Report I2011-1 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 I2011-1: Investigations of Improper Activities by State Agencies and Employees: Waste of State Funds, Misuse of State Resources, Falsification of Records, Inexcusable Neglect of Duty, Failure to Monitor Time Reporting, and Other Violations of State Law (Release Date: August 2011)

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Recommendations for Case I2008-0731
Department: Transportation, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
19

Take appropriate corrective action against the senior transportation planner for neglecting his duty to supervise the transportation planner.

Fully Implemented
20

Institute training to ensure that all Caltrans employees are aware of the requirement that all overtime work be preapproved.

Fully Implemented
21

Establish controls to ensure that Caltrans' telecommuting agreements are reviewed and renewed annually in order for an employee to be allowed to continue telecommuting.

Fully Implemented
22

Revise Caltrans' telecommuting policy to require that employees participating in the telecommuting program provide regular documentation of the work they perform away from the office.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2008-0902
Department: Industrial Relations, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
23

Continue to monitor the time-reporting practices of the official and his staff.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-0601
Department: Fish and Wildlife, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
1

Fish and Wildlife should follow the guidelines established in state regulations and initiate repayment from the manager for the costs associated with the misuse of the state vehicle.

Resolved
2

Fish and Wildlife should seek recovery of the $595 in lodging and meal reimbursements that were paid to the employee.

Fully Implemented
3

Fish and Wildlife should provide training to the manager and the employee about state rules for the payment of employee travel expenses.

Fully Implemented
5

Take appropriate disciplinary action against the manager for directing the misuse of a state vehicle.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-0644
Department: Mental Health, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
8

Evaluate the need for the senior official's position.

Fully Implemented
9

If Mental Health determines that the senior official's position can provide a benefit to the State, clarify the job duties associated with the position and increase oversight of the position's activities to ensure that the State receives material benefits from the activities.

Fully Implemented
10

Evaluate the senior official's workdays during the past three years to determine whether the senior official should have charged leave on workdays that he claimed to have worked but actually devoted himself to nonstate activities.

Resolved
11

Require the senior official to use leave for workdays on which he did not actually perform work for the State or to repay the State the amount of salary he received for those days.

Resolved
Recommendations for Case I2009-1203
Department: Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of
Number Recommendation Status
4

Corrections should establish a system for monitoring whether psychology staff at the correctional facility, including the chief psychologist, are working during specified hours of duty.

Fully Implemented
6

Take appropriate disciplinary action against the chief psychologist for misusing state resources.

Fully Implemented
7

Require psychology staff at the correctional facility, including the chief psychologist, to specify hours of duty.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2009-1476
Department: Controller's Office, State
Number Recommendation Status
16

Seek reimbursement from the employee for the wages she did not earn.

Fully Implemented
17

Take appropriate disciplinary action against the supervisor.

Fully Implemented
18

Provide training to the supervisor on proper time-reporting and supervisory requirements.

Fully Implemented
Recommendations for Case I2010-0844
Department: Energy Commission, California
Number Recommendation Status
12

Recover the amount it improperly paid the retiring employee for unused annual leave hours. If it is unable to recover any or all of this reimbursement, the Energy Commission should explain and document its reasons for not obtaining recovery of the funds.

Fully Implemented
13

Take appropriate disciplinary action against the personnel specialist for making unauthorized changes to the retiring employee's leave balances.

Fully Implemented
14

Monitor the personnel specialist's payroll and leave balance transactions to ensure that she follows Energy Commission policies.

Fully Implemented
15

Provide training to employees responsible for managing leave balance and time-sheet transactions to ensure that they understand the Energy Commission's policies for safeguarding their accuracy and respecting the limitations on the use of sick leave for family member illness as specified by the law and applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Fully Implemented


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