Source: https://www.leg.bc.ca/content/legacy/web/37th4th/1st_read/gov71-1.htm
Timestamp: 2018-01-17 15:01:35
Document Index: 3515863

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 2', 'art 4']

BILL 71 -- 2003: PUBLIC SERVICE AMENDMENT ACT, 2003
BILL 71 -- 2003
1 Section 1 of the Public Service Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 385, is amended
(a) by repealing the definition of "appeal board",
(b) by repealing the definitions of "commission" and "commissioner" and substituting the following:
"agency head" means the head of the agency appointed under section 5 (2); , and
(c) in the definition of "merit commissioner" by striking out "the commissioner" and substituting "the agency head".
2 Sections 4 (2) and (3), 6 (a) and 24 are amended by striking out "commission" and substituting "agency".
Part 2 -- BC Public Service Agency .
(a) in subsection (1) by adding "as the BC Public Service Agency" before "under the administration of the minister.",
(b) in subsection (2) by striking out "the commissioner" and substituting "the agency head" and by striking out "the commission" and substituting "the agency", and
(c)	by repealing subsection (2.3).
5 Sections 5 (3) and (4), 8 (4), 10 (b) (iii) and 22 (1) and (2) are amended by striking out "commissioner" and substituting "agency head".
6 Section 5.1 is amended by adding the following subsection:
(3)	If the merit commissioner is absent or unable to act, another official authorized by the merit commissioner has the powers and must perform the functions and duties of the merit commissioner under this Act.
7 Section 6 is amended by striking out "the commissioner" and substituting "the agency head".
8 Section 7 is amended by striking out "as commissioner and merit commissioner, the commissioner" and substituting "as agency head and merit commissioner, the agency head".
9 Section 9 (3) is amended by striking out "commissioner" in both places and substituting "agency head".
10 Section 11 is repealed.
11 Part 4 is repealed and the following substituted:
Part 4 -- Review of Staffing Decisions
16	In this Part, "deputy minister" means,
(a)	with respect to a position in a ministry, the deputy minister of that ministry, and
(b)	with respect to a position with a board, commission, agency or organization, the person having overall responsibility for the board, commission, agency or organization.
17	(1)	An employee who is an unsuccessful applicant for an appointment to the public service may, within the prescribed time, request from the individual responsible for the appointment an explanation of the reasons why he or she was not appointed.
(2)	The responsible individual must provide an explanation as soon as practicable after receiving a request under subsection (1).
18	(1)	An employee who has made a request under section 17 may request an inquiry into the application of section 8 (1) with respect to the appointment.
(2)	A request under subsection (1) must be made within the prescribed period to the deputy minister responsible for the position and must include a detailed statement specifying the grounds on which the request is made.
19	(1)	An employee who is an unsuccessful applicant for an appointment to a position in a bargaining unit under the Public Service Labour Relations Act who has made a request under section 18 and disagrees with the decision of the deputy minister or designate under that section may request a review of the appointment by the merit commissioner on the ground that section 8 (1) has not been complied with.
(2)	A request under subsection (1) must be made in writing within the prescribed period to the merit commissioner and may only be based upon the grounds submitted to the deputy minister under section 18 (2).
(3)	Subject to the regulations, the merit commissioner must establish the procedure for the expeditious consideration of requests for reviews under subsection (1).
(4)	If an applicant requests a review under subsection (1), the merit commissioner must, before undertaking the review, inform the deputy minister of the review.
(5)	The merit commissioner may summarily dismiss a request for a review under subsection (1) if
(b)	the merit commissioner considers that the request for review is frivolous, vexatious or trivial or is not made in good faith,
(c)	the request for review does not contain sufficient information to determine whether section 8 (1) has been complied with, or
(d)	the grounds, even if proven, are not sufficient to establish that section 8 (1) has not been complied with.
(6)	After conducting a review, the merit commissioner may
(a)	dismiss the review, or
(b)	direct that the appointment or the proposed appointment be reconsidered.
(7)	This section does not apply with respect to an appointment to the public service that is referred to in section 10.
20	For the purpose of a review under section 19, the merit commissioner has the protection, privileges and powers of a commissioner under sections 12, 15 and 16 of the Inquiry Act.
20.1	A decision of the merit commissioner under section 19 is final and binding.
12 Section 25 (4) and (5) is repealed and the following substituted:
(4)	The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations respecting inquiries and reviews under Part 4 including regulations respecting the manner of applying for an inquiry under section 18 or a review under section 19 and the time limits for those applications.
13 The Supplement to the Public Service Act is repealed.
Transitional -- former proceedings
14 Part 4 of the Public Service Act, as it read immediately before section 11 of this Act came into force, continues to apply with respect to appeals of appointments to positions that were posted on or before the date section 11 of this Act came into force.
