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Hiring Approvals

Last updated on December 18, 2023

Regular Appointments

All internal and external hiring requests—including regular, temporary and auxiliary appointments, renewals and extensions—require an approval process internal to each ministry.

  • Prior to submitting a hiring request, ensure that the position’s classification has been confirmed or, for a new position, is approved by a BC Public Service Agency Classification Advisor.
  • If approved, your hiring process must adhere to the principle of merit.
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Auxiliary & Temporary Appointments

  • An auxiliary position may only be extended if it's deemed critical and is approved by your Deputy Minister.
  • You require your Deputy Minister's approval to renew, extend, or recall auxiliary employees. Recall rights remain as outlined in Collective Agreements.
  • A temporary assignment under seven months (without a full competitive process) cannot exceed seven months. For an assignment to be extended, there must be a full competitive process and your Deputy Minister must deem it critical and approve.
  • Temporary assignments under seven months can only be extended an additional three months in order to complete a competitive process.
  • You may extend a longer term temporary assignment if your Deputy Minister deems it critical and approves it.
  • All temporary assignments over seven months require a full competitive process.
  • A fully competitive process is required for a temporary assignment that's expected to exceed seven months. For an assignment to be extended past seven months, there must also be a competitive process.
 

Lateral Transfers

  • A lateral transfer means there's no change to classification or salary as a result of the reassignment of work. A temporary lateral transfer has a defined start and end date.
  • A temporary appointment to a higher pay range doesn't qualify the employee to laterally transfer at the higher salary.
  • Ministries should manage the redistribution of work within their organizations. Managers can do this through lateral transfers and temporary lateral transfers. Lateral transfer provisions are outlined in the Collective Agreements.
  • Ministry executive can agree to move employees laterally between ministries from non-critical to critical positions to meet corporate objectives.
  • Lateral transfers or temporary lateral transfers will not be posted to the BC Job Postings website. These are agreements made between ministries.
 

Rehab & Trial Placements

  • Return to Work Trial: Allows an employee to gradually readjust and build up endurance for working again. Typically modified duties and/or hours is involved. Consult the Return to Work Specialist and Occupational Health Nurse for advice during this period about appropriate next steps. Employees are paid for hours they work during the trial and their long term disability benefits are adjusted accordingly.
  • Rehab Placements: Where the employee is considered capable of performing alternative employment or once the rehabilitative employment is considered to be successful, and the employee is therefore able to perform the duties of a gainful occupation, they shall be subject to Article 13 of the Collective Agreement, excluding displacement options, pursuant to Clauses 13.3 and 13.4(c)(2).
  • Rehab trials and placements don't need hiring approval because they don’t result in an increase in classification or pay.
  • Use rehab trials for employees who have been on long term disability (LTD) and/or WorkSafe BC (WCB) and are re-integrating back into the workplace. The Collective Agreement and joint rehabilitation committee remain in effect. If you have questions, talk to your Early Intervention and Return to Work Specialist.
  • Collective Agreement provisions apply to all placements through either Article 13 or nine months before rehab committee.
  • An employee's base ministry pays for rehab trials. If your ministry is unable to find an internal trial position, the ministry is required to pay for the trial in another workplace.