Finding Text
Criteria: Employers that received the Premium Pay Workforce Recruitment and Retention Grant were eligible to provide Premium Pay for work performed between April 1, 2022, through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency which was April 10, 2023. In addition, only eligible employees who commit to continuing employment with the eligible employer for at least one calendar quarter following receipt of the payment are eligible to receive Premium Pay.
Condition: Lamoille County Mental Health Services, Inc. requested and used funds based on expenditures in December 2021, which was outside the granting period of April 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.
Cause: Lamoille County Mental Health Services, Inc. did not have the proper controls in place to monitor the use of funds in accordance with the provisions of the Premium Pay Workforce Recruitment and Retention Grant.
Effect: Eligible costs were not supported by adequate documentation.
Questioned Costs: $206,418
Context: Upon discovery of the ineligible expenditures, Lamoille County Mental Health Services, Inc., resubmitted to replace the ineligible expenditures with other qualifying expenditures in accordance with the provisions of the Premium Pay Workforce Recruitment and Retention Grant. The subsequent submission was approved and accepted.
Recommendation: We recommend that Lamoille County Mental Health Services, Inc. hire a grant coordinator and put proper controls in place to monitor and comply with all grant agreements going forward.
Management Response: Lamoille County Mental Health Services, Inc. is now aware that they used funds outside of the grant period and have corrected the deficiency.