Pay disruption at AtkinsRéalis confirms payroll errors are rarely intentional, but how employers respond can matter as much as the mistake itself, say lawyers
Some employees at Montreal-based engineering firm AtkinsRéalis, formerly SNC-Lavalin, recently had their pay delayed while the company moved to a new resource planning system. A company spokesperson, Laurence Myre Leroux, confirmed delays in both the Aug. 19 and Sept. 2 pay cycles.
She said the problems followed the company's July extension of its international finance and accounting platform to Canada, according to the Canadian Press, and that the company had prepared its employees for the changes before the new system was adopted.
Leroux said the most recent cycle had fewer issues, though she did not say how many employees were affected, and that the company offered support and off-cycle payments where needed. As of the end of 2025, AtkinsRéalis employed more than 40,000 people worldwide.
The case serves as a reminder of the importance of paying people correctly.
"A lot of times when these issues arise, it's not intentional, it’s usually payroll errors," says Sara Kauder, senior employment lawyer at Minken Employment Lawyers. "It's usually administrative and system issues that are going to result in that sort of situation."
She lists the usual culprits: incorrect wage rates entered into the system, bonuses that are improperly implemented, unpaid overtime, vacation pay miscalculations, errors in recording hours,...
Millions of Aussies will be cheering Ben Roberts-Smith after seeing his publicity campaign. But we must leave all these matters to a criminal court to decide – this time beyond reasonable doubt. A...