A proposed payroll change for Carroll County employees at the end of 2023 has been delayed temporarily in response to concerns from some of the county’s department heads. The decision to adjust the payroll system came as a result of repeated notes from state auditors to pay in arrears rather than issuing checks for the current pay period. Board Chair Stephanie Hausman says the supervisors have been working with a public sector software provider, Tyler Technologies, to assist with the planned transition.
The move would correct the issues noted in the county’s annual audit, but it would also cause employees to go nearly a month without pay. Carroll County Auditor Kourtney Payer, whose office oversees employee payroll, says her office does not have enough time to implement the change by Jan. 1, 2024.
Payer adds that it will only take one department not making the switch for the issue to appear on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 audit, so it makes sense to transition all departments at once rather than piecemeal. One of the main reasons behind the switch is to avoid invertedly paying an employee who has quit for time they did not work, but Payer says that has only happened once during her tenure with the county.
Additionally, it will cost the county about $12,000 to make the transition, which is not included in the county’s FY24 budget. Payer suggested July 1, 2024 as the earliest date they could get the new system operational. The board of supervisors did not favor the change but acknowledged the decision to delay the payroll change was out of their hands. Payer indicated she will work with department heads to prepare for the adjustment and will notify employees when a solid date for the move is scheduled.
