Review Process

The majority of publicjobs Recruitment Campaigns are carried out under the CPSA Code of Practice. The Code of Practice sets out guidelines and standards for all those carrying out internal and external recruitment in the public service.

If you are looking for feedback on a decision reached in relation to your candidature, you should obtain this feedback from the relevant recruitment unit.

Where a candidate may not be satisfied with an action or decision taken by the office holder, they may request a review of the decision under Section 7 of the Commission for Public Service Appointments’ Code of Practice. Where a candidate may believe that there has been a breach of the Code of Practice, they may make a complaint under Section 8 of the Code. We will try to address your request through an informal process before making use of formal review procedures.

Further specific information regarding the relevant review and appeal procedures will be found in the Candidate Information Booklet supplied at the outset of each recruitment campaign. Detailed information can be found on the CPSA website.

Review Process (for competitions advertised from 12th November 2021)

Informal Reviews

Candidates should email the relevant recruitment unit for an informal review. On the front cover of the Candidate Information Booklet you will find the contact details for the Recruitment Unit. Requests for informal reviews should be submitted within 5 working days of notification of the decision. Where a candidate remains dissatisfied following any such informal discussion, he/she may adopt the formal procedures set out below. If the candidate wishes the matter to be dealt with by way of a formal review, he/she must do so within five working days of the receiving notification of either the original decision or the notification of the outcome of their informal complaint.

Formal Reviews

A candidate looking for a formal review of a decision under Section 7 of the Code should contact the CEO’s Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., outlining the facts that they believe show an action taken or decision reached was wrong. A request for a formal review must be made within five working days of the candidate receiving notification of either the original decision or the decision on their informal complaint.

Complaints Process

A candidate may believe there was a breach of the Commission’s Code of Practice by publicjobs that may have compromised the integrity of the decision reached in the appointment process. The complaints process enables candidates (or potential candidates) to make a complaint under Section 8 to the CEO of publicjobs in the first instance, and to the Commission for publicjobs subsequently on appeal if they remain dissatisfied.

Allegations of a breach of the Code of Practice should be addressed in writing to the Chief Executive Officer in the first instance within five working days of the candidate receiving notification of either the original decision or the decision on their informal complaint. The complainant must outline the facts that they believe show that the process followed was wrong. The complainant must also identify the aspect of the Code they believe has been infringed and enclose any relevant documentation that may support the allegation. A complaint may be dismissed if the complainant cannot support their allegations by setting out how publicjobs has fallen short of the principles of this Code.

If a candidate remains dissatisfied following the outcome of the formal complaint process, they may appeal the matter to the CPSA directly. Such an appeal must be made to the CPSA directly, within 10 working days of receiving the outcome of the complaint.

Where a review of a recruitment and selection process has taken place under Section 7 of the Code of Practice, a candidate may not seek a further review of the same process under Section 8, other than in the most exceptional circumstances that will be determined by the CPSA at its sole discretion.

Candidate Obligations

Candidates should note that canvassing will disqualify you and will result in your exclusion from the process.

Candidates must not:

• knowingly or recklessly provide false information
• canvass any person with or without inducements
• interfere with or compromise the process in any way

A third party must not impersonate a candidate at any stage of the process.

If you or a third party breaches these conditions, you are guilty of an offence. A person who is found guilty of an offence is liable to a fine/or imprisonment.

In addition, where a person found guilty of an offence was or is a candidate, then:

• where he/she has not been appointed to a post, he/she will be disqualified as a candidate.
• where he/she has been appointed subsequently to the recruitment process in question, he/she shall forfeit that appointment.

Unreasonable Behaviour Policy

Unreasonable Behaviour Policy 2023

Withdrawal

Candidates who do not attend for interview or other test when and where required by publicjobs, or who do not, when requested, furnish such evidence as publicjobs require in regard to any matter relevant to their candidature, will have no further claim to consideration.

The 2021 CPSA Code of Practice is available below:

Code of Practice for Appointment to Positions in the Civil Service and Public Service