Following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), a collaborative approach to reviewing the 27 Science Regulatory (SR) work descriptions/role descriptors will be undertaken and finalized by December 31, 2019.  The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) comprised of both PIPSC and CFIA members has been working diligently to implement the MOA and would like to seek your input and feedback about the important work that you do.  We have agreed to proceed with a questionnaire which will be distributed to selected SR employees meeting predetermined criteria.  
 
This automated questionnaire will be comprised of questions concerning: Knowledge, Communication, Analysis and Problem Solving, Decision Making, Responsibility, Physical Skills, and Physical and Mental Effort and Conditions.  It will provide us with valuable information to help us accurately update the work descriptions/role descriptors where needed and ensure their accuracy.
 
SR Employee Selection:
The questionnaire will be sent to 20% of the SR community representing employees covered by each of the 27 work descriptions that have been in their current position for at least two consecutive years.  Candidates are selected randomly with forced stratification to ensure responses are representative of the CFIA.
 
Questionnaire Distribution:
Selected employees will be sent a standard email requesting that they complete the questionnaire within 8 working days. 
 
Results:
Once completed, the responses will be sent directly to PIPSC, compiled and analyzed.   A copy of the compiled results will be sent to Branch Management Groups that have been convened to review and update job descriptions, as required.
 
Pilot Project:
Before distributing questionnaires to the selected 20% of CFIA SR employees, a pilot questionnaire will take place between August 7 - August 16,, 2019 with certain specified SR 04 and SR 03 employees. This pilot will allow PIPSC and the CFIA to make any adjustments to the questionnaire as may be required to ensure the data collection process is effective and efficient in obtaining the data required for the review of the job descriptions.