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Sheriff’s deputy reports federal-withholding errors; commissioners direct auditor follow-up
Summary
A sheriff’s detective told commissioners he has had near-zero federal withholding taken from paychecks and reported the problem to the auditor months ago; commissioners said the auditor’s office and the board of commissioners should investigate and advised the employee to bring any penalty notices to the commission for potential redress.
Detective Devin McPherson of the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office told the commissioners he has received only cents of federal tax withholding from paychecks since a problem arose late in the 2024 tax season and that the issue has not been resolved despite raising it with the auditor this spring.
"Every paycheck past this meeting... 1¢. 1¢. $53.45. $23.12... That brings me to $388.70 of federal withholding," McPherson said, reading amounts from pay stubs. He told the board he was told the issue would be investigated after he raised it with the auditor in April, but that he had not received follow-up communication or resolution.
Commissioners and staff discussed the process for withholding changes and the proper administrative path for resolution. One commissioner said withholding changes generally require the employee to submit a signed federal W-4 to the auditor’s office and that the auditor’s office — overseen administratively by the board of commissioners — is the proper office to investigate withholding errors. Commissioners asked McPherson to bring any notices of penalties or interest related to the withholding error to the commissioners so they could consider whether the county should compensate employees for penalties caused by county error.
The transcript records no immediate corrective action or payment decision; commissioners said the matter should be pursued with the auditor’s office and, if the employee incurred penalty or interest due to county error, the employee should bring documentation so the commissioners can consider next steps.
