OTTAWA – Thousands of federal public servants who have not been paid due to a glitch in the Phoenix pay system software have preoccupied themselves by processing their Employment Insurance benefits.
Service Canada has reported 8,235 EI claims from their own employees and thousands more from other federal government departments and agencies.
“I’ve been employed for five years, but haven’t been paid in months,” complained Gloria St. Louis, a Service Canada representative reviewing her own application in downtown Ottawa. “I have enough insurable hours, but I haven’t paid into EI since I don’t have a pay cheque. Do I still qualify?”
St. Louis says she may no longer be able to afford to work due to maxed out credit cards, can no longer extend her line of credit, and is facing eviction because of unpaid rent. Acting as a civil servant, however, St. Louis was suspicious about the credibility of her application.
“Gloria, we have not received your record of employment,” said St. Louis to herself. “And we need that as proof that you are no longer working. I’m sorry, but you do not qualify for Employment Insurance at this time.”
Other public servants have been required to work at other jobs before being eligible for any income assistance.
“I was ready, willing and able to work every day, so I’m now working at an Arby’s part-time,” explained nuclear physicist Renad Arash who is an unpaid worker at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
At press time, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau downplayed the problem citing other countries, such as Venezuela and Zimbabwe, who also do not pay their civil servants.
