Public Service Commission Policies
Talent Acquisition in the Core Public Service - FAQ
- Who does the Talent Acquisition policy apply to?
- What legislation and collective agreements guide the talent acquisition process?
- What principles guide talent acquisition in the core public service?
- How do diversity and employment equity factor into the talent acquisition process?
- What does fairness mean in the talent acquisition process?
- What is merit and how does this fit into talent acquisition?
- How does the Manitoba government's approach to talent acquisition support the public interest?
- Where can I find a current list of job opportunities with the Manitoba government?
- How does the core public service staff its positions?
- What is an eligibility list?
- What is a selection board and what is its role in the talent acquisition process?
- Can I make a request for reasonable accommodation during the talent acquisition process?
- Does the Manitoba government actively recruit bilingual candidates?
- How are applicants selected for an interview and assessed for a position with the Manitoba government?
- Does the Manitoba government accept late applications for consideration?
- How is confidentiality maintained throughout the talent acquisition process?
- How can I obtain information about a competition I applied to?
- What are conditions of employment?
- Who is eligible to work in Canada?
- What is Veterans' Status and how is it considered in the staffing process?
- What is the purpose of a reference check?
- How are offers of employment made to successful candidates?
- What happens after I have accepted an offer of employment?
- What is the purpose of a probationary/assessment period?
1. Who does the Talent Acquisition policy apply to?
The policy applies to anyone involved in staffing within the core public service and includes the Clerk of the Executive Council, other deputy ministers and employees in positions within the departments of government.
This policy also applies to staff of the following offices of the Legislature:
(a) the Advocate for Children and Youth;
(b) the Auditor General;
(c) the Chief Electoral Officer;
(d) the Information and Privacy Adjudicator;
(e) the Ombudsman; and
(f) the registrar appointed under The Lobbyists Registration Act.
2. What legislation and collective agreements guide the talent acquisition process?
The foundational legislation for talent acquisition in the Manitoba government is The Public Service Act, which provides the primary legislative framework for human resource management within the Manitoba government. There is also other legislation that informs and directs talent acquisition. Most core public service employees are represented by a bargaining agent and are governed by applicable collective agreements that outline the terms and conditions of employment, including provisions regarding recruitment and selection. Employees not represented by a bargaining agent, are governed by Part 3 of the Public Service Regulation.
3. What principles guide talent acquisition in the core public service?
The staffing of positions in the Manitoba government must always be guided by the core staffing principles of merit, fairness, equity, diversity and inclusion, and the public interest. These principles serve to guide supervisors and decision-makers involved in staffing processes. Everyone involved in staffing processes for the Manitoba government must uphold these principles.
4. How do diversity and employment equity factor into the talent acquisition process?
Diversity and employment equity strategies are integrated throughout talent acquisition processes and are key elements that drive hiring decisions. When filling vacancies, departments, in consultation with Human Resources, consider diversity needs and goals in developing appropriate recruitment approaches for each position.
Employment equity is one part of recruitment which assists departments in promoting diversity within their workforces. Applicants who identify as a member of the recognized designated equity groups (women, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities and visible minorities) are encouraged to declare their status at multiple stages of the process. Click here to view the declaration form.
Employment Equity may be integrated into the staffing process in one of three ways:
As a Factor in Selection
Factor means that, in the selection process, one of the selection criteria is employment equity and a candidate's declaration as one of the specified equity groups is reflected in the overall rating process.Preference
Priority for appointment is given to applicants from one or more designated equity groups who have self-declared. If an individual within a particular designated group meets all of the essential criteria, they will be selected. If there are no candidates from the designated group(s) who meet all of the essential criteria, then candidates who have not self-declared can be considered.Designated
This type of competition restricts application eligibility to candidates who have declared as being members of the applicable designated group(s). If no candidates from the designated group(s) meet all of the essential criteria, then the department would re-advertise or conduct further outreach.Candidates are encouraged to read job advertisements carefully to identify eligibility concerning employment equity.
