QUEEN'S University is planning to pay its staff earlier than usual due to fears that Brexit could disrupt the banking system.
With the UK's departure from the EU originally scheduled for next Friday March 29, the university's 'Brexit Operational Working Group' has decided to transfer salaries into workers' accounts 48 hours earlier than usual.
In an email circulated to more than 4,000 staff yesterday, Queen's chief operating officer Wendy Galbraith said the working group was continuing to "monitor developments closely" and would be "working proactively on the challenges and implications of Brexit".
"At what is, for many, an unsettling time, I would like to reassure you that contingency planning is taking place to reduce any risks to business continuity emerging from Brexit," the email said.
However, Ms Galbraith said that as a "practical step" it had been agreed to pay March's salaries earlier than usual.
A Queen's spokesman told The Irish News the decision to pay staff salaries early was "as a result of the ongoing uncertainty relating to Brexit".
"The university has put in place a number of contingency plans to reassure our staff and reduce risks to business continuity," the spokesman said.
SDLP Brexit spokesman Daniel McCrossan said: "We know that Brexit means a bad deal for workers and their rights in the long term unless the British government commits to mirroring high level standards with the EU.
"Now we’re seeing the immediate operational impact of the uncertainty caused by Westminster’s refusal to bank the backstop and end this pantomime."
Despite Queen's taking measures to avoid any payment disruption at the end of next week, the Department of Finance has confirmed that it has no plans to alter its salary dates or any other payment schedules.
