New Employee Guide

Return your signed letter of offer to your manager along with the completed forms below within the timeframe stated on your Letter of Offer:

• Employee Questionnaire PDF
• Federal Tax Form
• Provincial Tax Form
• Direct Deposit Form PDF
• Conflict of Interest Declaration Form PDF

Familiarize yourself with the Portal for New Employees and Students as well as the Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Canadian Coast Guard websites, preferably before your start date.

Discuss with your manager about working from home, including work arrangements (e.g. hours, equipment and programs, etc.).

Discuss any accommodation needs with your manager.

Your manager will fill out an identification and access control card application form for your access to the work building. When you will integrate the workplace, a Security Officer will be ready to issue a building pass.

Take note of your peer partner’s contact information, if you were assigned one.

As you will likely not receive a work cell phone immediately, discuss with your manager alternatives such as using your personal home phone, cell phone, Microsoft Teams, Messenger, and others.

Discuss with your manager a preferred communication method for your first day at work. Take note of the start time and contact information.

Your manager will initiate first contact through the preferred communication method agreed previously (item 1.6).

You should receive an email from the Region’s Onboarding Leads, providing details on the delivery of virtual Onboarding sessions. If you haven’t received it, follow-up with your manager and plan to attend.

For first-time government employees, ensure that your manager briefs you on your new security roles and responsibilities, and that you both sign the Security Screening Certificate and Briefing Form. Return a copy of the form to the relevant Regional Security Office.

For first-time government employees, complete the Oath or Solemn Affirmation form along with your manager who should send it to you.

Discuss your functions with your manager as well as a work plan. Your manager will review your team’s organizational chart and business objectives, as well as DFO’s mandate, roles, values and key policies.

Most of this information can be found on the DFO Internet site.

Regularly visit the extranet site and familiarize yourself with the contents.

Check in with your manager with real time communication (chats, instant messages, telephone calls, etc.).

Ask your peer partner, manager or administrative staff which work-related accounts are needed for your position (email subscriptions, etc.).

To find out more about mandatory training, please consult the following web page: Mandatory Training | Intranet – People and Culture (HR) (dfo-mpo.ca)

All Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) training is offered at no cost to the learners and is available in both official languages.

To obtain a complete description of the courses/programs offered by the CSPS, log into the CSPS Learning Platform and enter the course code or title of the course in the search bar.

Please update your CSPS learning profile, including your current department and role, in order to be informed of learning opportunities. Please note: This is also of importance if you are joining DFO from another department or agency.

Familiarize yourself with the DFO’s Values and Ethics Code.

Where applicable, familiarize yourself with the collective agreement (outlined in your letter of offer) that applies to your group and level, as well as your Union (your manager will provide you with information).

Familiarize yourself with the Employee Assistance Program (telephone: 1-800-268-7708) (your manager will send you a PDF pamphlet).

As you don’t have access to MyGCHR, discuss with your manager alternative arrangements for tracking work hours and leave (e.g. in an Excel spreadsheet). Then, discuss and fill out any alternative work arrangements forms (e.g. compressed work week, etc.), if applicable.

Learn about pay-related support, e.g. Pay Support on GCpedia, Pay Action Request (PAR) form, Quick Reference Guide (your manager will send them to you in PDF format) and, for any issues, communicate with mypay-mapaye@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

If you don’t have access to MyGCHR, fill out the Employment Equity (EE) Employee Self-Identification Form (your manager will send it to you in PDF format) and send it to the EE generic mailbox: HREE-EERH@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Should you have access to MyGCHR, you will be asked to fill out your EE questions upon first login.

Your manager will establish work objectives as well as a learning and development plan. They will discuss the performance management process, including a probationary period if you are appointed from outside the public service, and will provide you with a link to the Public Service Performance Management Application (PSPM App) (once you have access to the network).

Establish a travel profile and obtain a travel card, should you be required to travel. Your administrative staff or peer partner can assist you.

Discuss with your manager about participating in team projects and meetings and discuss your workload for the first month.

Your manager will fill out an application for an identity card and access control for your access to the work building. When you enter the workplace, a Safety Officer will be ready to issue a pass.

The Department’s extranet site provides practical tips for ergonomics at home. Visit the section about Mental Health for more tips on self-care and wellbeing.

Ensure you have been paid correctly and follow up with your manager or peer partner for any human resources or compensation questions you may still have.

Complete mandatory training.

Ask for preliminary feedback from your manager and follow up on work tools (laptop, cell phone, access to the network).

If you are eligible (an indeterminate employee, or have been appointed for more than 6 months, exceptions apply) you are eligible for the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) and the Public Service Dental Care Plan (PSDCP). The PSHCP requires positive enrollment, and you must fill out the application form. The PSDCP will start after 3 months of continuous employment.

Take advantage of all virtual learning opportunities. Check if new opportunities have been advertised in the weekly edition of In the Loop and/or ECHO or the “Your Professional Network” newsletter (to subscribe, send an email to YPN-VRP.XNCR@dfo-mpo.gc.ca), and take a look at the Canada School of Public Service website.

Regularly revisit your work objectives with your manager for feedback on your performance and clarify any concerns you may have with your role in your team.

Discuss professional development, career progression and networking opportunities.

Share any observations and suggestions for improvement you may have.

Sign up for a myKEY account. This gives you access to systems like Phoenix (pay system), the PSPM App (public service performance management), MyGCHR (human resources management system) as well as secure emails.

Regardless of tenure or length of work term, you should register in MyGCHR upon being hired. For assistance with your account, password, user profile, or other application-specific issues in MyGCHR, contact the HRMS team for assistance.

Familiarize yourself with the popular “Quick Links” on the intranet:

• National intranet site
• DFO Forms
• Human Resources Self-Service (MyGCHR)
• IT Self-Service (Service Desk)
• Human Resources
• DFO Library and Research Services Portal
• GCTools
• Language Tools
• Employee Services and Tools

A reminder that documents related to pay support are available on your desktop (e.g. Pay Support on GCpedia, Pay Action Request (PAR) form, Quick Reference Guide) and, for any issues with your pay, to communicate with mypay-mapaye@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

Familiarize yourself with the departmental Corporate Security website.

Plan on a time and place to meet your manager on your first day, as you will not have access to the building.

Bring an official photo identification document with you (e.g. drivers license, passport, medical insurance card, etc.).

Your manager will help you obtain your photo identification card and building access pass.

You will be introduced to your team, workplace/office, be given a general tour of your work area (e.g. washrooms, kitchen, first-aid kit, etc.) and be provided with basic safety and security information (e.g. escape routes, fire exits).

Your manager will provide you with the mailing address of the building, including internal and external mailing and courier procedures.

When work permits, discuss possible telework arrangements with your manager.