This just in from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration:
The biweekly payroll for Arkansas State Employees processed two days early this week. Employees are normally paid on Friday of the payroll week but their direct deposits were made on Wednesday this week. Employees should treat this as a normal payday and may access the money in their bank. There will not be another payroll deposit for this pay period. Employees’ next payday will be February 7. 2014.
We regret the inconvenience that this has caused our agencies and employees. We are working to determine exactly what triggered this process earlier than normal and to prevent a recurrence.
Inconvenienced by early money? I’m trying to get some figures on the number of employees and size of payroll. Significant in both cases.
UPDATE: DFA says the $29 million payroll went to nearly 30,000 employees. My question about whether the early payday meant a loss of interest on state deposits was referred to the treasurer’s office. I’ll try there.