The Joint Employment Equity Committee (JEEC) provides a national forum that includes the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), the Public Service Commission (PSC), Bargaining Agents and departmental representatives. Others with Employment Equity and diversity responsibilities or expertise, including a youth representative, may be invited to collaborate on the development, implementation and revision of public service wide policies and practices that may impact designated groups under the Employment Equity Act.
The JEEC acts as the NJC's vehicle for Employment Equity and diversity analysis, and provides the NJC with Employment Equity and diversity related input, as well as, advice and recommendations related to emerging policies and practices in the federal public service:
- Undertaking timely and relevant analysis/review from an Employment Equity and diversity lens. Analysis from an Employment Equity and diversity lens is understood as:
- Considering the Employment Equity impacts and implications of policy and practice modifications on the designated groups;
- Ensuring that intersections among designated groups—including gender identity and sexual orientation related issues are considered when impacts and implications are assessed.
- Periodically undertaking system wide reviews and analysis on Employment Equity and diversity related issues.
To achieve its mandate, the JEEC relies on:
- Transparent and timely sharing of Employment Equity and diversity related information among all Committee members (including Employment Equity data summaries gathered through various employer controlled systems);
- A consistent approach to referring issues to JEEC for consultation, collaboration, input and analysis; and,
- Engagement with the NJC Executive with regard to emerging priorities.
Committee Advisor: Karen Kruger
Quarterly Report to the National Joint Council (September 2025)
Regular Activities:
- The Committee has met three times (3) since the last Council meeting.
- The Committee welcomed a new Bargaining Agent Side Co-Chairperson, Rubina Boucher, from the Canada Employment and Immigration Union, as well as a new Employer Side Co-Chairperson, William Sinden, from Employment and Social Development Canada.
- The Committee received an update from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS) on their Maturity Model on Diversity and Inclusion 2.0.
- The Committee received a presentation from the Public Service Commission on the evaluation of biases and barriers within the Selection of Employees for Retention or Layoff (SERLO) process. Departments are required to review their assessment methods to ensure equity-seeking groups are not disadvantaged, and that managers are exercising their discretion to apply safeguards throughout workforce adjustments.
- The Committee was consulted by the Office of the Auditor General during the planning phase of an audit on recruitment, retention, and promotion of persons with disabilities in the public service. They shared experiences and were invited to submit further input in writing to inform the audit process.
- The Committee received a presentation from TBS on the Action Plan for Black public servants’ second Official Language Training - an initiative designed to enhance access and drive cultural change in federal departments.
- The Committee received an update from TBS on the new language training framework for the public service that encourages diverse training methods, emphasizes the importance of informal maintenance activities, and urges managers to prioritize language training in career planning while fostering a supportive environment for language practice.
- The Committee received an update from TBS on the progress in developing clear and concrete expected behaviours for inclusivity and anti-racism in the public service. A pilot program involving six (6) departments is testing these behaviours and revising competency profiles to provide concrete examples for performance assessments and discussions on inclusivity and anti-racism.
- The Committee received an overview of the Employment Equity Annual Report 2023-2024. Representation of persons with disabilities remains below the workforce availability, even though it has increased in the past year.
- The Committee received a presentation from TBS on their fourth review of the Directive on Automated Decision-Making.
Outstanding Items:
- Nil
Next Meetings: November 12, 2025; December 10, 2025