June 13, 2007

PSAC takes action on AS Compensation Issues

On June 7th, PSAC President John Gordon made another appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, this time to address the Committee’s concerns that the government is failing to pay its employees on time.

The Committee had also invited representatives of the Association of Compensation Community – a network of 1500 compensation and benefits advisors who work across all government departments. The advisors, members of the PSAC, are currently classified as AS-02s within the PA group. The community is facing significant recruitment and retention problems.

Members of Parliament on the Committee indicated they have been receiving many complaints from federal government employees about problems getting paid. Specifically, employees are complaining about significant delays in being added to the system, in being upgraded during promotion and acting situations, and in receiving payment for overtime.

For more than a year now, the PSAC has been actively warning the government that it will find itself increasing incapable of paying its employees on time and accurately. Following the May 2006 AS Roundtable, convened by former President Nycole Turmel, the PSAC released a report recommending immediate action in a number of areas, including classification, recruitment, training, and professional certification.

In response to the presentations, the Standing Committee unanimously passed a motion requesting that the Auditor General examine the problem and make recommendations as to how federal public employees can be paid properly and on time.

To read a copy of John Gordon’s statement to the Standing Committee.

To re-read the report of the AS Roundtable.