Problems continue with new Health Sciences North payroll system, says CUPE

Issues with a new payroll system at Sudbury's Health Sciences North Hospital are ongoing, despite assurances they've been resolved, says the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

In mid-June the hospital switched to a new payroll and scheduling system called Kronos to digitize its internal systems to meet strategic plan goals. 

"As we launched this new system, there were some discrepancies in payment received for roughly five per cent of our workforce; the majority of these were addressed on our regular pay day last Friday, July 15, 2022," hospital spokesperson Jason Turnbull told CBC News in an email.

But Lise Morrissette, president of CUPE 1623, which represents around 1,100 workers at the hospital in clerical, maintenance and housekeeping roles, said some of her members still had issues as of their most recent payday, on Friday, July 29.

By early morning Morrissette said she already received a half dozen complaints about discrepancies on employees' pay stubs. Those issues have ranged from people not getting paid at all, to being underpaid, or not being compensated for overtime.

Morrissette said many of her members – especially those who work part-time– are living paycheque to paycheque and can fall short on rent, or important bills, if their pay doesn't arrive on time, or is less than expected.

"These people work, they work hard and they deserve to be paid when their paycheque is due," Morrissette said. 

It affected more than just five per cent (of employees).- Lise Morrissette, president, CUPE 1623

She said the hospital handed out paycheques to employees who weren't paid at all through the new system, but people who were underpaid had to wait until the next pay period to get what they were owed.

"I'll use an example of maybe like $150," she said. "Well, $150 is a lot of money for some people. Even $30 is a lot of money for some people."

Morrissette said she did not believe only five per cent of the hospital's workforce was affected by issues with the new payroll system. 

"I don't believe it. I'm sorry. That's a good spin on his (Turnbull's) part," she said.

"It affected more than just five per cent. I know that it has affected a huge number in my local and it has affected a huge number in the ONA (Ontario Nurses' Association) local. So five per cent, just he's extremely low balling that."

Morrissette said the hospital should have continued to use its old payroll system as a back-up while it transitioned to the new system.

"While the majority of issues with the new pay system have been resolved, there are still a few issues we are working to fix," Turnbull said in a follow-up email on July 29.

"We appreciate the ongoing patience of all staff and managers as we implement this new system."