Finding 386911 (2023-004)

Material Weakness
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-03-28

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Payroll charged to the program exceeded the amount documented on employee time sheets, leading to potential reimbursement problems.
  • Impacted Requirements: Federal funds must only cover allowable activities and costs, which were not properly documented in this case.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Ensure accurate completion and review of employee time sheets, making necessary adjustments, and only bill grants for documented payroll to prevent non-allowable charges.

Finding Text

Condition: Per employee time sheets, the payroll allocated to this program for the pay periods selected, was less than the payroll charged to the program and requested for reimbursement. Criteria: Federal funds should be expended only for allowable activities and allowable costs. Cause: Employee time sheets are not being completed correctly or adjusted upon review to reflect the accurate department / program allocation of hours worked. Effect: There was no documentation to support the amounts charged to this department / program and requested for reimbursement under this grant. The grant was billed for a non-allowable activity and a non-allowable cost, which could be disallowed. Context: A sub-sample of 19 payroll expenditures charged to the grant totaling $30,931 were selected from a population totaling $175,472. The test found 13 expenditures that were not in compliance resulting in questioned costs of $14,353. Our sample was a statistically valid sample. Recommendation: Closer attention should be paid when summarizing and reviewing employee time sheets to ensure they accurately reflect the allocation of hours worked. Adjustments should be made as needed and the employee should be notified of any changes. In addition, grants should only be billed for actual payroll allocated as documented on the time sheet. This will ensure the proper charging of payroll to departments / programs and reduce the risk of billing for a non-allowable activity or a non-allowable cost. Views of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: AACA agrees with the finding and the recommendations will be implemented.

Corrective Action Plan

Action Taken: To address the corrective action for finding 2023-004, where the payroll charged to the program exceeded what was documented in employee time sheets, AACA will undertake the following steps: Time Tracking System Improvement: AACA will evaluate the current time tracking system to ensure it allows for detailed and accurate allocation of hours to specific departments or programs. Training and Guidelines: AACA will conduct training for all relevant employees on the importance of accurate time reporting and its impact on grant compliance and financial management. AACA will create written guidelines detailing how to allocate time across different departments or programs. Management Review and Oversight: All employee time sheets will be reviewed and approved by the Supervisor or Department Head to verify the accuracy of the time allocations for the employees. Documentation and Record Keeping: All adjustments to time sheets will be accompanied by written explanations, including the reason for the adjustment and the approval signature of a supervisor or manager. Employees will be notified of any changes made. Implementation Plan: AACA will develop a detailed implementation plan for these corrective actions, including specific tasks, responsible individuals, and timelines.

Categories

Questioned Costs Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Cash Management

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 386910 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 386912 2023-005
    Material Weakness
  • 386913 2023-006
    Material Weakness
  • 963352 2023-003
    Material Weakness
  • 963353 2023-004
    Material Weakness
  • 963354 2023-005
    Material Weakness
  • 963355 2023-006
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program $312,314
11.307 Covid-19 - Economic Adjustment Assistance $195,154
17.259 Wia Youth Activities $164,521
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $121,450
21.008 Low Income Taxpayer Clinics $105,537
96.569 Community Services Block Grant $51,038
84.002 Adult Education - Basic Grants to States $46,021
14.218 Community Development Block Grants/entitlement Grants $28,560