Delayed paychecks to in-home healthcare providers blamed on rogue driver

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The delayed paychecks to in-home healthcare providers was due to a rogue driver of a tractor-trailer.

Thousands of in-home healthcare providers, many living paycheck to paycheck, were running at a loss while payments from the state were delayed.

About 40,000 timesheets, which are required to be mailed in, never arrived at a processing facility in Chico.

According to the U.S. Postal Service, a contract tractor-trailer transporting mail left a Los Angeles mail processing plant and made one stop at a Santa Clarita mail processing plant to pick up more mail on May 18.

"This contractor was on route to a mail processing facility in Sacramento. Departure scans were made at Los Angeles and Santa Clarita. No further scans on this trailer were made," USPS said in a statement.

The trailer did not make it to the Sacramento USPS plant until Tuesday.

"We regret the delay that occurred in the transportation of the California Social Services mailings in question," USPS said. "Please be assured that the efficient and reliable handling of the nation's mail is our top priority."

The Office of the Inspector General and USPS are still investigating the incident.