Amendments to the Public Service Employment Act that strengthen diversity and inclusion in the Public Service

August 3, 2021 - Defence Stories

The Government of Canada has amended the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), as stated in Treasury Board’s news release. These amendments aim to strengthen diversity and inclusion and address biases and barriers faced by equity-seeking groups in public service staffing. In line with the changes to the preamble of the PSEA, with an explicit commitment by the Government of Canada to an inclusive public service that reflects the diversity of Canada’s population, some key highlights are as follows:

• Qualification Standards: All new or revised qualification standards must be evaluated for bias and barriers for members of equity-seeking groups.
• Preference: Permanent residents now have the same preference as Canadian citizens when appointments are made through external advertised hiring processes.
• Audit: The design and application of assessment methods must include an evaluation of bias and barriers, and reasonable efforts for mitigation.
• Investigations: The Public Service Commission now has explicit authority to audit for bias and barriers that disadvantage members of equity-seeking groups.

These amendments form one part of a set of initiatives and activities to increase diversity and inclusion across the public service and align with the ongoing efforts at DND, as well as the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the Federal Public Service.

The work of eradicating bias, barriers, and discrimination, which have taken root over generations, demands an ongoing, relentless effort. DND and the Government of Canada are committed to this effort and will continue efforts to improve the experiences of public servants in their workplace and ensure that they are able to realize their full potential.

ADM(HR-Civ) will be issuing additional guidance to sub-delegated managers on the immediate impacts of the changes. For more information about DND’s effort to create a more diverse and inclusive workforce, read the Civilian Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (accessible only on the National Defence network).