Item - 2009.AU14.5

The Audit Committee recommends that:

1.         City Council require the City Manager to fully address the recommendations relating to hiring contained in the Bellamy Report.  The Executive Director of Human Resources also be required to ensure that the quality control of hiring files include a monitoring process to address the Bellamy recommendations.

2.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to take steps to implement the action plans related to employment equity contained in the Toronto Public Service People Plan 2008 - 2011.  The action plans to provide specific deliverables as well as a time frame for such deliverables.  Regular progress reports be provided to City Council.  In developing its specific plans, the Executive Director of Human Resources consult with the Toronto Police Services as well as other appropriate employers in order to ensure that its action plans represent best practices.

3.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to ensure the City’s external recruitment strategy includes outreach to diverse community groups.  Evidence of such activities be documented in the files.

4.         City Council request the City Manager, in consultation with the City unions, to give priority to the development of a workplace survey for union staff.  Such a survey be consistent with the non-union workforce survey.  The results of the survey be reported to City Council and be used as a basis for addressing the City’s employment equity hiring goals.

5.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to evaluate the feasibility, benefits and risks of adopting a City-wide Corporate hiring policy.

6.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to direct all staff to complete the appropriate screening documentation for all employee applicants.  All such documentation be retained in hiring files.

7.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to direct all staff involved in the hiring process that documentation relating to conflict of interest declarations be completed and retained.

8.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to direct all staff involved in the hiring process to ensure that there is an adequate level of documentation in all hiring files to support hiring decisions.  Such documentation is critical in any potential hiring dispute.

9.         City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to direct all staff involved in the hiring process to follow and comply with City policies on employment references.

10.       City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to direct all staff to ensure that a fully executed copy of the current employment agreement is obtained and retained in the employee’s Corporate human resources file. 

11.       City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to develop Corporate standards which requires the written evaluation of newly hired non-union City employees during the six-month probationary period.

12.       City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to develop a hiring benchmark to measure the time required to complete the hiring process for non-union employees and monitor the performance of each hiring unit against the established benchmark.  The Division evaluate the current hiring process to determine where “bottlenecks” in the process occur.  Steps be taken to address these areas.

13.       City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to review the current extent and timing of quality reviews of hiring files.  Consideration be given to conducting a certain number of such reviews on current open hiring files.

14.       City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to ensure all current and new divisional hiring supervisors and managers attend the “Basics of Staffing” training course.

15.       City Council request the Executive Director of Human Resources to review acting assignments to ensure such assignments comply with Corporate policy.  The Executive Director of Human Resources review the documentation requirements for acting assignments of non-union employees to ensure Corporate records include written documentation detailing the terms and conditions of acting assignments. 

16.       City Council request the City Manager to forward this report to the City’s Agencies, Boards and Commissions.  Further, the City Manager request that relevant recommendations contained in this report be implemented.

The objectives of this audit were to determine the effectiveness of internal controls over the hiring of non-union employees and to review compliance with relevant legislative requirements.

This review identified a number of areas where there is opportunity for improvement.  For the most part, existing policies and procedures are adequate and in compliance with legislative requirements.  However, in a number of cases they are not being followed.  In circumstances where policies and procedures are not being followed, the risk exists that the City's recruitment objectives may not be achieved.

The implementation of the recommendations in this report will assist the Division in ensuring that the recruitment for non-union employees is transparent, fair and in compliance with legislation, policies and procedures.

Since the City's agencies, boards and commissions conduct their own hiring process, the recommendations contained in this report likely have relevance to each one of those organizations.  It is suggested that this report be forwarded to the agencies, boards and commissions in order to determine the applicability of the recommendations.