Long-awaited progress on QH payroll debacle
Published: 20 October 2011
Underpayments and overpayments – what to do if you’re affectedUnderpaymentsIf you have been underpaid, you should in the first instance contact your local payroll hub or the Queensland Health Statewide Payroll Hotline on 1800 239 074 for support. Queensland Health have measures in place for arranging an “ad hoc” pay so you do not have to wait until the next pay period to get the money you are owed. OverpaymentsUnder the moratorium (the union-negotiated halt on the recovery of overpayments) now in place, you are not currently obliged to pay back any overpayment you may have received. Queensland Health has committed to not recovering overpayments until strategies to progress underpayments have been significantly progressed and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission as the independent umpire determines that overpayment recovery should recommence. If on the other hand, you wish to pay back an overpayment that you have received, you should contact the Queensland Health Statewide Payroll Hotline on 1800 239 074 to make arrangements. |
Now we have finally gained some traction on payroll related matters.
Trialling a process to deal with historical underpayments
A more comprehensive process to deal with historical underpayments made under Queensland Health’s faulty payroll system is currently being trialled at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH).
Under the trial, individual underpayments which occurred before 24 July 2011 are being addressed by a dedicated team of case managers. These underpayments are known as "historical underpayments" as they occurred before the moratorium on overpayments was put in place. Under the moratorium (which is a union-negotiated halt on the recovery of overpayments) Queensland Health has committed that it will not recover overpayments until strategies to progress underpayments have been significantly progressed and the independent Queensland Industrial Relations Commission determines that overpayment recovery should recommence.
Given the complexity of the payslips provided under the new payroll system and constantly changing payments, many members have found it difficult to determine if they have been paid correctly. It is hoped that the process being trialled at TPCH will make it easier to identify if any wages are owed as well as ensure the quick reimbursement of any underpayment.
The trial at TPCH will run until 4 November 2011. A state-wide focus on historical underpayments will be rolled out across all facilities in November once the trial has been evaluated.
Please note that underpayments that have occurred after 24 July 2011 will still be dealt with via the normal processes at your facility level. These processes must be in place to ensure that you are immediately paid by cash or cheque for any underpayment that occurs. In the first instance, contact the Queensland Health Statewide Payroll Hotline on 1800 239 074 for support.
Focus group for improved payslips
Queensland Health is currently examining ways to improve payslips provided under the payroll system. In mid-October a number of QNU members participated in a focus group to discuss potential improvements to the payslips. We will now consult with Queensland Health about this feedback and how it might be used to improve current processes.
New IT expert to focus on rectifying payroll errors
Queensland Health last month announced the appointment of IT industry executive Richard Mathews to drive implementation of the department’s payroll blueprint.
Mr Mathews was previously CEO of eServGlobal Limited, an Australian technology company which is dual listed in both Australia and the UK. eServGlobal is Australia’s largest software provider to the telecommunications industry.
Mr Mathews is focusing solely on rectifying systematic payroll errors, and is expected to implement a range of measures designed to safeguard against future catastrophes.
New service standards on underpayments
Rectifying underpayments to nurses, midwives and other Queensland Health staff continues to be the priority with a series of new service standards negotiated.
The standards include a two day turnaround for all queries, including underpayment claims.
Where underpayments occur Queensland Health says it is addressing them in the following pay cycle where possible, or with ad hoc payments where necessary.
The new standards are designed to provide an employee focus which previously has been sorely lacking in some areas.
You should continue to monitor service standards, and notify QNU Connect in the event your underpayment matter has not been resolved in a timely manner. QNU Connect can be contacted by phoning 3099 3210 or 1800 177 273 outside Brisbane. It is critical that Queensland Health is held to account for meeting the new service standards, and where it is identified that this is not occurring we will progress this non-compliance through the appropriate channels of government.
Queensland Health also continues its work on a database to map progress in dealing with underpayment claims. This database is critical to ensure no underpayment claims slip through the cracks.
Line manager support
Queensland Health is implementing a targeted program of line manager support. We understand this will most likely be in the form of additional administrative or other support.
