Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did request some concerns from constituents back home regarding some of the HR practices being presented to people who want to get into the workforce and also with some members that want to access some of their HR files.
I want to ask the Minister of Human Resources what is the policy for any GNWT employee, current or past, that would like to access their Human Resources personnel files. Is there a policy and how does one go about accessing them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Minister of Human Resources, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The process is current or former employees of the GNWT wishing to review their files have access to them. They are able to go to a Human Resources office where their file is contained and they are able to review their file with a human resources officer. They are free to look at their entire file if they wish to do so. Thank you.
Most recently, I heard that we had some GNWT employees who were trying to access their file and were told they had to go through ATIPP and pay the fees to access their own personnel files, which I believe under the UNW Agreement they have the right to look at their files.
If so, when did this practice come in, GNWT employees now having to pay $25 to access their own personnel files? Is that something new that HR has implemented and when did it occur? I’m sure committee hasn’t heard anything on that, so I would like a little more information on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I indicated, if the employee then wishes to have a copy of the entire file or is asking for the entire file to be given to, say, a lawyer or something, for that process the entire file will be copied to the employee through an ATIPP request. Thank you.
Just moving on with more of these human resources issues that have come to my attention, when we’re trying to get casual employees into the workforce, in some cases the individuals have to go through a criminal records check and there’s a cost to that. Most recently, I’ve heard when people are seeking employment with the GNWT, when they are filling out their forms and applications, now they have to look for a Commissioner for Oaths to sign off on the new forms.
I just want to know if the Minister would look at waiving those fees or if there is a process and how we can get this done a lot quicker? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The Department of Human Resources has many employees who are a Commissioner for Oaths. We are able to provide the signatures or signed documents for people who are looking for employment or need some documents signed in front of a Commissioner for Oaths free of charge by our employee who are commissioners. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to signing off on these forms, if the Commissioner for Oaths is not available to sign it off or they might be working or out of town – some communities don’t have too many of them – it seems that an easy fix to this may be to have someone in the Human Resources department sign off on these forms.
Could the Minister look at developing a position or giving someone in the Human Resources department authority to sign off on these? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Commissioners for Oaths are trained by the Department of Justice. They are given the circumstances under which they sign off on statements or declarations by various individuals. I’m positive that if a person is to receive the required training from the Department of Justice and recognizes the responsibilities and knows the responsibilities of signing off declarations under all circumstances, then we would work with any communities or any groups of people who wish to try to get a commissioner to sign off on documents. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Blake.
