Found this on Reddit
Scenario based explanation
Here's a rough timeline of WFA/Steps:
1. Management says "WFA is happening" through some sort of official all-staff email or announcement (many are here or next step).
2. Employees whose positions might become surplus are given an "affected" letter. If management decides it needs to reduce the number of Specific worker group from 120 down to 105 (eliminating 15 positions), then every employee doing that job is "affected" even though most of them will keep their jobs (many are here or expecting to be here soon).
3. The affected letters will tell employees that they can choose to voluntarily depart with one of the WFA options as part of a Voluntary Departure Program (VDP). Those employees must be given at least one month (30 days) to decide to volunteer. If there are enough volunteers, they leave and affected status is rescinded for all others in the group.
4. If there are not enough volunteers to cover the reduction in positions, management needs to run a selection process to decide who to retain and who will be surplus (known as a "SERLO" process). This will take at least a couple of months.
5. Unsuccessful employees in the SERLO process are formally told their position is surplus and are given an opting letter. Successful employees have their status rescinded.
6. Opting employees have four months (120 days) to decide which option to choose (some will start here as opting employees rather than go through the above).
7. Employees who wish to remain public servants will likely choose Option A (surplus priority). At CRA this is known as a "surplus preferred status". Depending on the applicable WFA provisions and tenure of the employee, this period is between 12 and 16 months at full pay (12 months for the vast majority).
8. Employees who are unable to secure a new position are laid off at the end of the surplus period. This will occur roughly two years after the initial announcement that WFA may occur. They will then have 12 months of lay-off priority status (not paid) and receive any severance entitlements from their CA.
*The above process is only applicable to indeterminate employees; WFA has no application to term/temporary employees, whose temporary employment can end at any time on a month's notice.*
