A state audit of the Department of Administrative Services released this week uncovered lapses in the agency’s oversight of compensatory pay, sick leave and other benefits for its own employees and those of other agencies for which it is responsible.
DAS oversees the state’s procurement and vehicle fleet and provides payroll and other services to a number of agencies as well as the governor’s office.
Among the fiscal years 2011 and 2012 audit findings:
- DAS failed to obtain or store medical certificates in six of 24 reviewed instances in which employees of various agencies took more than five consecutive sick days.
- Eight DAS employees had expired compensatory time accrued on their leave-time records, while four were improperly earning comp time.
- An ineligible Office of the Victim Advocate employee earned 60 hours of comp time.
- Six DAS employees at or near the maximum allowable amount of accrued vacation time converted approximately 92 hours of previously used vacation time to sick or personal leave in an apparent attempt to avoid the lapsing of vacation time earned for a particular month.
- The Department of Consumer Protection advanced an employee 120 hours of sick leave, but only recouped 40 of the hours from the employee.
DAS said it has put procedures in place to better track prolonged sick leave, issue prior written approvals for comp time, and educate managers about converting vacation or personal leave without documentation and approval.
The audit also found that DAS was not ensuring prompt investigations into complaints received about state-vehicle operators. In seven of 10 complaints reviewed by auditors, the relevant agency took longer than the required 30 days to report the outcome to DAS’ director of fleet operations.
But DAS pushed back at the finding, saying it forwards complaints to agencies promptly and instructs them to take appropriate action. It contends that it lacks the authority or responsibility to conduct investigations or discipline other agencies’ workers.
Auditors replied that the DAS should report negligent agencies to auditors or the state comptroller.
DAS also disagreed with another finding — that it had underbilled a tenant renting state property to the tune of $421,000.
The tenant, who was not identified in the audit, started leasing property in 1989. A 1997 lease amendment authorized lower payments, but was never approved by the attorney general, the audit said. DAS contends that the 1997 amendment was a legal agreement.
