Report I2012-1 Recommendations

After the State Auditor's Office completes an investigation and issues a copy of its investigative report to the state department involved, the department is required by the Whistleblower Protection Act to provide the State Auditor with information about the actions it has taken in response to the report. Within 60 days of receiving the report, the department must report to the State Auditor any disciplinary action it has taken or intends to take against any employee who was a subject of the investigation. Also within 60 days, the department must report to the State Auditor any actions it has taken or intends to take to implement the recommendations made in the report to prevent the continuation or recurrence of the improper activities described in the report. When the department has not completed all of its intended actions within 60 days, the department must report on its actions monthly thereafter until all of its intended actions have been taken. Below is a listing of each recommendation the State Auditor made in the report referenced, as well as a link to a summary of what the department has reported to the State Auditor about its actions in response to the report. Information about the department’s responsive actions and the State Auditor’s assessment of those actions will be updated on this site quarterly.

Recommendations in Report I2012-1: Investigations of Improper Activities by State Agencies and Employees: Bribery, Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud, Improper Overtime Payments, Improper Use of Lease Proceeds, Improper Travel Expenses, and Other Violations of State Law (Release Date: December 2012)

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Recommendations for Case I2008-1217
Department: Employment Development Department
Number Recommendation Status
20

To minimize the potential for unauthorized changes to employers' wage information, EDD should strengthen its controls surrounding employees' access and authorization to change data for companies reporting employment information used in EDD's unemployment system.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-0689
Departments: Correctional Health Care Services, California; Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
1

Correctional Health Services should provide training to the manager and supervisors involved in the claim authorization process regarding the state rules applicable to claiming travel expenses.

Fully Implemented
2

Correctional Health Services should discontinue reimbursing employees for expenses claimed in violation of state regulations.

Fully Implemented
3

Corrections should provide training to its accounting staff regarding state regulations and the applicable collective bargaining agreements that relate to travel reimbursements.

Fully Implemented
4

Corrections should develop procedures to ensure that it provides accurate, clear responses when employees seek clarification of state travel rules.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-1218
Department: Fish and Wildlife, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
17

Fish and Game should seek either corrective or disciplinary action against the supervisor for his failure to ensure that Fish and Game used lease proceeds in accordance with the terms of the lease and to ensure that these proceeds were accounted for in the State Treasury where necessary.

Fully Implemented
18

Fish and Game should amend the terms of its leases either to require that the lessee make lease payments to the State or to include specific improvements and repairs of comparable value that the lessee must perform in lieu of making lease payments. In either instance, Fish and Game should include a provision in the lease for payment if the lessee owes money to the State at the end of the lease period. If it decides that future leases should require a lessee to make specific improvements and repairs, Fish and Game should do the following:
• Develop a system to track all pertinent information related to a lessee's cost for improvements and repairs to be credited against the lease.
• Require the supervisor to reconcile payment records at least annually with each lessee to ensure that the State's records are accurate and that the State receives full benefit from leasing the state property.

Fully Implemented
19

Fish and Game should provide training to those involved with the lease to ensure that it properly accounts for and reconciles future work and payments related to the leased property, that it does not pay operational and equipment expenses with proceeds derived from the lease, and that all parties understand what work Fish and Game expects as the result of the agreement.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-1321
Department: Natural Resources Agency, California
Number Recommendation Status
21

Resources should designate the employee's headquarters as Resources headquarters in Sacramento.

Fully Implemented
22

Resources should discontinue reimbursing employees improperly for their commute-related expenses and lodging and for meal expenses incurred within 50 miles of their headquarters.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-1341
Department: Athletic Commission, State
Number Recommendation Status
15

The athletic commission immediately should cease paying the 18 athletic inspectors discussed in the report an overtime rate for work they perform and inform all athletic inspectors that it will compensate them at the classification's straight-time rate unless their work meets the criteria for receiving overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

Fully Implemented
16

The athletic commission should make greater efforts to broaden its hiring and increase the number of applicants who are not full-time state employees by posting hiring announcements at locations where the athletic commission has a presence, such as gyms and venues at which it holds events.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2010-1022
Department: University of California
Number Recommendation Status
23

To address the improper acts we identified, the university should collect $1,802 from the official for the wasteful expenses he claimed for lodging and meals during his trip to England, the expenses he incurred within the vicinity of his headquarters, and the business meal expenses.

Resolved
24

The university should revise the policies to allow employees to claim only actual lodging expenses up to established rates for international travel.

Fully Implemented
25

The university should include a policy specific to parking to assist supervisors in determining appropriate expenses.

Fully Implemented
26

The university should clarify policies to include a distance test for expenses that employees incur within the vicinity of their headquarters.

Fully Implemented
27

The university should revise policies to establish defined maximum limits for the reimbursement of domestic lodging costs and establish controls that allow for exceptions to the limits under specific circumstances only.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2010-1151
Departments: Correctional Health Care Services, California; Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
5

Corrections should collect all of the improper payments the State made to the nurse and seek corrective action for the time the nurse falsely claimed to work.

Fully Implemented
6

Corrections should provide training to the supervisor related to timekeeping requirements and the proper procedures for taking disciplinary actions.

Fully Implemented
7

Corrections and Correctional Health Services should seek corrective action for the supervisor's failure to monitor and discipline the nurse adequately.

Fully Implemented
8

Corrections and Correctional Health Services should seek corrective action for the supervisor's failure to monitor and discipline the nurse adequately.

Fully Implemented
9

Corrections should provide training to the facility's personnel office staff related to the application of the terms of the collective bargaining agreements for medical staff, the processing of docked pay, and the processing of on-call hours.

Fully Implemented
10

Corrections' should implement additional controls within the facility's personnel office to ensure that supervisors regularly monitor and review their staff's processing of time sheets.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2011-1083
Department: Education, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
11

Education should block The Sacramento Bee's Web site from the employee's computer station for a specified period.

Resolved
12

Education should evaluate the necessity of the employee's direct access to The Sacramento Bee's Web site and take appropriate actions to prevent further abuses of state resources. These actions may include blocking other specific Web sites or periodically monitoring the employee's Internet usage.

Resolved
13

Education should take appropriate corrective action against the employee for misusing state resources.

Resolved
14

Education should take appropriate corrective action against Supervisor A for failing to adequately monitor and discipline the employee.

Fully Implemented


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