What is the timeline for the job validation review process?

We expect the job validation reviews (JVRs) to begin in late February or early March of 2021. This is subject to change. Classification committees will likely begin their work in late spring or early summer. This process could take several months.

Will I get a retroactive pay increase?

The employer has agreed to backdate the new job descriptions to the introduction of the SR standard job descriptions (2015/2016). If you are in a job that is reclassified upward, you may be eligible for an increase retroactive to the effective date of the new SJD.

What is happening with my outstanding job content or classification grievance?

All grievances are in abeyance (on hold) until the new standardized job descriptions (SJDs) are classified and implemented. If your grievance remains unresolved after the implementation of the new SJDs (such as a remapping grievance), your file will be assigned to a case officer for review.

Why are these standardized job descriptions (SJDs) not classified yet?

Just like you would not shut down a food processing plant before first confirming where the sample came from, the employer needs to confirm that the right people (positions) are mapped to the right SJD. Once they have that information, they can collect contextualizing information (job validations reviews) and determine the classification of the jobs.

What if I have changed positions since 2015?

The mapping information provided in November 2020 is based on your position on that date. If the employer agrees to backdate the standardized job descriptions (SJDs) to 2015, members will need to be provided with information about the mapping of their previous position(s). In most circumstances, there will be no changes to the mapping of your previous position. Once we confirm the date these new SJDs go into effect, we will circulate additional information regarding how to treat your previous positions.

I’m a Senior Inspector, why doesn’t my job description talk about food safety investigations?

The standardized job description (SJD) is just one part of the picture. While the SJD may not use these exact terms, there is no doubt that the language covers it. In the case of the Senior Inspector, this SJD needed to cover SRs working in food safety, manufacturing, import-export, plant protection, aquaculture, etc. To ensure that the language would include all variations of the work without excluding anyone, very generic terms were chosen. We confirmed with the employer that it considered food safety investigations to be included in the existing language. This information, along with the job validation review (JVR) questionnaire, will be used by the classification committee to rate the job.