Retire from CAF and entering Fed PS [Merged]

[REDinstaller]

This has also happened in the Private sector too. Hire ex-CWO "A" into a management position, good fit for the experience. Position is non-union in charge of a unionized shop. Make a few hard decisions and all of a sudden shop steward "B" has an inbox full of complaints against "A". "A" unwilling to change his approach finds himself unemployed as owner "C" needs his entire workforce not 1 manager.

 

[cooldiddums]

I just activated my Priority Hiring Entitlement a few months ago and, in my opinion, it's nothing but a blatant stick-and-carrot tactic.  Admittedly, I don't have a tremendous amount of professional experience beyond what I learned in the military.  Yet what I lack for in experience, I more than compensate for with education.  I just completed a Masters degree which entailed a six-month international stint as a Project Coordinator for an NGO---these must count for something.

My experience has been rather pitiful: Numerous HR Officers and Hiring Managers have either not replied at all to my emails (in one case I sent 4 emails and left 4 phone messages, with NO reply at all) or replied initially, then dropped off the radar screen.  Frankly, it baffles me how this process can even possibly be considered remotely transparent or fair and equitable.  I'm disgusted, actually.

I'm well aware that most organizations under the PSA are probably worried about budgets, never mind filling staffing positions, but one has to wonder to what extent former military members are discriminated against--solely on the basis of being a former military member. 

Anyone else currently seeking work under the priority hiring system and facing nothing but rude HROs or outright roadblocks?

 

[Container]

I hope some of you aren't offended by what I'm about to say, but some departments probably shy away from hiring too many ex-CAF personel at one time because of a historical occurence from about 30 -40 years ago. At one time if was almost a given that any ex-CAF personel could walk right in and get a job at the "Post Office". We are talking pre-Canada Post days. CP is now a Crown corporation but it wasn't then, it was just a Crown agency. As a result many former commissioned officers wound up in management positions at the " Post Office". Unfortunately, many of them brought their "do as I say or else" attitude that they were used to in the military with them. For those of you who remember, those were the days of very bad labour relations at the Post Office. Because the majority of letter carriers, sorters and other employees were regular "civies", their unions took offence to this atttude and also dug in their heels. To my suprise, I have actually had two "old-timer" former "post Office " employees confirm this. I believe that subsequent to that, some Crown agencies have been careful not to hire too many ex-CAF'ers for fear of bringing too much of that attitude in the workplace, particularly if it is a union shop.  This post is not  intended to take a swipe at ex-officers but just to relay what I believe may be an underlying current in today's federal civil service hiring practices.

Im no fan of unions. I had an incident a few years back where I was hired by provincial corrections. I went through training and a few other things and the day came for me to sign on with the union. The union rep from the provincial facility came waltzing in with his boots undone and generally looked like a sack of dicks.

He was going on about the glorious fight against management and how things were better because of him. I cant recall exactly what I said when he asked me why I didnt seem impressed but it was a few comments about his dress and obvious lack of deportment. Either the cons watched him look like this or the new correctional officers.

He left and I never signed my papers. A few hours later suddenly the positition competition was cancelled. No skin off my back- I'll never regret explaining the how to's of dressing yourself to grown men who disrespect uniforms.

 

[Res Release Clerk]

I will also be released 3B in three years and I'm already looking into the PH and what I should do to make sure I get the kind of job I want post release. In my opinion, the success of the program has a lot to do with planning your release and really knowing what you'd like to do after.

- what kind of education you have will make a big difference in the kind of positions you will be offered. I only have a GED so I'm already looking into completing at least a certificate while I'm still in the CF. That way, I'll only have to complete 2 more certificates during the 2 years of voc rehab to get a bachelor's degree. I can then expect to have better positions offered to me (AS instead of CR) as well as much better salary.

- what trade you're in before you release also makes a big difference.  Sadly, a clerk will probably be offered a job much faster than some other trades (infantry for example). Your limitations will also be a factor.

- getting familiar with the PSC website and what kind of tests you may have to do is also something to consider. The kind of jobs you'll be offered are the positions posted on the job.gc.ca website. Personnally, I've been applying for various jobs just to be able to do the tests. I figure that if I pass them, I'll have valid results forever that will help me in the PH process. If my scores aren't high enough, I'll at least know what I'll need to work on in case I have to redo the tests. So far, I did 6 of the most common ones, plus the second language evaluations (which I did a few years ago).

Granted, I'm really lucky to get a full 3 years and most people only get 6 months before their release (9 months for LFQA reservists) but that should be enough time to think about what you want to do after and look at your options. To me, the two things a person needs to avoid when facing a medical release are : 1. do nothing and wait for an amazing job with an insanely high salary to magically fall on your lap, and; 2. be bitter, angry and have a bad attitude about the whole process. You may not like the way the CF treated you, or your CoC, but the 6 or 9 months you get before your release is the perfect time for you te reevaluate your life and the goals you want to accomplish when you'll ne longer be in the CF.

