If asked to do so, the recourse officer may give a verbal opinion on the merits of the arguments advanced by the parties. This opinion will not in any way bind the Appeal Board who will hear the appeal if the appeal proceeds to a hearing. Successful candidates in a staffing action will not generally be invited to participate in an EI meeting, since their rights are fully protected in the appeal process at the stage of the appeal hearing. At the end of the EI meeting, the parties may be asked by the Recourse Branch to provide their feedback on the meeting. Such feedback will be used by the Recourse Branch to evaluate the future use of EI meetings for appeals under section 21 of the PSEA .
Mediation is a joint process to resolve workplace disputes.
It is voluntary. The mediator encourages each party to consider carefully the interests of the other party. He or she assists the parties in reaching an agreement by helping them to identify the issues, to explore and collaborate on possible bases for agreement, and to recognize the likely consequences of not settling the dispute through mediation. The parties alone decide whether to settle and on what terms. The mediator never imposes a decision.