PSLRB Code of Conduct

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 This Code of Conduct outlines the standards of conduct applicable to all employees of the PSLRB and NJC. It provides guidance to employees on how to deal with people and situations inside and outside the PSLRB and NJC. In this Code, any reference to the PSLRB includes the NJC.

1.2 This Code also applies to students and employees occupying casual positions. Board members are subject to a separate Code of Conduct.

1.3 This Code operates in conjunction with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector.

2. Effective Date

2.1 This Code comes into effect on April 2^nd, 2012

3. Core Values and Expectations

3.1 The PSLRB strives to be a dynamic and accessible workplace where, together, we realize our potential by:

1 – Showing leadership,
2 – Using and developing our skills to the fullest; and
3 – Sharing our knowledge and experience

The PSLRB is committed to fostering a workplace in which decision making and conduct are inspired by its values:

Integrity
Excellence
Confidentiality
Respect
Impartiality

Our collective commitment is to give top priority to these values.

Integrity – Integrity is the cornerstone of good governance and democracy. By upholding the highest ethical standards, public servants conserve and enhance public confidence in the honesty, fairness and impartiality of the public sector.

PSLRB employees shall serve the public interest by:

• acting at all times with integrity and in a manner that will bear the closest public scrutiny, an obligation that may not be fully satisfied by simply acting within the law;
• never using their official roles to inappropriately obtain an advantage for themselves or to advantage or disadvantage others;
• taking all possible steps to prevent and resolve any real, apparent or potential conflicts of interest between their official responsibilities and their private affairs in favour of the public interest; and
• acting in a way as to maintain their employer’s trust.

Excellence – Excellence in the design and delivery of public sector policy, programs and services is beneficial to every aspect of Canadian public life. Engagement, collaboration, effective teamwork and professional development are all essential to a high-performing organization.

PSLRB employees shall demonstrate professional excellence by:

• providing fair, timely, efficient and effective services that respect Canada’s official languages;
• continually improving the quality of policies, programs and services they provide;
• fostering a work environment that promotes teamwork, learning and innovation;
• conducting themselves in a professional manner and striving to achieve high standards of competence in fulfilling their duties;
• behaving professionally at all times towards fellow employees, clients, stakeholders and the general public; and
• continually striving to maintain and improve the quality of service and to adapt to changing needs through innovation.

Confidentiality – Protecting all confidential information obtained in the course of employment is essential to ensuring the PSLRB’s impartiality and ensuring fairness for stakeholders.

Subject to specifically authorized disclosures and to the PSLRB’s Information Management Policies and Procedures, PSLRB employees shall maintain confidentiality by:

• at all times, being diligent in maintaining the confidentiality of all confidential information regarding PSLRB matters and information obtained in the course of employment;
• when dealing with complaints, grievances, mediations, compensation studies or other matters of concerns to stakeholders and parties, ensuring that all confidential details are protected appropriately;
• refraining from discussing confidential PSLRB matters in public areas;
• following proper PSLRB Information Management Policies and Procedures at all times.

Respect for People – Treating all people with respect, dignity and fairness is fundamental to our relationship with the Canadian public and contributes to a safe and healthy work environment that promotes engagement, openness and transparency. The diversity of our people and the ideas they generate are the source of our innovation.

PSLRB employees shall respect human dignity and the value of every person by:

• treating every person with respect and fairness;
• valuing diversity and the benefit of combining the unique qualities and strengths inherent in a diverse workforce;
• helping to create and maintain safe and healthy workplaces that are free from harassment and discrimination; and
• working together in a spirit of openness, honesty and transparency that encourages engagement, collaboration and respectful communication

Impartiality – Remaining and appearing to remain impartial and objective in carrying out our responsibilities.

PSLRB employees shall remain impartial and objective by:

• being aware at all times of the importance of upholding the impartial image of the Board;
• treating all stakeholders fairly and objectively; and
• not creating an appearance of giving preferential treatment to anyone dealing with the PSLRB.

4. Responsibility and Authority

4.1 The Chairperson, Directors/Managers, employees and the Senior Officer for Disclosure have the following responsibilities and/or authorities:

The Chairperson

The Chairperson has the overall responsibility to foster a positive culture of values and ethics. He or she ensures that employees are aware of their obligations under this Code and that employees can obtain appropriate advice on ethical issues.

