Receiver Appointed to Operate Christian Financial Management Corp. of Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- An Allegheny County judge appointed Pittsburgh law firm Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. to operate and manage the Pittsburgh-based Christian Financial Management, a Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Company.  The receiver announced that, contrary to published reports, the company has not closed its doors and will not in the near future.  Christian is responsible to assist consumers in the Pennsylvania Office of the Long-Term Living (OLTL) Participant Directed Models of Service program to pay their attendant care workers for time worked through December 15, when the program was already intended to be transferred to Boston-based PPL.

The company continues to operate and pay the workers.  The Receiver said, "There have been problems with timesheets and with lost checks, but it appears there is sufficient money in the system to pay all authorized wages.  As hard as it may be, especially at this time of year, people just have to be patient as we work through these problems." Workers who have not received payment for past work should now submit their timesheets to Christian Financial for payment. 

"This is not a problem of there not being enough money," said Robert S. Bernstein, Managing Partner of Bernstein-Burkley and principal attorney involved.  "It is a paperwork, mailing and organizational problem." 

The Court appointed the Receiver after several hearings on a class action suit filed on behalf of almost two thousand workers when the company was unable to accurately process payroll on a timely basis.  The suit was filed by Evalynn Welling of the Community Justice Project and Margaret Fried, of Fried Law Offices in Pittsburgh.  The receiver was appointed to take control of the company and bring order to the process.

The first priority was helping the company and the State Office of Long Term Living transfer the consumers and their workers to the new agency, PPL beginning December 16. By Monday, December 17, PPL expects to mail transfer packets to all current consumer-customers of Christian.  Those customers should return the proper information to PPL as quickly as possible to facilitate the first PPL payments starting in early January.

Consumer-employers and workers who have questions should look to the company website at www.christianfinancialmanagement4u.com or email the company at [email protected].  Daily updated information is also available at 412-709-6885.  Starting December 17, dedicated customer service agents will be available at the company to help customers and their workers resolve payment issues.  Interested parties should check the company website or call 412-709-6885 for further information.

For more information please contact Robert S. Bernstein, Esq., Bernstein-Burkley, P.C., 412.456.8101 or [email protected]

SOURCE Bernstein-Burkley, P.C.