Finding Text
Finding 2025-001 – Allowable Costs Requirement – Time and Effort Reporting for Salaries Federal Program: Crime Victim Assistance - ALN 16.575 Consolidated And Technical Assistance Grant Program to Address Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic and Sexual Violence and Engage Men and Boys as Allies – ALN 16.888 Federal Grantor: U.S. Department of Justice Pass-Through Entity / Award: NYS Office of Victim Services (OVS), Contract OVS01-C11248GG – ALN 16.575 Criteria – 2 CFR 200.430(g) requires that charges to a federal award for salaries and wages be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed, supported by a system of internal control that provides reasonable assurance that the charges are accurate, allowable, and properly allocated, and that the records reasonably reflect the total activity for which the employee is compensated. Under 2 CFR 200.403, costs must be adequately documented to be allowable, and under 2 CFR 200.405 costs must be allocable to the award based on the relative benefit received. 2 CFR 200.328 requires that financial reports submitted to the pass-through entity be supported by the entity's records. Condition – During the year under audit, the Organization did not consistently apply time and effort reporting that met the requirements of the federal cost principles for all grants. Cause – The Organization did not have an effective internal control system in place for monitoring and documenting wages and salaries charged to federal awards. Effect – Without an effective process to document, review, and reconcile time and effort, the Organization may not have sufficient support that payroll costs charged to federal awards reflect the work actually performed. This increases the risk that personnel costs are allocated incorrectly, unsupported costs are included in federal award expenditures, and federal programs are not charged in accordance with Uniform Guidance allowability and documentation requirements. Questioned Costs – None. After year-end, the Executive Director reviewed salaries and asserted that the amounts charged were reported correctly. Context – ALN 16.575 – In 21 out of 40 tested transactions, timesheets and underlying allocation support did not match to amounts charged to the program. ALN 16.888 – In 17 out of 40 tested transactions, timesheets and underlying allocation support did not match amounts charged to the program. Repeat Finding – No Recommendation – We recommend the Organization formalize the after the fact time and effort process. Views of Responsible Officials – See Corrective Action Plan.