Minister blames payroll problems on inadequate training

While federal government employees continue to struggle to make ends meet without a regular income, the minister in charge of the beleaguered new payroll system blames the problems partly on inadequate training, and admits those issues should have been worked out sooner.

"It would appear that there wasn't sufficient training done of those who had to implement the system to ensure that it was rolled out as it was intended to be," said Judy Footefrom St. John's, Nfld.,in an interview with CBC News.

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Foote explained that although the Phoenix system was tested thousands of times before the switchover from the previous payroll system, staff had not been properly trained in data entry, resulting in a backlog of files.

She also distanced herself from comments made Thursday byRosanna Di Paola,the associate assistant deputy minister responsible for Phoenix, who said the system was "functioning as designed."

Since the Phoenix system was implemented in February, federal government workers across the country many of them short-term, casualand student employeeshave complained about not being properly paid for their work.

Foote blamedthe current glitches with the system on a lack of funding from the previous Conservative government.

"What appears was that the resources were not available becauseof measures taken by the previous governmentto realize $70 million in savings," Foote said.

'Totally unacceptable'

She said approximately 5,000 employees have filled out a feedback form on the Public Services and Procurement Canada websiteto notify the government of pay problems.

"Of course,I apologize to anyone who is suffering as a result of this," said Foote."This is totally unacceptable."

After starting a summer contract with the federal governmenton May 2, law student Ben Schnellstill hasn't been properly paid. He received 60 per cent ofhis first pay as an emergency loan from his employer, but he's still owed about $9,000 over six pay periods.

"It's obviously not that great. I've got my debt from school that I've been trying to pay off," said Schnell."That was sort of the big sell of working for the government this summer the good income. I have rent to pay. I'm running up my credit."

Staff added to pay centres

Schell says he's been living off of his credit card, andhasn't been able to get any answers despite calling the pay centre "hundreds" of times over the last month and a half.

"I'm not enjoying living off of a credit card, but at least I have that option," he said."To know that some people are defaulting on mortgages and not being able to make tuition, that's terrible... I'm hopeful that in the long run it won't affect me too too much. But to see all these people in the same situation it's heartbreaking."

Footewants to reassure employees like Schnell that staff have been added to the pay centre in Miramichi, N.B., to work through the backlog, and that the temporary centre in Gatineau is up and running.

"Anybody who`s had to go through a hardship that is totally unnecessary," she said."We needed to have dealt with this sooner."