Federal pay system glitch drives prison guard's family to the food bank

A prison guard at Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C. says his family had to go to the food bank recently because repeated technical issues with his paycheque have left him scrambling to make ends meet.

Doug Holloway says he won't get paid this week because of a glitch with the federal government's troubled Phoenix pay system.

He says it's the fifth time since August that he has either received no money at all or much less than he is owed.

Holloway says he has been forced to borrow from family, friends and co-workers to support his wife and four children.

"There were quite a few people that brought over $50 gift cards from the [grocery store] for some food and that kind of thing," he said.

"I've had to take out a small loan as well, just to get by."

The glitch

Holloway says his problems started when he transferred from Alberta to B.C. and moved into another pay scale.

On August 25, he received a cheque for about $500, which is roughly $1,800 less than he regularly makes.

"I live paycheque to paycheque, just like a lot of people do, and it's quite hard," he said. "I was able to get an emergency salary advance, which is 60 percent of your wage, and that's a far cry from what I actually make."

Holloway says he is still owed about $2,500, which isn't counting the paycheque he missed this week.

Phoenix

The federal government rolled out Phoenix as its new automated payroll system in February, 2016.

Since then, tens of thousands of public servants have complained about being overpaid, underpaid or not paid at all.

The deputy minister in charge of Phoenix, Marie Lemay, wrote on the federal government's website earlier this month that the system is being improved.

She says there are safeguards in place for employees that haven't been paid.

"I remind all employees that emergency salary advances and priority payments are available for anyone facing financial hardship, so there is no reason for employees to go without their pay," Lemay wrote.

Holloway says he's frustrated with the system but he has never thought about finding another employer.

"My biggest thing is I love my job," he said. "The only thing right now is that I want to get paid."