Step 2: Deputy minister inquiry

Overview of deputy minister inquiry

If you have concerns about an appointment decision after receiving feedback, you may request an inquiry into the appointment by the deputy minister or organization head responsible for the position. 

The deputy minister (or their designate) will review how the appointment decision was made. This includes reviewing relevant information and documentation from the competition process. 

Requirements for deputy minister inquiry

To request an inquiry, you must:

• Meet the eligibility requirements
• Have requested and received feedback (step 1)

Your request must be:

• Submitted within 5 calendar days of receiving feedback. 
  • Day 1 is the day after you receive feedback
• Submitted for review in writing. You can submit it by email, mail, courier, or deliver it in person. Email is the most common method
• Sent to the deputy minister responsible for the staffing decision

Your request should include:

• Your contact information
  • Name
  • Employee ID
  • Mailing address
  • Phone number
  • Email address
• Details about the competition
  • Requisition number
  • Position title and classification
  • Position location
  • Name of the hiring manager
• Key dates
  • Date you received the final notification
  • Date you requested feedback
  • Date you received feedback
• Your reasons for the request
  • A clear explanation of why you believe the merit principle was not applied as per section 8 of the BC Public Service Act.
  • The explanation should clearly and comprehensively outline the reason(s) why you believe that the appointment in question was not based on the principle of merit or was not the result of a process designed to appraise the knowledge, skills and abilities of eligible applicants

After the review, the deputy minister may:

• Support the appointment decision, or
• Direct that the appointment decision be reconsidered

Timeline for deputy minister inquiry

Under the BCGEU Main Agreement, once a request for an inquiry by the deputy minister is received, the deputy minister or their designate will review the appointment decision and provide a response within 30 calendar days.

Withdrawing your request for deputy minister inquiry

You can withdraw your request at any time by notifying the deputy minister in writing. Once withdrawn, the inquiry will be closed.

Next steps

If the inquiry addressed your concerns, no further action is needed. 

For competitions hiring into the bargaining unit, you may request a staffing review by the merit commissioner if you still have concerns and believe section 8 of the Public Service Act was not upheld.