The Public Service Act currently allows for the appointment of three staffing review officers from outside of the public service to hear appeals of appointments made by competition. Staffing review officers provide an independent review of the competition process by determining whether procedural fairness occurred in the application of applicable legislation, regulations, policies, directives and procedural guidelines.
Under policy and regulation, staffing appeals have time limits for a response. Delays can prolong competitions in hiring of qualified candidates, which can result in interruption of government programs and services to Northwest Territories residents. An
increase in the number of staffing review officers is intended to improve appeal and competition time frames.
Work undertaken by the Department of Human Resources on the strategic goal one, Fixing the Foundation, of 20/20, A Brilliant North, Northwest Territories Public Service Strategic Plan, identified delays in completion of staffing competitions due to the amount of time required to complete the staffing appeal hearing. Three staffing review officers are no longer adequate to hear staffing appeals within appropriate time frames.
The proposed amendment will enable more staffing review officers to be available to hear appeals. There will be no increase in costs and this will have no impact on the number of appeals received or number of appellants involved. An increase in the number of staffing review officers available to hear appeals is simply intended to improve appeal and competition time frames. Thank you.