Accountability for Time: Teleworking during COVID-19 Pandemic

Sent as a reminder to all WSU employees via email from hrs@wsu.edu on 9/28/2020.

As we continue to adjust and work within these unprecedented times, we would like to remind the University community we have a duty to public accountability. Whether you are teleworking or working at one of the campuses or worksites, all employees must ensure due diligence to engage work while in pay status.

Recently, during routine audits and investigations of suspected employee misconduct, significant discrepancies were found:

• Employees not reporting time taken off (to be recorded as annual leave, comp time or other leave) and supervisors signing approval for the false entries, impacting either amount paid out or accuracy of leave balances.
• Supervisors signing time/leave reports before the end of the time period and sending the approved time/leave reports back to the employee (this allows for false entries without further supervisor approval).

External auditors determined the above discrepancies are more than errors and classified them as employee fraud and poor management on the part of the supervisor. As public employees, we must be accountable and proper stewards of university resources, including time.

Supervisors have a duty to ensure their employees have sufficient work to account for the time paid.  Employees and supervisors, who are having challenges with work-life balance or need guidance on managing employees who are teleworking, should contact Human Resource Services or their HRS Service Team.  Additional resources are available at WSU COVID-19 Employee Information.

Refer to BPPM 60.60, Time Report for Overtime Eligible Employees, BPPM 60.62, Leave Report for Overtime Exempt Classified Employees and BPPM 60.63, Leave Report for Overtime-Exempt Faculty Administrative Professional Employees. 

For assistance in your time and leave reporting procedures, contact HRS (hrs@wsu.edu) or the Office of Internal Audit at ia.central@wsu.edu.