YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — A recent state audit of Mahoning County found that many salaried employees did not properly fill out their time sheets, according to Mahoning County Auditor Ralph Meacham.
Meacham said salaries represent the county's largest expense, with roughly 1,600 people on the payroll. He said he has been concerned for years that some salaried workers are not accurately logging their hours, and he described time theft as a major problem in government.
Although these employees are not paid by the hour, Meacham said accurate records still matter because benefits such as vacation and sick leave accrue hourly. Unrecorded vacation time can roll forward and later be paid out in a lump sum when an employee leaves county employment, potentially amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, he said.
Meacham said he does not know the total cost to the county, noting that not every employee is abusing the system.
He said he wants a new time-keeping policy covering all salaried employees and has discussed the matter with county commissioners and the human resources department. Meacham asked that the process be completed promptly.