Are you considering a career change that would involve moving between the core public administration and the broader federal public service? If so, it is recommended that you read the following article so that you are knowledgeable about the possible implications for eligibility and calculation of performance pay and your leave entitlements.
It is important to understand that the Government of Canada is in fact, two entities from a legal and policy perspective for employees: the core public administration and the separate agency/employer world. The distinction is found in the application of policies, directives and legislation and these differences can affect some entitlements and how they are administered.
Starting with pay, the Pay Centre administers it for most organizations in the core public administration and not all organizations that are not (a list of current Pay Centre clients is found here). Organizations not served by the Pay Centre are responsible for the administration of their employees’ compensation even if the payments are eventually processed through the Phoenix Pay System.
A change of employer from an organization in the core public administration to one that is not or to an organization in the core public administration from a non-core organization does not guarantee that completed service in the former organization will be included in the determination of eligibility for performance pay or in its calculation.
When executives are considering a change or organization either into or out of the core public administration, APEX recommends obtaining written confirmation from the hiring organization (e.g., in the letter of offer) that completed service in the former organization will be recognized for the purpose of determining eligibility or for the calculation of performance pay. The same commitment should be sought for the acceptance of any accumulated and unused vacation and sick leave.