Executive Council
June 7, 2016

Moving Forward on Compensation Disclosure

Provincial Government Announces Plans for Compensation Disclosure Legislation

The Provincial Government announced today that it will introduce legislation requiring proactive disclosure of compensation information for public sector employees. The legislation will be introduced in the fall session of the House of Assembly.

"Today we join British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia in moving to enact legislation requiring proactive disclosure of compensation information."
- The Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement

The legislation would require an annual listing of all employees in departments, agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations with a salary of $100,000 a year or more. The compensation disclosure list will include name, job title, base salary, overtime pay, severance pay and a combined listing of other compensation. It will report on calendar-year earnings and will be published annually on the Open Data webpage at www.open.gov.nl.ca.

"Our government respects the right of citizens to access information on how public funds are used. This includes the disclosure of public sector employee compensation information, which is to be introduced and debated in our legislature."
- The Honourable Cathy Bennett, Minister Responsible for the Human Resource Secretariat

The Provincial Government is committed to Open Government and has reviewed the work completed to date. More work is required to ensure elements are affordable and meet fiscal realities and available resources. Recent initiatives include the creation of the Independent Appointments Commission,an enhanced listing of departmental salary details, release of management pay scales, and the Premier's mandate letters to ministers highlighting government's commitment to openness, transparency and accountability.

QUICK FACTS

• The Provincial Government will introduce legislation this fall requiring proactive disclosure of compensation information for public sector employees.
• The legislation would require an annual listing of all employees in departments, agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations with a salary of $100,000 a year or more. The compensation disclosure list will include name, job title, base salary, overtime pay, severance pay and a combined listing of other compensation.
• The compensation disclosure list will be published on the Open Data webpage at www.open.gov.nl.ca.
• The Provincial Government is committed to Open Government and has reviewed the work completed to date. More work is required to ensure elements are affordable and meet fiscal realities and available resources. Recent initiatives include:
  • The creation of an Independent Appointments Commission, which will take the politics out of government appointments to agencies, boards and commissions;
  • An enhanced listing of departmental salary details;
  • Release of management pay scales; and,
  • The Premier's mandate letters to ministers highlighting government's commitment to openness, transparency and accountability.

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Media contacts:

Kip Bonnell Media Relations Manager Office of Public Engagement 709-729-1221, 687-9081 kbonnell@gov.nl.ca

Jennifer Tulk Director of Communications Department of Finance and Human Resource Secretariat 709-729-6830, 728-4104 jennifertulk@gov.nl.ca

2016 06 07                              9:40 a.m.