Improvements Are Needed in the Department of Agriculture's Centralized Payroll System

Weaknesses in the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) centralized payroll system have caused pay problems such as duplicate, late, or erroneous payments, and incorrect deductions for health care premiums. The payroll-personnel system is operated by the National Finance Center (NFC) in New Orleans, Louisiana. The system has operated under the same basic design for the past 17 years. However, a redesigned payroll system is scheduled for implementation in late 1980. The system, which GAO has approved, will pay about 130,000 employees in almost 15,000 USDA offices.