Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Ms. Lee on October 25, 2004, regarding supervisory policy.
The GNWT's policy on supervisory reporting relationships is contained in the GNWT Code of Conduct. The code outlines the responsibilities of employees and managers with respect to potential conflict of interest situations and assists in the prevention of these situations. It also provides some guidance when conflicts do arise and outlines what steps employees should take to ensure they do not place themselves in a situation that can be perceived as a conflict of interest.
The GNWT Code of Conduct was implemented in February 2001 and has proven to be an extremely useful document in that it ensures that both employees and the public are aware of the high standards of conduct expected of public service employees.
Specifically, section 79 of the code relates to dealing with family, friends and relatives, and states:
An employee shall not supervise a member of their immediate family, unless there are extenuating circumstances and the deputy minister approves an exemption from this section of the code.
The GNWT must balance the provisions of the Code of Conduct, which do not allow direct reporting relationships between relatives and the provisions of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Act that do not allow employers to discriminate based on family status.
An employer refusing to employ or to continue to employ an individual solely due to his/her relationship with a family member may constitute discrimination on the basis of family status under human rights legislation and within the meaning of the Human Rights Act. While impartial hiring policies are reasonably necessary for public employers, total bans are not.
In reviewing the GNWT Code of Conduct and human rights legislation, employees and/or prospective employees who are directly related are not denied all employment or even a particular type of employment, they may, however, be denied a position where one employee supervises a member of their immediate family. Only under extenuating circumstances and with the deputy minister's approval will exceptions be considered.
Given this, the GNWT will continue to exercise sound judgment when placing employees who are directly related into supervisor/subordinate roles. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.