An internal audit of timekeeping practices at the city of Atlanta found some employees were not paid correctly, that time clocks have been vandalized and that some departmental practices may violate federal law. Here are some things to know about the audit:
Q: Why was the audit performed?
A: Numerous complaints about abuse of time and violation of the city's automated timekeeping system were received by the city's complaint line, known as the "Integrity Line."
Q: How was the audit conducted?
A: Auditors reviewed the first 21 pay periods of 2014 for the 8,103 employees covered under federal law.
Q: What were the findings?
A: Nearly 200,000 hours for which hourly employees clocked in beyond their established work weeks, and for which they might not have been paid. It also found 7,500 overtime hours during the same period in which employees were paid at their normal rate, rather than the time-and-a-half rate dictated by federal law.
Q: How many employees are affected, and what departments were the worst offenders?
A: Nearly 900 employees in 14 departments. Employees in the Department of Watershed Management accounted for 36-percent of the issues.
Q: Were other problems discovered?
A: Yes. The audit says the "absence of a procedural framework … has pushed responsibility for complying with (federal law) to individual timekeepers who are ill-equipped to ensure compliance."
Q: Is there concern that employees may have been paid for not working?
A: Yes. Timekeepers in nine departments expressed concern about theft of time and said time clocks were vandalized, unplugged and that some employees were punching time cards for other people.
Q: How many recommendations does the audit make?
A: Eleven, many of which suggest the city review records to make sure employees were compensated correctly. City administrators agreed with each of the recommendations.
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