Hey, there! Log in / Register
Call him Stubby: Councilor wants to end paper pay stubs for city workers
By adamg on Wed, 08/24/2011 - 4:41pm
City Councilor Matt O'Malley says Boston could save up to $795,000 a year by eliminating the paper pay stubs some 16,000 city workers still get. O'Malley, who represents Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury and a small piece of Roslindale, would replace them with an electronic system:
By eliminating the paper stubs, Boston would minimize the amount of time expended by payroll and other administrative personnel, reduce its expenditure on paper and envelopes and eliminate the costs associated with printing pay stubs. According to the National Automated Clearing House Association, the average cost of printing a pay stub for one employee is $1.90 per pay period.
His fellow councilors voted unanimously today for a resolution asking city managers to switch from paper to online.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
That's nice for office
That's nice for office workers, but what about people who don't have internet access at home?
Well first off not only
Well first off not only office workers have internet access. Secondly presumably what's being talked about is direct deposit of checks while eliminating any kind of paper record. So these poor benighted non office workers can simply check their ATM or bank to make sure that the money was deposited.
What anon said...
People love getting an actual check and going to the bank in person to do their banking. You would be suprised as to how many people do not want direct deposit because of old habits.
Presumably one goes to work
Presumably one goes to work in order to get paid. You can't look it up pay advices at work? Or the public library? Or on your kids's gadget?
Cripes.
What Cripes said
The large nonprofit healthcare program I work for has done online-only paystubs for years. Our workforce is probably similar to the city's in terms of breakdown by class/education and types of job. A majority of our staff are doing entry-level work that doesn't involve using a computer on a day-to-day basis, but all staff are of course allowed to use the work computers during paid time to look at their work account (which has their paystubs, lists their sick time, allows them to pull up the personnel policies, etc.).
I think the $790,000 in tax
I think the $790,000 in tax payer savings is worth the minor loss of nostalgia of being given a physical check.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....
...asking city managers to switch from paper to online.
If this is true it sounds like city managers were asleep at that switch.
While they're at it, how about direct deposit for Sec.8 rents?
Good idea Councilor O'Malley. While you're at it, I realize housing authorities are only quasi-city/town agencies, but perhaps the council could urge BHA to allow direct deposit of Section 8 rent checks for landlords. I've been asking for a while and BHA tells me it's not yet an option and not on the horizon. The savings on postage and apparently $1.90 to print the paper stub and check, (possibly well more than $1.90 for the elaborate peel and pry envelope, watermark on check, etc.) times every Section 8 unit, would free up significant cash for the BHA, not to mention reducing the carbon footprint of thousands of landlords driving to the bank with the check, circa 1950's. I realize there's not much sympathy for Section 8 landlords, nor am I seeking any, but it seems like an easy way to save significant money.
It's about time
I throw mine in the garbage as soon as it gets delivered. If I ever need to check something I use The Hub.
A Win-Win
It's environmentally friendly & saves money for the City. Great idea Councillor
This is nothing but a bloody
This is nothing but a bloody lie. One dollar and 90 cents for hitting CTRL P. We should all call this guy on his bullshit claim.
You'd be surprised
Typical industry estimates to process a payment to a vendor is $15 per check. The paper pay stub is only a small piece of the whole payment process so 1.90 seems about right. Obviously there's the cost of paper, ink, envelopes, and postage. But the real money is from the time it takes to handle all those things by thousands. Even if you use an automatic folder and envelope stuffer, you still have to add supplies to the machine, take the completed envelopes out of the machine and take them to the postage machine and then take the metered envelopes to mail them (box, slot chute, PO, whatever).
The extra $1.90 per paycheck does not provide $1.90 worth of increased value. In fact, I imagine alot of those people are already getting direct deposit, but still receiving the paper payment notice. So aren't there other things that we could be doing with that money? Heck, even if we just give it to the employees, that would be better than spending it on pay stubs.
Costs savings breakdown
This sounds like a good idea. O'Malley mentions a potential to save hundreds of thousands of dollars. Has anyone seen a breakdown of this savings?
Paying bills like its 1899.
The Federal government went to mandatory direct deposit eons ago. Agencies are eliminating paper statements as well. They are available by logging on to the personel site.
I hope this idea is treated better than the proposed ban on satellite dishes on the front of houses. Speaking of dishes I saw a 3 or 4 story building on Columbia Road that had 11 dishes on the front. The building looked like it was covered by polyps. That structure could be added to the list of Boston's ugliest buildings.
I am glad I voted for Matt. I think he is one of the best new councilors. I like his enthusiasm, energy and positive attitude.