Wage ‘cock-up’ leaves health board workers cash-strapped

THOUSANDS of Mid-Western Health Board workers had Christmas shopping plans thrown into chaos yesterday when their fortnightly salaries were not lodged in their accounts.

The health board set up a helpline last night for staff needing emergency cash.

Many of the 3,596 workers affected will not get their pay packets until next Monday.

A spokesman for the health board said the affected workers are paid electronically through a Paypath system, which lodges salaries into bank and building society accounts.

The spokesman said: “There was a computer cock-up.”

Staff who are paid through their bank accounts will not receive their money until tomorrow and those who have their salaries lodged to building society accounts won’t get paid until Monday.

IMPACT assistant general secretary Shay Clinton said: “Workers are browned off. We only became aware of it this morning. The week that is in it, many planned to do Christmas shopping with this week’s salary.”

He said if any staff member is penalised due to late payment of a loan due to the delayed salaries, they would seek to have this penalty money refunded by the employer.

The health board spokesman said: “Alternative arrangements are being made to issue interim payments by cheque to staff with an urgent need for payment. Those requiring such payments can contact the helpline immediately.”

Deputy Dan Neville, a former member of the health board, said angry workers had contacted him when they found their salaries had not come in.

“It seems amazing any organisation of any efficiency should find that on the day they were due to pay staff, they could not do so. It is amazing this kind of situation could occur,” said Mr Neville.

He said payments to many staff will not be made until Monday.

“People have to wait up to five days for their money. It has happened at a bad time as many of these workers will have planned to do Christmas shopping with the salaries.”