Child care workers complain of delayed payments from state

Washington DC (Map, News) - As local demand for day care services skyrockets, some Maryland child care workers say they are hesitant about accepting certain low-income families as clients, because the state has been unreliable and often late in issuing payment vouchers for their services.

Payment problems last year helped the Service Employees International Union 500 galvanize some child care workers to vote to form a union after some workers went months without pay. But officials with the state Department of Education say those problems were largely resolved and workers should receive invoices every two weeks.

Prince George's County child care provider Madie Green said that doesn't happen. She told The Examiner she usually receives invoices every five or six weeks.

"There are late fees attached to everything, I can't just not pay my bills because I haven't been paid yet," Green said.

Nuri Funes, a Wheaton child care provider, said the state has improved a little bit since last year, but the system needs more work. She is getting paid, "one, two or five days late" now, she said.

"You really cannot make your budget plans like this, you're always opening your mailbox and hoping something will be there," Funes said.

Assistant State Superintendent for Child Care Rolf Grafwallner said there is no payment backlog in service offices in Montgomery or Prince George's counties, where Funes and Green live.

He acknowledged a spike to about 40 calls a day during December, which he attributed to mail issues around the holidays and staff on leave at local service offices.

Officials with the state comptroller's office, however, said the number of complaints their office receives has been consistent over the past year -- about 1,600 calls a month, which shot up to 2,200 calls in December.

kmiller@dcexaminer.com

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