The new ESDC Code of Conduct (Code) is an easy-to-use tool to help you do your job. It is your guide on ethical decision-making, professional behaviour and conduct expected in the workplace. It applies to ESDC, Service Canada and the Labour Program.
The period of transformation that the Department and the Public Service are experiencing highlights the importance of our shared values. The five values, we will be discussing, need to underline the actions and decisions of each of us.
The Code is tailored to reflect our own departmental needs and circumstances. It integrates the new Treasury Board Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and the Treasury Board Policy on Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment.
The Code is a condition of employment, which means that a breach of the Code can lead to administrative or disciplinary measures, including termination of employment. I invite you to read the Code and if you have any questions, to discuss them with me.
The Code helps answer the following types of questions, for example:
May I accept hospitality or gifts from clients or contractors?
How am I expected to protect confidential client or employee information?
Could holding another job with another employer put me in a conflict of interest with my regular job as an ESDC employee?
What should I do if I witness discrimination or harassment?
An interactive Web site for the Code was launched on April 2. It includes complementary tools such as case scenarios, questions and answers, legislative guidelines, etc .I encourage you to visit the site often.
The Code cannot address every situation you might face in the workplace. This is why, if you find yourself in a situation where you are unsure of how to act, I invite you to discuss your concerns with me and together we will try to resolve the issue. We will seek subject matter expert advice if and when needed.
The Department has mechanisms in place for staff to report incidents of wrongdoing. Employees who make a disclosure of wrongdoing are protected from reprisals as per the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA).