The Public Service Commission of Canada (PSCC) said complaints about cronyism and other misconduct in hiring have increased by 14% in the past year, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“As part of our mandate, we investigate external appointment processes to determine if an appointment was made on the basis of merit or if an error, an omission, or improper conduct affected the selection of the person appointed or proposed for appointment,” said the PSCC in its annual report tabled in Parliament. .Allegations ranged from favouritism to fraud. The PSCC received 630 complaints, up 14% in one year. .Complaints included 53 allegations of political interference and 39 claims of fraud. Other allegations included fake academic credentials and nepotism..The PSCC received 17 requests from deputy heads to investigate concerns about errors, omissions, or improper conduct in internal appointment processes. .“There are still areas for improvement,” said former PSCC president Patrick Borbey. .“The Commission will work with its partners to address areas of concern.”.Borbey’s remarks coincided with a survey finding widespread perceptions of favouritism and an unethical hiring process. .The survey said 53% of Canadian government employees believe appointments depend on who people know. It said 47% of employees think hiring is not related to who people know. .Almost one-fifth of respondents disagreed people who can do the job are hired. Among employment equity groups, women were more likely than the others to agree people hired on their teams could do the job. .The survey went on to say 26% of respondents disagreed the process for hiring a person into a position is done fairly. It added 31% disagreed staffing activities are carried out transparently. .Findings were based on questionnaires with 75,440 federal workers..An adjudicator with the Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (PSLREB) upheld the firing of a Canadian government bureaucrat who secretly hired her daughter in 2021. .READ MORE: Firing of highly-paid federal civil servant for secretly hiring daughter upheld.“She concealed her relationship to her daughter from the management team several times and continually for nine months,” said PSLREB Adjudicator Nathalie Daigle. .The PSLREB was told the relationship would not have been disclosed if not for office gossip.
