Nurse gets full access to pension tied up for nearly 2 years in Phoenix pay system

A Fraser Valley woman has finally received her full pension almost two years after she quit a federal government nursing job at Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C. 

Jennie Jackson says she got a call from the Canada Pension Centre early Monday to say funds held back because of issues with the troubled Phoenix pay system would be released within three to five days.

Wednesday morning, she said, the portion of her pension that had remained in government hands since November 2017 was deposited in her bank account.  

"They were true to their word," said Jackson. 

The initial call from the government agency came three days after a CBC story about Jackson's struggle to get her pension and an overdue final paycheque estimated at $4,000. 

"I'm pretty sure it's because of the media coverage," said a very happy Jackson. 

"I've waited almost two years and all of a sudden it goes public on Friday and Monday morning 8 a.m. I'm getting results." 

Although, she's received her pension, the status of her paycheque is still unresolved. However, Phoenix has emailed Jackson to tell her a compensation adviser has now been assigned to start working on the file. 

Pension tied to paycheque

Up until now, Jackson had been told by Canada Pension Centre representatives they could only release 70 per cent of her pension money until she was issued a final paycheque. 

The remaining 30 per cent would be held back until the government determined Jackson didn't owe it any money.

But the Chilliwack, B.C., wife and mother of three has been eager to reinvest her pension money. 

"I've always been taught the sooner you invest money, the more time it has to grow," said Jackson, 38. 

With at least another two decades left to work Jackson said, "I don't even know if that pension fund is going to be there in 20 years." 

Jackson said, along the way, pension centre staff told her the policy to hold back portions of pensions was due to all the problems created by the faulty Phoenix system. 

It's estimated that 150,000 public servants have suffered pay problems due to the Phoenix pay system, which has improperly paid more than half of all federal workers since it was implemented in 2016. 

Final paycheque 

Jackson has no idea when she might see a final paycheque from the federal government. 

However, the Canada Pension Centre representative, she says, told her Phoenix must have "resolved things because they were able to release my pension."  

"If I ever see a final paycheque that will be lovely, but the most important part was the pension," she said. 

Jackson hopes she never has to encounter anything like this experience again.