Classification renewal (conversion) – IT, PA and CT

The Treasury Board Secretariat, in discussion with bargaining agents and core public administration (CPA) organizations, has been undertaking a classification renewal (conversion) exercise for the past several years in an effort to modernize the public service's classification program.

The Clerk's Beyond 2020 report calls for a more agile, inclusive and equipped public service. Modernized and streamlined classifications help ensure that our tools reflect the work of today's public service and bring more consistency in how similar jobs are evaluated.

As a result of these renewal efforts, changes will be made to update some occupational groups. In many cases, federal organizations will apply an interdepartmental standardized job description structure that shows clearer career paths to facilitate employee mobility across the public service.

Three upcoming occupational group changes are expected to be implemented over the next year and a half.

  • Targeting December 9, 2021 for implementation:
    • The Computer Systems (CS)group will change to a new occupational group called Information Technology (IT).
  • Targeting October 2022 for implementation:
    • The Program and Administrative Services (PA) group (CR, AS, PM, ST, DA, IS, OE, OM, CM and WP classifications) will be restructured to five new sub-groups:
      • Program and Service Operations (PA-PVO)
      • Program Development and Administration (PA-PDM)
      • Executive Administrative Assistant (PA-EAA)
      • Communications (PA-CMN)
      • Rehabilitation and Reintegration (PA-RHB)
  • Work within the current PA group that involves Negotiation, Mediation and Conciliation currently classified as "PM-MCO" will become a new group with a new acronym "MN".
  • A new Comptrollership (CT) group will be created to bring together work in the areas of financial management as well as external and internal audit (FI group, internal audit work currently in the AS classification of the PA group, and external audit work in the AU classification of the AV group).

Making changes to an occupational group involves several steps that take time to implement. This means that there are no immediate changes to the classification or salary levels of any position. Positions are expected to be renamed or converted to these new groups.

Unless otherwise informed, your current collective agreement continues to apply and your bargaining agent does not change.

Timing for implementation

The implementation dates outlined above will be confirmed closer to the conversion dates based on organizational and systems readiness and in discussion with bargaining agents. This includes ensuring that the new classifications and corresponding rates of pay can be seamlessly integrated into the pay system.

Changes to job evaluation and/or qualification standards and rates of pay

New job evaluation standards, and in certain cases, new qualification standards, have been developed for the new groups and sub-groups. If you are an indeterminate employee already in the position performing a job, you will be considered to have met any new minimum qualification requirements for the position based on education, experience and/or training. As an indeterminate employee, this will also preserve your career mobility and allow you to advance within the new group or sub-group if you wish to do so.

There are no changes to current salaries. Rates of pay for the new groups will be negotiated through the usual collective bargaining process. Salary protection measures will apply if the maximum salary of your new group and level (or sub-group and level, if applicable), is lower than the maximum salary of your current group and level, although this is not expected to be the case for most employees.

ESDC's Conversions Champions

For each conversion exercise, ESDC Champions have been designated:

IT Conversion Champion:

  • Peter Littlefield, CIO, IITB

PA Conversion Champions:

  • Darlène de Gravina, ADM, HRSB
  • Mary-Ann Triggs, Regional ADM, Ontario Region
  • Debora Brown, ADM, PASRB

CT Conversion Champions:

  • Karen Robertson, CFO, CFOB
  • Sheri Ostridge, CAE, IASB

The Champions will release additional information over the coming months on these respective conversions.

Next steps

We recognize that these changes can create some uncertainty about what this means for your position. We are taking all of the necessary steps to ensure that these changes are implemented as smoothly and with as little disruption as possible. Please speak with your manager if you have concerns. You may also contact your union representative for more information.

We will keep you updated as implementation moves forward. To learn more and to find out if your position will be part of these changes, please consult the Classification Renewal GCintranet page which includes links to a new video explaining these upcoming changes as well as detailed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

If you require additional information, please contact:
Nadine Gauthier nadine.gauthier@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca,
Director, Organizational Design and Classification Centre of Expertise.

Darlène de Gravina 
Assistant Deputy Minister 
Human Resources Services Branch