TORONTO – OPSEU says a computer glitch which plagued the provincial Social Assistance Management System (SAMS) in November are once again causing problems for the province’s frontline workers.
A press release from OPSEU, which represents the workers, says they have been receiving complaints that there has “again been a serious breakdown in the system with SAMS continuing to issue payments for incorrect amounts marked by overpayments, underpayments and, in some cases, no payments whatsoever.”
“I have seen the Grinch and its name is SAMS,” OPSEU President Warren Thomas said in a press release. “Just when we imagined the problems caused by this broken and discredited system could not be worse, we are learning that, in fact, they are more devastating than ever at the end of this month.”
Global News has requested comment from the Ministry of Community and Social Services but has not received a response.
In December, SAMS erroneously sent $20 million in welfare and disability support overpayments.
Premier Kathleen Wynne said, at the time, a “glitch” caused the overpayments and “within 24 hours most of the problems were rectified.”
The public service union is currently taking the Ontario government to court to seek an injunction against the use of the system.
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