Govt releases PwC report on Pay Period 2

Minister Responsible for Novopay Steven Joyce today released the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report on complaints and notifications in regards to Pay Period 2 of the schools’ payroll.

Pay Period 2 of the new financial year, which was paid on the morning of 17 April, paid 88,188 people a total of $171.80 million.

The PwC report shows that complaints and notifications were received regarding 0.44 per cent of staff across the country. 39 staff were notified as not paid, 142 were overpaid, and 210 underpaid. Affected staff were from 264 schools or 10.8 per cent of schools in the payroll system.

“This is an encouraging result and one of the better performances we have seen since PwC began tracking complaints for each Novopay pay period in February,” Mr Joyce says.

“Early indications at this stage are there will be a similar lower number of issues for Pay Period 3.”

Pay Period 2 data compares with 2.14 per cent of staff and 386 schools about which complaints and notifications were received for Pay Period 1; 0.43 per cent and 232 schools for Pay Period 26; 1 per cent and 406 schools for Pay Period 25; 1.9 per cent and 447 schools in Pay Period 24; and 2.2 per cent and 628 schools for Pay Period 23.

Mr Joyce said over the past weekend Talent2 undertook its third scheduled software release as part of the Novopay Remediation Plan.

A total of 123 bugs were resolved in this release including nine category two (very serious), 88 category three (serious), 19 category four (moderate) and seven category 5 (cosmetic).

“Bug clearance is making steady progress. A total of 363 defects have now been successfully fixed since 20 February – including 47 category two bugs,” Mr Joyce says.

“However, there have been 172 new defects lodged since 21 February.”

A full reconciliation of bugs between the live operating environment, the development environment and the testing environment, is currently being conducted to provide an updated definitive list of bugs affecting actual payroll production. These numbers will be released shortly along with an updated schedule for resolution during the remainder of the reconciliation period.

“Work is progressing to clear the backlog of issues in the Backlog Clearance Unit but there is a long way to go. The BCU has contacted 473 schools regarding their outstanding issues. The target is to resolve problems related to payroll instructions by the end of June. Resolution of overpayments is also underway,” Mr Joyce says.

“The BCU is also working closely on addressing the outstanding backlog of tax issues with the Inland Revenue Department.”

Mr Joyce provided an additional update on work by the Education Ministry to resolve an incorrect employment end date for some school staff ahead of the 1 May pay day.

Approximately 8500 school staff had pay details showing an end date of 21 April (end of Term One). Of these 98.8 per cent have now been resolved.

“Employment information regarding 102 staff in 51 schools is yet to be completed. I am advised that all the schools have been contacted via email and phone and the Ministry is waiting for correct dates to be provided, and in some cases, further information. Some of the remaining 102 staff will be genuinely supposed to finish on 21 April,” Mr Joyce says.

“The Ministry is continuing to make every effort to contact schools right up to 24 April. Schools will see the latest pay details in their draft staff usage and expenditure (SUE) report on 26 April and can then provide corrections if necessary.

School administrators yet to confirm information should contact the Ministry by email on support@novopay.govt.nz, or by phoning 0508 NOVOPAY (0508 668-6729) as soon as possible.