TORONTO -- The Privy Council Office says it has engaged a third party consulting firm to conduct a "thorough, independent and impartial review" into harassment allegations within the office of Gov. Gen. Julie Payette.
The Privy Council Office released more details about the probe on Tuesday, announcing that Quintet Consulting Corporation will undertake the review.
The PCO said in a statement that the consulting firm "has been mandated to act independently" to draft a report about the nature of the concerns within Payette's office, whether the incidents are deemed inappropriate and detail next steps.
Payette's office has been under fire in recent weeks after anonymous staffers at Rideau Hall told CBC News that Payette created a toxic atmosphere and yelled at employees, sometimes reducing them to tears and prompting them to quit.
The Privy Council Office announced on July 23, that it would conduct a review into the work environment at Rideau Hall following the harassment allegations.
The Terms of Reference for the review have since been finalized.
Both current and former employees of the office of the Governor General will be invited to "voluntarily and confidentially share their perspectives" with Quintet, according to the PCO.
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs Dominic LeBlanc has also been asked to oversee the review.
LeBlanc will receive Quintet’s final report, which is expected later this fall.
Payette previously said she is "deeply concerned" by the allegations levied against her office and welcomes the probe.
"I am completely committed to ensuring that every employee who works at Rideau Hall enjoys a secure and healthy work environment at all times and under all circumstances," she said in a statement. "I take harassment and workplace issues very seriously and I am in full agreement and welcome an independent review."
Payette took over as Governor General with a five-year term beginning in October 2017, but her tenure at the post has been marred by conflicts and complaints.
A 2019 survey of Rideau Hall staff showed employees had expressed concerns about their work environment, including 22 per cent who felt they had been "the victim of harassment on the job" in the past year, and of those respondents, 74 per cent said they experienced harassment "by someone in authority over them."
