National Payroll Week, observed this year from September 19 to 23, gives everyone in the University community the opportunity to recognize some of the University’s many “unsung heroes”: staff in the Division of People Strategy, Equity & Culture and in Divisional HR Offices across our three campuses who ensure employees and vendors are paid accurately and on time.

The National Payroll Institute (formerly Canadian Payroll Association) initiated this week of recognition in 1995. In the years since, payroll professionals have managed compliance with changes in legislation impacting everything from taxes to union dues, Employment Insurance to benefits.

Most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic presented innumerable challenges to payroll teams across the country. Throughout these years of uncertainty, our payroll staff at the University of Toronto have deftly adapted to changing circumstances, learned new processes, and maintained uninterrupted pay to all those who work for or provided goods and services to the University.

This National Payroll Week, please join me in thanking our tri-campus payroll teams, whose diligent work has given us all much-needed stability in unpredictable times. These staff will continue to play a pivotal role in supporting the University’s successful transition to a post-pandemic workplace.