Government Temporary Help Services Advisory Committee Meetings - January 17, 2007

• Agenda
• Record Decisions

Agenda

Wednesday, January 17, 2007
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
11A1 Room 101
Gatineau, Québec

1. Approval of Record of Decision
2. Method of Supplier Selection for THS (cont'd)
   1. Discussion of Spreadsheet prepared by PWGSC covering two options: "Compete Standing Offers based on Fixed Rates option" (PWGSC) and "Capped Competitive Pricing option" (Industry)
   2. Computer Demonstration of various pricing scenarios for Supplier Selection.
3. Categories of THS Personnel (cont'd)
   1. Review of Categories of THS vs IT Professional Services
   2. Discussion of "Grey Zones" in Categories
4. Other Items
5. Next Meeting
6. Roundtable and closing remarks.

Record of Decisions

In attendance:

• Steven Turner, Chair (Consultant)
• Captain Crane, DND
• Helen Seto, Health Canada
• André Lamothe, Services Canada
• Hana Benabdallah, PWGSC
• Meredith Egan, ACSESS
• Jeremy Ingle, ACSESS
• Kathryn Tremblay, ACSESS
• David Megson , ACSESS
• Paul Gagnon, Portage Personnel
• Daniel Moorcroft, QMR Staffing Solutions Inc.
• Daniel Moorcroft, QMR Staffing Solutions Inc.
• Pierre Paquette, Secretary (PWGSC)

Item

Item 1 Record of Decision

• The Record of Decision was adopted by the Committee.

Item 2 Method of Supplier Selection for THS

• PWGSC gave a computer demonstration of various pricing scenarios for the Supplier Selection process that was proposed by ACSESS at last week's meeting. Various pricing formulas were discussed at length. Discussions on this issue will continue at the next meeting.
  Action: ACSESS
  • ACSESS will provide PWGSC current market rates covering Administrative Support Categories.
    Action: PWGSC
  • PWGSC will run pricing scenarios for Administrative Support and Professional and Administrative Categories.

Item 3 Categories of THS Personnel

• The Categories of THS personnel were discussed. The Categories needs to be revised to reflect Client Departments / User requirements for THS: As an initial step, the current list of categories will be reviewed and Client Departments / Users of THS consulted before the descriptions are finalized.
  1. ACSESS will provide PWGSC with a proposed list of the Categories for THS personnel.
     Action: ACSESS
  2. PWGSC will consult Client Departments / Users of THS on the proposed list.
     Action: PWGSC

Item 4 Employer/Employee Relationship

• ACSESS provided PWGSC with a copy of the Workforce Transfer Guidelines and a document on Codes of Ethics. The documents will be discussed by the committee at a later date. Attached at Appendix A and B is a copy of the documents for ease of reference.

Item 5 Next Meeting

• The next meeting will be held January 24, 2007 at Place du Portage, 11 Laurier, PDP III, Gatineau, Québec, Tower A, 11A1, Room 101 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The Agenda for the next meeting will be sent to members via e-mail prior to the meeting.

Annex A

Government Temporary Help Services Advisory Committee

ABOUT ACSESS: Code Of Ethics & Standards

As the only association representing the staffing industry in Canada, the Association of Canadian Search, Employment & Staffing Services (ACSESS) provides services to member firms from St. John's to Victoria.

ACSESS was formed in 1998 following the merger of two long established Canadian associations, and today represents over 1000 staffing service offices across Canada. ACSESS members provide placement and executive search services, and temporary and contract staffing to the public sector and virtually every type of business.

ACSESS' mission is to promote the advancement and growth of the employment, recruitment and staffing services industry in Canada.

ACSESS is Canada's only national advocate for ensuring professional ethics, standards and best practices in the recruitment, employment and staffing services industry. With the repeal of Ontario's Employment Agencies Act in March 2001, the staffing industry moved to a self-management model in Ontario, as well as in other parts of Canada. As a result, ACSESS plays a pivotal role as Canada's advocate for promoting and ensuring professional ethics and standards in the employment, recruitment and staffing industry.

ACSESS member companies pledge to uphold the Association's Code of Ethics and Standards. They are committed to an industry which gives clients the ability to respond to business realities and changing technologies; and to give workers - at all levels - an ever-increasing range of employment opportunities.

Code Of Ethics & Standards

As members of the Association of Canadian Search Employment & Staffing services we commit to uphold this Code of Ethics & Standards and to display it prominently in our place of business. We support the principles set forth below and acknowledge that compliance with these principles is in the best interests of ACSESS member companies, their candidates, employees, client organizations, and the reputation of the search, employment and staffing services profession in Canada.

• We will observe the highest principles of integrity, professionalism and fair practice in dealing with clients, candidates, employees and all regulatory authorities; and will respect the confidentiality of records in accordance with law and good business practices.
• We will provide leadership in the adherence to both the spirit and letter of all applicable human rights, employment laws and regulations. We will treat all candidates and employees without prejudice and will not accept an order from any client that is discriminatory in any way.
• We will take all reasonable steps to provide clients with accurate information on each candidate's employment qualifications and experience; and will only present those candidates who have given us authorization to represent their application for employment.
• We will supply candidates and employees with complete and accurate information as provided by the client, regarding terms of employment, job descriptions and workplace conditions.
• We will not recruit, encourage or entice a candidate whom we have previously placed to leave the employ of our client, nor will we encourage or coerce an individual to leave any temporary assignment before the stated completion date.
• We will not restrict the right of a candidate or employee to accept employment of their choice.
• We will not misuse membership privileges for the purpose of recruiting a member¹s staff, or in any way that may otherwise injure our candidates, employees or competitors.
• We will derive income only from clients and make no direct or indirect charges to candidates or employees unless specified by a license.
• We will maintain the highest standards of integrity in all forms of advertising, communications and solicitations; and will conduct our business in a manner designed to enhance the operation, image and reputation of the employment, recruitment and staffing services industry.
• We will recognize and respect the rights and privileges of competitors in the true fashion of individual initiative and free enterprise, and will refrain from engaging in acts of unfair competition.
• We will ensure that our clients, candidates and employees are aware of our duty to abide by this Code of Ethics & Standards and such supporting policies and guidelines as may from time to time be adopted by the Association; and will undertake to bring any potential infringements before the appropriate Association body.

For further information, contact Amanda Curtis, Executive Director, ACSESS, by phone 905-826-6869, toll-free 888-232-4962, or by e-mail at acsess@acsess.org.

Annex B

ACSESS Guidelines for Staffing Services in Canada:
Workforce Transfer Guidelines

Workforce Transfer:

[Definition] The conversion of a temporary worker or independent contractor from one staffing supplier to another at the request of a client company.

This conversion may occur as a result of an RFP process, consolidation of a multiple supplier base, a service satisfaction issue with the current supplier or a client decision to utilize a new staffing service. A workforce transfer is the conversion of any temporary or contract worker at the direction of the client company to the payroll and database of another staffing supplier and may involve one, a few or thousands of workers at the request of the client company.

ACSESS recognizes that all businesses operate in a competitive environment and are driven by the need to meet the demands of clients. Thus it is incumbent upon all businesses to take independent steps to protect their business, and to have agreements in place with their clients. Such agreements for the provision of staffing services should include reference to vendor, client and employee relationships in the event that the agreement is terminated.

Recommended Bidding Practices for ACSESS members:

1. As part of any bidding process, members should outline the "transition period and methodology," of a workforce transfer.
   1. When a bidding company receives notification that they have been declined from further consideration, the declined staffing service should begin negotiations with their client regarding their exit strategy from their agreement/partnership.
   2. Negotiations should commence soon after receiving notification. The transition method should be determined based on potential customer contractual obligations, related to incumbent contracts, time cards, and invoices, or any additional and pertinent issues relevant to the business relationship as it existed between the client and the exiting staffing supplier.
   3. Upon notification of a declined bid or proposal, the declined staffing firm has an obligation to its temporary or contract workers to notify them of the current situation, providing as much information as is available.
   4. The outgoing firm and its employees should, whenever feasible, be given reasonable prior notice that the account is being transferred; assigned employees of the outgoing firm should, whenever feasible, be allowed to continue working on the payroll of the outgoing firm for some reasonable transition period; thereafter, they should be given the choice of accepting an assignment with another customer of the outgoing firm if one is available, or applying to stay on their current assignment with the new staffing firm.
      It is expected that the parties will negotiate reasonably and in good faith.
2. These guidelines are not intended to prohibit or discourage any other provisions or arrangements, agreeable to the parties that achieve an orderly transfer of accounts. ACSESS members are encouraged, whenever feasible, to specifically address the terms and conditions relating to the transfer of accounts in written agreements with their customers.