Payroll problems leave workers chasing payments

The plight of workers at a factory in Wales has illustrated how an efficient and trustworthy payroll service is vital in making sure that employees receive their wages.

The Gwent Gazette reports that workers at the Desk-Link factory in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, have seen severe problems in their payroll administration.

Earlier this month, the company made 19 unemployed and placed 100 people in temporary unemployment. Since then the Gazette reports that many of its workers across the country have seen delayed payments or underpayments.

One family affected by this spoke to the newspaper; Lorraine Bishop, wife of a worker who left the company in June, says that since the beginning of 2010 her husband and other staff have suffered from late or "piecemeal" payments and have had to chase the company's payroll bureau for their due wages.

"In January, it was just two days late," says Mrs Bishop. "But by the end he was getting 10% one week, five the next. We're lucky I run a business and we don't have children, but I don't know how others have coped."
According to an internal memo obtained by the newspaper, dated June 16, the issue of payroll administration problems has come up in company meetings even though Desk-Link have as yet refused to provide comment or a statement on the situation.

The letter admits that as of June 15, the payroll was far from up to date, attributing this to "problems verifying deliveries and other late payments from customers." The memo states that the expected payroll dates for the months up to December are likely to be "difficult months" but that the company continues to "plan for a marked improvement and have taken steps to assist in dealing with this problem."