In the past few weeks, you may have received a notice of reassessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) along with a penalty of more than $2,000 for failing to include your T4 slip with your tax return over the past years.

T4/T4A: Important Differences

This situation occurs in part due to the fact that, until recently, the University website did not make it clear that you could be issued both a T4A as a student and a T4 as an employee, if you had an employment contract (for example, as a teaching or research assistant).

The two documents often display similar amounts, although they play different roles. Moreover, the University sends a notice regarding the availability of T4A slips to your student email address, but sends a notice regarding T4 slips to your employee email address, which may be different from your student email. Finally, several students who have a contract with the University are unaware that they may have a specific employee email address.

Although your T4A is available in uoZone, your T4 is available on the My HR Profile page. Recently, the University of Ottawa has made it clearer that T4 slips were available on My HR Profile by adding a link in your uoZone student acount. While this is certainly a step in the right direction for the future, you may have already had trouble accessing your T4 slip, not been able to include it with your return, and been charged significant penalties by the CRA.

Survey: Have you been affected by this situation?

CUPE 2626 is currently looking at this issue to determine how many members have been affected by this unfortunate situation, in order to offer appropriate support. We invite you to complete the following survey, which will allow us to get a sense of the extent of the problem and work toward a solution for those who are affected.

Please note that a similar survey was circulated a few weeks ago following the initiative of a group of students. The current survey differs on some points: it aims to be more exhaustive and is intended to allow us to stay in touch with those affected. Therefore, we invite you respond to the current survey, even if you have already answered the previous survey.

If you have questions about your T4/T4A, or regarding the issue outlined above, please contact us at t4@cupe2626.ca. For more information on how to access your T4 slip, please see the following page.