Debates of August 23, 2007 (day 16)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister responsible for Human Resources while we're on the topic of revisions of the human resources policy manual. I know the human resources process for staffing GNWT positions places a lot of authority in the hands of the human resources officers, Mr. Speaker, and on a lot of occasions I've gotten feedback from some supervisors that are included in an interview with possible candidates for a position in the GNWT, only to find out that they don't have any say in who gets hired at the end of the day. All this authority still sits in the hands of the human resources officers. During the interviews, these officers are also in these interviews with the supervisors and they have just as high a point rating system as the supervisors, especially when technical questions are coming up that the human resource officer may not be fully aware of in a lot of departments but still have the same amount of weight as a supervisor in giving a rating to the candidate. I just want to know if the human resources manual can be revised to give supervisors a say in who they hire and more emphasis on their ratings on point ratings when they're doing some technical analysis, technical questions, during the interviews? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The goal of involving human resources officers or staffing officers in the process is to ensure that all of the government's rules and regulations and policies are followed. We want to make sure, for instance, that the affirmative action policy is followed as it should be in the process. I would expect that in terms of technical questions, that more weight would be given to a supervisor if they are more knowledgeable about the technical area, so I'll have to follow up with the department and find out exactly how that might be accommodated. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll look forward to what the Minister comes back with when he revisits that issue. Just on the affirmative action issue, I just want to ask the Minister how is he going to ensure all people that are possible employees or future employees of the public service, that all the human resource officers in all the regions interpret and understand the human resources policies, especially when it relates to affirmative action, that they all understand and all interpret this policy all the same? I've been hearing conflicting stories about different human resources officers are having different views and opinions and interpretations of affirmative action in our human resources manual. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. .Dent.

Further Return To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's interesting that the Member says he's hearing about a difference in how the affirmative action policy is being interpreted by human resources officers. In fact, what I've heard more often is that since the centralization, that there's been more consistency in how it's applied, because each department often had an interpretation in the past. There is one policy around affirmative action and our staff are regularly updated on how to apply that. So I'm quite confident that we are seeing more consistent application of that policy across the Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just with the role of the human resource officers when it comes to filling these staffing positions, I just want to ask the Minister why the human resource officer holds all the authority in the hiring of new positions here in the GNWT and will only take recommendations from supervisors, any managers, et cetera? Why is all the authority for hiring only in the hands of our human resources officers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to make it very clear that that is not the case. The human resources officer is not the person who makes the decision about who gets hired. It is a departmental decision. The human resources officers are involved to ensure that the process follows all of the GNWT policies and that the method of doing the interview and the assessment is done correctly. It is a department decision about the offers, but they have to make sure that they've followed all the processes and that's the role of the HR officer.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Just with the human resources officers' roles in the hiring, I know that in the interview process I've heard some constituents coming back to me after their interviews and a lot of them are saying that basically the whole emphasis on their applications to these positions are placed on the interview. Some people get nervous doing interviews; they don't do so well. Ninety percent of the recommendation to hire is based on the interview, Mr. Speaker. Résumes, cover letters, very little emphasis is placed on review of those. I just want to ask the Minister why isn't there a 50/50 split between your interview and your résume and your cover letter and your reference checks? Mr. Speaker, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 193-15(6): Role Of Human Resource Officers In Staffing Processes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, during the hiring process, different weight can be put on different aspects and it's not uncommon for the people conducting an interview to recognize that an interviewee may be experiencing some difficulty with the interview and ask whether they would like to do it again or do it at a different time or handle it in a different way. So the government does make attempts to modify the process to work with applicants to ensure that we are not screening people out simply because they are having a bad day at the interview. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.