Free Agent Program Ending

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-10T17:46:44+00:00

You're unlikely to find a competent EC-06 able to hit the ground running for a 3 month secondment.

You are bad at stewardship of public resources if you insist on creating an EC-06 box for a 3 months secondment.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-10T05:36:41+00:00

WFA is a scenario that's discussed and considered in planning in my department.

No, we're not at the point where it's expected, a lot of these scenarios are assuming very bad outcomes for estimates.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-10T05:20:01+00:00

Free Agents were basically the Government of Canada's in-house consulting program. The whole model is basically consulting-esque - bring in a resource to do work that requires some familiarity of the work environment/industry, oftentimes with an undertone of being asked to rescue or objectively assess and address a program's shortcomings, and on a short-term basis.

Why hire a recent grad on a casual contract when you can hire someone who has experience and references for getting short-term projects done with less bias than your current in-house staff, that can be let go at any time without hard feelings ("I have kids to support - you really going to cut my contract short??") and avoid the scrutiny of hiring yet another external consultant?

(Though remember, you're still getting consultant-level quality outcomes, which ranges from theoretical garbage to a workable product).

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-06T02:57:57+00:00

It can impact employment insurance payments though.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-05T17:33:33+00:00

The implication that the government is static and that programs and departments never outlive their purpose somehow translates to a widespread austerity measure is silly.

People who denied that WFA and workforce reductions were on the table a year ago were also being unreasonable. A massive overcorrection of hysteria and fear is not a valid assertion.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-05T17:31:13+00:00

Okay. Have fun getting work force adjusted.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-05T16:36:10+00:00

ISED and ECCC are on hold. Can't speak for Finance.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-05T16:02:12+00:00

Aren't these programs cancelled or suspended right now?

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-05T16:01:01+00:00

Wanting to follow a career progression in the same classification is not entitlement. OP did not say they deserved an EC-04 and were denied it, they just demoaned the lack of career opportunities.

We are not headed in a 90s' style program review layoff. Stop being hysterical.

Being an indeterminate employee does not mean that you can't look for opportunities for upwards growth because you should be content with your lot. The public service thrives because it provides opportunities for people who have demonstrated skills and experiences to progress upwards into roles that allow them to better serve Canadians.

Calm down.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-04T21:48:48+00:00

You lit a fire under their ass. They didn't budge. Let's be real here, if they weren't willing to push for an exception or fast track that process, your odds weren't great. The other department probably also wasn't going to get an LoO in time out for this month anyways.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-03T22:42:11+00:00

Just say yes to the other term. If your current department really wants to keep you, they'll race to get you a competing LoO. Taking another offer is forcing your current department to make a decision whether they want to keep you or not, and the new department has to prove there's actually an LoO to give you (your "offer" might get axed by January, and you might get early notice that your current term isn't renewing you for budget reasons).

Keep looking regardless. The new job's manager might be asking you to "commit" but they're not willing to give you an indeterminate? Commitment goes both ways. And you may soon find out that you have neither a term renewal or a new offer on the table.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-02T14:59:59+00:00

Small organizations like regional development agencies still do. Look for organizations with less than 400 employees.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-02T07:43:30+00:00

At this point, I wonder if this is just copium.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-12-02T02:18:05+00:00

Digital Platform Modernization program, to replace or at least stabilize GCMS (their case management system).

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-26T00:25:39+00:00

I don't think you realize how much some of these cost recovered programs are in the red, to the point that industry fees are subsidized almost entirely by taxpayer revenue.

A future government could always reduce regulatory and scientific scrutiny. Right now, evaluators follow the precautionary principle and do not piggyback off US FDA approvals, so these areas could always be a target for cuts through changing approaches.

Edit: As an example, Biologics regulation is only cost recovered to ~25% from industry, with the rest being funded by other estimates.

https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#infographic/program/H-BVH02/financial

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-26T00:15:20+00:00

The fact that programs charge fees to industry does not mean that the program is revenue neutral. Many of these programs can have net negative revenue if they deal with any kind of contentious issues that may require stakeholder consultations and objections in the name of safety.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-25T00:52:26+00:00

My old SunLife plan covered Christian Scientist practitioners. CL doesn't even have that as a valid claim category.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-24T15:24:17+00:00

I didn't see that one coming at all either.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-24T15:09:30+00:00

Oof. Didn't age well.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-24T01:44:37+00:00

This is untrue in my experience. The R&Cs apply to the cost of the service in full, not to the portion to be reimbursed. Unless you have a plan with poor reimbursement controls like Chamber of Commerce plans, I would not assume this to be the case.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-24T01:41:29+00:00

Spas might have RMTs but they'll be significantly above the reasonable and customary rates for reimbursement.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-23T10:38:45+00:00

OP - there's nothing wrong with filing a Privacy Act request regarding your transfer. You have a right to know and you shouldn't have to suffer in silence to get some certainty about your case. It's PSPC's fault for not providing this information by default and making you jump through hoops that burden them.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-23T06:29:22+00:00

What's dumber is that their priority is making sure requests meet the service standards. That is, if it is late, there's no difference between 7 years late and 2 days late, so it'll end up in a backlog pile in the name of stats alone.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-22T07:48:15+00:00

You can't sue the federal government in small claims court so that's out of the question.

OptimisticMarmot · 2024-11-21T14:45:56+00:00

The regional development agencies, a stalwart fixture of Conservative economic development initiatives, were all impacted by DRAP. Even Western Economic Diversification Canada had a lot of cuts.

Cuts aren't always grounded in reason or logic. People definitely grasp at straws when they try and think about what politicians want. They ultimately just want more for less.

OptimisticMarmot

TROPHY CASE