An ongoing audit has uncovered payroll and leave time discrepancies in the Court of Claims, a legislative agency, that resulted in at least four employees getting paid for days not worked or for taking days off without submitting the proper leave time, Legislative Post-Audit Division director Denny Rhodes advised legislators Sunday.
An initial review found three employees were compensated for a total of 64 days not worked, totaling $6,833 in pay and $2,050 in benefits, and blamed management for "fostering an environment where employees are not required to follow policies and procedures."
In one instance, auditors said Cheryl Hall, clerk of the court, advised that she had entered into an "unwritten agreement" with one of the employees to make up for receiving pay for 32 days not worked by having the employee work extra hours and work on Sundays. However, as of June, Hall said she realized the employee was not only not making up the time, but was missing additional work hours.
On July 13, Hall submitted a leave without pay form for the employee to the Legislative Manager Aaron Allred that included dates going back to May and June, which raised questions about why the employee had been paid for those days not worked.
Auditors analyzed time sheets and leave time records for all Court of Claims employees and will present a full audit report at September interim meetings, Rhodes said.
On Sunday, Hall told the legislative Post Audits Committee she needs more time to review the auditor's findings with internal office records, but said the issues raised in the preliminary audit report have been corrected.
Hall said the employee who needed to make up the 32 days is a single mother who was undergoing physical therapy for injuries sustained in a serious auto accident.
"Right or wrong, I wanted to work with her," said Hall, who said the employee has since been terminated.
Hall also pointed out that her office is understaffed and inundated with claims for the Court of Claims and the Crime Victims Compensation Fund, including a surge of claims against the Division of Highways for vehicle damage because of poor road conditions.
"It's easy to forget who left an hour early or took a day off, and it's hours we're talking about," she said.
"In hindsight, I should have done a lot of things differently. I was just too focused on the work at hand," Hall said.
Also Sunday, Commerce Secretary Keith Burdette told a legislative interim committee that development of the 12,000-acre former Hobet mine site in Boone County into an industrial, commercial and residential development presents a unique opportunity for the state.
Burdette said diversifying the state economy requires two things: Trained workforce and development sites, noting, "To be quite blunt, if you go south of Charleston, there are no industrial sites, period."
Burdette said the Development Office does not discuss business prospects prior to signing of agreements, but said there is interest and discussions about developing the property, which he called a "mixed-use mega-site."
"Because there are so few sites in this area of the state, there is interest in this property," he said.
"We're unlikely to sign agreements until at least the road goes to bid," Burdette said of a $100 million roadway needed to link the site with U.S. 119, something critics have called a road to nowhere.
"The attraction will be its proximity to Charleston, but its workforce will come from southern West Virginia," he said, adding that the site would be a reasonable commuting distance from Charleston.
Reach Phil Kabler at philk@wvgazettemail.com, 304 348-1220, or follow @PhilKabler on Twitter.