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Leave time gets left off cops' checks Julie B. Hairston - Staff Friday  January 14

The city of Atlanta has encounted more glitches in new computer programs installed as part of its Y2K compliance program.

This time, the snafus cropped up in the system that issues police paychecks. City cops are being paid with printed checks rather than through direct deposit to their bank accounts, and some checks are not accurately reflecting their accumulated vacation and leave time, according to a police union spokesman.

The leave time is being recorded in precinct offices, according to Chip Warren, vice president of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, "but you can't take it unless it shows up on your paycheck."

Union officials are discussing complaints with city officials on a case-by-case basis, Warren said. And city officials said the problems will be corrected within a few days.

"We installed a new payroll software system in December," said Dewayne Martin, chief of staff. "It ran without any problems through the first pay cycle . . . up until last week."

Martin said he has talked with personnel and technology officials, who have identified the errors and are working to fix them.

"There is no evidence that the problems that occurred had to do with human error," Martin said. "They are just natural problems that occur in the course of installing a new system."

This is the second new-technology issue to affect the city in the past two weeks. Last week, the city's bureau of buildings began to experience day-long backlogs of applications for building permits because of problems with new computer software. Martin said those problems are also being address

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 15, 2000