To: All OPSEU Bargaining Unit Staff
From: Joint Steering Committee (JSC)
Date: December 15, 2016
Re: Job Evaluation and Pay Equity process update:
Collecting Job information
The Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ)
Accurate, complete and up-to-date information is a fundamental piece of job evaluation. Although the duties and responsibilities for your job are outlined in a job description, we cannot rely solely on this document for the purposes of job evaluation as it does not provide all of the information needed to evaluate and compare jobs. Therefore, the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) has developed a Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ) to collect detailed job data for job evaluation purposes. For example, we need specific examples of the judgement skills or the physical demands that are typical of the work you do in order to understand your job.
Who will complete the JIQ?
There are approximately 350 employees within the OPSEU bargaining unit at CMHA WW. Requiring every incumbent to submit a Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ) is not an efficient process, particularly since many employees are part of a multi-incumbent group; that is, they do the same job as one or more other employees. Therefore, the JSC looked at the logistics of administering the Questionnaire and managing the job information after it has been collected, and created the plan which is outlined in this memo. In total, we expect to collect job information for approximately 70 positions, spread throughout the various CMHA WW locations. Attached with this memo is a list of the jobs that the Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) will be evaluating. Please review the list to see where your position is incorporated. The following is an outline of the more specific process for the unique employee situations:
Group #1 Sole incumbent: If you are the only
employee in the job, please attend one of
the orientation sessions listed below and
complete the JIQ as per the instructions.
Group #2 Multi-incumbent (2-15 employees): If
you are in a position that has between 2–15
employees in the job, please be in touch
with the other employee(s) in your job and
together, decide how you will complete the
questionnaire. Also, please attend one of
the orientation sessions listed below.
Group #3 Multi-incumbent (over 15 employees): If
you are in a position that has over 15
employees or is very geographically dispersed
within the job (i.e. Site Support Specialist,
Service Coordinator, Mental Health Clinician,
Support Coordinator or RN/Nurse Case
Manager/Nurse Clinician) you will be receiving
a separate communication to more fully
explain the process for the completion of the
questionnaire. Separate orientation sessions
other than the ones outlined below will be
scheduled for your groups by service, shift, or
site and will involve face to face meetings and
OTN/teleconferencing.
What is the role of the Team Lead/Manager in this process?
The Team Lead/Manager will assist with facilitating the logistics of filling out the questionnaire; this may include facilitating a date/time/location.
The Team Lead/Manager will review the completed JIQ, add comments, and sign the document. The Team Lead/Manager shall not delete/alter/change any employee comments.
When will the process begin?
Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ) orientation sessions for Group #1 and #2 will be held on the following dates, times, and locations throughout our CMHA WW geography:
If you are not able to attend one of the above noted sessions in person, arrangements will be made to have OTN made available so that you can attend and participate from your location. However, if you are not able to attend one of the above noted sessions or through OTN, the orientation presentation will be made available on the Orchard for your review.
At the sessions noted above, members of the JSC will present general information about the job evaluation process, guide employees through the JIQ, and answer questions regarding its completion. The sessions will be approximately four hours which is broken down into approximately one hour of orientation and the remaining time can be utilized as the time necessary for employees who are completing the questionnaire to do so then.
The following process will take place, based on the three employee groups outlined above:
Group #1: Sole incumbents
Group #2: Multi-incumbents group (2-15 employees)
Group #3: Multi-incumbents group (over 15 employees)
Please note that if you are unable to attend the orientation session or meet with your incumbent group you will have the opportunity to review and provide written input to a completed questionnaire electronically (details to follow).
Please note that you may find it helpful when completing the JIQ to review your job description. Job descriptions will be available on the Orchard for review. Some job descriptions may be in draft as the HR department has been working on updating and formatting all job descriptions, however, that will be noted as such.
What happens next?
Once all the job information has been collected, members of the JJEC will begin reviewing the data and evaluating the jobs within the OPSEU bargaining unit. The job evaluation process will establish the relative value of the female and male job classes and rates of pay will then be examined. In the end, CMHA WW will post a Pay Equity Plan, which will identify any monetary adjustments required in order to achieve pay equity.
We will advise members as we progress through the major project milestones. These updates will come in the form of memos and will be maintained on the Orchard and Workplace Bulletin Boards. Employees will be notified on updates as they are posted.
From: Joint Steering Committee (JSC)
Date: December 15, 2016
Re: Job Evaluation and Pay Equity process update:
Collecting Job information
The Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ)
Accurate, complete and up-to-date information is a fundamental piece of job evaluation. Although the duties and responsibilities for your job are outlined in a job description, we cannot rely solely on this document for the purposes of job evaluation as it does not provide all of the information needed to evaluate and compare jobs. Therefore, the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) has developed a Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ) to collect detailed job data for job evaluation purposes. For example, we need specific examples of the judgement skills or the physical demands that are typical of the work you do in order to understand your job.
Who will complete the JIQ?
