NSGEU wins grievance re: STI overpayment

Dear NSGEU members working in the Civil Service,

When NSGEU members have received Short-Term Illness (STI) benefits and then been found to be ineligible for them, the employer has been clawing back the money by deducting amounts from members’ bi-weekly pay. This has created hardship for affected members.

NSGEU grieved the employer’s action. In our grievance, we acknowledge that true over-payments must be repaid. However, the employer has no right to unilaterally make deductions from pay that have no statutory or common-law basis.

We are pleased to report that adjudicator Lorraine Lafferty agreed with the NSGEU and found that the employer cannot unilaterally deduct STI over-payments from employee wages. For the full decision, please see this link:

The NSGEU’s policy grievance features additional issues and further hearing dates are being scheduled to deal with these matters.