Canadian government workers can claim up to $350 in new class-action settlement
Some current and former Canadian government employees will be eligible to claim hundreds of dollars from the settlement in a class-action lawsuit.
On April 15, 2025, the Superior Court of Quebec approved a settlement for non-unionized and casual government employees. The class action was brought forth due to several pay issues allegedly caused by the Phoenix payroll system. The system was implemented in several departments and organizations on February 24, 2016.
Plaintiff Ezmie Bouchard filed the lawsuit against the Attorney General of Canada (AGC) on behalf of all persons who had been affected after she alleges that she experienced errors in her wages. Bouchard worked as a casual student employee at Passport Canada in Quebec City in 2016, and alleged that payroll errors resulted in her owing over $4,800.
The AGC agreed to pay the settlement without admitting liability.
Are you eligible?
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To file a claim, you must meet specific criteria.
You must be a current or former government employee in one of the listed departments and organizations who experienced a pay problem.
You must also meet one of the following categories: you must be a casual employee, a student employee, a part-time employee, or work on a term basis of less than three months. More information about the eligibility requirements is available on the government’s website.
In addition, you need to have worked at least one day during one or more of the following periods:
- Feb. 24, 2016, to March 31, 2017
- April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018
- April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019
- April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020
How much can you receive?
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The amount of compensation you receive will vary. According to a notice issued on April 24, how much you receive depends on each fiscal year:
- You could receive a maximum of $350 if you were an employee from Feb. 24, 2016, to March 31, 2017
- You could receive a maximum of $175 if you were an employee from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018
- You could receive a maximum of $175 if you were an employee from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019
- You could receive a maximum of $175 if you were an employee from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020
How can you file a claim?
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You can submit a claim by filling out an online form. You will be asked to include your personal record identifier (PRI), date of birth, and any applicable eligibility requirements. Your banking information must also be updated before submitting a compensation claim.
The deadline to file a claim is Oct. 24, 2025.