The Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Act 2005 was passed to introduce a framework of modern management and human resources practices into the civil service. In the context of this new legal environment, the following issues will be tackled:

• What are the responsibilities and obligations that arise under the Act and related legislation in relation to probation?
• What are the responsibilities and obligations in terms of adopting fair processes and procedures for effective performance management?
• How does the Act impact on the operation of PMDS?
• What new options are available to effectively manage performance of officers in the civil service?
• What are the rights and entitlements of civil servants who are facing a possible termination of employment on performance grounds?