Using self-declaration information for self-identification (10-05)

2010-05-03

Contact Person: Lorraine Joanisse, Equity and Diversity Directorate,
Tel: (613) 992-4818

The Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO), Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), have completed a review of organizational systems, approaches and practices for gathering employment equity (EE) self-identification data.

In order to reduce the reporting burden on both applicants and departments/agencies and to ensure greater accuracy of EE information, we are writing to advise that effective immediately, departments and agencies can use applicant self-declaration information as self-identification information by persons who are their employees, provided that the applicants’ prior consent has been obtained.

Self-declaration refers to voluntary information provided by applicants in appointment processes for statistical purposes related to appointments and in the case of processes targeted to EE groups, to determine eligibility. Self-declaration information is stored in the PSC Applicant Inventories and Referrals Data Bank and organizations’ Personal Information Banks such as the Staffing Data Bank.

Self-identification is the collection of EE information voluntarily provided by employees, for statistical purposes in analyzing and monitoring the progress of EE groups in the federal public service and for reporting workforce representation. Self-identification information is stored in the Employment Equity Data Bank maintained by TBS.

We trust that this integration of self-declaration and self-identification information will assist in achieving a more accurate picture of the status of EE in the core public administration.

Donald Lemaire
Senior Vice-President, Policy Branch
Public Service Commission

Ross MacLeod
Assistant Deputy Minister, Governance, Planning and Policy
Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer