ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, September 25, 1996          TAG: 9609250083
SECTION: VIRGINIA                 PAGE: C-3  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE 

LEGISLATORS TO RETHINK 'LAG PAY' WORKERS WOULD HAVE LOST A WEEK'S WAGES

General Assembly leaders say they will back down from proposed changes in the state payroll schedule that had riled state employees.

"We want to do whatever we can do to minimize hardships for state employees," said Del. Earl Dickinson, D-Louisa County, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

In an effort to bring efficiency to the payroll system, the General Assembly inserted a one-week lag between the end of payroll periods and the issuance of paychecks. The "lag pay" system, scheduled to be phased in beginning Jan. 1, would have resulted in the state's 100,000-person work force losing one week of pay in the next calendar year.

Employees griped about the lost income and disruptions with automatic deductions from their checking accounts for car loans, mortgages and other payments.

General Assembly leaders and Gov. George Allen have traded barbs for months, each side trying to blame the other for the lag pay system.

Lawmakers and administration officials pledged to work together to resolve employee concerns by Dec. 20, when Allen unveils his budget revisions.

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