Melissa Milek
Summary
Labour Relations expert with 17 years of experience in the Canadian Federal Public Service. Compassionate leader with a passion for mentoring and developing staff and working collaboratively with managers and union counterparts in order to identify solutions to ensure a healthy and positive workplace for all.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Acting Manager, Labour Relations Operation
Department of National Defence (DND)
01.2023 - Current
- Prior to current acting opportunity, various acting appointments at the PE-05 group for durations of two weeks up to 3 months since August 2019.
- Responsible for managing team of up to 13 Labour Relations Advisors from the PE-01 to PE-04 group and level (junior to senior level). Acting Manager role encompasses continuation of responsibilities identified under substantive Team Leader, Labour Relations role for the greater labour relations team both from a supervision and file management perspective;
- Empathetic leadership style, lead by example, open and honest communication, constructive feedback and manage with transparency;
- Ensuring staff feel comfortable, equipped and confident in supporting their clients in managing their labour relations issues;
- Leading the team to ensure that direction and goals from senior management are met (including soliciting feedback from team, strategizing, shifting priorities, making and implement decisions);
- Effective communications to senior management for awareness or for decision making (brief-ups and briefing notes) as well as training, guiding and providing feedback to the team to help them to develop this skillset;
- Undergoing staffing initiatives in order to ensure team is adequately staffed to meet deliverables, responsible for distribution of workload across the team;
- Consulting with Legal on complex Labour Relations files and supporting Legal in the representation of various tribunals (Canadian Human Rights Commission/Tribunal, Canadian Industrial Relations Board).
Team Leader, Labour Relations
Department of National Defence (DND)
10.2016 - 01.2023
- Responsible for supervising a team of up to five (5) labour relations advisors from the PE-01 to P3-03 (junior to intermediate level); Supervisory responsibilities include, but not limited to: mentoring junior advisors as they work through the PE development program; coaching junior PE’s on their cases and guiding senior PE’s through their complex cases, performance reviews including providing regular feedback, ensuring staff are meeting various requirements (i.e ensuring team completes timely and complete entering of data in order to ensure accurate data analytics, keeping their files up-to-date, taking mandatory training), leave management, etc;
- Lead the provision of complex technical advice, analysis, strategies and solutions to support staff in assisting their client managers to exercise their delegated LR authorities as well as for the LR cases in which I am directly involved with the client, which are typically at the senior management level (DG and ADM) for complex, high profile cases;
- Case work includes but is not limited to: grievances, performance management, misconduct/discipline, duty to accommodate, leave management, harassment, workplace/administrative investigations, Canadian Human Rights Complaints;
- Work collaboratively with others including other subject matter experts in order to provide comprehensive advice to clients and union representatives to identify solutions to complex and/or conflictual labour relations issues between management and employees;
- Brief-up to LR senior leadership on sensitive files for awareness and prepare Situational Reports (SITREPS) for LR senior leadership to seek approval for various matters as required as per their delegated authority
- Prepare briefing notes (i.e. in support of grievances, terminations, etc) for management (Director to Assistant Deputy Minister level), identifying options and risks in order to facilitate informed decision making for the delegated authority;
- DND Labour Relations representative for collective bargaining on the TC table. Role included research and analysis to establish the DND’s position on various employer and union proposals.
Labour Relations Advisor (Operations)
Department of National Defence (DND)
09.2015 - 09.2017
- Provide labour relations advice and guidance to management on a broad range of labour relations matters such as: performance management, discipline, collective agreement/policy interpretation, management of long term sick leave/disability cases;
- Provide advice and guidance to senior management on labour relations matters on complex labour relations matters; Provide advice to unique client group, Defence Scientist, who are managed through an incumbent based promotion and pay system;
- Mentor new employees on the team on all labour relations matters and provide support in the management of their labour relations case files; Provide labour relations training to managers and supervisors on all of the labour relations disciplines.
