No pay in 3 months thanks to Novopay

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No pay in 3 months thanks to Novopay

3News NZ

Jacque Ruston hasn't been paid a cent in three months

Jacque Ruston hasn't been paid a cent in three months

Yesterday afternoon we received an email from Jacque Ruston in Dunedin.

Jacque is a part-time school administrator who took up her job in August – the same time as the Ministry of Education rolled out its Novopay payroll system.

Herein lies the problem. Jacque hasn't been paid a cent in three months. She's had to take a loan out at an interest rate of 20 percent and she can't afford to register or put petrol in her car.

Today the NZEI announced primary school principals will start invoicing the Ministry of Education for what it says are thousands of wasted hours sorting out Novopay issues.

In Jacque's case, Novopay means no petrol. No petrol means no car and no car means no work.

This afternoon the Ministry of Education sent Campbell Live a statement.

It apologised to Jacque and promised she would be paid in full by next payday, November 14. They will also pay the interest on the loan she's taken out.

They say they have resolved the issues of one the other staff member at Jacque's school, and they are working to fix a second.

Watch the video for Kate King’s full report.

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Comments

31/01/2013 9:02:25 p.m.

Local wrote:

There's enough stress on families today without parents NOT getting paid.. christmas, school uniforms, text books etc it's all $$$$$ about time politicians went without pay ... families are getting desperate.. this is unacceptable.

14/11/2012 10:59:12 p.m.

JR Fan wrote:

You, your friends and your school ROCK Jacque. MOE, Talent0.2 and Novopay don't.

13/11/2012 11:56:59 a.m.

Jacque Ruston wrote:

Despite the MoE's promise to pay me this week, more blunders on their behalf have meant they have reneged on this promise. I am back at work, due to the generosity of friends, and a pay advance from the Purakaunui School Board.

12/11/2012 4:08:43 p.m.

Kathy wrote:

Julie, she does have a right to complain just as you do. This government is doing this sort of thing in all areas, Winz, ACC, the Ministry of education. If they dont pay you, then they can use the money to fund their limosine rides and their chartered flights. I dont think that this is accidental as it is happening in many government departments. I do actually believe that National are doing this deliberately.. my parents had a saying for it "robbing Peter to pay Paul". Maybe if the Mp's paye system started to do the same thing they might actually get a little concerned about it. But National in all honesty does not care, as long as it isnt happening to them.

11/11/2012 11:22:05 p.m.

Julie wrote:

This women has nothing to complain about. we have not been paid from ACC in ten months!! we have ten legal documents from three different surgeons and still ACC wont pay its criminal!. we are faced with losing everything. I have written to cambell live three times jsut to be ignored!. no one wants to help us. we have a morgage and 3 children to support.

11/11/2012 5:25:14 p.m.

Reg Platt wrote:

I had heard of this sort of thing and assumed that the system would be providing income support in some nature to cover the short fall. I am horrified to hear this story. It is the sort of thing which should cause senior official sufficient embarrasment to fall on their swords.

11/11/2012 6:52:11 a.m.

Ray wrote:

My baby is 14 weeks old - No Maternity Grant yet!! I have worked out the delay has cost us $140 in interest on a loan we had planned to pay off. Shall I threaten them with a debt collector like they did to us when my wife was at 39 weeks pregnant; just because they had an incorrect leave start date in their system??? You can imagine the hysterics that caused at such a sensitive time. I can't keep up whether our issue is with Novapay or Not. The teachers payment system is a mess and somebody needs to take action.

9/11/2012 9:57:31 p.m.

mike wrote:

i bet they would fix it quick if they started taking the money from national mps pockets to pay these people.the schools must pay them in cash.

7/11/2012 9:43:47 p.m.

z650Steve wrote:

A slight aside from this pay problem, why does this school have 17 pupils and 7 staff? Somewhat over the top I think.

7/11/2012 8:04:34 p.m.

Pippy Longstockings wrote:

The Ministry of Ed can clearly solve THIS problem! They simply need to close the school down. Problem fixed!!! That's how they roll. Somebody sort this shambles out or sack the civil servants that can't save themselves and hold the provider to account, on their coin! Please.