Labour Affairs Officer, Occupational Health and Safety - Inventory

Update: On October 6, 2021, the Government of Canada announced its plans to require vaccination across the federal public service.

As per the new Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment. Accommodation requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be limited to employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to a certified medical contraindication, religion or any other prohibited ground of discrimination as defined in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA).

Consequently, please note that the change to the conditions of employment in the job posting has been made to reflect the new policy.

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

**IMPORTANT NOTE**
On October 6, 2021, the Government of Canada announced its plans to require vaccination across the federal public service.

As per the new Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment. Accommodation requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be limited to employees who are unable to be vaccinated due to a certified medical contraindication, religion or any other prohibited ground of discrimination as defined in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA).

Further to changes made to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) to address systemic barriers for equity-seeking groups in public service staffing, permanent residents now have the same preference as Canadian citizens when appointments are made through external advertised hiring processes. The following statement replaces the statement in the ‘’Preference’’ section located at the bottom of the job advertisement (i.e. correct statement includes permanent residents): Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

HOW TO APPLY: No cover letter is required. When submitting an application, you will be asked to answer pre-screening questions. The pre-screening questions MUST be completed when applying for this selection process. It is your responsibility as a candidate to answer these questions in detail explaining and substantiating, using the STAR principles (Specific situation (S), Task (T), Actions taken(A) and Results (R)), how you meet each of the essential experience qualifications associated with the position you are applying for. You must clearly indicate in writing the dates, duration and breadth of the experience and indicate when and where you obtained the experience. Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the qualification is met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. You must provide concrete examples, which illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failure to provide this information in the requested format will result in your application being rejected. Résumé may be used as a secondary source to validate the education and the experiences described in candidates’ answers to the pre-screening questions.

The assessment of candidates should take place in three (3) phases:

Phase 1 - Situational Judgment Test for Professionals (SJT-PRO)
We will assess the Judgment and Working with Others competencies using this standardized test, administered electronically and managed by a third-party service provider (EPSI).

Phase 2 - Take Home Written Exam
Candidates will be invited to write a report to assess the Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Phase 3 - 3-step Interview (conducted virtually through Microsoft Teams)
Step 1: Preliminary work on some of the interview questions to assess the Ability to interpret and apply legislation or policies or procedures.
Step 2: Role-play to assess Ability to negotiate, and recommend solutions or alternative courses of action and Self-Control.
Step 3: Formal interview on the remaining competencies (Uphold Integrity and Respect and Adaptability)

Candidates who do not meet the essential experience criteria and who are eliminated in the screening phase can update their application in the inventory for another extraction; however, they will not be reassessed unless six (6) months have passed since they were last eliminated from consideration.

Candidates who will be eliminated in subsequent evaluations can update their application in this inventory for possible re-evaluation within six (6) months after last elimination.

At Employment and Social Development Canada, we encourage and value the inclusion of all people including members of the LGBTQ2+ community. We therefore encourage you to apply for this opportunity should you believe you are qualified.

Duties

Conducts regulatory enforcement and investigates complaints, accidents and refusals to work in situations of danger in Occupational Health and Safety to achieve and determine compliance with the legislation, standards and policies in Occupational Health and Safety.

Initiates and conducts proactive and reactive inspections, investigations, technical surveys and prevailing industry practices surveys.

Provides professional advice and counsel on legislation, standards and policies relating to Occupational Health and Safety.

Conducts hazard investigations associated with formal Health and Safety-related complaints or refusals to work situations due to danger.

Provides testimony as the investigating Labour Affairs Officer or a Labour Affairs Officer knowledgeable in the administration of the Canada Labour Code at hearings, appeals, and when subpoenaed, at the coroner’s/medical examiner’s inquests and court proceedings.

Promotes Occupational Health and Safety through client counselling, presentations, exhibits, conferences and seminars. Facilitates and assists employers with workplace issues to create and maintain a healthy, safe, fair and equitable work environment for employees.

Work environment

WHO ARE WE ?
The Labour Program is a branch of Employment and Social Development of Canada. We are responsible for protecting the rights and well-being of both workers and employers in federally regulated workplaces. We support approximately 18,000 employers and 900,000 of their employees, which accounts for about six percent of all Canadian workers.

