Being employed by the government under a unilateral appointment, public servants are governed by specific legal status regulations. Public service law has separate rules and procedures, with provisions such as that any public servant who is dismissed may object and appeal to the administrative court. Public servants are themselves also subject to specific rules (e.g. the collective terms and conditions of employment elaboration agreement [CAR-UWO] and the collective agreement for university medical centres [CAO-UMC]). Employees who do not perform adequately may be dismissed provided the dismissal decision fulfils all the relevant statutory requirements (e.g. substantiation, balancing of interests and prudence). But other disciplinary measures are also common. We have wide experience advising clients about dismissals and disciplinary measures. There are also very particular rules for government reorganisations and employee participation. Another major facet of public service law is the integrity of public servants as government administrators and officials. Our experienced specialists deal with all of these areas on a daily basis.

Public servants include not only employees of municipalities and provinces but also staff at the Ministry of Defence, semi-public organisations and university medical centres. For many years now there has been discussion about standardising the legal position of all public servants. While this would not cancel their legal status entirely, it would entail significant changes; for one thing, the system of unilateral appointments would be replaced and certain rules of labour law would come to apply. We can explain the all effects of these changes and developments in public service law.