How to order Recognition Awards

Long Service Awards

1. Obtain a list of Long Service Awards recipients by requesting a report through HR Business System Integration, HRSB.
2. Inform the recipients of their eligibility for a Long Service Award by email including the order form for Long Service Award. To view this type of email, you can refer to the examples below.
3. Receive the completed Long Service form from the employee.
4. Prepare a file folder for each recipient with the following items: a CMS report (provided by Pay 55 screen) that proves the employee's Years of Service, the email that was sent to them, and the completed form.
5. Access the Seasons website, select Coordinator and place the order using information provided by the employee (include "how to order" info).

Templates emails and forms are available on the Coordinators SharePoint site.

More Tips

You may want to create an electronic document to keep track of the recipients and their gifts.

Retirement

In order to commemorate retirement from the Public Service, a certificate signed by the Prime Minister and DM is provided to eligible employees.

Each coordinator is to order and pay from the manager's financial cost centre (cc) and use this order form (PDF, 377 KB) to facilitate the process. See policy guidelines on Retirement.

Instant Awards

Instant Awards acknowledge the significance of the contributions made by an employee or a team towards the achievement of the department's mission or goals. In a non-monetary form, a gift can be granted for going over and above job expectations or for taking on additional responsibilities.

1. A manager desiring to present a group or an employee with an Instant Award will contact the Recognition Coordinator with a request to administer the Award. Please ensure compliance with the P&R Policy when administering Instant Awards.
2. Prepare and provide a Recognition Program - Approval Form (HRB5016) (PDF, 120 KB) (opens new window). For a group, only one copy of the HRB5016 is required in addition to an appended list of employees with their PRIs. The form requires a section 34 signature and applicable financial coding. The expenditure general ledger account 524301 (Day-to-Day Recognition) must be used to code expenses for Instant Awards.
3. Access the IBoutique website to place the order using the information provided by the employee or the manager.
4. Once the order information has been inputted, select "Bill Me" for the invoice to be received by the P&R Coordinator and forwarded to the manager who requested the award, or "Pay By Credit Card" if that division's credit card number was provided by the group's administrator.

Alternative Gifts or Near-Cash Awards

Managers who want to offer a gift from an external store instead of IBoutique may purchase the gift using their division departmental credit card and in accordance with the P&R Policy.

Except for employees on a performance pay plan (EX and EX minus one), presenting a gift certificate as an Instant Award is permitted. Gift certificates are considered near cash: be aware that they are fully taxable under CRA legislation. Employment benefits and a T4A slip will be issued for the full amount to employees who receive them. Refer to the Canada Revenue Agency FAQ for the policy on taxable gifts and a list of near-cash gifts/awards.

Managers considering giving a gift certificate must advise employees of the tax implications prior to purchase. The employee can then decide if this is the form of recognition he or she prefers.

Cash as a form of recognition is not permitted.

Tools

• IBoutique
• Gift, awards and long-service awards (CRA)