A staffing firm contracted to provide IBM’s Boulder operations with call center and technology support employees has told those employees that they will not be paid for a week’s work.

In a email sent to employees Thursday, Career Connection Inc. (CCI) President Jessica Killgore wrote that the Atlanta-based company “has suffered severe financial challenges due to a combination of unfavorable business events and actions taken by the former management team that we believe were fraudulent.”

“I, along with our current executive management team, am working diligently, urgently and constantly to address these issues; however, as a direct result of these circumstances and their impact on the company, CCI is presently unable to pay you on the scheduled pay date of April 13, 2018 for the salaries and wages that you earned during the week ended March 30, 2018, your last week of employment with CCI,” the email continued.

Killgore and other CCI executives did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. CCI has a recruiting office in Longmont, but the phone number listed on the company’s website was disconnected.

IBM confirmed that the company had contracted with CCI, but it is unclear how many CCI employees worked at the Boulder campus.

“IBM does not disclose employee or contractor numbers in connection with any of its operations or locations,” IBM spokesman Clint Roswell said in an email.

“Career Connection Inc. is a former sub-contractor to IBM,” Roswell said, “While payment of the former CCI employees is the responsibility of CCI, IBM has informed companies now providing the services to IBM that we have promptly taken action making sure the employees receive all the money they are owed for their work on the IBM account.”

Former CCI staffers contracted out to IBM at the Boulder campus have had their employment transferred to another staffing contractor called CTG.

Boulder workers received an email Friday from CTG’s vice president of human resources, Elizabeth Savino, informing them that they will receive a bonus check.

“In order to help make this as smooth a transition as possible, CTG would like to offer you a signing bonus,” the email said. “You have no obligation to repay this money to CTG.”

Savino’s email said employees should expect a check next week “equal to your hours worked for the week ending March 30, 2018.”

CTG’s vice president of marketing, Amanda LeBlanc, declined to comment on the company’s IBM contract.

IBM is one of Boulder County’s largest private employees, with about 1,900 workers, according to estimates from the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation.

Lucas High: 303-684-5310, lhigh@times-call.com