Report 2009-608 Recommendation 10 Responses

Report 2009-608: High Risk Update—State Overtime Costs: A Variety of Factors Resulted in Significant Overtime Costs at the Departments of Mental Health and Developmental Services (Release Date: October 2009)

Recommendation #10 To: State Hospitals, Department of

To improve internal controls over payroll processing Mental Health should fully implement Finances recommendations cited in its report on Mental Healths internal controls dated December 2007.

1-Year Agency Response

Mental Health stated that Napa implemented a mandatory pre-approval from the Central Staffing Office prior to working overtime. Also, a new overtime reporting form, and a pre- and post-approval process have been developed, prior to any overtime payment being issued by Personnel Administration.

Napa stated its Central Staffing Office continues to develop hospital-wide policy and procedures to define responsibility and accountability for personnel practices for overtime.

In January 2010 Napa stated it performed an audit of its November 2008 unit sign-in sheets where a report was provided to its executive policy team, which identified weaknesses and recommendations to ensure that overtime documentation is completed properly and staff who work overtime are paid the correct amount. Also, Napa affirmed it implemented a process for conducting random overtime audits and performed overtime audits in January 2010 and October 2010. These random audits are intended to reduce the instances of fraud and abuse. (2011-406, p. 146)

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

All Recommendations in 2009-608

Agency responses received after June 2013 are posted verbatim.