Hurricane Katrina was a disaster for many people, and it was compounded for numerous Federal employees because it occurred on their payday. The National Business Center's (NBC) Payroll Operations Division (POD) was called upon to offer assistance and advice to employees to get access to their money and, when necessary, reissue payments. Employees receiving electronic payments were informed how to reach their banks to access their funds. The POD worked closely with the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board in determining which banks were open and which ones had branches that employees could use. When necessary, check mailing destinations were changed to agency-designated agents, allowing employees to pick up their paychecks at their employing agency. In one instance, an employee had called in via her cell phone to have her funds deposited into a different account because her ATM card had been stolen while she was in a shelter.
The POD assisted timekeepers in coding Time and Attendance reports, as well as provided instructions for requesting advance salary payments, for those eligible employees affected by Hurricane Katrina. The POD also participated in many conference calls with agencies that had employees in the New Orleans area and offered assistance to ensure employees would continue to get paid. In addition, the POD aided the Human Resource Office of the NBC to issue guidance on the Emergency Leave Transfer Program on behalf of the Department of the Interior, and the POD continues to participate in the operation of the program.
The POD has been called on during several emergency situations in the past few years and always rises to the occasion to make sure people get paid. Their motto is, "Do whatever it takes"-and they have proven their commitment yet again.
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