America's Workers: Confidence in Employers High; APA Survey Reveals Trust in Employers When it Comes to Paychecks, Information Security.

Business Editors

SAN ANTONIO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2003

Employees feel confident that their employers accurately calculate their paychecks and adequately protect personal employee data such as Social Security and checking account numbers, according to a recent survey of more than 14,000 workers conducted by the American Payroll Association (APA).

As part of National Payroll Week(a), APA, in collaboration with other industry leaders, created the online survey "Getting Paid In America." Among the topics on which workers were asked to weigh in were: the level of certainty that paychecks and withholding are correct each payday, the use of biometrics to record time and attendance, paperless payroll and information security.

"Rapidly evolving technology coupled with an economy that demands efficiency and cost-savings are changing many of the elements surrounding the way workers are paid," explained APA Executive Director Dan Maddux.

Of those surveyed, 94 percent said that they are confident their employers are producing accurate paychecks every payday.

"Delivering paychecks that are accurate and on-time is one of the most significant ways that employers gain the trust of employees," said Russ Fradin, president, ADP Employer Services, an ADP division that pays approximately 29 million people worldwide each payday. Fradin added, "To help ensure payroll accuracy, organizations increasingly are turning to third-party service providers to automate the payroll process."

"The survey results are a clear indication of how technology has contributed to accuracy while at the same time streamlining processes for employees," commented Michael DiPietro, vice president of product and industry marketing at Kronos Incorporated, a single-source provider of employee relationship management products.

When it comes to data security, 92 percent are confident that employers adequately protect vital personal information--a vote of confidence during a time when identity theft is on the rise.

"Security of an employee's personal information is a primary concern for everyone," said Walter Turek, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Paychex Inc., a provider of payroll, human resource and benefits outsourcing products for small- to medium-sized businesses. "As a company that specializes in the electronic transmission of funds for both businesses and their employees, we must be responsive to our clients' needs while simultaneously treating personal payroll information with confidence and security."

Employers scored high in the area of business continuity planning as well, with 80 percent of respondents saying they are confident that their employers have disaster recovery plans in place to ensure that paychecks will be uninterrupted in the event the company's payroll department were to become debilitated--a good thing, as 65 percent would find it difficult to meet current financial obligations if their paychecks were delayed for even a week.

"This survey confirms our own research," said Patricia Loria, vice president of research and development at MasterCard International. "There are many, many workers who live from paycheck to paycheck, and for whom any delay in pay delivery can become a crisis. That is one of the many benefits of a payroll card; especially for those who cannot take advantage of direct deposit."

The movement toward "paperless payroll," in fact, would not be an unwelcome change. More than 70 percent of respondents said they would favor check stubs posted online where they could view and print them as needed. Linda Miller, vice president of marketing for Ultimate Software, a provider of Web-based payroll and workforce management products, commented, "APA's survey underscores what we've been hearing from our customers--that employees today like 'paperless payroll'--and business executives are equally happy with the hard cost savings. That kind of combination makes for an unstoppable trend."

"Let's face it, when it comes to a paycheck, the bottom line amounts to this: 'Is it correct?' and 'Did I get it on time?' These results tell us that as an industry, as a profession, payroll is doing its job and doing it well," added Maddux.

(a) For more information, please visit www.nationalpayrollweek.com