County employees in Georgia asked to return bonus given 16 years ago; payroll quirk blamed

Workers asked to return bonuses after 16 years

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — About 180 county employees in suburban Atlanta are being asked to return thousands of dollars the county says they were overpaid 16 years ago.

Gwinnett County’s chief financial officer, Aaron Bovos, calls it a project to “clean up receivables and to eliminate outstanding obligations.”

The county is seeking to collect more than $39,000 from employees who received bonuses in their paychecks in 1994. Authorities blamed the overpayments on a payroll anomaly when the county adjusted employees’ payroll cycles.

Employees can apply the money to vacation leave or make a cash payment.

Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, www.ajc.com