Entitlements owed will be paid in full
WHEN it comes to community organisations in the Darling Downs, it’s fair to say most people know St Vincent’s Private Hospital Toowoomba.
We’ve been around for almost 100 years, caring for the health needs of our community. Over that time, thousands of locals have received treatment here; thousands of babies have been born in our maternity unit.
Our community trusts St Vincent’s; they trust the professionals who look after them every day.
But from time to time, we get things wrong.
And when we do, we should put our hand up and admit it.
Late last year we identified a payroll error had resulted in eight staff
‘‘ FOR THE STAFF AND EX-STAFF CONCERNED, THIS HAS BEEN A SERIOUS ISSUE, AND THE HOSPITAL HAS TREATED IT AS SUCH.
not being paid their full entitlements going back six years.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, everyone deserves to go home at the end of a day’s work knowing their pay will arrive on time and in the correct amount.
In response, the hospital apologised for its error and made sure each staff member was paid in full everything they were owed – a total of $78,000.
Further, we voluntarily decided to conduct a payroll audit among other staff from the same area – around 24 clerical employees from the hospital’s Emergency Centre – going back the same six years, to determine if anyone else had been underpaid.
That audit is nearing completion, and when it’s done, if any entitlements are owed they will be paid in full.
Claims that “thousands of workers” are owed “millions of dollars” are just not true.
Similarly, claims that staff have been targeted as a result of this issue are equally baseless and do a great disservice to the hospital’s 690 employees.
The hospital has not received a single formal complaint from staff – past or present – regarding their treatment in relation to this issue.
For the staff and ex-staff concerned, this has been a serious issue, and the hospital has treated it as such.
We’re determined to resolve it fairly and transparently.