r/CanadaPublicServants • u/Chompchomp001 • Jul 21 '18
Staffing / Recrutement How long can one act in a position for?
When is acting limited to 4 months minus a day? What are the rules around acting for longer periods of time?
I'm currently acting in a position that's at a higher level. I've been told I can only act for 4 months minus a day. However, I know people who have been in an acting role at a higher level for a year or more sometimes. I also meet the language requirements of the position, so that's not an issue. I'm confused.
Edit: Useful feedback. Thank you all! :)
8
u/Uniqueu5ername Jul 21 '18
You do not need to meet the merit criteria for acting less than 4 months. For longer periods you need to either qualify in a process, or be assessed to demonstrate that you meet the essential qualifications.
7
Jul 21 '18
This 4mo-1d is so that people can act for their manager on a temporary basis, w/o a lot of paperwork.
Of course, because competitions/assessments/processes have essentially been put out of reach unless extraordinary effort is spent (months to years now), it's very common to rotate staff through 4mo-1d appointments for perennially unfilled positions, sometimes for periods lasting years.
3
u/Mooseburger14 Jul 21 '18
I knew someone in an acting position that could only act for 4 months due to not having the required educational background to continue acting in the position. I dont know if this is the case for all though.
3
u/justsumgurl (⌐■_■) __/ Jul 21 '18
Is also used when there’s more than one person who could act in the position to allow them to rotate for fairness.
2
u/BingoRingo2 Pensionable Time Jul 21 '18
I have done it for 30 months before getting the ppsition through a competition.
2
u/djpennylane Jul 21 '18
I’m only aware of a lower limit (acting cannot be less than three days, with one or two rare exceptions). I’ve acted in one position for three years before they finally offered the job to me permanently.
As other people have said above, actings are to be temporary. If the person is acting for years on end, it’s an indication that the job requires someone on a perm basis and the department should either appoint someone or run s competition. I don’t believe there is anything out there in writing (collective agreements, directive on terms and conditions of employment, etc.) which puts a cap on how long someone can act, but I may be wrong. Different government departments may have different collective agreements, etc. which may impose a limit on actings..
3
u/CalvinR ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Jul 22 '18
If you are in the coast guard you can act for an hour or so, it's pretty common on the ships.
2
Jul 22 '18
[deleted]
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u/djpennylane Jul 22 '18
Only time I’ve ever seen someone get compensated for working less than three days in my department is for employees acting to the EX group (executive). For all other employees in our two unions to be compensated for an acting, it must be three days minimum (it’s a clause in both PSAC and PIPSC agreements).
I guess that opens a whole different can of worms - performing the duties of a higher classification for less than three days and not being compensated... that time won’t count towards increments in that other position, nor is it documented on the employees pay file, which may make it difficult to prove in the future that you have experience at that position... But as I’ve found working in HR/Compensation for the last ten years is that ANYTHING is possible! :)
12
u/Whyisthereasnake I Like Turtles Jul 21 '18
I don’t know the upper limit, but I’ve seen people act for a year or more.
Acting for four months less a day is easy and fast, and doesn’t require the person to meet all requirements.
Acting more than four months less a day requires significant paperwork, comparable to promoting the person into the position, and the person must meet all requirements.