Throng

TVNZ is dishing out thousands of dollars worth of bonuses to both current and former employees after mistakes were made with payments.

The state broadcaster is paying out to around 500 staff, 300 of those being former employees, after they made mistakes in calculating bonuses, incentive payments and annual leave entitlements.

There is no word on the exact figure TVNZ is dishing out but with former reporter Ali Ikram alone receiving $675, the number is expected to be well into the thousands.

Ikram, who is now a part of TV3’s Nightline team, received a letter in the mail saying he was owed money by his former employer due to mistakes in the payroll system.

"I'm grateful they have chased me up because they didn't need to," he said. "It's a long time since I darkened the doors at TVNZ and they're still paying for my presence."

TVNZ spokeswoman Megan Richards said that TVNZ were told they were not actually obliged to pay out the money to the former employees but did so anyway.

“We disregarded that advice – it’s important for our reputation,” she said.

Richards said that nearly everyone that needed to be tracked down had been, with just a few outstanding.

Source: Herald