Some VA employees’ overtime pay will be delayed by software problems

Yahoo! News - Mar 26th, 2025

Several thousand Veterans Affairs employees expecting extra compensation will find their paychecks shortchanged this week due to ongoing issues with the department's payroll processing systems. The problem, which stems from delays within the VA Time and Attendance System, has caused outages and slowdowns since late last week. VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz assured that while all employees will receive their regular pay, those owed additional wages like overtime will be compensated on the next payday, April 11. Despite the assurance that 98% of employees will not be affected, nearly 10,000 individuals could experience a delay in receiving their full compensation.

The issue has caught the attention of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, whose senior leaders are keen to understand the root cause of the problem and seek solutions. Committee Chairman Sen. Jerry Moran emphasized the necessity for reliable systems, while Sen. Richard Blumenthal noted concerns from employees about paycheck discrepancies. This incident occurs amid a backdrop of criticism towards VA Secretary Doug Collins, who faces scrutiny over proposed staffing cuts and a perceived lack of transparency. Collins has defended his reform efforts, though federal union officials warn that reducing staff could detrimentally impact services provided to veterans.

Veterans Affairs Payroll Processing Doug Collins Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Federal Union

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

7.2

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a timely and relevant report on payroll processing issues affecting Veterans Affairs employees, backed by credible sources like VA officials and U.S. Senators. It effectively communicates the main points with clarity and structure, making the information accessible to a general audience. However, the story could benefit from a broader range of perspectives, including those of affected employees or independent experts, to enhance its depth and engagement. While the article addresses a topic of public interest with potential for impact, its reliance on official statements without independent verification or technical insights limits its comprehensive understanding of the issue. Overall, the article is a solid piece of reporting that could be strengthened by incorporating additional viewpoints and context.

Accuracy

The story accurately reports the issue of payroll processing delays affecting Veterans Affairs employees, with specific details about the nature of the problem and the expected timeline for resolution. It cites statements from VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz, who confirms that regular pay will be disbursed on time, but additional wages like overtime will be delayed. The article also correctly quantifies the impact, noting that 2% of the VA's workforce, or approximately 10,000 individuals, are affected.

The report includes direct quotes from officials such as Sen. Jerry Moran and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, adding credibility to the claims about the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee's involvement and concerns. However, the article could benefit from more detailed verification of the software issues and their causes, as it primarily relies on official statements without independent confirmation.

Overall, the story's factual basis is strong, but it would be enhanced by corroborating the claims with additional sources or technical insights into the VA Time and Attendance System issues.

Balance

The article presents a balanced view by including perspectives from both VA officials and political figures from different parties. It quotes VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz, Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, and Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal, demonstrating an effort to present a bipartisan perspective on the issue.

However, the story could improve by including voices from the affected employees or union representatives, who might provide a more comprehensive picture of the impact on the workforce. The focus on official statements and political reactions leaves out potential grassroots concerns, which could offer additional context and depth to the narrative.

While the article does not exhibit overt bias, the absence of employee perspectives may skew the reader's understanding of the issue's full impact.

Clarity

The article is well-structured and clearly communicates the main issue of payroll delays at the VA. It succinctly outlines the problem, the expected impact, and the responses from various stakeholders, making it easy for readers to follow the narrative.

The language used is straightforward and avoids jargon, which aids in understanding. The inclusion of specific details, such as the percentage of employees affected and the timeline for resolving the issue, contributes to the article's clarity.

Overall, the article does a good job of presenting the information in a clear and concise manner, though it could benefit from additional context about the technical issues involved.

Source quality

The article relies heavily on official statements from VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz and quotes from U.S. Senators, which are credible sources for information about government operations. These sources provide authority and a degree of reliability to the story.

However, the story lacks diversity in its source base. Including insights from independent experts on payroll systems or representatives from the affected employees could enhance the credibility and depth of the reporting. The reliance on official statements without corroboration from other sources may limit the reader's ability to fully understand the issue's complexity.

Overall, while the sources used are authoritative, the article would benefit from a broader range of voices to provide a more nuanced understanding of the situation.

Transparency

The article is transparent about its sources, clearly attributing statements to VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz and Senators Jerry Moran and Richard Blumenthal. This transparency allows readers to understand the origin of the information and assess its reliability.

However, the article does not delve into the methodology behind the payroll system issues or provide detailed context about the technical aspects of the VA Time and Attendance System. Offering more background on why these issues are occurring and how they are being addressed would improve the transparency of the report.

While the article is clear about who is providing the information, it could enhance transparency by explaining more about the underlying technical problems and the steps being taken to resolve them.