Payroll hitch hits State workers

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 6

Payroll hitch hits State workers

PA Wellington About 3000 public servants in 15 Government departments have been short-changed by the State pay computer this week, said a Public Service Association spokesman. The personnel information and payroll service is refusing to pay overtime and allowances to the workers because it was not fed some vital information, said the P.S.A. assistant general secretary, Mr Joris de Bres. Among the people left off the list are some of the feeders — from the Government Computing Service.

The majority of people affected are New Zealand Electricity power workers.

Steps have, however, already been taken to ensure no-one is left financially embarrassed because of the problem. Arrangements have been made for workers to receive advances on their overtime and allowances.

Many of the N.Z.E. workers are expected to seek several hundreds of dollars in advances.

Mr de Bres said the payroll hitch had come at a difficult time, with many of the workers due to move to the new State corporations and the end of the tax year looming. He said the P.S.A. would be advising people to take cash payments.

It was not known exactly how much money was involved in the transactions but it could run to tens of thousands of dollars.