Students affected by Phoenix issues speak out about money owed

A pair of frustrated students are speaking out about the fact they still haven't beenpaid for work they did withthe federal government due to delays caused by the Phoenix pay system.

"I'm really, sort of,orphaned by the system ... it's taught me what it looks like when systems failand there's not a lot of accountability," said Emma Gibson, a public affairs student at Carleton University.

In itsmost recent update,the federal government says there are about 284,000 pay transactions still waiting to be processed, about a three-month backlog.

That backlog includes Gibson, who is currently finishing her second government co-op placement and says she's still owed $3,300 from her first work term in the fall of 2016.

• More than 1,600 student workers at Parks Canada all paid improperly by Phoenix system

Gibson told CBC Newsshe's had to borrow money from her parents to make itthroughthe school year.

"Basically anywhere else, I could complain my employer is withholding my wages," she said.

"But when thegovernmentiswithholdingyour wages, you can't exactly complain to thegovernmentabout that."

'I'm really upset'

Michael Myers is studying library science in Torontoandsaid that while he hopes to work this summer at Passport Canada in Kitcheneragain, the government still owes him $1,500 from last year's placement.

That's forced him to work part-time and miss classes, he said.

"I'm really upset. I can't run into this situation again, where I budget and then [I havea] shortfall," Myers said.

"This whole Phoenix disaster becomes ridiculous."