Message to employees about tax slips

Each year, the Government of Canada issues hundreds of thousands of tax slips to federal public servants. Given this volume and the potential for human and technical error, incorrect slips are later corrected with amended slips.

All employees should file their taxes before the deadline of April 30, 2018, using the most recent tax slip(s) that has been issued. If there is an error in your tax slip, an amended slip will be produced and sent directly to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or Revenu Québec, and tax returns will be adjusted.

This year, employees who received a retroactive payment in 2017 may have an incorrect amount listed in box 52 (Pension Adjustment) of their T4s. This error has no impact on an employee’s taxes owed for 2017 and should not prevent any employee from submitting their return. However, it will mean that the employee’s Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) contribution limit for 2018 will be lower than it should be (this amount will be indicated on the Notice of Assessment for 2017, which employees will receive after filing their taxes).

Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is currently assessing the cause of the error and the number of employees involved. Amended tax slips will be issued and once CRA processes the T4s and reassesses employees’ tax returns, they will receive a new Notice of Assessment for 2017 listing the correct RRSP contribution limit for 2018. PSPC will produce amended 2017 tax slips once a week until the end of April 2018.

If you are a current employee, amended tax slips will be available electronically through Phoenix self-service, as well as through the CRA and Revenu Québec websites (if you have an online account). If you are a former employee, you can access your tax slips through the CRA or Revenu Québec websites (if you have an online account), and paper copies will be mailed to the home address currently listed in Phoenix.

Additionally, the Government of Canada will reimburse employees for expenses (up to $200 per year, including taxes) related to obtaining tax advice.

As outlined in Budget 2018, the Government of Canada announced its intention to eventually move away from Phoenix and begin the development of the next generation of the federal government’s pay system, one that is better aligned with the complexity of its pay structure. The government is committed to finding an alternative pay system, and will be working with experts, unions and technology providers on a way forward for a new pay system.

For more information on tax slips, please consult the following: