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BROOKLYN---Brooklyn district attorney Charles Hynes has significantly overpaid 178 employees who are working for him, according to an audit by the city comptroller.
An audit released by the comptroller William Thompson for the period of July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2005 which constitutes fiscal years 2004 and 2005, showed that the district attorney's office had instances of noncompliance with regards to personnel, timekeeping, purchasing, and inventory guidelines that need to be addressed. http://www.comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/PDF_FILES/MH05-054A.pdf
Specifically, the audit found that the annual salaries of 178 of the 534 District Attorney's Office non-assistant district attorney (ADA) employees were not within the salary range of their Career and Salary Plan titles, employees were allowed to leave work early the day before major holidays and the Friday before holiday weekends without charging their accrued leave time, and five employees from our 55 sampled non-ADA employees had more than five instances of undocumented sick leave within a "sick leave" period, but were not placed on sick leave restriction.
The comptroller's office also determined that personnel files lacked required documents; documentation for one managerial lump sum payment was not submitted to the Comptroller's Office for review as required and there is no evidence that the district attorney's office internally audits its payroll process.
The comptroller said the district attorney's office does not have written policies and procedures for purchasing and payments; improperly used miscellaneous vouchers; failed to issue purchase orders; and used incorrect object codes for 18 of the 80 payments we sampled. Lastly, the district attorney's office did not maintain complete and accurate inventory records for all its equipment.
While the Department of Citywide Administrative Services establishes limits on how much employees can be paid, the comptroller found that many in Hynes' office were being paid more than allowed.
Although principal administrative associates can't earn more than $63,000 annually, a person on Hynes' staff holding that position is paid over $115,000. In another incidence, a confidential secretary was receiving $44,000 more than the maximum allowed.
According to the audit, "the salaries of….178 employees exceeded the maximum pay rates for their titles by a total of $1.4 million".
The comptroller's office made 11 recommendations which included instituting as a regular practice the review of salaries and their respective maximum salary levels under their titles when granting pay increases; it should transfer employees whose salaries are not within the ranges of their titles into other titles for which they qualify and that have job levels that encompass their current pay levels, or should appropriately adjust their salaries.
Other recommendations were:
Cease its practice of allowing employees early departure before holidays without charging their leave balances.
Require that its employees provide medical documentation for sick leave used, in accordance with its office policies. Employees should be placed on sick leave restriction after five or more instances of undocumented sick leave within a "sick leave period."
Ensure that all required forms are received and retained in the employees' personnel files. 1-6-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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