Policy Statement

Overlapping appointments may be approved by the Deputy Minister, subject to budgetary considerations, for up to eight (8) weeks where a position will become vacant due to retirement, resignation, extended leave of absence, extended sick leave or injury on duty leave. The position to which an overlapping appointment is made must require uninterrupted staffing or intensive on-the-job training for the successor. The Deputy Minister may request Treasury Board approval for overlapping appointment periods of more than eight (8) weeks.

Application

This policy applies to all employees. Bargaining unit employees should also consult their respective collective agreement.

Definitions

Responsibility

Department

It is the responsibility of individual departments to:

• identify positions that require uninterrupted staffing or intensive on-the-job training;
• identify financial resources required for the overlapping appointment; and
• develop a learning plan to effectively facilitate the transfer of essential knowledge and skills from the incumbent to the successor.

Employee

It is the duty of an employee to participate in any learning plan designed to effectively transfer essential knowledge and skills from an incumbent to a successor.

General Rules

All recruitments into overlapping appointments shall be subject to a job competition based on merit.

Approval of overlapping appointments by a Deputy Minister or by Treasury Board shall be subject to the availability of funds in the department’s budget.

Overlapping appointment requests to Treasury Board shall contain detailed reasons for the appointment and indicate the required duration of the appointment.

The duration of an overlapping appointment will count toward completion of any probationary period for the successor and toward the accumulation of service for both the incumbent and the successor.

Where the incumbent filling a permanent position is on extended sick leave, annual or injury-on-duty leave prior to being placed on pension, the Deputy Minister may request approval from Treasury Board to fill the position on a permanent basis provided that the position requires uninterrupted staffing and that there is medical certification and other required documentation that the incumbent cannot return to the permanent position.

Last Update: March 12, 2007
Reference: TBM 2007-096