Fenty Provides Update on Summer Youth Employment Payroll Issues

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty provided a public update on the city's progress in correcting payroll problems within the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) today.  After serious problems were discovered in an internal investigation summarized in a report released earlier this week, registration and payroll records were scrutinized for all SYEP participants. Records were reviewed for accuracy to prevent waste, fraud and abuse of the payroll system allowing for significant reductions in the cost of the program's fourth payroll.

“We have worked diligently over the last two weeks to ensure that we are spending taxpayer dollars wisely,” said Fenty.  “As the Summer Youth Employment Program enters its final weeks, we will continue to work to correctly pay the youth enrolled in the program and begin our planning for next year.”

During the accounting for the fourth pay period, every youth listed in the program had time and information verified allowing for more than 3,000 individuals to be removed from the payroll.  Reasons for removal included ineligibility, termination, failure to report to work, duplications and attrition. Enrollment for SYEP now stands at just under 18,000 youth from 21,000 during pay period three.  

By ensuring that only the youth that are eligible for the program and worked received pay, the cost for payroll has been reduced by approximately $2 million from the previous pay period.   Two additional pay periods remain for the summer and further attrition is expected in the program as summer comes to an end and participants prepare for the beginning of the school year.