PSEE Problem Solving and Judgment 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A public servant discovers that a colleague has been submitting duplicate expense claims. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
- Confront the colleague publicly in the office.
- Report the concern to a supervisor or through the departmental integrity process. (Correct answer)
- Do nothing, as it is not directly your responsibility.
- Email the colleague's clients to inform them of the situation.
Correct answer: Report the concern to a supervisor or through the departmental integrity process.
Reporting integrity concerns through proper channels (supervisor or integrity process) is the appropriate response in the federal public service.
Federal public servants are expected to uphold values of integrity and stewardship. Discovering suspected misconduct should be reported through proper channels — supervisor or departmental disclosure processes — not handled through confrontation, inaction, or unauthorized disclosure. This reflects the PSEE Values and Ethics framework.
Question 2: You have four tasks due today: A (noon, 2 hrs), B (3 p.m., 1 hr), C (5 p.m., 3 hrs), D (urgent email reply, 15 min). It is 8 a.m. What is the best order?
- A, B, C, D
- D, A, B, C (Correct answer)
- C, A, D, B
- B, D, A, C
Correct answer: D, A, B, C
D is quick (15 min) and urgent. Then tackle A (noon deadline), B (3 p.m.), and C (5 p.m.) in deadline order.
Best practice: handle a quick urgent task (D, 15 min) first, then work in deadline order — A (noon), B (3 p.m.), C (5 p.m.). Starting with C (3 hours) risks missing the noon deadline for A. Prioritization and time management are core PSEE judgment skills.
Question 3: A citizen calls demanding an immediate answer to a complex question requiring policy research. What is the best response?
- Give a quick answer based on partial knowledge to satisfy the caller.
- Tell the caller the question is too complex and end the call.
- Acknowledge the question, explain research is needed, and commit to a specific callback time. (Correct answer)
- Transfer the call immediately without explanation.
Correct answer: Acknowledge the question, explain research is needed, and commit to a specific callback time.
Acknowledging the caller's need, being honest about the research required, and committing to follow-up demonstrates good judgment and service orientation.
Public servants must provide accurate information while being respectful and service-oriented. Giving a wrong quick answer risks misinforming the citizen. Refusing to help or hanging up is unprofessional. Acknowledging the request, setting expectations, and committing to follow-up is the standard of good public service judgment tested in PSEE.
Question 4: You receive an email from an unknown external sender requesting a list of employee names and contact information. What do you do?
- Send the information since it seems like a routine request.
- Forward it to a colleague to handle.
- Do not share the information and verify the requester's identity and authority. (Correct answer)
- Delete the email without taking action.
Correct answer: Do not share the information and verify the requester's identity and authority.
Personal information is protected under the Privacy Act. External requests for employee data must be verified before any information is shared.
Under Canada's Privacy Act, government employees' personal information cannot be shared without authorization. An unsolicited external request is a potential privacy breach risk. The appropriate response is to not share the information, verify who is asking, and confirm their authority to receive such data.
Question 5: During a team meeting, a colleague proposes an approach you believe is incorrect. What is the most professional response?
- Interrupt them immediately and correct them in front of the group.
- Wait until after the meeting and discuss your concern privately with your colleague. (Correct answer)
- Say nothing to avoid conflict.
- Complain about the colleague to the manager later without speaking to them first.
Correct answer: Wait until after the meeting and discuss your concern privately with your colleague.
Raising concerns respectfully in private after the meeting is professional and consistent with public service values of respect for people.
Public service values include respect for people. Interrupting in a meeting is disrespectful. Saying nothing risks a bad decision. Going to management without first speaking to the colleague is disproportionate. Raising the concern privately afterward is the balanced, professional approach tested in PSEE judgment sections.
Question 6: Your supervisor asks you to process a file that appears to contain incomplete information. What is the most appropriate action?
- Process it as-is to avoid delaying your supervisor's work.
- Fill in the missing information yourself based on your best guess.
- Bring the incomplete information to your supervisor's attention before processing. (Correct answer)
- Return the file to the applicant without explanation.
Correct answer: Bring the incomplete information to your supervisor's attention before processing.
Alerting your supervisor to incomplete information before proceeding ensures accuracy and proper process — a core public service value.
Processing incomplete files risks errors and potential injustice. Guessing at missing information introduces inaccuracies. Returning the file without explanation fails the service obligation. Flagging the issue to the supervisor allows for informed decision-making and maintains process integrity.
PSEE Problem Solving and Judgment 1
A public servant discovers that a colleague has been submitting duplicate expense claims.
What is the most appropriate immediate action?