The GNWT is committed to providing services in the 11 Official Languages of the Northwest Territories which include Chipewyan, Cree, English, French, Gwich’in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey and Tłįchǫ.

Employees who occasionally use more than one official language during their regular workday may apply for the bilingual bonus under Bilingual Preferred Status.

ACTION

1. Employees applying for bilingual bonus need to consult with their supervisor and seek approval from their Deputy Head. The Official Languages Coordinator of the Department should also be consulted and notified of the application.
2. Employees need to complete the Bilingual Preferred Status Form have it signed by their supervisor and Deputy Head and return it to the Advisor, Human Resources and French Language Services of the Department of Finance via the Client Service Manager for their Department.
3. Language skills of employees applying for bilingual bonus for French will be formally assessed through a language proficiency test designed specifically for the GNWT.
4. The Department of Finance will communicate the results of the language proficiency test to the employee and their supervisor.
5. If the employee meets the minimum proficiency levels for the bilingual preferred status, the Department of Finance will prepare a letter to notify the employee that their bilingual bonus application has been formally approved and will activate the bonus in the pay system.
6. The Department of Finance will prepare the notification letter to employees applying for bilingual bonus for an Indigenous language once the form is submitted to them and activate the bonus in the pay system.

Resources

HR Manual

Employee Services  - Bilingual Designation Policy FAQ