The HSE has yet to recover €6.34 million in salary overpayments made over the past two years, according to figures provided to the Medical Independent (MI).
In total, the Executive spent €11.2 million on salary overpayments in 2024. This compares to €12.74 million in 2023.
Common causes of overpayments include data entry errors, late recording of unpaid leave, sick leave-related issues, delays in removing employees from payroll, and overpayments of pensions or allowances.
A HSE spokesperson told MI the introduction of a national payroll overpayments register helped the organisation recover €8.1 million in 2023, with a further €9.5 million recouped in 2024.
This leaves €4.64 million outstanding from 2023 and €1.7 million from 2024.
The spokesperson also noted that a new ‘SAP/HR/time/payroll solution’ is being rolled out and is now in place across seven of the eight payroll areas.
“The HSE actively engages with employees and line managers on pay-related overpayments and the aim is to recover in full any payments,” the spokesperson said.
“The streamlining of the repayment process in December 2023 is further assisting in the recoupment of pay related overpayments from HSE employees. The new process has reduced the pay related overpayment notification letters to employees from three to one, allowing for the immediate set-up of recoupment plans where previously employees may not have engaged and confirmed a repayment plan in a timely manner.”
They added that the HSE now has a pay compliance unit, under the human resources directorate, focused on reducing systematic pay related overpayments.
The unit monitors overpayments on an ongoing basis, including reviewing the reasons for them and identifying any mitigating actions, stated the spokesperson.
This year the unit has begun providing monthly pay-related overpayment reports, including steps to help alleviate overpayments to each health region.
The unit “is currently progressing a number of initiatives to further assist in the reduction and avoidance of systemic pay related overpayments and also increasing the recoupment of overpayments from former HSE employees who are not engaging”.
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