Flaws in Tennessee's new state computer system delaying disability payments

From WSMV-TV in Tennessee:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The state's new $135 million computer system is getting some terrible reviews from the people who are forced to use it. Complaints range from employees going unpaid to others disappearing from the payroll.

But the state said it's just old dogs refusing to learn new tricks.

Dean Cicora has his hands full. His son, Dalen, has autism. The state waiting list for services is about 18 years, so the only help he gets is an annual check for $1,400 to help with expensive therapies.

That check is now a month overdue.

"Other than being told that their new computer system is the root of the problem, nothing has been done," Cicora said.

The Greenbrier dad has been told he is a victim of a new computer system, the state's Edison Project.

"This affects not only disabled people, but employees don't have insurance," said Cicora.

The Edison Project is a $135 million computer system that is being phased in. On Sept. 25, it started with payroll, and it was an ugly opening night.

Some snippets of interdepartmental e-mail:

"Sorry about the yelling salutation, but we need your assistance and cooperation. As you are aware, the initial Edison go live is not going well."

"What supervisors at your location still cannot see their employees?"

Channel 4 took complaints to the Department of Finance and Administration, the state agency overseeing the Edison Project.

"It is a change. People don't like change," said department spokeswoman Lola Potter. "It is a change that they're going to have to get used to. They're going to have to learn a whole new system. You should have seen what was there before Edison."

Potter admits there have been problems but insists they have been exaggerated by people who just won't take the time to properly learn the system.

"It's just a matter of people getting used to it," she said. "We've done away with paperwork. We're not doing paper timesheets. We're saving a half million dollars a year by not mailing vouchers to state employees. This is just the next step with what's happening in human resources across the nation."

But that's not what state employees are saying. One supervisor said she cannot even find her employees' timesheets. The days and times the employees worked have disappeared; she sees no one online.

Nevertheless, she said she was told to blindly approve their hours.

When asked if there is a standing order to improve time sheets and fix it later, Potter said, "There is no such order."

Another payroll person said that he had one employee who had been underpaid or not paid at all so many times that he gave the employee a personal loan to keep the employee from falling behind on bills.

"I don't know of anyone not getting paid," said Potter.

Three different supervisors said they spend 25 percent of their work time online dealing with Edison, and that it is now the single biggest part of their jobs.

"There has been a lot of training," said Potter. "This is a new system. It's going to be difficult."

There is agreement that phase two of Edison, using the system for purchasing, has been delayed from Jan. 1 to April 1 to July 1. The state said that's because they won't go online until it is 100 percent working.

Some have said payroll still isn't working at 100 percent after six months.