In the core public administration classification system, Treasury Board (“TB”) refers to the organization of work and employees as the occupational group structure. The occupational group is a series of jobs or occupations related in broad terms by the nature of the functions performed.
According to the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, the “classification standard for the Law Practitioner group is a point-rating plan consisting of an introduction, the definition of the Law Practitioner group, the rating scale and level point boundaries.”
For a copy of the old LA standard, see 1987 LA Classification Standard.
According to the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, “point rating is an analytical, quantitative method of determining the relative values of jobs. Point-rating plans define characteristics or elements common to the jobs being evaluated, define degrees of each element and allocate point values to each degree. The total value determined for each job is the sum of the point values assigned by the evaluators."
Generally, the Law Practitioner Group comprises positions that are primarily involved in the application of a comprehensive knowledge of the law and its practice in the performance of legal functions. For a copy of the current LP Occupational Group Definition, click here.
Please note that LAs are now defined as LPs (Law Practioners).
The Financial Administration Act (“FAA”) outlines the responsibilities and powers of the TB. Amongst TB´s powers, is human resource management in the federal public administration, including the determination of the terms and conditions of employment of persons employed in it (section 7(1) (e)).
Pursuant to section 11.1(b) of the FAA, TB may provide for the classification of positions and persons employed in the public service.
Yes, the AJC was consulted. In April 2010, TB provided the AJC with early drafts of a new LP Classification Standard.
On January 12, 2011, the AJC met with TB officials responsible for the LA Classification Reform Project.
In the Summer of 2011, AJC, with the assistance of a classification expert, provided comments and proposed some changes, some of which were retained.
AJC also proposed input into the draft of the LP Group Definition which came into effect on December 9, 2010.
On December 13, 2010, TB through the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer, launched the creation of the new Law Cadre Occupational Group and Standard (“LC Standard”). Such group is excluded from the bargaining unit and comprises those previously excluded LAs who performed managerial work.
However, such group does not include all excluded LAs as they do not all perform managerial work withdelegated authority over human and financial resources. The LC reclassification exercise affected approximately 375 positions.
Following the separation of practitioner and management subgroups, a new classification standard for each subgroup was developed with a view to ensuring that each of the following elements are considered when evaluating and classifying each LP subgroup's job description:
Generic job descriptions list the core duties and responsibilities of a group of similar positions. They are concise and contain only the information needed to apply the classification standard. Job descriptions describe the work assigned to positions.
Approximately 65 generic job descriptions at DOJ applied to all LP positions. At PPSC, there were approximately 12.
For managers, signing individual job descriptions based on generic job descriptions confirms that the selected description accurately describes the work assigned to and performed in the position.
For LPs, their signature confirms the employee has seen the job description and has been provided an opportunity to comment.
Signing any other form of acknowledgement is just that, an acknowledgement. You are not waiving your right to grieve.