5. What does fairness mean in the talent acquisition process?
Every effort is made to ensure that staffing practices are impartial, transparent, just, honest and free from bias so that all candidates are treated consistently. Indicators of fairness include:
- Processes align with relevant legislation, collective agreements and policies
- Confidentiality is maintained throughout the staffing process
- Processes are free of bias, conflicts of interest, nepotism, patronage or partisanship, and inappropriate interference from sources outside the selection board
- Job advertisements provide applicants a fair and reasonable opportunity to apply
- Candidates are given equal opportunities to demonstrate their education, skills, knowledge, experience and competencies
- Candidates are consistently screened and assessed against the same criteria
- Candidates invited for further assessment are advised of their status and given reasons for non-selection upon request
6. What is merit and how does this fit into talent acquisition?
Merit is focused on determining the best-suited candidate, based on an assessment of their qualifications in relation to the requirements of the position and the needs of the organization. Indicators of merit include:
- The qualifications relate directly to the requirements of the position and the needs of the organization
- Assessment methods relate directly to the qualifications and draw out enough information to allow for effective rating
- Diversity and inclusion criteria are considered as appropriate
- The selection decision reasonably reflects the qualifications and is determined by an objective process
7. How does the Manitoba government's approach to talent acquisition support the public interest?
When staffing vacant positions, consideration is given to the public's need for efficient and effective service delivery, efficiency/cost effectiveness of staffing approaches, diversity and access to employment information and opportunities. The public interest is also served by providing an objective, clearly defined and consistent approach to staffing.
8. Where can I find a current list of job opportunities with the Manitoba government?
Most of our positions are advertised on the Job Opportunities Website (JOW) that is accessible by the following link: http://jobsearch.gov.mb.ca/
Other methods of advertising may include:
- Promoting through social media (ex: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
- Advertising at post-secondary institutions or through professional associations in order to attract candidates with specific education or experience
- Posting in a community by advertising on local bulletin boards, community newspapers, and local radio stations
- Circulating job postings to agencies and associations that serve designated employment equity groups
The Manitoba Public Service Commission offers a number of internship, development and recruitment programs as additional ways to join the public service. Each of these programs is an opportunity to be considered by a number of departments across government – a first step towards a rewarding public service career. Please click here for more information about internship, recruitment and development programs.
9. How does the core public service staff its positions?
There are many different approaches used to fill the various roles available across the organization. Each position vacancy is reviewed and the staffing method is chosen based on the needs of the organization, the internal and external pools of talent available and any legal requirements or conditions that must be fulfilled under collective agreements. Positions can be filled through competition, or by direct appointment under certain conditions. In some cases, application eligibility might be limited to current employees and for the purpose of increasing diversity representation.
Positions filled through competition may be advertised as open, closed, or internal. Open competitions are open to the public. Closed competitions are restricted to public service employees as outlined in The Public Service Act and regulation and are used when experience in government is essential or it is otherwise in the public interest to recruit from within the public service. Job advertisements will state that the competition is closed to public service employees if that is the case. Departments may also advertise vacancies internally, which restricts application eligibility to employees of a specific department or work area.
Positions may also be filled on a short-term or temporary basis using methods such as secondment, interchange, acting status, interim reclassification or casual hiring. Job advertisements will indicate if a job opportunity is term (temporary) or regular (work of a continuing nature).
10. What is an eligibility list?
A competition may be held to create an inventory of qualified candidates who are suitable for similar kinds of roles, types of employment or qualifications. This inventory is called an eligibility list. Job opportunity advertisements will state if an eligibility list may be established. The advertisement will also include the duration that the eligibility list may be used and if the eligibility list being created will be specific to a geographical location.
11. What is a selection board and what is its role in the talent acquisition process?
Selection boards are a panel of people with the skill and knowledge to conduct a fair, complete and competent assessment of the candidates who have applied for the position. Typically, the selection board consists of a selection board chair who is, most often, a Human Resource practitioner, representatives of the department (supervisors, subject matter experts) and may also include stakeholders relevant to the position.
Candidates invited to an interview will be advised of the selection board members.
