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Audit says Nevada Department of Corrections should tighten overtime controls, pursue staffing-study recommendations
Summary
An audit presented to the Executive Branch Audit Committee found outdated pay policies, inaccurate timekeeping and excessive overtime at the Nevada Department of Corrections; auditors recommended stronger payroll oversight, addressing facility-level drivers and continued recruitment and retention work.
An audit of the Nevada Department of Corrections presented July 29 said the department faces challenges from high vacancy rates and persistent overtime spending and made recommendations to strengthen payroll oversight, address facility-level overtime drivers and continue recruitment and retention efforts.
"The department has experienced challenges related to high vacancy rates and overtime expenditures," Executive Branch Auditor Jazdy Bains told the committee, and auditors offered three recommendations to improve overtime management.
The auditors reported outdated internal pay policies, inaccurate timekeeping and what they described as excessive overtime and improper application of pay types. The report said more than half of overtime timesheets tested contained at least one issue, including policy violations and coding errors, and that the department had thousands of overtime hours without valid reason codes. The auditors said a staffing study contracted by the department should provide an objective review of staffing across facilities and help resolve some issues.
Craig Stevenson, representing the Division of Internal Audits, told the committee that statute allows the division to assist agencies with internal accounting and administrative controls and that, if the committee and the department agree, internal audit staff could provide limited assistance implementing recommendations.
Corrections Director James Renda (identified in the meeting as the department director) described actions the department has taken: reducing the number of overtime codes to simplify coding, beginning training for sergeants who set schedules, and noting legislative approval this session of 47 additional positions intended to help with hospital transportation and guarding duties. He told the committee the additional positions will reduce overtime but will not eliminate all overtime needs for medical transport and guarding.
The audit is informational only and the committee did not vote on it. Auditors and department staff said they are available to answer follow-up questions outside the public meeting.
