Priority Payments
Priority Payments
Priority payments can be used when there is a disruption of pay for an existing employee or to address urgent financial needs due to issues related to Phoenix. It is a payment issued by the department on a priority basis to ensure employees do not encounter financial hardship due to processing delays at the Public Service Pay Centre. This applies to employees who have not received all the monies they are owed because of processing delays for their regular or acting pay, allowances, overtime, extra duty payments, salary increases related to a promotion or a pay increment, and unpaid overtime that has been submitted.
If you are a new employee, or if you are an employee returning from leave without pay (LWOP), see the Emergency Salary Advance Fact Sheet for additional options.
What is a Priority Payment?
- The amount of a Priority Payment is 66% of monies owed; this represents the approximate amount of salary after tax that you would normally receive.
- Priority Payments must eventually be recovered and you will be consulted on a flexible repayment plan
- Priority Payments are essentially loans issued by the Department, they are not considered taxable income and, consequently, accepting a Priority Payment will not affect your income taxes.
How is a Priority Payment different from an Emergency Salary Advance
Emergency Salary Advances are issued and administered by the Pay Centre, while Priority Payments are issued and administered by the department. This means that a Priority Payment will only be recovered once your pay issues are resolved and you will be consulted before recovery begins to choose repayment options.
How do I Request a Priority Payment
Speak to your manager and send an email to the Pay Support Team. They will provide you with all of the instructions and forms that you will need to request a Priority Payment.
If you are a Coast Guard employee without email access (seagoing personnel, light-keepers), you may choose to contact your regional MariTime Unit or the Pay Support Team.
Emergency salary advances provide new employees, and employees returning from leave without pay, an advance on their pay until their pay file in Phoenix can be brought up-to-date.
They are different from Priority Payments in that they are offered and recovered by the Pay Centre, where Priority Payments are administered by the department and, in most cases, are preferable to the employee. If you are experiencing a pay disruption, please refer to the Priority Payments fact sheet, or contact the Pay Support Team for guidance.
Employees who are beginning maternity or parental leave are also entitled to a Priority Payment if their top-up payment is not processed in time
What is an emergency salary advance?
- The amount of an emergency salary advance is up to 66% of gross pay entitlement; this represents the amount after tax that you would normally receive.
- The advance payments must eventually be recovered in Phoenix, since you will have received double payment (approximately) once you receive the money originally owed. Repayment options will be made available to you at the time of recovery.
How do I request an emergency salary advance?
- Tell your manager that you are having a pay issue.
- Your manager will confirm that after initial appointment, rehire or return-to-work, you have not received any pay by the second payday (because we are paid in arrears).
- Your manager can help you determine the reason for the issue and help you get an emergency salary advance by submitting a Pay Action Request (PAR) to the Pay Centre.
If there’s a problem
Send an email (or arrange for a message to be sent) to the Pay Support Team.
If you are a Coast Guard employee without email access (for example, seagoing personnel and light-keepers), you may contact your regional MariTime Unit or the Pay Support Team.