernize disability management practices across the federal public service, including developing and implementing, in collaboration with bargaining agents, a new short-term disability plan.

In late 2016 and early 2017, in the context of collective bargaining, several bargaining agents signed memoranda of agreement with the employer to create 2 joint task forces to address employee wellness issues, including sick leave and disability. Under these agreements, the WPS evolved into the EWSP.

The joint task forces will develop recommendations for consideration by the Treasury Board and participating bargaining units. The recommendations will include measures to improve employee wellness and better reintegrate employees into the workplace after periods of leave due to illness or injury.

The EWSP is an important partnership between bargaining agents and the employer. No work by the federal partner organizations was required in 2018–19. Once negotiations on the EWSP and other wellness measures have been completed, TBS will resume discussions with its partners.
Governance structures

The joint task forces consist of equal numbers of representatives of the bargaining agents and the employer, who work together to support employee wellness.

The discussions are led by 2 joint technical committees, which meet regularly and report to 2 steering committees. The steering committees are co-chaired by the Chief Human Resources Officer of Canada, representing the employer, and by either the President of the PSAC or the President of the PIPSC, representing the bargaining agents.
Total federal funding allocated (from start to end date) (dollars)

From fiscal framework: $20,247,315

From existing departmental reference levels: $3,606,313

Total funding: $23,853,628 (includes salaries, goods and services, employee benefit plans; excludes accommodation)

The funding is from all departments (including partner departments) to carry out a range of activities to modernize the current system of disability and sick leave management.
Total federal planned spending to date (dollars)

$18,194,358 (including partner departments)
Total federal actual spending to date (dollars)

$17,117,529 (including partner departments)
Date of last renewal of the horizontal initiative

Not applicable
Total federal funding allocated at the last renewal, and source of funding (dollars)

Not applicable
Additional federal funding received after the last renewal (dollars)

Not applicable
Funding contributed by non‑federal and non‑governmental partners (dollars)

Not applicable
Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2023–24
Shared outcome of federal partner departments

Better support for employee wellness, which could include the following:

  • a range of measures to support an integrated approach to employee health
  • internal case management and return‑to‑work services for employees who are off work for an extended period of time due to illness or injury
  • workplace accommodations
  • changes to leave provisions
Performance indicator(s)

Decrease (%) in length of time off work on long-term disability for mental health reasons
Target(s)

TBS’s 2018–19 Departmental Plan did not include a target, because baseline data was still being collected.table 1 note *
Data source and frequency of monitoring and reporting

Data source: SunLife

Frequency of monitoring and reporting: Annually
Results

In 2018–19, the average length of time off work on long-term disability due to mental health issues was 3.52 years (19% longer than in the previous year).

Note: Statistics for this indicator take into account long-term disability leave only. They do not necessarily reflect actual time off work, because employees must use up their accumulated sick leave before they start long-term disability leave.
Expected outcome of non‑federal and non‑governmental partners

Not applicable
Name of theme

Not applicable
Performance highlights

Since signing the 2016–17 memoranda of agreement, TBS and the bargaining agents have resumed discussions on wellness.

In 2017–18, these discussions continued on 2 concurrent tracks:

  • policy discussions on employee wellness
  • discussions about the processes that need to be in place to assist employees who are absent from work due to illness or injury

After successful discussions with some bargaining agents in 2018–19 on key elements of plan design, a new memorandum of agreement was signed. Under that agreement, further discussions on a service delivery model and governance are expected to conclude in 2019–20.
Contact information

John Park, Director
Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer
219 Laurier Avenue, 8th floor
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R5

Table 1 Notes

Table 1 Note 1

The 2018-19 horizontal initiatives supplementary information table erroneously indicated a target of 6%.

Return to table 1 note * referrer

Performance information

Federal department Link to the department’s Program Inventory Horizontal initiative activities Total federal allocation (from start to end date) (dollars) 2018–19 Planned spending (dollars) 2018–19 Actual spending (dollars) 2018–19 Expected results 2018–19 Performance indicators 2018–19 Targets Date to achieve target 2018–19 Actual results
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Pensions and Benefits Management Employee Wellness Support Program $14,774,449 $1,788,587 $711,758 Joint recommendations are developed with bargaining agents Decrease (%) in the length of time off work on long-term disability for mental health reasons No target established; baseline data still being collected The average length of time off work on long-term disability due to mental health issuestable 2 note * was 3.52 years (19% longer than in the previous year)
Total for all federal departments Not applicable Not applicable $23,853,628 $1,788,587 $711,758 See above See above Not applicable Not applicable See above

Table 2 Notes

Table 2 Note 1

Statistics for this indicator take into account long-term disability leave only. They do not necessarily reflect actual time off work, because employees must use up their accumulated sick leave before they start long-term disability leave.

Return to table 2 note * referrer

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