The Heroes Among Us!
The Heroes Among Us!
Whether they wear capes and special armor and fly from building to building or just walk in human flesh just like you and I, heroes are shining stars during one’s stressful emotional event. For Rogers, a significant stressful emotional event happened this week when payroll personnel reported that no check had been issued for Rogers. Being a new hire with Carilion, this would have been Rogers’ very first paycheck. I trust that we can all relate to the anticipation of that first paycheck – the excitement, the budgeting and the planning around that check. The notion then that Rogers was not getting that check was evidently disappointing for him. When our CVI Surgery Department Secretary, Arlene, learnt of this seeming error, she offered to dig deeper as to why our new hire was not issued a check. Payroll representatives were cooperative and very supportive in this inquiry.
After an extensive review of Rogers’s HR records related to pay and paychecks, it was revealed that somehow Rogers’ personal information was entered on a W2- authorizing Uncle Sam and the State to withhold thousands of dollars from Rogers’ income. This meant that it would take several months before Rogers, a new Nursing Assistant, could ever receive a paycheck. To correct this accidental erroneous entry was next to impossible at worst or would take weeks at best, we were told! Arlene and I had no choice but to share this with Rogers. If you had been sitting beside me in my office as we broke this news to Rogers, you would have shed a tear seeing his entire body sink into the brown office chair that supported his devastated demeanor. Mystified, Rogers had more questions than we could answer- “…how did this happen? …why? …what do I do?” The best we could afford was to comfort and reassure. We promised Rogers that we would do everything possible to investigate and seek our resources to try and right this wrong.
Our trust and hope rested in our resources and experts in the Payroll Department. When Arlene called, they appreciated the urgency, and they immediately went to work! After lots of researching and collaboration and consultations within their department and elsewhere, we were given a glimpse of hope on a ‘possible’ resolution. However, we would have to wait another day before we were sure that this solution would even be viable. In the meantime, Arlene offered her time to help Rogers in signing up for his benefits, including W2 withholdings, which he had not yet done since he had not even explored MyTotalAccess.
The following day, and after several telephone calls and email exchanges, our partners in the Payroll Department informed us that not only were they able to retract the erroneous W2, they were able to issue a check in the full amount owed to Rogers! After all the anguish and devastation, yesterday Rogers gladly received his first Carilion Clinic Paycheck. Behind the face shield and face mask, we saw his eyes dance and could feel his heart leaping with joy. Oh, what joy… What an experience!
Arlene Melendez- take a bow! You went far above and beyond the call of duty on this one. Thank you so very much for the gift of your time and your kind compassion in helping one of our own. I thank You and salute your Heroism. To Cathy Chisom, Dawn Goodman and team- you are all shining stars. I cannot thank you enough. All the work you do may seem routine and normal to a select few. Please know that for most of us, your work is paramount. You ultimately make our eyes dance every two weeks when we open our checks or view our bank accounts. What you did this time, however, is simply miraculous. I appreciate you and I celebrate you for your Heroism, and so does Rogers. Thank you.