12. Can I make a request for reasonable accommodation during the talent acquisition process?
The talent acquisition process must be inclusive, free of employment barriers and allow all candidates to participate in the process to their full potential. The Manitoba government uses an active-offer approach to ensure that candidates with specific needs or medical restrictions have the opportunity to request accommodation if required. A candidate may request an accommodation at any stage of the process. This includes when candidates are invited to attend assessments such as practical exercises or interviews, and at the time of the job offer. If you require an accommodation, contact Human Resource Services as early as possible during the staffing process and arrangements will be made to make the staffing process as inclusive and accessible as possible. More information can be found under the Reasonable Accommodation Policy that applies to all current and prospective employees of the Manitoba government and covers all aspects of employment.
13. Does the Manitoba government actively recruit bilingual candidates?
Departments of the Manitoba government identify designated bilingual positions – French and English – based upon departmental needs and service requirements to effectively deliver and actively offer services in both official languages. The organization is always looking to boost language capacity and proficiency to connect and communicate with members of the public and ensure government services are offered and delivered to a comparable level of quality, whether in English or French.
For positions that have been designated as bilingual, competency in the French language is an essential criterion and only bilingual candidates will be considered. If bilingual language proficiency is noted as a desired criteria in the job advertisement, French language competency is considered as complementary but not critical.
14. How are applicants selected for an interview and assessed for a position with the Manitoba government?
Interviews are conducted with candidates who have applied for advertised positions, have been screened against the requirements of the position, and have been selected for further assessment.
Each applicant is screened against the qualifications and conditions of employment that reflect the minimum requirements for the position. Applicants must clearly demonstrate how they meet the qualifications for the position they are applying for. The selection board determines which applicants most closely match the screening criteria. These applicants are then invited for further assessment. Only applicants selected for further assessment are notified.
Assessment may include a variety of methods such as interviews, tests, presentations and reference checks. Candidates are assessed against the same criteria and conditions of employment, some of which are essential for the position while others are desired or complementary, and those assessments are used to ultimately determine the staffing decision.
15. Does the Manitoba government accept late applications for consideration?
Typically, only applications received by the competition closing date are included in the screening process, but discretion may be used by the selection board chair in allowing late applications.
16. How is confidentiality maintained throughout the talent acquisition process?
Discretion must be exercised by anyone who participates in the staffing process to ensure that the privacy of individuals and their information is maintained. In the event of a grievance, information from the competition may be shared with the grievor's representative.
All public servants are subject to the Manitoba Government Code of Conduct, and must demonstrate the values of the code through their actions and behaviors at all times, including during their participation in the staffing process. Furthermore, all public servants must observe their oath to protect all information they have acquired as part of their duties and respect the confidentiality provisions outlines in the Oath or Affirmation of Office. All information provided by candidates who submit or provide information as part of the staffing process is protected from disclosure by legislation including The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, The Personal Investigations Act and The Personal Health Information Act.
17. How can I obtain information about a competition I applied to?
You may contact Human Resource Services to find out about the status of a competition or to seek feedback on your application or interview. nterview feedback is an opportunity to support a candidate's growth and development as well as help them improve for future competitions. Public bodies are subject to the provisions within The Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act and The Personal Investigations Act to release certain information upon request, but only information directly related to the candidate can be provided.
Contact information is provided on all job advertisements in the "Apply to:" section. Have the advertisement number of the competition available so that it can be referenced to provide the information you require in an effective and efficient manner.
18. What are conditions of employment?
Conditions of employment are valid occupational requirements for a position and are stated in the job advertisement. Conditions of employment are not measurable and a candidate will either meet or not meet each condition. The only condition of employment that applies to all positions is the legal entitlement to work in Canada. Not all positions will have additional conditions of employment, but some common examples may relate to the ability to travel, the requirement for a satisfactory Criminal Record Check, or registration as a member of a professional association.
Positions that are responsible for particularly sensitive functions, such as care of children or vulnerable adults, dealing with assets or dealing with law enforcement may require a satisfactory Security Check as a condition of employment. The type of security check will vary depending on the position and will be used to verify a candidate's ability to perform in a position that requires a high level of trust. Some examples of security checks include a Child Abuse Registry Check, Adult Abuse Registry Check and a Vulnerable Sector Check.
