Finding Text
Finding 2024‐002: Allowable costs – Material weakness in internal controls over compliance. Continuum of Care Program ALN 14.267 Crime Victims Assistance ALN 16.575 Preparation for Adult Living HHS000705800003/ HHS000705500007 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. Such records must be supported by a system of internal control which provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated. Time and effort documentation (e.g., timecards) should be signed by the employee and/or a supervisor with knowledge of the work performed. For state‐funded programs, similar documentation standards are typically required under TxGMS, which emphasize the need for adequate supporting documentation for payroll charges. Condition: During testing of payroll expenditures charged to both federal and state programs, the auditor noted that timecards for 80 out of 160 transactions tested were not signed by the supervisor. Questioned Costs: None Cause: At the time of the audit period, the Organization was newly independent from CitySquare and had not yet integrated supervisor approval of timecards into its internal control systems. This gap contributed to missing approvals during the transition year. Effect: Without properly signed timecards, there is an increased risk that payroll charges may not accurately reflect time worked on federal and state programs. This represents noncompliance with federal and state requirements and may result in disallowed costs. Recommendation: Management should implement controls to enforce a policy requiring all timecards to be signed by employees and approved by supervisors prior to payroll processing. The Organization should implement periodic reviews to ensure compliance with time and effort documentation requirements for all grant‐funded personnel. Management’s Response: See corrective action plan.