Information for new employees

Welcome to the Department of National Defence (DND)! Getting a good start in your new job will help you enjoy your work experience. We encourage you to take advantage of the available resources to better understand your new role.

Who we are

Familiarize yourself with DND by reading our mandate and organization priorities, our organizational structure page and the Canada’s Defence Policy - Strong, Secure, Engaged. You’ll also want to learn some of the acronyms and initialisms as you’ll see and hear them everywhere. Download the HR Go RH app available on iOS and Android.

Equipment

Critical employees will be issued a work laptop or tablet, while non-critical employees will be able to complete their work using their own personal devices. Discuss with your manager to determine which category you fall under. For more details, please consult the Defence Team COVID-19 – Working Remotely page.

Training

You will be able to complete online training through the Defence Learning Network (DLN) and the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).

All new employees are required to create a new account on the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) learning platform.  

New employees with an existing account on the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) learning platform must update their organization and e-mail address in their account before completing any training. To update your information, follow these steps: 

• Sign in to your CSPS account 
• Select “Settings” 
• Select “Account information” 
• Enter your new information 

Note: The current organization field must be set to Department of National Defence (DND) - Civilian/Employee. 

Should you have any issues with either platforms, please contact the National Civilian Welcome and Integration Team (NCWIT).

Rewards, discounts and services program

If you are an indeterminate employee, you and your family can register for a CFOne membership (external link) and take advantage of the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. Benefits (external link) include discounts with various local and global corporations (restaurants, stores, events, travel agencies and more).

Facilities and gyms

You are welcome to use the facilities and gyms at the discretion of the Base Commandants, provided it doesn’t interfere with military fitness training and priority is given to Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members. During the COVID-19 Response Period, the facilities are closed but you can access free online classes (external link) and follow @pspfitnessottawa on Instagram. You can find out about your region’s fitness facilities here (external link). Be sure to select your community at the top left corner of the page.

Benefits and pension

The public service group insurance benefit plans form part of the Government of Canada’s total compensation package for public service employees. You can also contact your Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP) administrator, Canada Life, and your Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) administrator, Sun Life Financial, directly.

For information on your pension, please visit the public service pension plan website.

Contact

For human resources related questions, please contact HR Connect RH at 1-833-747-6363 or download the HR Go RH App available for free on your mobile device through iOS and Android.

Additional resources

• The Maple Leaf
• Facebook – Department of National Defence
• Twitter – Department of National Defence
• Twitter – ADM Human Resources – Civilians
• Defence Team – COVID-19

For additional resources and information about Virtual Onboarding, please visit the Working Remotely page on the Defence Team COVID-19 website.