Minister Clarifies Information Regarding Deputy Minister and Equivalent Performance Management Program

The Honourable Jerome Kennedy, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board and Minister Responsible for the Human Resource Secretariat, today clarified information pertaining to the Deputy Minister and Equivalents Performance Management Program. The program, which began in 2009 as a pilot project, has been suspended for 2013-14 and is under review as part of the budget process.

“Yesterday in the House of Assembly, I responded to a question from the Opposition regarding the Deputy Minister and Equivalents incentive program,” said Minister Kennedy. “In the response I incorrectly identified the media outlet that received information on the program as part of an Access to Information request in October 2012. Information was provided to the CBC about the program, including the range of bonus pay, the number of employees who availed of the program in 2010-11 and the average amount paid. Individual amounts were not provided given that the awards are based on personnel evaluations, as per section 30(4)(f) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.”

In response to a follow up request by the CBC earlier this year, further information was provided for the fiscal year 2011-12. A CBC article on March 2 outlined the information provided.

“This week the Opposition requested specific information pertaining to two individuals,” said Minister Kennedy. “While ATIPP protects this information from being disclosed, the two individuals provided their consent and I released the information.”

Eligible participants for the program include all Deputy Ministers as well as anyone appointed with the status of a Deputy Minister. For 2010-11, 29 participants were eligible for non-pensionable performance pay up to 10 per cent of their base salary. The individual amounts paid out ranged from $2,740 to $17,391. The average percentage of the bonuses was 6.21 per cent of base salary and the average amount provided to individuals was $9,175. To date, 26 payments have been authorized under the program for 2011-2012, totalling $226,498.07

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Media contact:
Tansy Mundon
Director of Communications
Department of Finance
709-729-6830; 693-1865
tansymundon@gov.nl.ca 

2013 03 14                             3:15 p.m.