Finding 1121140 (2024-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
B
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-03-31

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Wages and benefits charged to federal programs were based on estimates rather than actual time worked, violating federal regulations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR Part 200, Sect 200.430(g) regarding accurate wage allocation and record-keeping.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Adjust time allocations to reflect actual hours worked per pay period and ensure fringe benefits are allocated accordingly.

Finding Text

Criteria: Federal regulations 2 CFR Part 200, Sect 200.430(g) requires that wages chargerd to federal programs, including amounts claimed or used for matching, must be based on records that accuratley reflect work performed. Budget estimates alone do not qualify as support for charges to federal awards, but may be used for interim accounting purposes (with restrictions). Condition: The Alliance did maintain acurate time sheeets for time worked, however time was alloacted to the federal grant based on the year-to-date percentag eof time spent on the federal program and was not adjusted to actual time spent based on the pay period and times worked in the corresponding pay period. Additionally, fringe benefits were not allocated to the federal program based on time worked in the federal program. Cause: Management was unaware of the requirement to adjust to actual time spent on the federal program. Effect: Wages, payroll taxes and fring benefits charged to the federal program are in excess of actutal amounts based on time spent working in the federal program. Questions costs: $33,921. Recommendation: We recommend that mamangement allocate time to federal programs based on time spent per pay period. If estimates will be used during the fiscal year, an adjustment should be made at year-end to adjust to actual time worked in the federal program. Additionally, fringe benefits should be allocated to the fedral program in a manner consistent with the pattern of benefits attributable to employees whose salaries are chargebable to the federal award. View of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and recommendation. See attached Corrective Action Plan.

Categories

Questioned Costs Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 544698 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency
  • 544699 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1121141 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
23.001 Appalachian Regional Development (see Individual Appalachian Programs) $921,616
94.006 Americorps State and National 94.006 $621,133