CA - Glitches delay workers' checks

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Glitches delay workers' checks: Computer troubles last month stalled payment to in-home care employees By Melanie Payne Bee Staff Writer (Published April 3, 2001)

Computer problems delayed paychecks last month to nearly 1,700 workers who provide in-home care to elderly and disabled Sacramento County residents. The county agency that oversees the in-home care program says the problems have been fixed and won't happen again. But many workers say they aren't satisfied, according to an official with the union that represents the in-home workers.

"Our staff has gotten a number of calls from people who say, 'I'm out of food.' Literally, no food," said Dana Simon, co-director of the home care division of the Service Employees International Union, Local 250. "In addition to no food, you have a situation where people are ending up with a huge number of bounced check fees. You know your checks are coming so you pay the bill and you get bounced checks."

The employees work for the In Home Supportive Services Program, which is designed to keep people out of nursing homes and living in their communities. The workers help by preparing meals, running errands and assisting with daily living tasks for elderly and disabled people living at home.

The workers turn their time sheets in to the county, which then tabulates the data and sends it to the state. The state issues the workers' checks usually within 10 days after they are submitted on the 1st and 15th of the month.

Simon said the union was told by county officials that during one pay period a computer problem on the state's end caused the problem and in the following pay period the county's computer system caused the delay.

"The state and county are pointing fingers at each other saying it's the other party's fault," Simon said. "But it's not the workers' fault, and (they) are expected to keep working for their clients and not getting paid."

However, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services contends officials were not aware of any problem until the agency was contacted by The Bee. When the agency checked the records, it found that the number of checks issued in March was 1,685 short of the number issued in February.

"Having brought this to our attention, we're definitely looking into it to see where the barrier was," said Blanca Barna, spokeswoman for the department. "That's their (the in-home care workers') livelihood and they're doing their work and not being paid."

The In Home Supportive Services Public Authority, the county agency that administers the payroll program, said the problem won't happen again.

The paychecks for the first of March were delayed because the county sent a corrupt computer tape to the state and the state either didn't notice or failed to inform anyone there was a problem with it, said Bernadette Lynch, interim executive director of the agency. The payroll problem on March 15 involved procedures with the new scanner system.

"This was a glitch, an unfortunate glitch," Lynch said. "But everyone's been paid."

In fact, she said, the new scanner system should allow the county and state to issue payments even faster to the home care workers in the future.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/news/local06_20010403.html

-- Doris (nocents@bellsouth.net), April 04, 2001


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