Just my opinion.

 

[dapaterson]

I just activated my Priority Hiring Entitlement a few months ago and, in my opinion, it's nothing but a blatant stick-and-carrot tactic.  Admittedly, I don't have a tremendous amount of professional experience beyond what I learned in the military.  Yet what I lack for in experience, I more than compensate for with education.  I just completed a Masters degree which entailed a six-month international stint as a Project Coordinator for an NGO---these must count for something.

My experience has been rather pitiful: Numerous HR Officers and Hiring Managers have either not replied at all to my emails (in one case I sent 4 emails and left 4 phone messages, with NO reply at all) or replied initially, then dropped off the radar screen.  Frankly, it baffles me how this process can even possibly be considered remotely transparent or fair and equitable.  I'm disgusted, actually.

I'm well aware that most organizations under the PSA are probably worried about budgets, never mind filling staffing positions, but one has to wonder to what extent former military members are discriminated against--solely on the basis of being a former military member. 

Anyone else currently seeking work under the priority hiring system and facing nothing but rude HROs or outright roadblocks?

Public service HR is screwed up generally - they're not anti-military, just screwed up.

PS hiring processes can take upwards of a year from "position posted" to "position filled" - mine was 16 months.

 

[The Bread Guy]

PS hiring processes can take upwards of a year from "position posted" to "position filled" - mine was 16 months.

dapaterson is bang on - I've been through same in 12 months to the day (deadline for submission to sitting down with manager with offer) for an internal process, and I've heard of worse.

 

[dapaterson]

I should add - I've also had competitions cancelled after 1 or 2 years of waiting - it's fun to try to remember "What was that one again?"

 

[Occam]

And at the other end of the spectrum, I just watched 7 positions get staffed from closing of the competition to Notification of Consideration in 54 days.  However, the hiring practices of the unit in question can be described as "incestuous" as 5 of the 7 hired already work at that unit in one capacity or another as military personnel.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Public service HR is screwed up generally - they're not anti-military, just screwed up.

PS hiring processes can take upwards of a year from "position posted" to "position filled" - mine was 16 months.

Without a doubt one of the most painful parts of being a manager in the PS is staffing. It does not help that the HR staff last about 1-2 months into your competition and you get a revolving door of adviser's and conflicting opinions.

 

[Rifleman62]

It does not help that the HR staff last about 1-2 months into your competition and you get a revolving door of adviser's and conflicting opinions.

Job justification.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

You have to ask yourself if the HR department cannot get competent staff and retain them, getting HR advice from them is like getting sex education from a catholic priest.

Mind you my previous department HR and compensation branch were getting bomb threat and death threats from disgruntled employees. None of us were surprised by the source or the targets. Retracting someone's paycheck just before Christmas without notice to fix your own mistake is just one of the things they would do.

 

[Occam]

Reviving an older thread for a quick question:

What is pensionable service reckoned in?

For example, the formula for the annuity is 2% x years of pensionable service x avg of best five years salary.

If you serve 27 years and six months, does that equate to a 54% pension, or 55% (because of the .5 fraction of a year served)?

In other words, is it reckoned in days or fully completed years?

Thanks.

 

[ModlrMike]

I understand it to be completed years. It was always recommended to me to release/retire near your anniversary date.

 

[Redeye]

Reviving an older thread for a quick question:

What is pensionable service reckoned in?

For example, the formula for the annuity is 2% x years of pensionable service x avg of best five years salary.

If you serve 27 years and six months, does that equate to a 54% pension, or 55% (because of the .5 fraction of a year served)?

In other words, is it reckoned in days or fully completed years?

Thanks.

In days.

 

[Occam]

It would appear that I may have to wait until I hear back from the Pension Inquiries people...  ;D

 

[dapaterson]

A correction to a necro post  I made:  You can accumulate a maximum of 35 years of pensionable service for the Federal Government, regardless of where - so if you get 20 years in the CF, you can only accumulate another 15 in the Public Service.

 

[Occam]

Found the answer on a SCAN seminar PPT presentation (DWAN link only) by Canadian Forces Pension Services, slides 15-17.  Partial years of service count to give you a fractional amount like 310/365, so the service is reckoned in days.

 

[Redeye]

Found the answer on a SCAN seminar PPT presentation (DWAN link only) by Canadian Forces Pension Services, slides 15-17.  Partial years of service count to give you a fractional amount like 310/365, so the service is reckoned in days.

Exactly.  They're usually cryptically put in decimal form on the statements, but that's how it works.  I've got a couple in front of me right now.

 

[Occam]

What statement is that?

 

[Redeye]

What statement is that?

The pension statement - it's a book basically, annuitants get them that specify what benefits they've accrued.