The fact finding meeting is over; you may never hear about the issue again, or the employer notifies you that they have come to a conclusion and you’re called for a follow up meeting.
During the meeting your supervisor reads out loud and presents a letter of expectation (LOE); welcome to the performance management stream and the right of the employer to reaffirm the roles, responsibilities and accountability of your position within public service in Yukon.
Firstly, a letter of expectation is not discipline. While it may feel like discipline (and trust me I know this feeling, having been through this process), it is not intended to be, nor is it a disciplinary action.
A properly formatted letter of expectation should clearly outline the issues the employer has identified that need to be rectified, the changes they would like to see, the timeline for this change and the support and resources for assisting with process.
What happens after I receive this letter?
This is a shared responsibility; you as a public servant have been advised of your employment expectations and you should seek to meet the mark. It will feel like there is extra scrutiny on you and this is natural and actually accurate, but not in the “I’m gonna get you” way.
After an LOE is delivered the employer is watching you, not to note your failure but to ensure your success. It is incumbent on the employer to assist you in meeting the requirements of your position and the expectations that have been outlined.
YTG (the employer) needs to provide access to support and resources to ensure you are successful. Bear in mind you are a big part of this success and it is incumbent on you to meet the requirements of your job contract with YTG. As the cliché goes it takes two to tango and for the most part you are the lead in the dance.
How long does the LOE stay in my file?
As letters of expectation are not discipline they are not part of your file. When it comes to your “file” you only have one and this is held at the Public Service Commission (you can make an appointment to see your file with PSC if you would like to review your public service employment file).
Your LOE will be held by your supervisor and will not be in your “file” but will be kept for reference for the timeline provided in the letter. An LOE will be deemed complete at your next PPP (Personal Performance Plan) provided the issues have been resolved and have not continued. Now, if the behavior in the letter continues, this can open up the disciplinary stream (which I will cover in another post). But we all know that this won’t be an issue……..right?
A few other details….
Letters of expectation do not always come from fact finding meetings. Employment behaviors can be noted and dealt with outside of fact finding meetings and delivered at the discretion of the employer.
- Union representation is not required at the presentation of an LOE as they are not disciplinary, however, it is recommended by YTG that if it will be of benefit to the employee YEU representation can be in attendance.
- As always, if there are questions or concerns call the YEU office at 667 2331 or call me directly at 334 4331, remembering there is a timeline for issues of approximately 20 days, so call early and get the answers.
Yours in solidarity,
Rob Jones
Past President, YEU Local Y010