ARCHIVED - Monitoring of the transition measure on the validity of Second Language Evaluation test results in work force adjustment situations (12-19)

2012-09-19

In its Letter to Heads of Human Resources 12-09, the Public Service Commission (PSC) advised organizations that, between April 3, 2012 and March 31, 2015, for alternating employees and for employees with a surplus priority or persons with a lay-off priority, Second Language Evaluation (SLE) tests results that are over 5 years old are deemed valid, subject to confirmation within 12 months of the alternation or priority appointment.

In collaboration with Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)’s Official Languages Centre of Excellence, the PSC has developed a specific approach for the monitoring, coding and reporting of this measure.

Monitoring

Organizations will need to implement their own tracking system to ensure that these persons obtain new, valid SLE test results confirming that they meet the language profile of their new position within 12 months of the appointment or deployment. Organizations should, at a minimum, keep track of the same information that is tracked for non-imperative appointments, including: name of the employee, date of appointment or deployment, position’s group and level, position’s language profile, target date, SLE results of employee, dates and results of new SLE tests taken during the one-year period, periods of leave of more than 60 days that occur following the appointment or deployment and date the employee obtains valid SLE test results confirming that they meet the language profile of the new position.

Both hiring managers and the organization that declared the employee surplus are strongly encouraged to invest in refresher language training, practice and test preparation soon after appointment or deployment to increase the likelihood of success in the SLE tests within the 12 month period. This will reduce the incidence of cases where a person who does not meet the required official language proficiency by the target date:

• Must be appointed on an indeterminate basis to a position for which they meet the merit criteria and that is of a similar level and salary as the bilingual position; or
• Must be deployed on an indeterminate basis to a position for which they meet the job requirements, including official languages proficiency, that is of a similar level and salary as the bilingual position.

Coding

As this measure is temporary, TBS will not create a specific code to identify the cases subject to this measure. Organizations should use the following existing code in their human resources system to track these situations:

Appointment Status – Official Languages: SLE Results are valid

The memo field can be used to indicate the target date for confirming the SLE test results as a reminder.

Reporting

By March 31, 2013 at the latest, organizations will be asked to report on the application of the transition measure in the reporting template on the monitoring of the application of the Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Order. Organizations can expect to report on:

• The number of employees who made use of the transition measure in 2012-2013;
• The employees whose cases have not been resolved on the reporting date; and
• To provide supporting documents demonstrating that they have monitored the application of the transition measure within their institution.

The data collected will not be part of the assessment of the Departmental Staffing Accountability Report for 2012-2013 but may form part of this assessment in the future.

For further information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on the confirmation of Second Language Evaluation test results and work force management or contact Marie-Hélène Rony, Policy Advisor, at 613-996-0431 or at marie-helene.rony@cfp-psc.gc.ca.

Hélène Laurendeau
Senior Vice President
Policy Branch