Audit of Staffing File Documentation

Summary

The PSC launched an audit of staffing file documentation as a follow-up to its 2001 Thematic Review on Staffing Values: Competency and Fairness. The Thematic Review concluded that the lack of documentation could lead to accusations of arbitrary decision-making.

Documentation is an important source of information indicating how merit and the staffing values are respected in the staffing process. It gives management confidence that the organization is in compliance with applicable legislative requirements. This enables managers to provide assurance to their employees, oversight agencies and the public that the integrity of the staffing system is being upheld.

The focus of this government-wide audit was to assess the quality and completeness of documentation in staffing files, and the extent to which improvements have occurred since the 2002 Thematic Review. The audit included a review of a sample of staffing files from departments and agencies across the government relating to staffing activities conducted in 2004.