below is the union query statement that had been built.  up until last week,
it had been working, however, for some reason, it is not cooperating:

SELECT A.EMPIDValidation AS EMPLOYEE, [Period ending] AS PEREND, "WEEK" AS
TIMECARD, 2 AS CATEGORY, A.ecode AS EARNDED, "" AS UNI, A.weekending AS
EARDEDDATE, A.Store AS GLSEG1, format(A.Regular,"0.00") AS HOURS, "TRUE" AS
WEEKLYNTRY, GL AS EXPACCT
FROM qryTimeCard_Stage2_Regular AS A WHERE (A.Regular<>0) AND GL<>""

UNION SELECT B.EMPIDValidation AS EMPLOYEE, [Period ending] AS PEREND,
"WEEK" AS TIMECARD, 2 AS Category, "OT" AS EARNDED, "" as UNI, B.weekending
AS EARDEDDATE, B.Store AS GLSEG1, format(B.OTHours_V,"0.00") AS HOURS, "TRUE"
AS WEEKLYNTRY, GL as EXPACCT FROM qryTimeCard_Stage2_OT AS B WHERE
(B.OTHours_V<>0);

I have tried to run them the two tables independently and they are okay.  
nothing has changed for the data structure.  the only funny point is that it
is creating a databse1 file in the same folder.  Error message is pointing at
the fact that the recordset is readonly and thus not allowing for it to be
run (invalid operation).