There are approximately 350 employees within the OPSEU bargaining unit at CMHA WW. Requiring every incumbent to submit a Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ) is not an efficient process, particularly since many employees are part of a multi-incumbent group; that is, they do the same job as one or more other employees. Therefore, the JSC looked at the logistics of administering the Questionnaire and managing the job information after it has been collected, and created the plan which is outlined in this memo. In total, we expect to collect job information for approximately 70 positions, spread throughout the various CMHA WW locations. Attached with this memo is a list of the jobs that the Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) will be evaluating. Please review the list to see where your position is incorporated. The following is an outline of the more specific process for the unique employee situations:
Group #1 Sole incumbent: If you are the only
employee in the job, please attend one of
the orientation sessions listed below and
complete the JIQ as per the instructions.
Group #2 Multi-incumbent (2-15 employees): If
you are in a position that has between 2–15
employees in the job, please be in touch
with the other employee(s) in your job and
together, decide how you will complete the
questionnaire. Also, please attend one of
the orientation sessions listed below.
Group #3 Multi-incumbent (over 15 employees): If
you are in a position that has over 15
employees or is very geographically dispersed
within the job (i.e. Site Support Specialist,
Service Coordinator, Mental Health Clinician,
Support Coordinator or RN/Nurse Case
Manager/Nurse Clinician) you will be receiving
a separate communication to more fully
explain the process for the completion of the
questionnaire. Separate orientation sessions
other than the ones outlined below will be
scheduled for your groups by service, shift, or
site and will involve face to face meetings and
OTN/teleconferencing.
What is the role of the Team Lead/Manager in this process?
The Team Lead/Manager will assist with facilitating the logistics of filling out the questionnaire; this may include facilitating a date/time/location.
The Team Lead/Manager will review the completed JIQ, add comments, and sign the document. The Team Lead/Manager shall not delete/alter/change any employee comments.
When will the process begin?
Job Information Questionnaire (JIQ) orientation sessions for Group #1 and #2 will be held on the following dates, times, and locations throughout our CMHA WW geography:
- December 20th, 9am– 1pm
234 St. Patrick St. E., Fergus (OTN Meeting Rm) - December 21st, 1– 5pm
1 Blue Springs Dr., Waterloo (Boardroom) - December 22nd, 1:30 – 5pm
80 Waterloo Ave., Guelph (G02/G04)
If you are not able to attend one of the above noted sessions in person, arrangements will be made to have OTN made available so that you can attend and participate from your location. However, if you are not able to attend one of the above noted sessions or through OTN, the orientation presentation will be made available on the Orchard for your review.
At the sessions noted above, members of the JSC will present general information about the job evaluation process, guide employees through the JIQ, and answer questions regarding its completion. The sessions will be approximately four hours which is broken down into approximately one hour of orientation and the remaining time can be utilized as the time necessary for employees who are completing the questionnaire to do so then.
The following process will take place, based on the three employee groups outlined above:
Group #1: Sole incumbents
- Employees will complete the questionnaire either during the orientation session outlined above, or at another time convenient for them during working hours. The questionnaire takes approximately two hours to complete. Please email the completed questionnaire to your Team Lead/Manager by: January 4th
- Team Leads/Managers are asked to email reviewed
and signed questionnaires to Jeffrey Breau and Ruth Linnen by: January 9th
Group #2: Multi-incumbents group (2-15 employees)
- These groups will complete one questionnaire together either during the orientation session outlined above, or at another time convenient for them during working hours. The questionnaire takes approximately two hours to complete and additional paid work time will be provided to ensure all incumbents have an opportunity to review and provide written input to a completed questionnaire. Please email the completed questionnaire to your Team Lead/Manager by: January 11th
- Team Leads/Managers are asked to email reviewed and signed questionnaires to Jeffrey Breau and Ruth Linnen by: January 16th
Group #3: Multi-incumbents group (over 15 employees)
- As outlined above, you will be receiving a separate communication over the next few days to more fully explain the process for the completion of the questionnaire. Please email the completed questionnaire to your Team Lead/Manager by: January 11th
- Team Leads/Managers are asked to email reviewed and signed questionnaires to Jeffrey Breau and Ruth Linnen by: January 16th
Please note that if you are unable to attend the orientation session or meet with your incumbent group you will have the opportunity to review and provide written input to a completed questionnaire electronically (details to follow).
Please note that you may find it helpful when completing the JIQ to review your job description. Job descriptions will be available on the Orchard for review. Some job descriptions may be in draft as the HR department has been working on updating and formatting all job descriptions, however, that will be noted as such.
What happens next?
Once all the job information has been collected, members of the JJEC will begin reviewing the data and evaluating the jobs within the OPSEU bargaining unit. The job evaluation process will establish the relative value of the female and male job classes and rates of pay will then be examined. In the end, CMHA WW will post a Pay Equity Plan, which will identify any monetary adjustments required in order to achieve pay equity.
We will advise members as we progress through the major project milestones. These updates will come in the form of memos and will be maintained on the Orchard and Workplace Bulletin Boards. Employees will be notified on updates as they are posted.

List of Jobs the JJEC will be Evaluating |