Los Angeles County upgrades payroll system

Los Angeles County has replaced a thirty-year-old human resource management system as part of a multi-phase project to bring its financial and resource planning into the 21st century. The new Web-based HR Payroll System will institute several key changes to the County’s processes, making it easier to adjust timekeeping, payroll and benefits as needed.

According to the County’s lead vendor on the project, CGI Technologies and Solutions, the new system is designed to meet the unique needs of government HR managers and their stakeholders. For instance, union contracts and the furthering decline of the economy create furloughs, shortened work days and other changes to what is usually considered a steady work schedule. In addition, some state and local governments have needed to readjust benefits and employee contribution rates, adding complexity to the workload of HR staffs, already taxed by layoffs and cutbacks.

“The unique built-for-government attributes of CGI’s AMS Advantage ERP solution allow us to approach complex financial and human resource system replacement projects in a spirit of configuration, not customization,” Dave Delgado, Vice-President of CGI’s Public Sector West, said in a statement.

Some of the changes made to the current system include a transition to a semi-monthly payroll and basing pay on scheduled work days instead of calendar days. The online capabilities of the system will help streamline data entry, processing and tracking, while improving reporting and audit functions, the company said.

Assistant Auditor-Controller of Los Angeles County, Robert Davis, indicated the transition of more than 100,000 employees to the new system was smooth and that the new HR system will compliment the County’s broader efforts to align its enterprise resource planning project that includes financial, budgeting and procurement solutions.

“The overall success of the County’s effort is a testament to the strength of the implementation team both at the County and CGI,” Mr. Davis said.

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