Finding Text
Emergency Rental Assistance Program ? Assistance Listing No. 21.023 and Emergency Solutions Grant ? Assistance Listing No. 14.231 Criteria: The Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Emergency Solutions Grant Program require that employees who work with children or vulnerable adults are required to undergo a background check prior to employment. The Organization?s personnel policies require that all employees undergo background checks prior to employment. Condition: The entity did not follow its personnel policies on performing background checks for all staff prior to their hire date. Context: For four (4) out of the 25 new hires tested, background checks were performed two weeks or more after their hire date. Cause: While the Organization has a policy in place that requires all employees undergo background checks prior to employment, the policy was not consistent followed and controls were not in place to either prevent or detect noncompliance with the policy. Effect: While background checks were not consistently performed prior to the hire date, the Organization subsequently performed background checks on all employees included in the sample for the audit. No issues were found in the subsequent background checks; however, it is reasonably possible that an employee could have been hired with past convictions that would have made them ineligible for employment. Questioned Costs: N/A Recommendation: We recommend that the Organization implement controls to ensure that all employees undergo a background check prior to their hire date in accordance with existing policies. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding and recommendations set forth within and has developed a corrective action plan to address the instances of noncompliance identified and lapses in prescribed internal controls.