Bligh offers Twitter help on payroll bungle
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has continued the Queensland Health payroll saga today, by offering help via microblogging website Twitter to the husband of a worker who has been allegedly experiencing delays receiving her pay after the department implemented a new payroll system.
Brisbane man Darryl King said on Twitter this morning "Hi @theqldpremier, wondering when my wife (Qld Health) might get paid? It is a disgrace that your (Qld) staff are not getting paid?"
The comment was followed by: "No wonder Qld can't get and keep nurses. Current payroll system isn't paying staff on time (some for a month) @theqldpremier #qldhealth".
A screen grab of Bligh's account
(Screenshot by Ben Grubb/ZDNet.com.au)
Bligh responded to the query, stating she would get help. "Daryl, send me contact details by direct message & I'll get help," the premier said.
King was reluctant to reveal his wife's details, even via a private message to the premier, saying his wife was worried there would be a "backlash".
The premier reassured King, saying "I just want to help her get her pay — she's entitled to it — [direct message] is for her privacy".
Thousands of Queensland Health's 74,000 employees have had their pay significantly delayed over the last two pay cycles following the introduction of a new payroll system. IBM has previously described the SAP-based payroll system it has been implementing for Queensland Health as the most complicated it had ever seen in Australia.
The premier's office is yet to respond to questions asked by ZDNet.com.au today, asking whether Queensland Health's other employees with pay issues would get the same attention as King's wife.
ZDNet.com.au understands that King's wife was paid today.
"And you did help @TheQldPremier, Thank you Anna for going above and beyond. Appreciate is probably a busy day and this matters to me," he said.
Queensland Health Minister Paul Lucas said on Tuesday his department was working on ways to avoid staff pay bungles after introducing the new payroll system, including cash advances. Cash advances of up to $200 would be available to employees in the event their pay is delayed again, he said.