Reports

On September 1, 2021, the Legislative Audit Commission adopted Resolution Number 158 requiring a performance audit of the unemployment programs administered by the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) during the period of March 1, 2020, to September 6, 2021. The audit found that overpayments (which include fraud, non-fraud, and identity theft) were an issue in both the regular UI and PUA programs. IDES reported overpayments for FY20 to FY22 that totaled $5.24 billion; regular UI accounted for $2.04 billion and PUA accounted for $3.20 billion. Considering gross benefits associated...

The Illinois Auditor General, conducted a performance audit of the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program, which was developed under the state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to provide $585 million in economic relief for small businesses hit hardest by COVID-19. Among their findings the Auditor General noted that DCEO allowed, without verification, BIG small business grant applicants to self-certify that they complied with all laws as well as reporting other pandemic funding. The office's analysis found 196 ineligible applicants received $3.42 million in the first...

The objective of this audit was to determine whether the New York Department of Labor (Department) has taken appropriate steps to oversee and manage the Unemployment Insurance system and to comply with selected portions of the New York State Information Security Policy and Standards. Overall, we found deficiencies with the Department's oversight and management of its Unemployment Insurance system that ultimately compromised its ability to effectively mitigate risks related to the processing of claims.

Using supplemental federal funding, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) awarded $220.7 million through its We’re All In program to small businesses, restaurants, and similar entities and $375.2 million through its Wisconsin Tomorrow program to small businesses and lodging establishments. We performed a detailed review of 172 grants and found DOR did not follow written eligibility requirements when it awarded 45 of these grants. We recommend that DOR report to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee on the results of its ongoing efforts to identify and recover program grants it made in...

The objective of this audit is to determine whether Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) has established and maintains adequate internal controls to oversee and monitor the federally funded Community Development Block Grant program and HOME Investment Partnerships Program to ensure they meet requirements and whether HCR is obtaining federal reimbursements on time and in a manner that recovers all eligible costs. This audit covers the period from April 2017 through June 2022.

Our audit objective was to answer the question: what entities received Connectivity Emergency Response Grants and where were they located? We found that the Kansas Department of Commerce (Commerce) awarded $48.5 million in Connectivity Emergency Response Grant funds through 66 grants to all seven regions in Kansas with the largest amounts going to South Central, Southwest, and Northeast Kansas. We also found that Commerce denied some applications through its review process.

The audit examined whether Berkshire Community College accurately recorded and reported the institutional portion of Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds (HEERF) and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund. The audit also reviewed if had required approval for all institutional-portion disbursements from HEERF I and HEERF II grants. The audit examined the period of March 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.

The audit found that Department of Higher Education (DHE) did not ensure that all employees who were responsible for managing and administering Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funding completed annual cybersecurity awareness training. The audit also found that DHE did not meet with the Commonwealth Commitment Advisory Board (CCAB) to review the MassTransfer Commonwealth Commitment Program and did not provide reports or communications to the Board of Higher Education regarding CCAB’s review of the MassTransfer Commonwealth Commitment Program.

We found that Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) did not verify artists’ eligibility prior to issuing grants totaling $1,456,000 from the MCC's COVID-19 pandemic relief funding. We also found that MCC’s Internal Control Plan was not updated with a COVID-19 component. Additionally, the OSA found that MCC did not ensure all employees completed the required annual cybersecurity awareness training.

In this performance audit, we reviewed Bridgewater State University's (BSU) use of funding from the Education Stabilization Fund (ESF) received through the CARES Act and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA). BSU received grant funding under two components of the ESF: direct funding from the United States Department of Education (US DOE), and funding from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE). The purpose of our audit was to determine whether BSU administered the federal assistance it received in accordance with the criteria established...

In this performance audit, we reviewed financial activity from federal funding provided by the CARES Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. In addition, we reviewed Bunker Hill Community College’s (BHCC) compliance with the Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth’s guidance on revisions to its internal control plan to address operational changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The audit found BHCC did not accurately record and report the institutional portion of Higher Education Emergency Relief...

In this performance audit, we reviewed financial activity from federal funding provided by the CARES Act, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), and the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act. Middlesex Community College (MCC) received grant funding under two components of the CARES Act’s Education Stabilization Fund: direct funding from the United States Department of Education (US DOE) and funding from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE). The purpose of our audit was to determine whether MCC administered the CARES Act, CRRSAA, and ARP Act...

This audit report provides the results of our evaluation of the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC) Unemployment Insurance program and federally-funded COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment assistance programs. The purpose of this audit was to determine if the IRS Form 1099-Gs (1099s) filed by LWC with the IRS accurately reported the amount of unemployment benefits paid to claimants during calendar years 2020 and 2021. Overall, we found that LWC filed accurate 1099s for unemployment benefits paid to 698,372 (99.7%) of 700,204 claimants in calendar year 2020. However, we found that LWC did...

