Top GNWT Menu

0124 - Staffing Priority on NWTTA Competitions

Search Human Resource Manual

Contents

Introduction

  1. This section provides an overview of the Priority Ranking for NWTTA positions, particularly as it relates to staffing activities

top

Definitions

  1. Affirmative Action Policy is the Cabinet directive that supports the GNWT’s commitment to a competent Public Service that is representative of the population it serves. (See Affirmative Action Policy.)
  2. Deputy Head is the Senior Public Service employee of a Government Department, Board or Agency. For Divisional Education Councils, the Deputy Head is the Director/Superintendent.  For the Tłı̨chǫ Community Services Board, the Deputy Head is the Chief Executive Officer.
  3. Divisional Education Councils (DEC) represent six (6) of the education jurisdictions within the Northwest Territories.
  4. Indigenous Aboriginal Persons means those persons who are descendants of the Dene, Inuit or Metis people, indigenous to the present boundaries of the Northwest Territories and includes any aboriginal persons resident at birth pursuant to Section 23 of the Vital Statistics Act and any Canadian aboriginal persons who have lived more than half of their lives in the Northwest Territories.
  5. Indigenous Non-Aboriginal Persons are non-aboriginal persons born in the Northwest Territories or who have lived more than half their lives in the Northwest Territories.
  6. Lay-Off Teachers means NWTTA Staff Members who have received official lay-off notice and have staffing priority.
  7. Non-NWT Resident Teacher means non-NWT residents eligible to teach in the NWT.
  8. NWT Resident Teacher means NWT residents not currently employed by the GNWT and eligible to teach in the NWT.
  9. Reassignment is a change in assigned duties and responsibilities, possibly including relocation within a school or community. This can occur at any time at the discretion of the Deputy Head or designate.
  10. Resident means those candidates who have lived in the Northwest Territories for one year or more immediately prior to applying on a competition.
  11. Resident Disabled Persons are persons who are living in and have lived in the Northwest Territories for at least one year immediately prior to applying on a competition and who are at a disadvantage because of a medically certified disability where the disability handicaps the person in taking advantage of employment, training and career advancement opportunities. A person without such a disability would not encounter these difficulties.
  12. Selection Committee may include, but is not necessarily restricted to, a
    Division Education Council or school manager, a Human Resources Representative and a representative from the local governing body
    (i.e. District Education Authority).  Where appropriate, a member with technical expertise or community representative may be added to the Selection Committee, either as a full participant or in an advisory capacity with no vote in the final hiring decision.
  13. Teachers on Approved Leave mean those NWTTA Staff Members returning from approved leave under Section 37(3) of the Public Service Act who are entitled to a position upon return.
  14. Transfer is the relocation of an NWTTA staff member to a position in another community within the Board or to a position in another Board.  Employees are eligible to apply for transfer when they have successfully completed their probationary periods.
  15. Transfer Applicants means those NWTTA Staff Members currently employed by the Government as indeterminate employees who are eligible and have submitted their application for transfer or promotion. Transfer applicants must have successfully completed two years of employment with the GNWT and have completed their probationary period.

top

Guidelines

  1. All job advertisements and competition posters shall identify the GNWT as an Affirmative Action employer.
  2. Applicants are responsible for identifying their eligibility for priority consideration when applying for a Government teaching position.
  3. Staffing priority on NWTTA competitions is defined by the GNWT Affirmative Action Policy and the NWTTA Collective Agreement.

Priority for NWTTA shall be granted as follows:

Priority 1: Teachers who have received official lay-off notice;
Priority 2: Indigenous Aboriginal Persons;
Priority 3: Indigenous Non-Aboriginal or Resident Disabled Person;
Priority 4: Indeterminate Teachers eligible for Transfer or Promotion and not included in Priorities 2 & 3;
Priority 5: Term teachers not included in Priorities 2 & 3;
Priority 6: NWT Resident Teachers not employed by the GNWT or included in Priorities 2 & 3;
Priority 7: Teachers who are not residents of the NWT and who are not included in Priorities.
  1. NWTTA Staff Members returning from approved leave are guaranteed a position at the DEC as a legal commitment exists to guarantee them teaching positions upon their return. The DEC may appoint NWTTA Staff Members returning from approved leave directly to a position for which they are deemed qualified. DECs may use their discretion in deciding whether or not to interview NWTTA Staff Members returning from approved leave for specific positions.
  2. Staffing priority will be given to employees on the list of teachers who have received lay-off notice according to their Affirmative Action status, merit, and length of service.
  3. Indigenous aboriginal or indigenous non-aboriginal persons who qualify under the program and are residing outside the NWT are granted staffing priority.
  4. Aboriginal and non-aboriginal people who were living within the current boundaries of the NWT prior to creation of Nunavut on April 1, 1999 retain their affirmative action hiring status.  Individuals who were not living within the current boundaries of the NWT prior to April 1, 1999 are considered residents of another jurisdiction and must have their status assessed.  If they have lived half of their lives or were born within the current boundaries of the NWT, they meet the requirements for priority hiring status.  If they have not lived half their lives or were not born within the current boundaries of the NWT, they cannot claim priority hiring status.
  5. Applicants applying for priority as a disabled person shall provide medical certification of that disability.
  6. The Selection Committee may verify staffing priority by requesting additional proof such as but not limited to a health, treaty, Metis or beneficiary card, or confirmation of length of residency in the NWT.
  7. If the Selection Committee chooses to verify the status of a candidate who does not declare their priority status, they must do so for all such candidates.
  8. Transfer Applicants will NOT be considered for vacancies after May 15 of each year, unless prior approval is granted by the Deputy Head of the potentially affected school board, in order to support efforts of all the boards to finalize their staffing complement for the upcoming school year prior to the end of the current school year. 
  9. Promotion Applicants can be considered for vacancies after May 15 of each year.
  10. Term NWT Resident Teachers who obtained their term position through competition may be appointed to an indeterminate position of a similar nature at their Education Board without competition. Term teachers hired after the start of the current school year cannot be extended if a higher priority applicant exists.

top

Authorities and References

Public Service Act

Affirmative Action Policy

Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association Collective Agreement

top