Audit 393962

Finding 2025 - 4: Internal Controls Related to Review and Approval of Timecards Finding Code: 30000 Assistance Listing Number: 84.010 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Education Pass-Through Entity: California State Department of Education Federal Program: Title I, Basic Grants: Low-Income and Neglected Type of Finding: Significant deficiencies in internal control over compliance related to employee timecards monitoring process. Criteria: Per 2 CFR §200.430, charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must: - Be supported by a system of internal control providing reasonable assurance that charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated. - Be incorporated into the official records of the entity. - Reasonably reflect total activity for which the employee is compensated. - Be reviewed and approved by a responsible supervisory official. Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal controls to ensure payroll costs charged to Federal awards are accurate, properly supported, and periodically monitored. Condition and Context: During our testing of payroll expenditures charged to the Title I grant, we identified deficiencies in the timekeeping and monitoring process. Specifically, for 4 of the 40 employee timecards tested, management was unable to locate the original timecards reflecting documented supervisory approval. As a result, evidence of required review and approval was not available for those payroll expenditures. Cause: Inconsistent implementation of review controls by management and insufficient oversight to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance payroll documentation requirements. Effect or Potential Effect: Payroll costs charged to the Federal award may not accurately reflect actual time worked on the program. While no material questioned costs were identified as a result of our testing, the control deficiencies increase the risk of future noncompliance. Repeat finding: Not a repeat finding. Recommendation: We recommend management develop and implement written policies and procedures for timekeeping and payroll allocation consistent with 2 CFR §200.430 and strengthen controls over the timecard review and approval controls. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Action (unaudited): Management concurs with Finding 2025 - 4 and acknowledges that controls over the review and approval of timecards for federally funded staff were not consistently applied. In response, we will reinforce timekeeping expectations, clarify roles, and ensure that policies and procedures are aligned with 2 CFR § 200.430. We will conduct targeted training for supervisors to reinforce expectations. Central office monitoring will now include quarterly internal audit reviews and follow-up, creating a continuous feedback loop that supports compliance. These enhancements reflect management’s commitment to ensuring that payroll charges to federal programs are accurate, well supported, and reliably documented going forward.