Intent of the process

A pool of qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff positions within Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Labour Program with various tenures, various linguistic requirements (English Essential, French Essential and Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC) and for various locations (see list on top of the poster).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Labour Program employees are required to work from home. When an eventual return to the workplace will be possible, there may be, at the manager’s discretion or based on operational requirements, a continued option or requirement to work from a different ESDC/Service Canada Office location or from an employee’s residence located in Canada. Therefore, individuals who believe they meet the listed essential qualifications of the position, regardless of where they live or work, are encouraged to apply.

* Designated workplace: location of work or business address where the employee would work if a telework, hoteling or remote working arrangement was not in place.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

EDUCATION
A secondary school diploma or an acceptable combination of education, training and experience.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE
EX1: Experience* in conducting investigations, fact-finding, interviews, administrative reviews or audits.

*Definition: Experience refers to the depth and breadth of the experience associated with the performance of a broad range of related activities that were the candidate’s primary work responsibilities. It will be assessed on the basis of the scope, complexity and the diversity of the work performed.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Various language requirements
English Essential
French Essential
Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC

* There is a particular need for Bilingual individuals for Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa work locations. Therefore, candidates who believe they would meet the CBC level required are encouraged to specify their interest in being considered for Bilingual opportunities in their applications.

Information on language requirements

ABILITIES
A1: Ability to interpret and apply legislation or policies or procedures.
A2: Ability to negotiate and recommend solutions or alternative courses of action.
A3: Ability to communicate effectively orally.
A4: Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

COMPETENCIES
C1: Uphold Integrity and Respect: Modelling core values and demonstrating commitment to the organization, its mission and its people.
C2: Adaptability: Being resilient and open to change.
C3: Judgment: Ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions in a timely and unbiased manner.
C4: Self-Control: Maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behaviour, even in very difficult situations.
C5: Working with Others: Openness to others from diverse backgrounds (i.e., cultural, educational, ethnic, Professional, etc.) and a concern for relating to others in a cooperative and ethical manner.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS - EDUCATION
AED1: Successful completion of a post-secondary educational program* (grade, diploma or certificate) from a recognized post-secondary institution (e.g., community college, CÉGEP or university, etc.) with acceptable specialization in occupational health and safety or occupational health or ergonomics or industrial hygiene or risk management.

Degree equivalency

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS - EXPERIENCES
AEX01: Experience* in the application, interpretation, or formulation of recommendations on existing regulations (laws, policies, procedures, etc.) in occupational health and safety.
AEX02: Experience* in conducting inspections or investigations or audits related to Occupational Health and Safety.
AEX03: Experience* using Industrial Hygiene Measurement Tools and analyzing results in accordance to applicable laws, regulations or standards.
AEX04: Experience* in developing workplace Hazard Prevention Programs.
AEX05: Specific experience* in the application of the National Building Code or the National Fire of Canada.

*Definition: Experience refers to the depth and breadth of the experience associated with the performance of a broad range of related activities that were the candidate’s primary work responsibilities. It will be assessed on the basis of the scope, complexity and the diversity of the work performed.

ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
At Employment and Social Development Canada, diversity is our strength. If you’re a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a visible minority and are interested in bringing in different perspectives and insights, let us know by completing the Employment Equity (EE) section in your application. Appointments of members of these EE groups could be made to ensure our workforce is inclusive and representative of the Canadian public we serve.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
• Availability, willingness and ability to work overtime (both during the week and on weekends) as required on short notice.
• Availability, willingness and ability for regular travel to various locations within Canada on short notice.

Conditions of employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
Reliability and Security: Reliability Status - Some positions may require a Secret security clearance.

Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and attest to their vaccination status or have a supported accommodation measure based on a medical contraindication, religion, or any other prohibited ground for discrimination as defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

OTHER CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
• Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the holder to drive a motor vehicle in Canada.
• Requirement for regular travel to various locations within Canada (including remote locations).
• Must be able to lift objects up to 23 kg while wearing cumbersome protective equipment.
• Requirement to work outside of normal business hours and respond to emergency situations.
• Must be available to respond to emergency situations after hours, on statutory holidays and on weekends at short notice.
• Must be available to be on standby and respond in person to after-hours calls outside of normal work hours, potentially for weeks at a time.
• Be willing and able to climb, kneel and bend.
• Be willing and able to work in unfamiliar, isolated and inaccessible workplaces
• Be willing and able to work in environments that cause physical discomfort due to confined spaces, dust and dirt, extreme heights, harsh weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, freezing rain and snow), harmful fumes and odours, noise, poor lighting conditions, etc.
• Be willing and able to face and control serious accident scenes, to collect sensitive testimonies about the events leading up to the accidents and to be exposed to distressing images, such as: blood, corpses, detached body parts, remains of explosions, etc.

