Report 2012-107 Recommendation 12 Responses

Report 2012-107: Developmental Centers: Poor-Quality Investigations, Outdated Policies, Leadership and Staffing Problems, and Untimely Licensing Reviews Put Residents at Risk (Release Date: July 2013)

Recommendation #12 To: Developmental Services, Department of

To ensure that staff who work overtime are paid the correct amount, developmental center management should require all staff to submit not only overtime approvals, but also the department's standardized form showing time off and overtime hours. Additionally, the department should establish a written guide to help ensure that timekeeping staff follow the overtime provisions of the various laws, regulations, and bargaining unit agreements.

1-Year Agency Response

DDS developed a written matrix and guide of the various overtime provisions and on April 30, 2014, provided the information to all timekeeping staff to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and bargaining unit agreements.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

6-Month Agency Response

DDS is implementing this recommendation. The DDS Human Resources Branch coordinated a statewide effort to develop standardized timekeeping procedures related to receiving, reviewing, posting, and keying leave time and overtime. The Timekeeping Procedures were disseminated to all facilities in September 2013. The procedures provide guidance and identify responsibilities for monitoring accuracy and accountability in all steps related to the timekeeping process. Training on the new Timekeeping Procedures was completed in October 2013 for all DCs. The Timekeeping Procedures will be supplemented with guidelines for calculating overtime which are under development.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

DDS is implementing this recommendation. The Deputy Director of the Developmental Centers Division issued a directive to all facilities on May 14, 2013 requiring them to review overtime procedures and standardize overtime record keeping. As noted in our initial response, the Department's Human Resources Office is coordinating a statewide effort, working with facility Personnel Offices, to develop a standardized timekeeping process related to receiving, reviewing, posting and keying all time, including overtime. This process will be finalized with training occurring during the month of September 2013.

The developmental centers have corrected the four overtime calculation errors identified by the Auditor and have recovered the $300 in total overpayments.

The Developmental Centers Division is reviewing high earners of overtime at all facilities to ensure accuracy and is working with the Executive Director at each developmental center to develop action plans, as needed, to manage individual overtime hours and ensure resident safety.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2012-107

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.