Public Service Commission

Public Service Commission

The Civil Service Commission was established in 1908 under the Civil Service Amendment Act, which introduced the principle of merit as established by competition. The Civil Service Act of 1962 preserved the independence of the CSC and the Public Service Employment Act of 1967 reaffirmed the merit principle and changed the name of the CSC to Public Service Commission. The PSC is a politically independent agency responsible for the interpretation and application of merit in staffing public service positions and for certain measures having to do with the political neutrality of the public service. The commission reports directly to Parliament annually on its affairs and the administration of the Public Service Employment Act. Although in practice it has relinquished much of its staffing authority to individual departments, it retains its watchdog function, maintaining the adjudication of disputes arising out of the hiring and firing of civil servants. Its objectives are to recruit and promote on the basis of merit; to ensure fairness, equity and transparency in staffing; to provide impartial recourse and review; and to deliver responsive and effective training and development.

See also PUBLIC SERVICE.