He or she is responsible for demonstrating leadership in respecting this Code of Conduct and exemplifying the values of the PSLRB.

He or she must ensure that all possible breaches of this Code are thoroughly investigated, and, based on the results of an investigation, ensure that appropriate action is taken.

He or she must designate a point of contact where members of the public can raise concerns about the conduct of employees of the PSLRB that is, in their view, inconsistent with the values and commitments set forth in this Code of Conduct.

Directors/Managers

Directors/Managers lead by example in modeling behaviours, ways of working and practices that embody the values of the PSLRB.

They support employees who in good faith raise questions or concerns about integrity and Code compliance.

They incorporate and promote principles of equality, fairness and diversity.

They provide a copy of this Code to all new employees and ensure that its standards are communicated to, and implemented by their team.

They take appropriate actions at the earliest opportunity to deal with non-compliance with this Code.

All Employees

They must familiarize themselves with the contents of this Code, abide by it and conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the overall spirit of the Code and its values.

They must seek advice from their supervisor or the Director, Human Resources who is the Senior Officer for Disclosure when they are uncertain about any aspect of this Code.

Senior Officer for Disclosure

The senior officer for disclosure helps promote a positive environment for disclosing wrongdoing and deals with disclosures of wrongdoing made by employees. The senior officer is responsible for supporting the Chairperson in meeting the requirements of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA).

The senior officer’s duties and powers within the PSLRB also include the following, in accordance with the internal disclosure procedures established under the PSDPA:

1. Provide information, advice and guidance to employees regarding the PSLRB’s internal disclosure procedures, including the making of disclosures, the conduct of investigations into disclosures, and the handling of disclosures made to supervisors.
2. Receive and record disclosures and review them to establish whether there are sufficient grounds for further action under the PSDPA.
3. Manage investigations into disclosures, including determining whether to deal with a disclosure under the PSDPA, initiate an investigation or cease an investigation.
4. Coordinate handling of a disclosure with the senior officer of another federal public sector organization, if a disclosure or an investigation into a disclosure involves that other organization.
5. Notify the person(s) who made a disclosure in writing of the outcome of any review and/or investigation into the disclosure and on the status of actions taken on the disclosure, as appropriate.
6. Report the findings of investigations, as well as any systemic problems that may give rise to wrongdoing, directly to the Chairperson and, for matters related to the NJC, to the General Secretary of the NJC as well, with recommendations for corrective action, if any.

5. Avenues of Resolution

5.1 Neither this Code nor the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector can anticipate all possible ethical questions or situations that may arise in the course of an employee’s daily activities. When such questions arise, employees are encouraged to discuss and resolve these matters with their supervisor, manager or with the Director, Human Resources/Senior Officer for disclosure.

Employees at all levels are expected to resolve issues in a fair and respectful manner and consider informal processes such as dialogue, facilitated discussions, or mediation.

Reporting concerns about potential wrongdoing is a key feature of good governance. It is an early warning system indicating that our organization may be exposed to serious problems that could affect its ability to fulfill its mandate in the public interest. Bringing to light these concerns allows the Chairperson to take appropriate action, to address organizational problems and to prevent similar situations in the future. Reporting wrongdoing takes courage and is a commendable act of service. It reflects a strong commitment to our organization.

Employees have a duty of loyalty to their employer. Employees who know of a breach of either this Code of Conduct or the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, or feel that they are being asked to act in a way that violates the values and commitments contained in these instruments, can bring it, without fear of reprisal, to the attention of their supervisor, or of the Senior Officer for Disclosure.

In certain limited circumstances, disclosure of actions contrary to the Code of Conduct may also be made to the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner at http://www.psic-ispc.gc.ca: For more information, please consult the PSDPA Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act.

6. Reference Documents

6.1 This Code and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector form part of the conditions of employment for employees of the PSLRB.

7. Code Review

7.1 This Code will be reviewed in consultation with the Employee Consultation Committee once a year to ensure its relevancy; its application will be monitored on an on-going basis to ensure timely adjustments.

8. Enquiries

8.1 Enquiries with respect to this code can be addressed to the Director, Human Resources/Senior Officer for Disclosure.