Employment Equity in the Appointment Process

Policy Statement

Employment equity objectives are integrated into the design of appointment processes.

Policy Objective

To ensure that the public service reflects and respects our diverse society.

Policy Requirements

In addition to being accountable for respecting the policy statement, deputy heads must:

• accommodate the needs of persons through all stages of the appointment process to address, up to the point of undue hardship, disadvantages arising from prohibited grounds of discrimination;
• use assessment tools and processes that are designed and implemented without bias and do not create systemic barriers;
• be able to demonstrate that a decision to limit the area of selection to members of one or more of the designated groups is consistent with the organization's employment equity plan or human resources plan.

Other Requirements

Deputy heads must respect:

• the Employment Equity Act, which requires, among other things, that organizations institute positive policies and practices and provide accommodations to ensure that designated group members achieve equitable representation within the public service; and
• the Canadian Human Rights Act, which prohibits discriminatory practices on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted; and
• the Treasury Board/Public Service Commission Policy on the Duty to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Federal Public Service, which requires, for example, the provision of accessible formats and accommodation, upon request, for persons with disabilities; and
• the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which provides all individuals with equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and does not preclude any program or activity that has as its objective the improvement of conditions for disadvantaged individuals or groups.