Management Manuals
Role of Management Manuals
The corporate administrative policies and procedures of the Government of Nova Scotia, as approved by Treasury and Policy Board, are contained in four Management Manuals.
These manuals provide a common standard reference system of corporate policies and procedures, permitting everyone to operate under the same rules. With the consolidation of information in one place, they are crucial to the effective operation of government. Furthermore, the manuals serve as a corporate communication tool and are useful training resources for all employees.
The corporate administrative policies and procedures of the Government of Nova Scotia, as approved by Treasury and Policy Board, are contained in four Management Manuals:
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100 Management Guide
This manual documents the organizational structure of government and the delegation of responsibility to departments. It also outlines the Executive Council decision-making process and the planning, budgeting, and accountability framework. For example, you will find individual department organizational charts in this manual
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200 Budgeting and Financial Management
This manual documents the budgeting and budgetary control processes, as well as accounting policies and procedures applicable across government. For example, you will find financial reporting and accounting policies and accounts receivable management in this manual.
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300 Common Services
This manual documents common operational services provided within government for the benefit of other government entities. For example, you will find information on legal services, communication services, information and records management services, and procurement in this manual.
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500 Human Resources Management
This manual documents the human resources policies and procedures that apply to all employees, except where superseded by collective agreements. For example you will find information on staffing, classification and pay, hours of work, performance management, and leaves and absences in this manual.
Accessing the Manuals
The Management Manuals are living documents; updating, adding, and deleting of policies and procedures is ongoing. Treasury and Policy Board office is responsible for maintaining the currency of the information on the Management Manual website. Employees should check the website regularly to ensure that they are using the current version of a policy/procedure. The master version of each manual is retained at the Treasury and Policy Board Office.
Hyperlinks to the Management Manuals are also located on the government Internet and Intranet home pages. Employees in all departments, offices, Crown corporations, and other government entities are encouraged to access the manuals electronically, as it provides improved functionality over the hard copy and is a cost saving to government.
The website has been designed to assist users in the easy retrieval of relevant information. The Record of Revisions identifies recent changes to the manuals, and you may join a listserv to receive automated notification of revisions. An online order form is available for those requiring a hard copy; there is a charge for the hard copy, which will be billed to your department. Check out our Q&As for information about the manuals and how to use them.
Tip: Your departmental orientation materials contains specific corporate and departmental policies, which relate to your job or your new department.
Tip: Visit the Management Manual 300, Common Services, to learn more about records management, our email usage policy, and guidelines for the use of the internet.
Disclosure of Wrongdoing
The Province of Nova Scotia is committed to providing a process by which all of its employees may disclose information on any wrongdoing without the fear of reprisal.
Wrongdoings include the following:
- breaking the law
- not carrying out official activities in relation to public funds or property
- deliberately mismanaging money or property
- either doing something or failing to do something that creates danger to someone’s health or life
- any kind of action against someone who has reported a wrongdoing
Reprisals include the following:
- demotions
- disciplinary action
- firing
- anything that negatively affects an employee’s work conditions or threats to take any of the above actions
Employees have a number of options open to them when they wish to make a formal disclosure of wrongdoing. This clearly defined process for disclosure will allow for confidentiality, investigation, and recommendations. The policy covers all employees of the Province of Nova Scotia, including adult corrections workers, highway workers, and other direct employees of government, including casual and contract workers. For more information on the reporting processes and options available for making a disclosure of wrongdoing, refer to the Disclosure of Wrongdoing Policy, which can be downloaded from http://www.gov.ns.ca/tpb/manuals/PDF/500/51401.pdf. The Public Service Commission has also developed a web page with Q&As, a link to the policy, relevant forms, and other information.
Tip: The Ombudsman’s Office is responsible for investigating complaints.
