Former staff get payout

Ali Ikram. Photo / Supplied

TVNZ is paying out thousands of dollars to hundreds of current and former staff after mistakes were made in bonus and other payments.

More than 200 existing and 300 former staff have been receiving letters saying they are owed money.

The mistakes in calculating bonuses, incentive payments and annual leave entitlements were found in a recent review of TVNZ's payroll system.

TVNZ would not say how much it was paying out.

Spokeswoman Megan Richards said it had been like a "military operation" tracking down people owed money. However, the task was almost complete and only a few people still needed to be notified.

Richards said the problem arose from when the Holidays Act was implemented in 2004.

She said TVNZ had legal advice that the company did not have to pay former employees who were missing money.

"We disregarded that advice - it's important for our reputation".

Richards said it was important people had confidence in the payroll system.

Former TVNZ One News reporter, Ali Ikram, now a TV3 Nightline reporter, said he could not believe it when he got a letter saying he was owed $675. He worked for TVNZ three years ago.

"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."