Labour Relations Advisor
Public Safety Canada (PS)
08.2010 - 08.2015
- Work as part of a team and autonomously to fulfill obligations of a work unit that is mandated with both corporate and operational responsibilities; Provide advice on labour relations, health and safety, and values and ethics;
- Provide labour relations advice to management on various labour relations matters such as: performance management, discipline, collective agreement interpretation (including workforce adjustment) harassment, disability management;
- Provide advice on Values and Ethics, including conflict of interest;
- Responsible for organizing and participating in local labour management consultation committees, including scheduling, setting agenda, and action items;
- Responsible for organizing and participating on the National Health and Safety Policy Committee and advisor to Local Health and Safety Committee;
- Responsible for establishing contracts for various services offered within the work unit.
Staffing & Labour Relations Advisor
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
06.2009 - 08.2010
- Provide strategic advice (including options and risks) to managers with respect to staffing, official languages and labour relations;
- Apply relevant legislation (i.e PSEA, PSLRA), policies and guidelines (i.e Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Service Commission and departmental) when providing advice to management;
- Prioritize workload and manage tasks with human resources assistants in order to provide efficient client service;
- Establish working relationships and liaise with client sector managers at various levels;
- Responsible for labour relations issues within client sectors (such as grievances, performance management, leave without pay situations, collective agreement interpretations);
- Responsible for preparing, organizing and participating in the quarterly NCR Union Management Consultation Committee meetings.
Labour Relations Officer
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
07.2007 - 06.2009
- Assist Regional Leader, Labour Relations with planning labour relations training for managers within the department, submitting and maintaining grievances in Peoplesoft, maintaining grievance and complaint files;
- Organize and participate in meetings for the Regional Union Management Consultation Committee (RUMCC);
- Organize and participate in the Joint Learning Program workshop on Union Management Consultation;
- Manage the Confidential and Managerial (Excluded) positions for the NCR region, including new proposals for exclusions;
- Study and apply relevant Acts, Treasury Board (TBS) and internal policies, such as, but not limited to, the Public Service Labour Relations Act, TBS and DFO Harassment Policies, and Collective Agreements;
- Provide advice to management for first and second level grievances;
- Provide recommendations and interpretations on various labour relations issues;
- Conduct investigations on behalf of management concerning allegations of harassment;
- Establish working relationships with various bargaining agents.
Evaluation Research Officer
Audit and Evaluation Directorate
06.2006 - 07.2007
- Work collaboratively in a team setting to evaluate the relevance, success, and cost-effectiveness of specific DFO programs in accordance with the Federal Accountability Act and Evaluation Policy.
Human Resources Data Clerk
Public Works & Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
05.2005 - 08.2005
- I became employed at PWGSC through the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP).
Education
Bachelor of Commerce option in Human Resource Management -
University of Ottawa
Ottawa, ON04.2006
Ontario Secondary School Diploma -
John F. Ross C.V.I.
Guelph, ON06.2002
Other
- Enhanced reliability security clearance;
- Second Language Evaluation: Current linguistic profile: C in reading, B in writing, B in oral;
- Public Safety Canada - Deputy Minister’s Achievement Award – Team Responsible for Mitigating Impacts of Budget Reduction Measures on Employees (December 2012);
- Department of National Defence – Director General Award for contribution to support and wellbeing of the Defence team during the Covid-19 pandemic (March 2021);
- Department of National Defence – Assistant Deputy Minister Award for Leadership (April 2022).
References
References available upon request
Timeline
Acting Manager, Labour Relations Operation
Department of National Defence (DND)
01.2023 - Current
Team Leader, Labour Relations
Department of National Defence (DND)
10.2016 - 01.2023
Labour Relations Advisor (Operations)
Department of National Defence (DND)
09.2015 - 09.2017
Labour Relations Advisor
Public Safety Canada (PS)
08.2010 - 08.2015
Staffing & Labour Relations Advisor
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
06.2009 - 08.2010
Labour Relations Officer
Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
07.2007 - 06.2009
Evaluation Research Officer
Audit and Evaluation Directorate
06.2006 - 07.2007
Human Resources Data Clerk
Public Works & Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
05.2005 - 08.2005
Bachelor of Commerce option in Human Resource Management -
University of Ottawa
Ontario Secondary School Diploma -
John F. Ross C.V.I.