CLARENVILLE, N.L. — A former Liberal MHA began work this week in a temporary assignment position for the Department of Transportation and Works in Clarenville.
The Packet has learned Neil King, a former Liberal MHA for the district of Bonavista, defeated in the provincial election in May, started work as a buyer on Dec. 9, filling in for a permanent employee who is on leave for up to 13 weeks.
The news comes on the heels of controversy in the House of Assembly surrounding the hiring of Liberal staffer Carla Foote, who was named marketing director of The Rooms in 2018 by Liberal cabinet minister Christopher Mitchelmore.
Mitchelmore, who was determined to have “grossly mismanaged” his duties over her hiring, was ordered to apologize earlier this month and was suspended for two weeks.
Transportation and Works confirmed King’s recent appointment in an email, saying a competition was held for the permanent position earlier this year, and ended in June 2019. The successful candidate was hired but subsequently went on leave Aug. 27, 2019.
The position was then filled by a temporary assignment, because the department says there was an urgent operational need to fill the role for up to 13 weeks, in accordance with the Public Service Commission’s collective agreement.
The original job posting describes “Buyer II” as a person “responsible (for) technical procurement work involving the receipt and review of requisitions to ensure completeness and accuracy as well as to determine compliance to existing guidelines and procedures; (and) determines if the supplier meets the specifications required for the procurement of goods/services according to the Public Tendering Act.”
Buyer II is a unionized position with Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE).
The department says King met merit criteria for the position, citing completion of business management diploma with a concentration in purchasing — with equivalencies considered; experience with purchasing, including standing offers; and experience with software and systems relevant to procurement.
“Government has a lot of urgent operational demands and will often use temporary assignment employees to fill openings, when necessary,” the department noted in its statement to The Packet.
“One of the responsibilities for the buyer position is purchasing parts required for repairs and operation of snow plows in accordance with the Public Procurement Act. It would therefore be considered a position with an urgent need to be filled. Positions in Transportation and Works regarding winter maintenance operations and traffic control would be also considered urgent, as not filling these positions could impact the safety of motorists.”
The department said all requests for staffing action require approval from the executive and the minister of the department.
“A review is undertaken by the Human Resource Secretariat to confirm the candidate meets the requirement of the position before an employment offer is made.”
The Packet contacted NAPE; however, representatives were unavailable for comment.
Government’s policy statement on staffing positions on a temporary basis reads:
In recognition of short term, unforeseen operational requirements, project-based employment or professional learning opportunities, for periods anticipated to be no longer than 13 weeks for bargaining unit positions and no longer than 12 months for management and non-bargaining unit positions, temporary assignments can be used.
When it is anticipated that the operational requirements will exceed those allowable time periods, the vacancy must be filled through a merit-based process.
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