Report 2012-603 Recommendation 10 Responses
Report 2012-603: High Risk Update: State Agencies Credited Their Employees With Millions of Dollars Worth of Unearned Leave (Release Date: August 2014)
Recommendation #10 To: Human Resources, California Department of
To ensure that state agencies accurately account for their employees' leave benefits, CalHR should provide additional guidance to state agencies by January 2015 on interpreting the provisions of the collective bargaining agreements related to the amount of leave employees earn. For example, CalHR could provide scenarios to illustrate the number of hours employees should earn under common circumstances.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2018
CalHR has developed and made available consolidated guidance regarding state employee leave benefits, including annual leave, vacation, sick leave, and holidays. The guidance summarizes the leave benefits set forth in each collective bargaining agreement. The guidance was posted within HR Net on August 16, 2016.
CalHR has completed guidance covering employees who work on a holiday. Policy 1712 - Holiday Guidance was published to CalHR's Online Human Resources Manual on November 30, 2017.
- Completion Date: November 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
We reviewed CalHR's published guidance and believe it fully implements our recommendation.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2017
CalHR has developed and made available consolidated guidance regarding state employee leave benefits, including annual leave, vacation, sick leave, and holidays. The guidance summarizes the leave benefits set forth in each collective bargaining agreement. There are 23 Leave Summary documents in total, each averaging 30 pages in length. There is one for each bargaining unit contract with the exception of Bargaining Unit 3, which required two summaries to separate the academic employees from the excluded employees. The guidance was posted within HR Net on August 16, 2016.
CalHR has drafted guidance covering employees who work on a holiday. Upon final approval, and consistent with the Ralph C. Dills Act and other applicable laws, CalHR will issue notice to state employee bargaining representatives by September 22, 2017. Bargaining representatives will thereafter have an opportunity to meet and confer over the holiday guidance. After CalHR has met its obligations under applicable labor laws, it will post the guidance in its Online HR Manual.
- Estimated Completion Date: August 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2016
CalHR has developed and made available consolidated guidance regarding state employee leave benefits, including annual leave, vacation, sick leave, and holidays. The guidance summarizes the leave benefits set forth in each collective bargaining agreement. There are 23 Leave Summary documents in total, each averaging 30 pages in length. There is one for each bargaining unit contract with the exception of Bargaining Unit 3, which required two summaries to separate the academic employees from the excluded employees. The guidance was posted within HR Net on August 16, 2016.
- Completion Date: August 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Although CalHR has made progress on implementing the recommendation, it has not provided additional guidance to state agencies regarding holiday credit. Therefore, we do not consider the recommendation fully implemented.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
1-Year Agency Response
CalHR has developed consolidated guidance regarding state employee leave benefits, including annual leave, vacation, sick leave, and holidays. The guidance will include information reflecting the leave benefits set forth in state employee collective bargaining agreements. Before providing the guidance to state agencies, CalHR must determine the appropriate next steps consistent with the Ralph C. Dills Act. Once finalized, and after CalHR has fulfilled its obligations under governing labor law, the guidance will be provided to state agencies and the State Controller's Office.
- Estimated Completion Date: 08/26/2016
- Response Date: August 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
6-Month Agency Response
CalHR has now finalized guidance for annual leave, vacation, sick leave, and personal holidays. This guidance consists of leave summaries for each bargaining unit with detailed instructions on accrual and usage. These summaries will be posted on line to provide departments easy access. CalHR expects to provide this guidance to state agencies within the next 45 days.
CalHR has also drafted guidance regarding state holiday policies. This draft guidance includes scenarios which will illustrate the number of hours employees should earn under common circumstances. CalHR is currently evaluating ways to promulgate its policies in a manner consistent with CalHR's obligations under the Dills Act and other governing labor law.
- Estimated Completion Date: August 2015
- Response Date: February 2015
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
60-Day Agency Response
CalHR has completed the review of the state's leave policies addressing annual leave, vacation, sick leave, holiday leave and other types of leave provided to state employees. CalHR has developed criteria for calculating leave that is currently under internal review. CalHR expects to meet the January 2015 implementation for this recommendation.
- Estimated Completion Date: January 2015
- Response Date: November 2014
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented
All Recommendations in 2012-603
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.