Finding 396683 (2023-002)

Criteria According to Section 2 CFR Part 200.430 (i) Standard for Documentation of Personnel Expenses, Charges to Federal awards for salaries and wages must be based on records that accurately reflect the work performed. The records must support the distribution of the employee's salary or wages among specific activities or cost objectives if the employee works on more than one Federal award, a federal award, and a non-federal award; an indirect cost activity and a direct cost activity; two or more indirect activities which are allocated using different allocation bases; or an unallowable activity and a direct or indirect cost activity. Condition Controls were inadequate to ensure the Organization maintains timekeeping documentation by grant. Context During the testing of the allowability of expenses, we discovered personnel expenses were charged to the incorrect grant cost center. Management allocates actual personnel expenses based on the grant budgeted amount instead of actual hours worked by the grant area. Management does not require personnel to track actual time spent by the grant. Cause and Effect The Organization did not fully follow the guidance detailed in Section 2 CFR Part 200.430 to ensure that payroll expense allocations are based on actual time spent instead of grant budgeted amounts.