Hundreds of employees at Sydney Water, a utility company owned by the New South Wales government, are experiencing significant financial difficulties due to a major payroll system error. The company recently transitioned to a new payroll system named Dayforce.
Following the implementation of the new system, staff have reported a range of issues with their paychecks. Some have been underpaid, others overpaid, while some employees did not receive any wages at all, and some payments were delivered late. The Australian Services Union (ASU) indicated that hundreds of the company's 4,885 staff have been affected by these discrepancies.
This payroll blunder has caused widespread anxiety among workers, with some expressing concerns about their ability to meet essential financial obligations such as rent, mortgages, and alimony payments. One employee described colleagues being distraught and worried about feeding their families. Concerns have also been raised about the adequacy of training provided for the new system, with a lack of clear responsibility for the errors.
The ASU had previously warned Sydney Water against switching systems, citing concerns that the new Dayforce platform was not sufficiently tested or ready for implementation. According to the union, problems were reported for months leading up to the launch, but management proceeded with the transition.
Sydney Water has acknowledged that "some" employees have encountered payroll issues since the system's introduction. A company spokesperson stated that they sincerely apologize to those affected and that their priority is to resolve these issues swiftly and provide necessary support. The company is working directly with impacted employees to rectify the situation and is offering assistance for any additional costs incurred as a result of the payroll problems. Sydney Water described the situation as arising from a large-scale technology transition where issues have emerged as the system has been embedded.
The union has filed an application with the Fair Work Commission seeking assurance that the problems are resolved and will not recur. Employees are reportedly worried that similar pay issues may arise with the upcoming pay cycle.
This situation comes as the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal reported that average Sydney water and wastewater bills are projected to increase by 13.8 percent this year, with further increases anticipated by the end of the decade.