General rules

To determine the rate of pay on initial appointment pursuant to sections 20 and 22 of the Public Service Terms and Conditions of Employment Regulations.

Application

Of the rules on initial appointment pursuant to sections 20 and 22 of the Public Service Terms and Conditions of Employment Regulations

General

This section deals with the policies and procedures for determining the rate of pay for employees, upon appointment or reappointment to departments or agencies of the Public Service listed in Schedule I, Part I of the Public Service Staff Relations Act (PSSRA) for which the Treasury Board is the employer.

An employee is entitled to be paid for services rendered at the pay rate specified for the classification prescribed in the employee's certificat of appointment.

Effective February 1993, a letter of offer specifying the date of appointment and signed by both the appropriate staffing authority and the appointee constitutes the certificat of appointment. In cases where the date of appointment is agreed upon only after the written offer is made, the date will be provided in an addendum signed by a delegated person.

The rate of pay shall be the minimum of the scale of rates applicable to the position (refer to the relevant terms and conditions) except as provided below.

Appointments above the minimum

Treasury Board approved a policy decision stating that salaries above the minimum could be offered in circumstances where it is considered necessary in order to obtain suitably qualified persons.

Any decision to pay above the minimum on appointment from outside the Public Service must be approved by the deputy head or his or her delegate and must be based on survey reports.

All positions in the Public Service are subject to the application of the pay above the minimum policy.

The rate of pay on appointment to the Public Service shall be the minimum of the applicable pay scale unless one of the following conditions clearly applies:

• there is a shortage of skilled labour in the field involved, as evidenced by local or regional labour market surveys from recognized institutions;
• there are unusual difficulties in filling the position with properly qualified candidates (e.g., the minimum rate of pay is not competitive with the rates offered by local or regional employers for similar duties);
• operational conditions require the presence of a highly skilled or experienced employee who can assume the full duties of the position immediately upon taking employment (e.g., no alternative left but to pay above the minimum as training a novice employee would impose an unacceptable burden on the employing department).

Rule

To determine the rate of pay on appointment from other federal employers pursuant to section 23 of the Public Service Terms and Conditions of Employment Regulations.

Application

Of the rule on appointment from other federal employers pursuant to section 23 of the Public Service Terms and Conditions of Employment Regulations

A person employed in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Armed Forces or by employers identified in Schedule I of the Public Service Superannuation Act will receive a rate of pay on appointment to or within a department or agency listed in Part I of Schedule I of the PSSRA which is the greater of:

• the minimum of the salary range for that position; or
• if the appointment constitutes a promotion, a deployment or a transfer, the rate determined in accordance with the relevant Terms and Conditions of Employment.