Torstar News Service Warren Thomas, president of OPSEU, said Wednesday that a new computer system for welfare payments "has introduced chaos into the ODSP and OW (Ontario Works) program.”


A public sector union is taking the government to court to argue the province deliberately introduced a “flawed” welfare computer system that put vulnerable people’s lives at risk.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) filed an application Tuesday for an injunction with the Ontario Superior Court, urging it to order that the problem-plagued Social Assistance Management System (SAMS) “cease to be used . . . until the system can provide reliable, timely, accurate benefits to the recipients” of welfare and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) payments.

And that, said the union, means going back to the older computer system.
“SAMS has introduced chaos into the ODSP and OW (Ontario Works) program,” OPSEU president Warren “Smokey” Thomas told reporters at Queen’s Park Wednesday.

Technical problems in the new $240-million computer system caused havoc last month when numerous welfare recipients got no money or as little as $5 while another 17,000 individuals or families received $20 million in overpayments.
“To date it is estimated that more than 36,000 Ontario families have been paid incorrect sums due to technical problems with the SAMS software,” Thomas said.

Initially calling it a glitch, Premier Kathleen Wynne eventually apologized in the legislature for the technical mess.

Thomas said the union “seeks a declaration that by knowingly implementing the flawed SAMS system, the Ministry of Community and Social Services violated the equality rights of social assistance recipients provided for under Section 15 of the Charter.”

Thomas said in the meantime his members are “scrambling” to see that social assistance recipients “are not forced to go without” this Christmas.
Community and Social Services Minister Helena Jaczek said upcoming payments “remain on schedule.”

“Additional oversight and validation steps have been taken, including early testing and review of the pay-run data to ensure payments remain on track,” Jaczek said in an email statement.

The minister said she knows there have been problems.

“I understand that this has been a challenging experience for our front line case workers and I want to continue to thank them for their ongoing efforts and patience. We share their dedication to helping their clients, and I know that they have been working hard so clients continue to be well served through the SAMS implementation process,” she said.

Jaczek noted her ministry has initiated the following to assist staff and municipal delivery partners:

- A payment hotline, which Ontario Workers (welfare) staff can call to receive support for any specific functional issues they may be encountering.
- An email address for access and login problems.
- Job aids and troubleshooting guides.
- Twice-daily communications updates.
- Direct technical assistance help lines for ODSP staff.
The Liberal government and OPSEU are currently in contract negotiations, but Thomas said his union would have gone to court regardless.
Thomas said as far back as almost a year ago and as recently as the fall, his union repeatedly warned the ministry “about concerns with the functionality of the program” where case worker in both the Ontario Workers and ODSP “were unable to perform routine tasks.”

“Despite our repeated warnings the ministry plowed ahead with this plan to implement SAMS in November of this year.”

Source:  http://metronews.ca/news/canada/1242113/union-takes-ontario-to-court-over-welfare-computer-problems/