Updated legislation aims to tackle discrimination in public service: PSC

OTTAWA — Federal government departments and agencies will now have to evaluate whether their hiring practices are discriminatory as changes to the Public Service Employment Act take effect.

Public Service Commission spokeswoman Élodie Roy says the changes will strengthen diversity and inclusion in the federal government workforce.

The changes were among several amendments introduced to the act in budget implementation process in 2021 but these changes did not take effect until this week.

They require the public service to evaluate how staffing methods, such as interviews and written exams, might discriminate against women, or Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ and disabled people.