Newport News, Va. - A former Newport News daycare worker says she worked six months at a business on Warwick Blvd. but she hasn't been paid for much of her time.
"I don't think it's fair," said Angel Jefferson. "You work hard, do what you are supposed to do, and you're not getting paid."
Jefferson said she worked for Children's Corner in a strip shopping center at 15435 Warwick Blvd. She said left after paycheck dates passed without a paycheck. She said she has tried to get an answer from owner Angela Newman, without luck.
And while NewsChannel 3 was speaking with Jefferson in the business parking lot, another daycare worker arrived to collect a check. Deborah Nock said her check was supposed to be ready last Friday, but a week later, there was no check ready.
While NewsChannel 3 was speaking with the women, the daycare owner called a neighboring business to see why we were there. We then took the call and spoke to Angela Newman.
She admitted she has paid some workers late, but denies anyone is missing any payments. She said the state pays for the daycare for most of the children in the center, and that the state recently changed its payment system. That is the reason for the delayed payments, she said. NewChannel 3 repeatedly called the state's Social Services Department Friday, but our calls were not returned.
Newman also said never has she bounced a check to any employee. But Jefferson showed us records of a nearly $500 check from the company to her that was returned for lack of funds. Jefferson submitted the check to the bank again, and was eventually paid. Newman insisted that didn't happen, that there was a problem with Jefferson's bank.
Moments after NewsChannel 3's story aired, two other former workers called Investigator Mike Mather to say they were missing checks. One said she, too, had paychecks that routinely bounced.