19. Who is eligible to work in Canada?
Only persons legally entitled to work in Canada may be considered for positions in the Manitoba public service, and this legal requirement is included as a condition of employment in all job advertisements. Human resources representatives are responsible for verifying this prior to any offer of employment being made.
The following classes of workers can be considered for positions in the Manitoba government:
- Canadian citizens;
- Permanent residents; and
- Non-permanent residents under specific conditions.
Candidates with temporary work permits can be appointed on a temporary basis only, and their employment cannot extend beyond the expiry of a work permit or authorization to work in Canada. See the federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations, and the Social Insurance Number Regulations for more information.
20. What is Veterans' Status and how is it considered in the staffing process?
Under The Public Service Act and Public Service Regulation, Veterans' status provides additional consideration in the staffing process for veterans, reservists, their spouse/common-law partner or their surviving spouse/common-law partner in securing employment in the Manitoba government. Veterans' status may be applied as part of competitions within the core public service, and candidates are given the opportunity to declare their status during the staffing process. Please see the Public Service Regulation for more information.
21. What is the purpose of a reference check?
Reference checks are used to validate findings from other assessment methods, assess past performance and to verify reliability and suitability for appointment. Candidates being considered for appointment provide written consent and information is kept private for its intended use and is subject to access by the candidate (in accordance with The Freedom of Information and Protection Act and The Personal Investigations Act). Usually, references are persons who have direct experience with the candidate's work such as a direct supervisor. However, the selection board may consider others who have had direct experience with a candidate's work. Typically, a list of references will be requested as part of the interview process, and candidates may request to be contacted before calls are made to the references provided.
22. How are offers of employment made to successful candidates?
The successful candidate will typically be contacted with a verbal offer of employment and to confirm the details of the appointment. Those details will then be confirmed in a letter of offer which includes all terms and conditions related to that offer. The letter of offer covers the pertinent details, requirements and expectations of the position. To verify acceptance of the employment offer, the successful candidate must sign the letter of offer and return it per the instructions provided.
23. What happens after I have accepted an offer of employment?
Once you have accepted the offer of employment and have submitted the signed letter of offer, you can expect several things to happen:
- Your supervisor will begin working behind the scenes arrange for any equipment and access you may require for your job;
- When you arrive at your work location on your first day, you will be oriented to your position, the workplace, the team, and what is expected of you as an employee. Your supervisor will help you understand your assigned duties, review any terms and conditions of employment and introduce you to the organizational culture of the workplace;
- You will take online training which all employees are expected to complete as outlined in your letter of offer; and
- You will complete the required forms including tax (TD1), insurance, pension and union membership (if applicable) to register you as an employee.
You will also be required to complete a Conflict of Interest Declaration form, and swear or affirm the Oath or Affirmation of Office. Both of these requirements communicate and reiterate the level of trust placed in public servants and that their roles place them in unique positions of trust that must be respected. The declaration and the oath represent commitments by the employee to discharge their duties without consideration for personal gain, and that they must always place the public interest above their own in everything they do. Your supervisor will be available for any questions you may have on these requirements and will be able to instruct you on where the Oath can be sworn or affirmed and how to complete the Conflict of Interest Declaration.
What is the purpose of a probationary/assessment period?
As an extension of the hiring process, probationary or assessment periods provide the hiring manager time to evaluate an employee's ability to perform the position's functions and to assess the employee's personal suitability in the work environment. The probationary or assessment period also gives the new employee time to adjust to new duties in a new environment.
The duration of the probationary or assessment period will be indicated in the letter of offer. Typically, probationary or assessment periods are six months in length, but may be extended to twelve months or longer in exceptional circumstances. During the probationary period, management will work with the employee to meet the performance expectations of their position. In the event an employee is unable to meet the expectations of the position during their probationary/assessment period, their employment may be terminated with written notice provided.
