Payroll audit shows workers ripped off city
By TY TAGAMI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/16/06
A new audit of Atlanta's payroll system uncovered errors that cost taxpayers $1.8 million from the beginning of 2002 until mid-2004.
Poor record-keeping and lax oversight led the city to overpay employees, giving them money for leave or overtime that they did not earn, said Atlanta's internal auditor, Leslie Ward.
The errors went undetected because the city lacked computerized controls in its payroll system, Ward said.
Employees were able to claim more vacation than they had coming, for instance, because their vacation allotments and claims were recorded on paper, she said.
Employees' hours are entered into a computer system, but little other information is, she said. "It's all been put on manual records and no one checks it."
The review began in late 2004 and was presented to City Council's finance committee Wednesday. It covered the first 2 1/2 years of Mayor Shirley Franklin's administration. Franklin, who sits on the audit committee that oversees Ward, could not be reached for comment.
Ward said the city likely lost more money than her audit found because she did not review the public safety payroll. She said she presented her findings to the administration, "and it was hard for the management staff to accept."
But she said officials have tried to find solutions, including the installation of a computerized payroll system expected to be operational by next year.
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You mean there are computers that can take care of this ? Lets see one computer 1400 as compared to 1.8 million in stolen taxpayer money.
By TY TAGAMI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/16/06
A new audit of Atlanta's payroll system uncovered errors that cost taxpayers $1.8 million from the beginning of 2002 until mid-2004.
Poor record-keeping and lax oversight led the city to overpay employees, giving them money for leave or overtime that they did not earn, said Atlanta's internal auditor, Leslie Ward.
The errors went undetected because the city lacked computerized controls in its payroll system, Ward said.
Employees were able to claim more vacation than they had coming, for instance, because their vacation allotments and claims were recorded on paper, she said.
Employees' hours are entered into a computer system, but little other information is, she said. "It's all been put on manual records and no one checks it."
The review began in late 2004 and was presented to City Council's finance committee Wednesday. It covered the first 2 1/2 years of Mayor Shirley Franklin's administration. Franklin, who sits on the audit committee that oversees Ward, could not be reached for comment.
Ward said the city likely lost more money than her audit found because she did not review the public safety payroll. She said she presented her findings to the administration, "and it was hard for the management staff to accept."
But she said officials have tried to find solutions, including the installation of a computerized payroll system expected to be operational by next year.
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You mean there are computers that can take care of this ? Lets see one computer 1400 as compared to 1.8 million in stolen taxpayer money.
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