Finding 496926 (2023-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
A
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-09-16

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: True North of Columbia, Inc. failed to collect completed Form I-9 for all employees under the award.
  • Impacted Requirements: The Department of Justice Financial Guide mandates that all federal fund recipients maintain Form I-9 to verify employment eligibility.
  • Recommended Follow-up: Ensure that Form I-9 is completed and filed for all individuals working under the award to comply with federal requirements.

Finding Text

Condition: True North of Columbia, Inc.'s payroll documentation did not include completed employement eligibility documents (Form I-9) for all individuals working under the award as required by the Department of Justice Financial Guide. Criteria: The Department of Justice Grants Financial Guide requires recipients of federal funds to complete and keep on file the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' employement eligibility verification (Form I-9) for individuals working under the award. This form is to be used by recipients of federal funds to verify persons are eligible to work in the United States of America. Cause: True North of Columbia, Inc. did not have completed Form I-9 forms for two individuals working under the award. Effect: Incomplete Form I-9 for individuals working under the audit. Questioned Cost: Unknown Recommendation: True North of Columbia, Inc. should have completed Form I-9 for all individuals working under the award.

Corrective Action Plan

True North of Columbia's Response and Corrective Action Plan and Planned Completion Date for the Corrective Action Plan: True North was in the process of releasing its contracted HR firm and implementing an in-house process to ensure all required personnel forms (including I-9 forms) were completed appropriately and in a timely manner, when this oversight occurred. Two new personnel had I-9 forms that were completed, but mistakenly filed prior to being appropriately signed. Both were hired on the same day and the i-9s were completed during the brief interim period when new HR protocol was just being established. True North correct this error immediately upon notification by our auditors. The in-hosue protocol was implemented during the same week of their hire and has built-in safe-guards to aviod something like this from happening in the future. First teh Executive Director and/or the new employee's supervisor complete (and ensure the new employee appropriately completed all required employement paperwork) during a formal employee intake meeting. Completed paperwork is reviewed by the Executive Director and/or the employee's supervisor and is then routed to the Director of Finance and Grants who reviews the completed paperwork (again) and completes the E-verification proess, notifies the State of Missouri of the new hire, and enters the new employee's informaiton into the agency's online HR and payroll system. Once all information has been entered appropriately, the paperwork is routed to the Operations Specialist who checks each document against a checklist to ensure completeness and correctness. We believe this process is sufficient to ensure the agency does not miss signing or dating a personal document again. Official Responsible for Ensuring the Corrective Action Plan: Michele Snodderly

Categories

Eligibility

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1073368 2023-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
16.575 Crime Victim Assistance $240,340
16.736 Transitional Housing Assistance for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Stalking, Or Sexual Assault $153,407
16.588 Violence Against Women Formula Grants $73,921
93.671 Family Violence Prevention and Services/domestic Violence Shelter and Supportive Services $54,795
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $25,000
16.017 Sexual Assault Services Formula Program $23,979
93.497 Family Violence Prevention and Services/ Sexual Assault/rape Crisis Services and Supports $20,530
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $13,133
97.024 Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program $9,766
14.231 Emergency Solutions Grant Program $8,670