Phoenix by the numbers: Keeping track of the costs, staffing and backlog of cases - Action News
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Phoenix by the numbers: Keeping track of the costs, staffing and backlog of cases

It's been 15 weeks since the federal government first gave the public a sense of the scope of the Phoenix payroll system problem. We break down the essential figures.

Some 22,000 claims still in backlog

The federal government first rolled out its new automated pay system in March. It is still dealing with a backlog of unresolved pay issues. (iStock)

It's been 15 weeks since the federal government first gave the public a sense of the scope of the Phoenix payroll system problem.

Back on July 18, the government revealed some 82,000 public servants had reported trouble with their pay, with the majority being underpaid. Others were overpaid or not paid at all.

Since then, the government has been providing updates every two weeks and a steady stream of numbers to show their progress.

Here, we break down some of the essential figures we've learned over the past few months.

Unless otherwise specified, these numbers comefromPublic Services and Procurement Canada, particularly through theirown biweekly updates.

Costs to fix issues

  • Estimated amount of money the implementation of Phoenix payroll system was expected to save annually: $70 million.
  • Estimated cost to deal with problems with system this year: $50 million.
  • Amount of new costs to go to system provider IBM: $6 million.
  • Amount IBM had previously been awarded between 2011 and 2016 for the system: $141 million.
Marie Lemay, deputy minister of Public Services and Procurement Canada, had said the government was targeting Oct. 31 as the date to clear a backlog of lower priority cases. (CBC)

No pay for some

  • Number of employees who got their first payday under the new Phoenix system on Mar. 9: 120,000.
  • Number who were transferred to Phoenix by May 4: 290,000.
  • Employees who deputy minister Marie Lemay said during a July 18 briefing had not received any pay: 720.
  • Employees who Lemay said had not received parental, long-term disability or severance payments: 1,100.

Backlog of cases

  • Size of backlog of lower priority cases also identified on July 18: 81,997.
  • Number of weeks the government said it would take to address all of the backlogged cases: 15 (untilOct. 31).
  • Average number of cases the government would have had to deal with every week to meet that deadline: 5,467.
  • Actual average number of cases they dealt with per week: 4,000.
  • Number of cases in backlog still outstanding as of Oct. 31: 22,000.
There are 442 compensation advisers at the Miramichi, N.B. pay centre. (CBC)

Pay centre staffing

  • Number of compensation advisers at main pay centre in Miramichi, N.B.: 442.
  • Number of employees whose pay issues are expected to be served by the centre: 190,000.
  • Amount of overtime paid to workers at pay centre so far in 2015-2016, according to a Radio-Canada access to information request: More than $700,000.
  • Number of additional compensation advisers hired as of Sept. 7 at four satellite offices to help Miramichi: 196.