Report 2012-603 Recommendations

To improve the accuracy of information in the leave accounting system and to ensure that agencies do not improperly credit employees with leave in the future, the state controller should implement additional controls by June 2015 to prevent the leave accounting system from processing the types of inappropriate transactions we identified in our statewide electronic analysis. For example, it could develop cost-effective controls in the leave accounting system that would prevent employees from receiving annual leave and sick leave during the same pay period.

To improve the accuracy of information in the leave accounting system and to ensure that agencies do not improperly credit employees with leave in the future, the state controller should work with CalHR to establish procedures by January 2015 for updating the criteria it uses to produce the monthly exception reports to ensure that the criteria reflect changes in state law and collective bargaining agreements.

To improve the accuracy of information in the leave accounting system and to ensure that agencies do not improperly credit employees with leave in the future, the state controller should, using criteria provided by CalHR, develop monthly exception reports that identify transactions in the leave accounting system that are inconsistent with the guidelines established in state law and collective bargaining agreements, such as instances in which state employees receive too many personal holidays or too much holiday credit. By June 2015 begin providing each state agency's human resources management with the transactions identified in the exception reports for review and correction as necessary.

To correct the erroneous leave hours we identified in our analysis of the leave accounting system, CalHR should work with the state controller and all state agencies under its authority to review and take the appropriate action to correct the errors by January 2015.

To ensure that state agencies accurately account for their employees' leave benefits, CalHR should consolidate guidance by January 2015 regarding the appropriate amount of leave that employees should earn each month and provide these criteria to the state controller to use when developing the leave accounting system's monthly exception reports. For example, CalHR should identify the number of holiday credit hours that employees covered by each collective bargaining agreement should receive for working on a holiday.

To ensure that state agencies accurately account for their employees' leave benefits, CalHR should work with the state controller to establish procedures by January 2015 for updating these criteria to ensure that they reflect any changes to state law and collective bargaining agreements.

To ensure that state agencies accurately account for their employees' leave benefits, CalHR should establish general parameters and issue guidance to state agencies by January 2015 on how to account for the leave hours for employees who work alternate work week schedules.

To ensure that state agencies accurately account for their employees' leave benefits, CalHR should provide additional guidance to state agencies by January 2015 on interpreting the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements related to the amount of leave employees earn. For example, CalHR could provide scenarios to illustrate the number of hours employees should earn under common circumstances.

To ensure that state agencies accurately account for their employees' leave benefits, CalHR should develop guidelines and procedures by January 2015 requiring all state agencies to review information their personnel specialists enter into any system they use to track state employees' leave transactions.

The Legislature should amend state law to clarify the statute of limitations for recovering the overpayment of leave credits. For example, it could require state agencies to provide notice to the employee that he or she was inappropriately credited leave hours within three years from the date the employee was credited the hours or three years from the date the employee separated from state service and, in instances of fraud, three years from the date the State discovered the fraud.

By February 2015 the Science Center should provide training to all of its personnel specialists on the number of leave hours employees earn for working on holidays.

To correct the erroneous leave hours we identified in our analysis of the leave accounting system related to the CSU, CSU's Office of the Chancellor should work with the CSU campuses to review and take the appropriate action to correct the errors by January 2015.

By February 2015 Chula Vista should provide training to all of its personnel specialists regarding the number of leave hours employees earn for working on holidays that fall on Saturdays.