SFUSD superintendent outlines path to stabilize Empower SF payroll system; backlog down but thousands of tickets remain
January 24, 2023 | San Francisco City, San Francisco County, California
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The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) superintendent provided a detailed update on the Empower SF payroll state of emergency declared Nov. 4, describing technical fixes and an operational plan to stabilize payroll operations.
The superintendent said the district halted some of the most damaging outcomes — including inadvertent loss of health benefits and misapplied 403(b) contributions — by implementing targeted fixes and issuing off‑cycle checks where necessary. He told the board the district established a command center and a case management team; with consultant Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) the district identified roughly 40 unique root causes and has begun mapping resolutions (A&M remarks and district presentation).
A&M representative Erin Covington said Empower SF was deployed without sufficiently defined requirements, testing or training and that post‑launch support was understaffed. She reported the command center opened with more than 10,500 payroll tickets and had reduced that backlog to below 8,700 as of the update (public presentation). The superintendent framed a functioning payroll as having fewer than 25 payroll errors per pay cycle for a district of roughly 10,000 employees and having internal staff capacity to operate without ongoing consultant dependence.
Near-term accountability: The superintendent identified three milestones to judge progress over the next 90 days: cut the employee-ticket backlog by at least half; complete and timetable root-cause resolutions; and fill critical vacancies in business services, technology and human resources.
Public comment: Dozens of staff, parents and retirees spoke during public comment to describe anxiety and financial harm from payroll errors — missing paychecks, inaccurate tax reporting, retirement contribution problems and the emotional toll on employees. Several callers asked how the district will make affected employees whole and whether tax/accounting assistance would be provided for employees who received incorrect payments.
What the district will do next: Superintendent Wayne said staff will return with more specifics, including plans for remedial supports to affected employees and more granular timelines for the 90‑day plan.
Why it matters: Payroll stability is essential to retaining employees and running schools. Staff payment failures have contributed to staffing shortages and community alarm; the board and public pressed the administration for both technical fixes and concrete measures to mitigate harms to employees.
The superintendent said the district halted some of the most damaging outcomes — including inadvertent loss of health benefits and misapplied 403(b) contributions — by implementing targeted fixes and issuing off‑cycle checks where necessary. He told the board the district established a command center and a case management team; with consultant Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) the district identified roughly 40 unique root causes and has begun mapping resolutions (A&M remarks and district presentation).
A&M representative Erin Covington said Empower SF was deployed without sufficiently defined requirements, testing or training and that post‑launch support was understaffed. She reported the command center opened with more than 10,500 payroll tickets and had reduced that backlog to below 8,700 as of the update (public presentation). The superintendent framed a functioning payroll as having fewer than 25 payroll errors per pay cycle for a district of roughly 10,000 employees and having internal staff capacity to operate without ongoing consultant dependence.
Near-term accountability: The superintendent identified three milestones to judge progress over the next 90 days: cut the employee-ticket backlog by at least half; complete and timetable root-cause resolutions; and fill critical vacancies in business services, technology and human resources.
Public comment: Dozens of staff, parents and retirees spoke during public comment to describe anxiety and financial harm from payroll errors — missing paychecks, inaccurate tax reporting, retirement contribution problems and the emotional toll on employees. Several callers asked how the district will make affected employees whole and whether tax/accounting assistance would be provided for employees who received incorrect payments.
What the district will do next: Superintendent Wayne said staff will return with more specifics, including plans for remedial supports to affected employees and more granular timelines for the 90‑day plan.
Why it matters: Payroll stability is essential to retaining employees and running schools. Staff payment failures have contributed to staffing shortages and community alarm; the board and public pressed the administration for both technical fixes and concrete measures to mitigate harms to employees.
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