A newly released legislative audit reveals money management issues within Maryland’s Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.
Auditors found the department kept former employees on the payroll which meant they continued receiving checks.
From July 2017-2022 the report noted 154 inactive workers listed as active in the department’s system anywhere between 10 and 860 days beyond their their departure.
This alone totaled $173,000 in improper payouts.
For example one worker left the department in August 2016 yet the date recorded in the database was October.
As result final updates weren’t made until June 2018, resulting in that ex employee collecting $58,300 in unearned wages.
“Payroll will investigate payments to employees after the separation date, including those noted above and pursue recovery of any improper payments,” the department said in response to the findings. “DBM has also begun providing backdated termination reports to review so future instances can be caught before overpayment happens.”