# 2019-099 Careers, Promotion

Case summary

F&R Date: 2020-12-15

Canadian Forces General Message (CANFORGEN) 051/16 announced the amalgamation of the Primary Leadership Qualification (PLQ) - Army with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) PLQ to become the PLQ-Common, and CANFORGEN 081/16 announced the creation of the Army Junior Leader Course (AJLC) to replace the eliminated Army portion of the PLQ. This CANFORGEN also confirmed that this new training was to remain a mandatory prerequisite for substantive appointment to Master Corporal (MCpl).

The grievor, a Supply Technician (SUP TECH) in the Land (L) environment, contested the requirement for support “purple” occupations in the Land environment to complete the AJLC as a promotion prerequisite. The grievor questioned the fairness of this requirement when SUP TECH in the Air or Sea environments only require the PLQ-Common. She sought to have her PLQ-Common recognized as the only requirement for substantive appointment to MCpl.

The Initial Authority, the Director General Military Careers, denied the grievance finding that the completion of Army specific junior leadership training has been a longstanding promotion requirement for SUP TECH (L).

The Committee found that the CAF policies clearly establish the completion of Army specific junior leadership training as a promotion requirement, and that the grievor was required to complete the AJLC in order to be appointed as a substantive MCpl.

The Committee recommended that the Final Authority not afford redress.

FA decision summary

The Acting Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) agreed with the Committee's findings and recommendation not to afford redress as the grievor was treated as per the applicable policies. However, the Acting CDS was of the view that the current dynamic did not appear equitable. He therefore asked the Commander Military Personnel Generation (CMPG), supported by the Strategic Joint Staff (SJS) Strat J4, through this letter, to review all support occupations affected by the policy to determine a more equitable approach to awarding the PLQ-Common qualification across the CAF that would see sailors, soldiers and aviators in support occupations be treated in the manner commensurate with their peers rather than their distinctive environmental uniform. The Acting CDS further asked that CMPG, supported by the SJS Strat J4, further review officer support occupations facing similar challenges, notably Logisticians, to determine a more equitable CAF approach.