5/12/10

NO PAY, NO PLAY?

Well, it appears that the US Census is incapable of paying on time.

I was shorted 13 hours on my second pay period
And now it appears that my third pay was only for those 13 hours.

Even though I had worked 44.75 hours for the third period.

So, let's see if we can do the math...

Back pay owed, 13 hours, plus $4.50 reimbursement for expense.
Current hours due, 44.75 plus $4.50 for reimbursement.

Pay received?
APPEARS to be only for the 13 hours owed from previous pay period.
(We don't receive earning statements until a week after payment)

It is half of the pay I received for my first week of 33.25 hours.
Funny. That doesn't add up for me.

What does this mean?
Not only did I not get paid for hours worked.
But my team of Census Takers (enumerators) will not receive anything.

Possible outcomes?
All my team quits.
All census work ceases.
Angry Enumerators picket my building?
Call me nasty names?

Now, I don't know about all my team.
But some are like me, living paycheck to paycheck.
Having been laid off for a LONG time.

Not getting paid on time means,
not eating,
not paying rent,
not paying bills.

Likely response from the Census?
"You'll receive it."
"It was just a mistake."
"Blah Blah Blah Blah."

I had attempted to call the LCO (local census office) last week,
in order to be proactive and find out if
A. The payroll forms had been turned in
B. IF not all, Which had been turned in.
That way I could prepare my team for what might be.

Result?
"BLAH BLAH BLAH, busy.
Blah blah blah, computer tied up.
blah blah blah, can't help you."

Now, I'm just too mad to call.
Afraid I will call them out on their incompetence.

I'm not saying that the data entry people are to blame.
But there is NO SYSTEM IN PLACE to FLAG when a whole district is not paid?
No one notices when it appears that a portion of the workforce is not getting paid?
It appears they moved the deadline date for turning in payroll forms
WITHOUT telling anyone in the field?
Of course the people in the office got paid correctly.

Wow.
Not only incompetent but...
what is the word I'm looking for?
Not sure I can use it in mixed company
But this really isn't acceptable.

Once, I can understand.
We were just getting started, it was crazy, disorganized.
BUT, twice?
A whole week's pay?

Sorry, this just doesn't fly.

Of course my options are limited.
I CAN'T quit, I would lose my unemployment.

So once again the CENSUS has us by the short hairs.
Once again, 'those who shall not be named'
have screwed those who actually DO the work.

There will be no consequences for those in charge.
And the little people will be expected to ...
Just Carry On...
Be Grateful For Work...
Accept incompetence from those above...

Well, at least I can blog about it...
It's too early to drink yet!










4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Get used to it. Our LCO (2233) likes to "short" people on their paychecks. There is not one person I know who works there who hasn't hours or MTA reimbursement deleted from their paycheck. This has being going on for MONTHS! My suggestion...open up your manual and call the personell/payroll main number AND call the waste/fraud hotline and report them. I am on the verge of doing it. I don't think Crew Leaders are allowed inside the office...but you should see the chaos there. It is nothing compared to the chaos in the field.

OUT OF WORK ACTOR said...

Since the LCO's only competency seems to be in 'passing blame' while taking NO responsibility, I wonder how they would like a visit by "FAUX NEWS" or a representative from Rep Michelle Bachmann's office?
I'm not above contacting these parasites in order to expose the incompetence shown in those above.
When management treats those who DO the work with contempt by shorting their pay, they deserve ridicule and exposure for the complete disregard they show for those DOING the work.

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me."

HAS said...

That's actually not a bad idea....

HMMMM...I know a reporter at the NY Post and a producer a Good Day New York on FOX5.

I've been working for the census in a different operation for the last 6 months....which i actually enjoyed despite the insane amount of redundant paperwork and not-too-frequent time wasting/thumb twidlding meetings. As that was winding down....They asked me to be crew leader...i said no....then my crew leader asked me to be a cla...i said no. I'm happy to be a Quality Control enumerator and NONE of the headaches that go with working with the MORONS at the LCO. (There are a few whom I met who are actually intelligent and capable....but sadly there is a SEVERE lack of management and simple logical programming/organizational skills that stems from above...and these intelligent/capable workers are unable to do anything to help.)a

I truly believe the my 5 year old nephew could do a better job counting all of manhattan than these clowns.

PS - go to www.mytwocensus.com - today they posted an expose revealing that payroll problems are happening all over the country!

Thierry said...

J'en ai marre! I am very fortunate to have several competent enumerators working with me, and picking two of the best to be my CLAs was not an obvious task. I now have to let those two know that the privilege of being a CLA will likely cause a delay in their remuneration. Merde et merde (for them and for me). Vous me faites ch**r !