Human error leads to missed payday for over 16,000 University of Kentucky employees

The university set up a call center over the weekend to dispense prepaid debit cards to employees.

More than 16,000 University of Kentucky (UK) employees were left tightening their belts this weekend when payday didn't arrive.

According to Marcey Zwiebel, a spokeswoman for PNC Financial Services Group, the missed payday was a result of human error.

“Last week PNC’s risk management team identified an issue with the payroll file that they had received from the University of Kentucky and delayed its processing out of caution but didn’t take the steps necessary to ensure the funds reached employee accounts on time,” Zwiebel told Campus Reform.

While Zwiebel estimated that a “significant amount” of the affected employees would see the money from their paychecks in their accounts by Friday evening, employees with banks had to wait until Saturday or even Monday evening.

In the meantime, UK and PNC worked to set up options for employees who needed the funds before Monday.

“We worked closely with the university so that cash-strapped employees had access to emergency funds,” Zwiebel said, also mentioning that employees with proper university identification and a driver’s licence were able to cash personal checks at any local PNC bank without a fee.

The University of Kentucky set up a call center over the weekend to provide financial aid in the form of prepaid debit cards to employees.

“Please be assured that the University of Kentucky will reimburse employees for any overdraft, non-sufficient funds, and late fees incurred,” the university’s website states. “On Monday we will begin processing reimbursement requests.”

A spokesperson from the university was unable to respond to requests for comment as the school was closed Monday due to weather. However, Zwiebel did say that PNC is ensuring “that nothing like [this situation] happens again.”

The university is Lexington’s largest employer.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @KESchallhorn