Insert the name of your organization here

The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act at

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Today’s Presentation

• Overview of the PSDPA• What is wrongdoing?• Confidentiality• Role of Senior Officer• Role of supervisors• Role of employees• Intended Results• What I’m doing• Awareness activities

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Overview of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act

The purpose of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA) is:• To encourage employees in the public sector to come

forward if they have reason to believe that serious wrongdoing has taken place

• To provide protection to them against reprisal when they do so

It also provides a fair and objective process for those against whom allegations are made

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What is Wrongdoing?

Wrongdoing includes any of the following:• breaking laws or regulations;• misusing public funds or assets;• gross mismanagement;• a serious breach of a code of conduct;• an act or omission that endangers the life, health and safety

of Canadians or the environment; or• directing someone else to do these things.

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Making a Disclosure

If you have questions or concerns, or wish to disclose a possible wrongdoing, you can bring the matter to either:

1. Your immediate supervisor;

2. Your organization Senior Officer for Disclosure, (insert his/her name here);

3. The Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (www.psic-ispc.gc.ca).

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Confidentiality and the Disclosure Process

• Everyone involved in a disclosure and its investigation must make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of information related to the matter.

• This includes refraining from discussing any disclosure or the fact they are involved with it, except when required as part of an investigation.

• All files must be maintained separately, under the control of the Senior Officer for Disclosure

• Information collected in relation to a disclosure cannot be released under either the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

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Role of the Senior Officer

• Review disclosures to determine if there are sufficient grounds to investigate.

• Inform the employee(s) in writing if the Senior Officer will proceed further.

• Ensure that the rights of all those involved are respected during an investigation.

• Review the results of the investigation, prepare recommendations for action and report these directly to the (specify: President, Minister, other…). • Refer cases concerning criminal activity to the

appropriate law enforcement authority.

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Role of Supervisors

As a supervisor, you need to be aware of your roles and responsibilities to:

• Show visible leadership in fostering an ethical culture of right-doing. • Inform employees about the PSDPA, their options for making

disclosures, the protection the PSDPA provides and where to go if they need more information.

• Receive disclosures of wrongdoing from employees. • Protect the identity of those involved in the disclosure process to the

extent possible. • Protect from reprisal the employee who discloses wrongdoing or who

is involved in a disclosure investigation.

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Role of Employees

• Be familiar with the main provisions of the Act – its mechanisms for disclosure, its confidentiality provisions, and its reprisal protection measures.

• Know what constitutes wrongdoing under the Act.

• Understand your choices in making a protected disclosure.

• Know what to do if you believe you are the target of a reprisal.

• Know where to get related information and advice.

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Intended Results

• Enhanced ability for organizations to identify and resolve disclosures and prevent reprisals;

• Employees who feel supported and protected from reprisals when they disclose a wrongdoing;

• Leaders who foster and model ethical leadership and inspire employees to do the right thing;

• A sustained and supported ethical culture in a workplace of choice; and

• Increased public trust and confidence in public sector organizations.

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What I do asyour Senior Officer for Disclosure

• Implementation of disclosure procedures in the organization.

•Awareness-building on the PSDPA and on the process in place in the organization.

• Informing supervisors of their role and responsibilities.

•In this section, insert specifics, e.g. special phone number in place without call display, a filing cabinet, only accessible to me to keep disclosure information locked and separate from other files.

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Informing Employees - Awareness Activities

Activity/Product Timeline

In this section, list the awareness activities you have planned to inform employees.

For example:

•Announcement/article in your internal newsletter

•Presentations to branch management committees / Team meetings

•Brown bag information session

•…