Canada – Veterans – Declared ‘surplus’ employees

The growing number of federal employees declared surplus as departments digest the Conservatives government’s spending cuts are squeezing out medically discharged veterans who have also been promised a shot at jobs in the public service.

And a Senator who has taken up the cause of veterans believes the only solution is for the government to change the regulations so veterans have the same first dibs as surplus and laid-off employees on vacant jobs in the public service and so they can remain on the priority list longer.

“Veterans face very tough competition now,” says Liberal Sen. Percy Downe. “They should be moved up a tier. And why the magical two-year (limit)? There’s no additional cost to keep them on the list longer than two years. We are dealing with human beings here so we should show compassion and fairness.”

Anne-Marie Robinson, president of the Public Service Commission, told a Senate committee last week that the commission is working with Veterans Affairs to come up with “policy options” to help veterans through the “transition” of the downsizing, including the possibility of extending the two-year limit they can remain on the priority list…

via Veterans getting squeezed out of federal jobs by ‘surplus’ employees.