# 2024-013 Pay and Benefits, Overpayment, Pay

Case summary

F&R Date: 2024-10-30

In the weeks following his promotion, the grievor received a pay adjustment. When he received the payments, the grievor questioned the base's orderly room personnel about the amount deposited. On several occasions, he inquired and received confirmation that everything was in order. After several months, an error was discovered in the grievor's pay file, which turned out to be a significant overpayment. The grievor filed a claim challenging the recovery of the overpayment, which was denied. The grievor explained that he had been diligent in managing his pay file, and he lamented the lack of efficiency and transparency on the part of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) officials. For that reason, the grievor believed that he was entitled to compensation and damages.

The initial authority (IA) found that the grievor had not been aggrieved. The IA expressed regret at the grievor's situation but confirmed that he was not entitled to the sum paid to him. The IA explained that the CAF had already shown great flexibility in recovering the overpayment, and that no mechanism existed for writing off this amount, so the grievor was responsible for repaying the overpayment.  

The Committee determined that the grievor was not entitled to the amount that he was overpaid. The Committee found that the grievor's situation did not meet the conditions for debt authorizations set out in the Financial Administration Act. The Committee found that the recovery was appropriate. 

The Committee recommended that the Final Authority not grant the redress requested. However, the Committee recommended implementing a complementary process in support of members allowing them to have an interview with a compensation expert with the aim of restoring confidence in the payroll system when problems arise, and that the first beneficiary of this service should be the grievor.