[00:00.00]Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and a department secretary.
[00:06.40]MALE STUDENT: Hi, Miss Hendricks.
[00:07.53]FEMALE SECRETARY: Hi Brad. How are you?
[00:08.83]MALE STUDENT: I'm fine except I have a question about my paycheck.
[00:11.69]FEMALE SECRETARY: Sure, what’s up?
[00:12.90]MALE STUDENT: Well, it's already been several weeks into the semester, and my paycheck was supposed to go directly into my bank account, but there haven’t been any deposits.
[00:20.95]FEMALE SECRETARY: That's odd.
[00:22.10]MALE STUDENT: Yeah, I thought graduate teaching assistants were automatically put on the payroll at the beginning of the semester.
[00:28.68]FEMALE SECRETARY: They are... let's see... did you complete all the forms for payroll?
[00:32.78]MALE STUDENT: I filled in whatever they sent me, and... I returned it like, at the end of August.
[00:36.96]FEMALE SECRETARY: Hmm. Well you definitely should've been paid by now. [00:40.44]At least two pay periods have passed since then.
[00:43.15]MALE STUDENT: I asked at the bank, and they didn’t know anything. [00:45.95]Who should I talk to about this? Payroll?
[00:47.93]FEMALE SECRETARY: I’m gonna contact them for you. [00:49.88]There was a problem in processing some of the graduate student payroll paperwork, [00:54.43]‘cause their computer program crashed after all the information was processed, [00:58.91]and some people’s information couldn't be retrieved.
[01:01.91]MALE STUDENT: Oh... but... why didn't anyone let me know?
[01:06.40]FEMALE SECRETARY: I don't know how they work over there, cuz they couldn't even figure out whose information was missing. [01:11.63]And this isn't the first time: Seems like something like this happens every semester.
[01:15.70]MALE STUDENT: So... how do I find out if my information was lost?
[01:18.84]FEMALE SECRETARY: I'll contact them tomorrow morning to see if you're in the system, [01:21.92]but you're probably not.
[01:23.33]MALE STUDENT: Well then what'll I need to do?
[01:25.37]FEMALE SECRETARY: Sorry, but you'll need to fill out all those forms again, and then I'll fax them over to the payroll office.
[01:30.85]MALE STUDENT: And then what? ...well... what I really need to know is... how long till I get some money? [01:35.04]I’m already a month behind in my bills, and my tuition’s due soon.
[01:38.53]FEMALE SECRETARY: They'll get you into the system the same day they receive your paperwork, [01:41.77]so if you do that tomorrow, you’ll get paid next Friday.
[01:44.99]MALE STUDENT: That's a long time from now. [01:46.79]Will that paycheck include all the money I'm owed?
[01:49.19]FEMALE SECRETARY: It should. I'll double-check with the payroll department.
[01:52.33]MALE STUDENT: And another thing: Is there any way I could get paid sooner? [01:55.63]I have been teaching all these weeks...
[01:57.72]FEMALE SECRETARY: I know it's not fair but... I don’t think they can do anything. All the checks are computed automatically in the system. [02:04.24]They can't just... write checks.
[02:06.49]MALE STUDENT: But... they’re the ones that made a mistake... [02:08.57]and... they never told me.
[02:10.14]FEMALE SECRETARY: I understand how you feel. If I were you, I’d be upset too …[02:14.11]I'll tell you what. When I call them, I'll explain the situation and ask if there’s any way you could be paid sooner. [02:19.91]But I have tell you that, based on past experience, you shouldn't count on it.
[02:23.91]MALE STUDENT: I understand. [02:27.25]Thanks. I know it's not your fault, and that you’re doing everything you can.
[02:30.44]FEMALE SECRETARY: Well, what I can do is make sure that your first check is for the total amount that the university owes you.
[02:36.79]MALE STUDENT: That'd be great. Thank you. [02:37.70]I'll be on campus about ten tomorrow morning, and I'll come by to see you then.
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