Self-Identification
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is committed to employment equity, respecting diversity and ensuring equitable participation by eliminating any employment disadvantages faced by members of the four employment equity groups : (i.e. visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and women) and/or members of the LGBTQ2+ community, a group that is not currently part of the Employment Equity Act.
When you complete the self-identification form, you help create an accurate picture of the department’s workforce and help identify and remove barriers that restrict or exclude designated group members and persons belonging to the LGBTQ2+ community from opportunities that should be available to all.
Self-Identification is optional, voluntary and confidential. The personal information an employee shares is collected by a limited number of HR professionals. Further, all info collected is reproduced in the form of dashboards to provide high-level statistics on the number of employees who identify as being part of an employment equity group and/or the LGBTQ2+ community.
It is important to note that if you do not belong or identify with the groups mentioned above, it is still important for you to complete a self-ID form. Everyone’s participation is important in order to provide a complete picture of our organizational composition.
Why Self-Identification is important?
Completing the Self-Identification form gives employees an opportunity to influence departmental workforce recruitment and development efforts. Information gathered helps develop and implement programs and policies to ensure the equitable recruitment, retention, and promotion of designated group members and members of the LGBTQ2+ community. It is also used to ensure there are no systemic barriers affecting the full participation of employees in the workplace.
How do I participate?
- Go to myEMS (Peoplesoft)
- From the Employee Self Service page, select "Self-ID Forms".
- You have two forms at your disposal. The first one is for the LGBTQ2+ or Gender Diverse community and the second one is the form for the designated group members. Once done, select "Submit".
Reminder: if you do not belong or identify with the groups mentioned above, it is still important for you to complete a self-ID form to help the organization to ensure social equity for all employes and to have an accurate picture of the composition of its workforce.
Your participation matters
Self-Identification is about you. It is about your participation to ensure we have accurate information on the composition of our workforce as a whole. While your participation is voluntary, we encourage you to complete the form(s) so that we have accurate information on our workforce to the fullest extent possible. According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, an 80% or higher response rate to the workforce survey is required to ensure employment equity statistical analysis accuracy.
Your participation is important:
- To help us collect data on the composition of our departmental workforce, not only the members of the designated groups, and fulfilling our employment equity obligations.
- To help identify obstacles to recruitment, training and promotion.
- To help us better plan our human resources requirements in the interest of employees.
- To contribute to the creation of a workplace that reflects the diversity of the people we serve.
Managers are encouraged to promote the self-identification among their employees. Please consult the Key Messages for Managers page.
Confidentiality
Your personal information is protected under the Privacy Act, the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Employment Equity Act and related regulations.
For additional information, go to Frequently Asked Questions.
If you require any further assistance, please contact NA-Diversite-EE-Diversity-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.