True or False: Code of Conduct

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Use this game in a team setting to stimulate discussions on values and ethics. You will find the answers at the end.

  1. You may use your public servant identification to get a standard corporate discount offered to government employees (i.e. fitness centre, automobile insurance) at all times without exception.
    • True
    • False
  2. You own a rental property. As an employee, you have access to the Social Insurance Register. You want to access the Register to verify the identity of your new tenants for the purposes of a credit check. There is no problem with accessing the Register for this purpose.
    • True
    • False
  3. If you work at a point of service that is designated as bilingual, you are to provide services to the member of the public in his or her preferred official language, whether online, by telephone, by mail or in person.
    • True
    • False
  4. If you work at a unilingual office, you are not required by law to communicate with or provide services to the public in both official languages under theOfficial Languages Act. However, a unilingual office has linguistic obligations it must respect.
    • True
    • False
  5. Under the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, a public servant will be protected when he or she discloses information concerning wrongdoing that could indicate a serious breach of the HRSDC Code of Conduct.
    • True
    • False
  6. The HRSDC Code of Conduct is a condition of employment.
    • True
    • False
  • Answers

    Answers:

    1. False. You may use your public servant identification to get a standard corporate discount offered if there is no real, apparent or potential influence on your objectivity in carrying out your official duties and responsibilities or that may place you under obligation to the entity in question, and there is no expectation on the part of the entity that it will get a direct return.
    2. False. Accessing information that is not part of your official duties is not acceptable and would result in a breach of various legislations such as the Privacy Act and departmental policy and guidelines. You must ensure that such official information is used for government business and never for personal gain or benefit to yourself or someone else.
    3. True. You are required by law to communicate with or provide services to the public in both official languages under the Official Languages Act.
    4. True. Please refer to Treasury Board's Policy on the Use of Official Languages for Communications with and Services to the Publicand the Department's Directive on Official Languages Obligations in Unilingual Offices.
    5. True. To the extent possible and in accordance with the law, the identities of the following people will be protected: persons making disclosures, witnesses, and persons alleged to have committed a wrongdoing.
    6. True. A breach of the HRSDC Code of Conduct may result in administrative or disciplinary measures being taken, up to and including termination of employment.