11 hospitals with payment problems since Kronos attack

Marissa Plescia and Naomi Diaz -

Workers at 11 hospitals are still experiencing payment issues from the Dec. 11 ransomware attack on Kronos Private Cloud, according to news reports.

The attack affected the companies' software platforms for scheduling, timekeeping, payroll and human resources. 

A spokesperson for Ultimate Kronos Group told Becker's in an emailed statement that the company has mobilized all of its available resources to support customers and systems that were affected by the attack.

"We have organized our teams to bring as many customers live as possible. In light of the global pandemic, we have specialist teams dedicated to healthcare, first responders, and customers who rely on UKG for payroll processing," the spokesperson wrote. "These teams are in addition to separate teams that are simultaneously working on other customer groups in parallel."

Eleven hospitals and health systems still reporting payment issues the last couple of weeks:

1. Valleywise Health (Phoenix)

Employees at Valleywise Health are being paid the same amount they received Dec. 3, regardless of whether they worked more or less hours, The Arizona Republic reported Jan. 13.

Those who have worked fewer hours than the Dec. 3 paycheck were told that they may have to pay money back to the system, according to the Republic. 

A 3 percent raise is also on hold.

 

2. Amita Health St. Joseph Medical Center (Joliet, Ill.)

Many staff members at Amita Health St. Joseph Medical Center are only receiving partial paychecks, NBC Chicago reported Jan. 12. 

"Each one [of my checks] has been about $400 less," Colleen Dial, a nurse at the hospital, told NBC Chicago. "There's not backup. HR should have been there to make it right."

 

3. A.O. Fox Hospital (Oneonta, N.Y.)

A.O. Fox Hospital's payroll system was affected by the attack, causing about 600 staff members' COVID-19 pay and holiday pay to be delayed, The Daily Star reported Jan. 7.

 

4. Care New England (Providence, R.I.)

Some employees at Care New England also have not received their holiday pay or overtime pay, according to a Jan. 5 WJAR report. 

 

5. Community Medical Center (Missoula, Mont.)

The Montana Nurses Association sent a letter Jan. 4 to Community Medical Center CEO Bob Gomes alleging the hospital has not paid 257 nurses correctly for the last three paychecks.

 

6. UMass Memorial Health (Worcester)

Hourly employees said they've been receiving the same paycheck as the one they received in late November, regardless of hours worked, Spectrum News 1 reported. 

 

7. UF Health (Gainesville, Fla.)

Some employees at UF Health said that they haven't been paid for overtime and holiday pay, News4Jax reported Jan. 10. 

UF Health told News4Jax that employees working overtime and holiday hours won't get their extra earnings until Kronos is fixed.

 

8. Baptist Health (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Baptist Health had to create an alternative payroll system to track employees' hours, News4Jax reported Jan. 5. 

Cindy Hamilton, Baptist Health executive director of corporate communications, told News4Jax that the system is writing checks to employees who are owed money due to the attack. 

 

9. Ascension St. Vincent (Indianapolis)

Ascension was also affected, stating that it is trying to implement an alternative payroll system that will track hours and process paychecks until Kronos is fixed, News4Jax reported Jan. 5. 

 

10. Southern Maine Healthcare (Maine) 

Two nurses at Southern Maine Healthcare stated that they haven't received a full paycheck since the Kronos attack in December, WGME reported Jan. 14.

Employees at the hospital said they are keeping track of pay manually.

"I'm only getting partial paychecks," an anonymous nurse told WGME. "It's not without pay, but some nurses  —  like one nurse got $0.48 today."

 

11. Scripps Health (San Diego)

Nurses from Scripps Health haven't been paid overtime or bonus money due to Kronos, NBC San Diego reported Jan. 17.

The payroll system came back online Jan. 17, a Scripps Health spokesperson told NBC San Diego, but employees are still waiting on their pay.

 

Editor's note: This article was updated at 8:35 a.m. Jan. 14 to reflect that the Baptist Health affected by the Kronos ransomware attack is located in Louisville, Ky., not in Jacksonville, Fla.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.