The audit concluded that the Alaska Small Business Relief Program disbursed approximately $282 million of CARES Act funds through the issuance of 5,754 grants; however, the distribution rate of grant funds fell far short of expectations. The State expected to distribute $150 million per month, yet only $18 million was distributed by the end of the program’s second month. Additionally, Results of testing found a high rate of unallowable grant awards. Auditors tested 155 grants and identified at least one error for 39 percent of the grants tested.

The Emergency Rental Assistance program helps individuals affected by the public health emergency to cover the cost of rent and utilities. Through June 2021, DOA received $434.7 million in federal funds through the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act for the program. From March 2021 through September 2021, the program provided $64.0 million in benefits for 15,968 households. We make recommendations for DOA to improve how it administers the Emergency Rental Assistance program, including by improving the program’s application process, modifying the process for...

The audit objective was to determine whether The Golden L.E.A.F. (Long-term Economic Advancement Foundation), Inc. designed and implemented procedures to ensure that COVID-19 Rapid Recovery loan recipients used funds in accordance with the 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act. The audit found that The Golden L.E.A.F. did not design and implement procedures to ensure that loan recipients used funds in accordance with the Act.

This report provides the results of our evaluation of the Louisiana Workforce Commission’s (LWC) Unemployment Insurance program (State UI) and federally funded COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment assistance programs (Federal UI). The purpose of this report was to identify potential overpayments or improper unemployment benefit payments LWC made to claimants. Overall, we found that LWC made approximately $2.9 million in payments that potentially violated unemployment benefit program rules outlined in federal and/or state law, including payments to claimants enrolled in multiple programs at...

The purpose of this performance audit report was to assess the effectiveness of the Unemployment Insurance Agency's actions to establish federally complaint claimant eligibility criteria for the PUA program. We ultimately concluded their actions were not effective as the agency established incorrect criteria for the PUA program and failed to take timely or appropriate corrective action when notified of deficiencies by the Department of Labor.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges to Multnomah County. We conducted this audit to support transparent and accountable government operations during this unprecedented time. This report details what the county spent pandemic funding on, which provider organizations received pandemic funding from the county, and whether funds were distributed in alignment with the county’s stated commitment to leading with race. In this audit, we found that county management sought to balance the need to get resources out to the community quickly with also maintaining effective policies...

This audit was conducted to evaluate CARES Act funds designated for City Council-approved small business recovery and housing relief programs. The Office found that Community relief programs were adequately designed to address the economic impact from the pandemic. Controls over the distribution and monitoring of some community recovery programs should be improved to prevent and detect misappropriations. Emergency relief programs can benefit from the lessons learned during these COVID-19 responses.

We have conducted an audit of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) to determine whether its Division of Housing and Community Renewal (Division) is obtaining federal reimbursements on time and in a manner that recovers all costs, and adequately ensures the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) meets federal reimbursement documentation requirements. The audit covered the period from April 1, 2017 through December 31, 2020.

Prosper Portland’s Small Business Relief Fund provided a lifeline during the early days of the pandemic. Staff successfully delivered dollars to struggling businesses but in haste, short-changed program integrity. We make recommendations for building a stronger program the next time disaster strikes.

The purpose of this audit was to determine whether the Department of Revenue (Department) awarded the Extra Credit Grant to eligible individuals in compliance with North Carolina Session Law 2020-4 Sections 4.12.(a)–(d). 1 If not in compliance, identify the causes and the effect of noncompliance. Some low-income families6 did not receive Extra Credit Grant Program payments from the State. These families did not receive the payments because of the additional steps the Department needed to take in order to award payments to low-income families in a short timeframe.

This report presents the results of our internal controls and compliance audit of the Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division for the period July 2017 through March 2020. The objectives of this audit were to determine if the Department of Human Services had adequate internal controls and complied with certain legal requirements and state policies and procedures related to oversight of grant agreements and payments to grantees.

The purpose of this audit was to determine whether the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) accounted for, allocated, and disbursed amounts appropriated to the State of North Carolina’s Coronavirus Relief Fund in accordance with 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act legislation (Recovery Act). 1

The Office of the State Auditor conducted an audit of Coronavirus Relief Funds that were allocated to the Department from the 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act. Specifically, the two objectives of this audit were to determine whether the Department established and implemented procedures to ensure that: 1. Coronavirus Relief Funds were spent in accordance with the 2020 COVID-19 Recovery Act and subsequent amendments 2. Programs that received Coronavirus Relief Funds accomplished their intended purpose, such as improving student ability through reading and math interventions and providing school...