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District audit finds timekeeping errors in transportation payroll; recommends electronic system
Summary
An independent audit of the district's timekeeping found missing supervisor signatures, incorrect rates, late submissions and payroll miscalculations in the transportation department and recommends an electronic timekeeping system and stronger review controls.
An audit presented to the Ithaca City School District's audit presentation found multiple problems in the transportation department's timekeeping that led to incorrect pay calculations and gaps in employment documentation.
The audit, presented by an independent auditor, concluded the district conducted a "timekeeping audit, back in May." The auditor said the review focused on the transportation department's timesheets and tested two pay periods and 15 transportation employees (30 timecard samples total). The audit identified signature, hours-counting and rate errors, instances of employees paid during scheduled lunches, late submissions and missing bid-time documentation.
The audit team said supervisors had not signed any of the sampled transportation time cards, while a separate sample from other departments showed all those time cards did include supervisor signatures. The team found three samples that were overpaid, three underpaid, one timecard that "should not have been paid," two employees lacking formal bid-time documentation, an incorrect rate applied for a week after an employee changed roles and six instances of pay during scheduled lunch periods. The auditors also found there was "no review of time cards on behalf of the business office," meaning payroll staff assumed the input received was correct and focused on data entry.
The auditors recommended the district move from manual time cards to an electronic timekeeping system to reduce errors, enforce supervisor approvals and allow timely business office review. Pending that transition, they recommended mandatory supervisor sign-off on manual time cards, formally documented bid times and a secondary payroll review to detect calculation errors before payment.
The audit also tested completeness of I-9 and IT-2104 tax forms for the transportation sample and found documentation issues: one I-9 was unsigned by the employee, two IT-2104 forms were not signed by the district, and two IT-2104 forms were missing.
The auditor recommended strengthening recordkeeping for required employment documents, implementing a new checklist for hire documentation and adding a review step for new hires to confirm forms are complete and stored.
The audit presentation noted the work was performed by reviewing district procedures, interviewing district staff and recalculating pay where appropriate. The presenter said the fieldwork occurred May 19'May 23 and that transportation was selected because "transportation is all time sheets" and because preliminary review revealed issues.
District staff acknowledged the findings and asked clarifying questions about sample size and total population of drivers; the auditor indicated the sample represented 15 transportation employees across two pay periods (30 samples) and said they could provide the total population number separately.
The presentation concluded with the auditor saying she will receive a corrective action plan from the district, sign it off with her manager and then issue the final audit report.
The audit did not involve any formal motions or votes during the meeting.
