As the airlines began to recover from Tuesday's blows, other business sectors and the community began to feel the first aftershocks on Thursday. The aftershock that probably is affecting the greatest number of Mauians this morning is the failure of paychecks to arrive in the mail Thursday. Teena Rasmussen of Paradise Flower Farms was getting ready Thursday morning to tell her workers that the checks would not be in on time. The check famine was simply one result of the suspension of air travel. It was not that employers did not have the resources to pay.
Many businesses contract out payroll services.
The Mainland firm Ceridian, which Rasmussen uses, has the biggest share of this business on Maui, through contracts with Bank of Hawaii. Without planes, Ceridian had no way to deliver paychecks. For many Mauians, Thursday should have been payday. Workers who elected direct deposit didn't notice any difference. But many who are accustomed to taking a paper check to the bank or store on payday had nothing.