11 Dec 2012

New school payroll problems continue

8:57 pm on 11 December 2012

About 5000 school staff will have to wait another day for their holiday pay after yet another glitch in the new Novopay payroll system.

Education Ministry chief information officer Leanne Gibson says while all staff will get their regular pay on Wednesday, a processing delay means non-teaching staff will be paid their holiday pay 24 hours later than expected.

The Australian payroll company Talent2 has been working hard to ensure holiday payments go as smoothly as possible.

Ms Gibson says anyone who finds they have not been paid or have been underpaid should contact their school administrator to arrange a manual payment.

The fortnightly pay for permanent teaching staff, which would have fallen during Christmas week, has been brought forward to 21 December.

Pay claim settled

Meanwhile, secondary school teachers have voted in favour of a pay settlement with the Government.

However, their union says members are disappointed the ministry has refused to address problems with class sizes and other conditions.

Tuesday's settlement includes the protection of all current provisions and an average pay increase of 2.66% over two and a half years.

Post Primary Teachers' Association president Robin Duff says the union will now be able to focus its energies on fighting what he describes as the government's agenda of undermining the public education system.

Education Minister Hekia Parata says it's a very good settlement for secondary school teachers and the Government, and the quick resolution will allow the sector to focus on raising achievement for all children.