Phoenix pay system mess affects 80,000, government officials say

Federal officials have apologized to more than 80,000 employees who have had problems with their pay, and promised to work around the clock to fix the failed system.

Marie Lemay, deputy minister for Public Services and Procurement, revealed the scope of employees affected by problems withthe new system, called Phoenix, during a news conference today. She called the situation "completely unacceptable."

• Pay system failures take human toll
• Students hard hit by federal pay problems
• Phoenix Falling: More stories about payroll mess

About 720 public servants mostly new hires and students have not received pay.Another 1,100 have not received parental, long-term disability or severance payments, while more than 80,000 employees entitled to supplementary pay for extra duties, over-time or pay adjustments have had problems.

"We will do what is necessary to address them as quickly as possible," Lemaysaid.

Phoenix pay glitches unacceptable

8 years ago

Duration 2:24

Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Marie Lemay, says the glitches in the pay system are unacceptable, and blames the problems on a lack of training to get workers comfortable with the new pay system.

The deputy minister said the government grossly underestimated the time and training needed to move to the new system and clear out old cases, outstripping the capacity to respond. To clearthe backlog, the government will hire temporary compensation adviser specialists andmake technical enhancements to the system.

The government is also exploring options for reimbursing employees who were hit with penalties for late loan payments orinsufficient funds.

The system has been plagued with problems since it rolled out earlier this year.

Phoenix Falling

CBC Ottawa has been collecting stories from civil servants, part-time employees and student workers who have been hit by the Phoenix payroll system problems. Here are some of their stories:

• Phoenix problems make public servant feel 'penalized'
• Public servant not getting any health or dental benefits
• Cancer survivor unpaid since return to work
• Single mom maxed out after 2 months without pay
• Without pay, student caught in desperate catch-22

Want to share your own story? Email us

Federal public service employees have reportedmaxed-out credit cards, depleted savings and unpaid bills because of problems with the new paysystem.

Workers in various departments have complained about not being paid, being underpaid, or in some cases being overpaid.

'We are fixing it,' Brison says

Public Works Minister Judy Footehascalled the situation "unacceptable" and opened a temporary work centre to deal with a growing backlog of Phoenix-related cases.

Treasury Board President Scott Brisonsaid today he is frustrated with the mess and blamed it on the previous Conservative government.

"I'm disgusted by the situation that we inherited and we are fixing it," he said. "We have tremendous respect for the hard work of our public servants and they deserve to be paid accurately and on time."

PSACcalls it a 'national disgrace'

Chris Aylward, vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, was skeptical the measures would do anything to address the problems and accused the government of "spouting the same rhetoric" for months.

He also suggested officials underestimatedthe numbers of people most seriously affected.

"I'm not really enthusiastic about what they announced today because they didn't address Phoenix, and until they do the problems will continue," he told CBC News. "This is a national disgrace."

PSAC, whichrepresents170,000 public servants of the total force of 300,000, wants the Phoenix system taken off-line until the glitches are addressed.

A dozen unions representing federal workers have already fileda notice of applicationin Federal Court to force the government to pay its employees properly and on time. Aylward said that court action will proceed.