The Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) says its call center workers need more staff to meet taxpayers’ growing need for support. The annual report published by the Taxpayers’ Ombudsman further supports the workers’ demands.

Contact center agents at Canada’s tax agency, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), are facing a growing number of more complex calls, according to the report. As a result, agents spend more time on the phone, which creates a backlog of complaints and service files.

Marc Brière, national president of the UTE, attributed the longer wait times to staffing issues. In an open letter sent on September 19, Brière said the CRA had not renewed more than 2,000 contracts for agents working in contact centers.

“The situation facing our members is worrying,” said Brière. “Employees working in Contact Centers are exhausted, and the Agency’s refusal to fill more permanent positions in this type of work, as well as the stressful and highly supervised work environment compared to other positions within the CRA, place them in precarious employment situations.

The workload has become significant, according to the taxpayers’ ombudsman. The report shows that CRA workers face workloads comparable to the peak of the pandemic in the 2021-2022 fiscal year. This period was the busiest in the office’s history.

“I can confirm to you today that the situation is still very difficult in the Contact Centers of the Canada Revenue Agency and that there is still a serious shortage of agents to be

be able to respond to demand, offer the best possible service and respond to calls as quickly as possible,” Brière wrote in a letter to the ombudsman.

The CRA is also not achieving its objective of following up with complainants in a timely manner. In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, only 30 percent of complainants received a response within five business days. In 2022-23, those who received a response within five days were at 60 percent. The CRA’s goal is that 95 percent of complainants receive a response before the end of these five business days.

“This can frustrate complainants since they do not receive a timely response unless they are in a compelling situation,” the ombudsman’s office wrote. “This frustration among complainants is also leading to an increase in appeals as they are unsure of the status of their case with our Office, which adds to the time we must spend on each case.

Staffing issues at the CRA are causing hardship not only for its employees, but for all Canadians who rely on subsidies provided by the office. The report tells the story of Anslie Stufford, a single mother who receives the Canada Child Benefit. Stufford was only receiving a portion of his benefits, which caused him financial difficulties. Her tax preparer accidentally listed that she was in a relationship. Even though she corrected this information with the CRA, Stufford was still not receiving her full benefits and did not have the means to meet basic needs.

Some progress has been made in recent months to improve staffing. The CRA is in the middle of its public consultation process to improve services. They have written on their website that they are committed to providing high quality service.

“We know there are challenges to better serve Canadians and we are implementing a number of initiatives to improve their experience. Feedback from those who interact directly with the Canada Revenue Agency will help us explore all options to ensure that nothing is overlooked in the delivery of quality service,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of National income.

Briere also noted that the CRA hired and rehired about 300 staff members after the ombudsman asked the office to make changes to improve service by extending opening hours.

“It’s good news,” Brière said. “However, this is nowhere near enough to address the long delays taxpayers face when calling the Agency.”

“Our members have demonstrated in the past that they can rise to the occasion,” he added. “It is high time that the Canada Revenue Agency gave them the ability to do this, permanently. »