Finding Text
Program Titles: Reentry Employment Opportunities; Social Services Block Grant Assistance Listing Numbers: 17.270 and 93.667 Funding Agency’s: U.S. Department of Labor; Illinois Department of Human Services; City of Chicago Department of Family & Support Services Award Year: Reentry Employment Opportunities : 7/01/2023 – 12/31/2026 Social Services Block Grant: 7/1/2024 – 06/30/2025 Criteria or Specific Requirement – The Foundation is required to follow Uniform Guidance, which requires non federal entities to maintain effective internal controls and financial management systems to ensure compliance with cost principles (2 CFR §200.302(b)). Payroll and other expense costs allocated across multiple programs using employee time as the basis for allocation must be supported by documentation to substantiate the allocation (2 CFR §200.430). Condition – During testing of allowable costs, we identified shared payroll and other costs charged to federal programs for which adequate support for the cost allocation methodology was not maintained. Specifically, allocation schedules and underlying documentation supporting how payroll allocation percentages were determined were incomplete or unavailable. As a result, we were unable to conclude that all sampled costs were allocated to the federal programs in proportion to the relative benefit received. Cause – The Foundation transitioned to a new payroll system and did not retain allocation schedules before losing access to the prior system. Effect or potential effect – Inadequate documentation supporting cost allocations increases the risk that costs charged to federal programs may not be allocable in accordance with Uniform Guidance, potentially resulting in questioned costs or required repayment. Questioned Costs – Unknown. Context – Of the transactions tested, 20 out of 25 payroll and 18 of 25 non-payroll expense transactions for the Reentry Employment Opportunities program, and 16 out of 25 payroll transactions for the Social Services Block Grant program, lacked sufficient documentation supporting the allocation percentages applied. The sampling was not a statistically valid sample. Identification as a repeat finding – Not a repeat finding. Recommendation – We recommend that management maintain appropriate documentation to support cost allocations when using employee time as the basis for allocation. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions – Management agrees with the finding. The issue resulted from a system conversion and transition between payroll providers. Moving forward, management will ensure that appropriate documentation is consistently maintained and retained to support all payroll-related transactions.