In preparation for this program, each district has been asked to identify its ‘hot spot’ areas.
Queensland Health proposes to centrally allocate support to those areas with the greatest need, within the scope of available funding. Importantly, funding will not be simply given to Districts to use as this was not effective last time it occurred.
Queensland Health has assured us that unions will be consulted during this assessment process and any ‘hot spots’ identified by unions will also be considered.
Industrial action by other unions
On 13 October 2011 non-nursing union members rallied outside Parliament House as part of their enterprise bargaining negotiations with the state government.
Some of these members are also taking protected industrial action in workplaces as they are legally entitled to do to progress their enterprise bargaining claims.
The non-nursing unions have been offered a pay rise of 2.5 per cent per year, but they are asking for more.
The decision to hold the rally follows news that more than 800 payroll staff will receive a $5000 bonus in recognition of the "temporary effect of the recent payroll system issue".
We will use the nurses’ and midwives’ EB8 negotiations to demand the same deal for QNU members.
No-one has escaped the payroll debacle unharmed, so to offer a bonus to one group of staff and not another is simply unfair. Our hard working Nurse Unit Managers for example, even after 18 months of this mess, continue to battle extraordinary stress to keep the system afloat.
If industrial action is currently taking place in your facility, please do not undertake any work that is not being performed by other health workers because of the current action. District management are responsible for preparing and implementing contingency plans in the event of any industrial action.
Stay strong and support your union colleagues during their negotiations, because soon, during our own negotiations, we might just be asking the same of them.
Escalating payroll matters to the Workplace Ombudsman
The QNU has provided a dedicated representative to support the work of the Queensland Workplace Ombudsman in considering escalated payroll matters. Other relevant unions have also supplied representatives.
These roles are being funded by Queensland Health but will work with the Workplace Ombudsman through this process.
QNU Executive member Sue Pitman is representing the QNU. Sue is an experienced nurse and long-standing union activist who last year received the Emma Miller Award for her contribution to the Queensland union movement.
The escalation process is aimed at ensuring all internal Queensland Health resolution processes have been exhausted within a reasonable timeframe before an issue is referred to the Ombudsman’s office.
At the time of printing a preliminary process outlining the steps for escalation to the Ombudsman is currently being established. Where an employee is dissatisfied with the time it takes to resolve a matter, or where matters can’t be resolved by Queensland Health, they will be progressed to the Ombudsman under the final step of the escalation process.
Regular meetings with the Premier and Health Minister
At the 2011 QNU Annual Conference, Premier Anna Bligh requested regular meetings between the Premier’s Office and the delegation of QNU members that she met at conference to discuss progress and problems in the payroll redevelopment process.
This request was seen as an opportunity to tell the Premier from the coalface what is really happening to Queensland Health staff.
The first of these meetings was held on Friday 26 August between the Premier, the Health Minister, and the QNU delegation.
These meetings have now been scheduled to occur every 6-8 weeks. Delegates from around the state are represented at this meeting.
The QNU also meets regularly with Health Minister Geoff Wilson to progress payroll related issues. Mr Wilson attended the September QNU Council meeting in Brisbane to hear first-hand from Councillors the key areas of concern.
Our hard work continues
With general agreement now reached on all elements of the Heads of Agreement, it seems finalising this document has taken a back seat to current industrial negotiations.
That said, many of the elements of the proposed agreement are already in place or are being progressed including a refocusing of efforts on underpayments, the appointment of the Workplace Ombudsman to handle payroll complaints and a continuing moratorium on the recovery of previously notified overpayments.
The tortuous negotiation process of recent months has also resulted in improvements to Clause 5 of the draft agreement which would require Queensland Health to notify employees of its intent to recover an overpayment and allow employees an opportunity to dispute this. This process will not be implemented until the Heads of Agreement is signed-off.
Finalising this agreement is an absolute priority for the QNU so that you have certainty around the ongoing payroll debacle.
Problems persist, but through careful consideration and planning – the likes of which was so badly lacking in the lead-up to the implementation of the new payroll system – we are beginning to understand the depth of the problem, and to see constructive measures which alleviate some of the pain.
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