Finding 1104806 (2024-010)

2024-010 HOURLY TIMESHEETS - NO PREPARER OR APPROVER SIGNATURES - EDUCATIONAL STABILIZATION FUND GRANT Funding agency:U.S. Department of Education, passed through the New Mexico Public Education Department Federal Program Title and Assistance Listing Number: COVID-19 Education Stabilization Fund - 84.425 Federal Award ID Number: 5425D210023 Award Year:July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency Compliance Area: Allowable costs and allowable activities Question Costs: None Condition We tested 10 payroll disbursements and found that four (4) timesheets for hourly employees were missing employee's signature and supervisor's approval. However, no discrepancies in pay amounts were identified. The requirement for signed timesheets was discontinued at the start of FY22. Further control deficiencies in the HR and payroll transaction cycles are detailed in Financial Statement Findings 2024-003 and 2024-007. Criteria 2 CFR § 200.430 (g) Compensation-personal services, Standards for Documentation of Personnel Expenses: Charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. These records must: (i) Be supported by a system of internal control that provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated; (iii) Reasonably reflect the total activity for which the employee is compensated by the recipient or subrecipient. New Mexico Department of Public Education's (PED) Manual of Procedures, PSAB Supplement 14, Payroll: Timecards are always signed, a procedure exists to verify time or changes, supervisor signature, etc. Effect Without signed timesheets, the District has a limited capacity to verify the accuracy and approval of hours worked, increasing the risk of unauthorized payroll payments or unrecorded errors. This control lapse also indicates a growing weakness in payroll oversight, potentially undermining the integrity of the District's internal control environment over payroll processing. Cause The District discontinued the process at the beginning of FY22, and despite management's efforts to implement timesheet controls in FY24, it was not consistently enforced throughout the fiscal year.