15 Section 8 (4) of the Agricultural Land Commission Act, S.B.C. 2002, c. 36, is amended by striking out "commissioner" and substituting "agency head".
16 Section 8 (4) (b) of the Auditor General Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 23, is amended by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission," and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency,".
17 Section 4.1 (1) of the Crown Counsel Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 87, is amended in the definition of "employer" by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission." and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency."
18 Section 13 (2) of the Election Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 106, is amended by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission," and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency,".
19 Section 41 (4) (b) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 165, is amended by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission" and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency".
20 Schedule 2 is amended by striking out the following:
Public Body: Public Service Appeal Board
21 Section 6 (5) of the Industry Training and Apprenticeship Act, S.B.C. 1997, c. 50, is amended by striking out "commissioner" and substituting "agency head".
22 Section 12 (2) of the Oil and Gas Commission Act, S.B.C. 1998, c. 39, is amended by striking out "commissioner under that Act" and substituting "agency head under that Act".
23 Section 8 (3) (b) of the Ombudsman Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 340, is amended by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission" and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency".
24 Section 51 (7) (b) of the Police Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 367, is amended by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission." and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency."
25 Section 3 (2) (c) of the Public Sector Employers Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 384, is repealed and the following substituted:
(c) the agency head appointed under the Public Service Act; .
26 The Schedule is amended by striking out "Public Service Appeal Board".
27 Section 1 (1) of the Public Service Labour Relations Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 388, is amended in the definition of "division" by striking out "the Public Service Employee Relations Commission established" and substituting "the BC Public Service Agency continued".
28 Section 3 is amended by striking out "The Public Service Employee Relations Commission" and substituting "The BC Public Service Agency".
SECTION 1: [Public Service Act, amends section 1] changes definitions to reflect the changes made by this Bill.
SECTION 2: [Public Service Act, amends sections 4, 6 and 24] reflects replacement of the Public Service Employee Relations Commission by the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 3: [Public Service Act, re-enacts heading to Part 2] is self explanatory.
SECTIONS 4 AND 5: [Public Service Act, amends sections 5, 8, 10 and 22] establish and reflect the establishment of the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 6: [Public Service Act, adds section 5.1 (3)] provides for acting merit commissioner.
SECTION 7: [Public Service Act, amends section 6] reflects replacement of the commissioner by the agency head.
SECTIONS 8 AND 9: [Public Service Act, amends sections 7 and 9] reflect replacement of the commissioner by the agency head.
SECTION 10: [Public Service Act, repeals section 11] removes a provision made redundant by the new section 17 of the Act enacted by this Bill.
SECTION 11: [Public Service Act, re-enacts Part 4]
eliminates the Public Service Appeal Board;
provides for deputy ministers to conduct enquiries into staffing decisions;
provides for the merit commissioner to conduct reviews of staffing decisions;
provides the merit commissioner with Inquiry Act powers.
SECTION 12: [Public Service Act, repeals and replaces section 25 (4) and repeals subsection (5)] is self explanatory.
SECTION 13: [Public Service Act, repeals the Supplement] repeals a not in force amendment to the Act.
SECTION 14: [Transitional -- former proceedings] continues the appeal provisions for positions that are posted before section 11 of this Bill comes into force.
SECTION 15: [Agricultural Land Commission Act, amends section 8 (4)] reflects replacement of the commissioner by the agency head.
SECTION 16: [Auditor General Act, amends section 8 (4) (b)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 17: [Crown Counsel Act, amends section 4.1 (1)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission in the definition of "employer" with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 18: [Election Act, amends section 13 (2)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 19: [Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, amends section 41 (4) (b)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 20: [Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, amends Schedule 2] is consequential to the removal of the Public Service Appeal Board.
SECTION 21: [Industry Training and Apprenticeship Act, amends section 6 (5)] reflects replacement of the commissioner by the agency head.
SECTION 22: [Oil and Gas Commission Act, amends section 12 (2)] reflects replacement of the commissioner by the agency head.
SECTION 23: [Ombudsman Act, amends section 8 (3) (b)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 24: [Police Act, amends section 51 (7) (b)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 25: [Public Service Act, repeals and replaces section 3 (2) (c)] reflects replacement of the commissioner by the agency head.
SECTION 26: [Public Sector Employers Act, amends the Schedule] is consequential to the removal of the Public Service Appeal Board.
SECTION 27: [Public Service Labour Relations Act, amends section 1 (1)] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission in the definition of "division" with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.
SECTION 28: [Public Service Labour Relations Act, amends section 3] replaces the reference to the Public Service Employee Relations Commission with a reference to the BC Public Service Agency.