CORT Directions Announces Availability of Payroll Continuity Plan; First HRMS vendor to offer business continuity plan for payroll processing.

Business Editors

BEND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2004

CORT Directions announced today the immediate availability of its Payroll Continuity Plan, offering protection to customers in the event they cannot process payroll. The first of its kind plan is designed to offer payroll processing protection in the event of a catastrophic occurrence to a customer's facility or to the primary payroll professional.

Sandy Kroo, Director of Customer Services for CORT Directions, and author of the Payroll Continuity Plan, says the program was designed as a result of customer feedback. "Business continuity planning is a big issue these days," says Kroo. "Customers realize that a recent backup of their payroll system isn't enough to ensure payroll will be processed and government compliance met if their facilities, systems or personnel are incapacitated. CORT Directions can step in to provide expert help and ensure deadlines are met."

Kroo says the Payroll Continuity Plan covers two scenarios: one being that the facility is damaged, and the second when a key payroll person is incapacitated. "When a facility or system is damaged," says Kroo, "CORT Directions can restore the customer's backup to our own systems and continue processing at our corporate headquarters." In the event staff is unable to process payroll, CORT Directions experts can be dispatched to the customer's site to continue processing.

When signing up for the plan, customers work with CORT Directions' staff to detail payroll processes and procedures into a backup document that can be used to pick up processing where it was left off. "When a customer lets us know they need to activate the Payroll Continuity Plan, we mobilize a staff of IT and payroll professionals to begin activities that help them recover from the incident, ensuring they do not miss the payroll cycle. Business continuity planning is the result of organizations who realized systems backup is not enough," adds Kroo.

CORT Directions staff tapped to execute and support the Payroll Continuity Plan are hand-picked IT and payroll professionals, each with advanced system certifications or American Payroll Association Certified Payroll Professionals. Plans are available at a fixed price and are renewed each year. In the event the plan is deployed, customers can renew or extend the plan, depending on their needs.

Mark Ohrenberger, President of CORT Directions, says the plan is part of the firm's commitment to product innovation, power and value. "After thirty years in the payroll and HR business," says Ohrenberger, "no customer has ever missed a payroll or compliance deadline. That's an achievement we're proud of, but also committed to help maintain."

About CORT Directions Corporation

Founded in 1975, CORT Directions provides software to medium and large sized organizations with complex payroll and HR tasks. The company was recently nationally recognized by Training Magazine with its APX award for excellence in product and technology leadership, and service quality. Example clients include: United Airlines, Denver Broncos, Pebble Beach Corporation, City of Pleasanton, U. S. Repeating Arms, Harvard University, and other leading American companies. CORT Directions is located in Bend, Oregon, and is a Warm Springs Ventures company of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. www.cortdirections.com. 800-618-3880.