* Incumbent of the position must meet and maintain conditions of employment throughout their employment.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

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APPLICATION AND INVENTORY RULES
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We will accept applications on-line only. To submit an application on-line, please click on the button "Apply online" below. Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line are asked to contact a toll free number 1-800-645-5605.

You may save your application as a draft and return to it at a later date. Your application must be completed and submitted in order to be considered. Partially completed applications, or those in draft cannot be considered. You can make modifications to your submitted application at any time, but once your application has been selected for screening, you will no longer be able to make modifications and your submission will be considered final.

You may review the status of your application in your online account. Your application in this inventory will be active for 180 days. A notice that your application is about to expire will be posted to the “My jobs” menu of your account 30 days before the end of your active period. If you do not take action, your application will no longer be active and therefore no longer considered for this inventory. Should your application become inactive while the process is still open, a notice will be posted to your account indicating that your application has expired; you may select the link “Update my Inventory” status to reaffirm your interest.

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ASSESSMENT
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Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

Candidates must meet all the essential criteria in order to be appointed. However, applicants may be required to meet the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

Please note that asset qualifications, top-down and/or random selection may be used at any stage of the assessment process to identify which applications will be given further consideration.

What is a top-down selection? It is where only the top scoring candidates will be invited to the next stage of the assessment. Please note that different pass marks and cut-off scores can be used at various stages of the assessment process. Candidates who attain the pass mark might not be further considered in the process if they do not achieve the cut-off score.

An applicant may be appointed to the position even though he/she does not meet any or all of the asset qualifications. However, meeting these criteria is desirable and may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. In the event that there are as many applicants who meet the essential qualifications as there are vacancies, the manager may decide not to assess some or all of the asset qualifications.

We ask for your collaboration to ensure an efficient process but we will also try to provide some flexibility to candidates as to where and when the assessments could occur, and the assessments will be done on an ongoing basis. Please note that testing may be administered during the day, evenings and/or weekends. We will not consider requests for rescheduling beyond the reasons we will outline to candidates. Candidates who do not respond to inquiries from the assessment committee by the required deadlines or fail to attend/complete the assessment without good reason may be eliminated from further consideration.

All information obtained through the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, could be used to evaluate the candidates.

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PROOF OF EDUCATION
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You must provide proof of your education credentials at the time required by the selection committee. Candidates with foreign education credentials are required to provide proof of Canadian equivalency.

Any applicable fees are the responsibility of the candidate.

Foreign certificates and/or diplomas must be assessed against Canadian education standards. The federal public service will accept any Foreign Educational Credentials as long as they are deemed comparable to Canadian standards, determined by a recognized credential assessment service.

The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) assists persons who wish to obtain an assessment of their educational, professional, and occupational credentials by referring them to the appropriate organizations.

You can access the CICIC website at https://www.cicic.ca/. This website provides links to a number of Canadian organizations that provide equivalency assessments.

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TRAVEL STATUS - TRAVEL COSTS
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Please note you will not be considered to be in travel status or on government business and that travel costs will not be reimbursed. Consequently, you will be responsible for travel .

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COMMUNICATION
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All communication regarding this process will be administered via email. It is the candidate's responsibility to provide a valid e-mail address and update their personal information when it changes. If special circumstances prevent you from having access to your email, please contact the contact information below.

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BILINGUAL POSITIONS
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To be considered for a Bilingual Imperative position, you must be willing to undergo Second Language Evaluation testing OR you must already have Second Language Evaluation (SLE) results (proof will be required).

If you have undertaken a SLE by the Public Service Commission (PSC), you can obtain a copy of the SLE results, by requesting it at the following website: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppccpp/test-examen-result/result-eng.htm. For more information on SLE, visit the following website: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ppc-cpp/sle-els/cand-info-cand-eng.html

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment: In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/services/second-language-testingpublic-service/self-assessment-tests.html

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OTHER INFORMATION
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You must indicate on your application if you require a technical aid for testing or an alternative method of assessment.

An assignment, secondment, or acting appointment requires approval of your supervisor.

Indeterminate employees at the same group and level or equivalent may be considered for deployment. If no deployment is made, applicants from other groups and levels will be considered in the advertised appointment process.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.