Parsons: Novopay will get better

Most schools in Marlborough are growing tired of dealing with teacher payment mistakes in the new Novopay payroll system, but Queen Charlotte College principal Tom Parsons is optimistic the problems will be ironed out next year.

Mr Parsons, who is also New Zealand Secondary Principals’ Association vicepresident, said on Friday he was confident the new Novopay system would improve.

His school’s final payrun for 2012 had included only one error – a bus driver had been incorrectly paid $400 holiday pay.

Rather than continue to disparage the payroll system, schools needed to embrace Novopay as it was unlikely another system would be brought in to replace it, Mr Parsons said.

He likened its level of efficiency to computer systems in other government departments.

‘‘I don’t know any computer system in any government department that does not have any blips,’’ he said.

‘‘Novopay is not some multi-legged beast that’s hanging out in the ether trying to swot off our legs every time we reach for the parapet.’’

It would be interesting to note how many issues arose directly from Novopay and how many arose from incorrect payroll entries to Novopay, he said.

Meanwhile, other Marlborough schools continue to be frustrated by the ongoing Novopay problems.

Spring Creek School principal and Marlborough Principals’ Association president Andrew McFarlane said the school was $2000 out of pocket because of holiday pay overpayments to two casual support staff.

The school had not been told by the Ministry of Education when the money would be repaid.

Mr McFarlane had spent 16 hours during four days over the holidays trying to get Novopay errors fixed.

Being put on hold for anything up to 90 minutes by the Novopay service centre had been a regular occurrence, he said.

‘‘It’s a nightmare and someone needs to be held accountable,’’ Mr McFarlane said.

‘‘It hasn’t lived up to the expectations of what’s required to undertake a large payroll.’’

Marlborough Boys’ College deputy principal Bill Wick said he was unaware of any pay issues for staff at the school in the final pay run of the year.

However he said payroll administrators were frustrated by the seemingly endless problems associated with processing staff pay.