The Audit Connection Blog
Update: How SAO will audit Washington’s Employment Security Department in light of major unemployment fraud
At the State Auditor’s Office, we’ve heard from members of the public, the Legislature and the media interested to know about the work we are conducting at the state Employment Security Department (ESD). The agency was targeted in a major unemployment benefits fraud scheme earlier this year. SAO is conducting a series of audits of ESD to address three main areas of concern in the unemployment insurance program. ... CONTINUE READING
Auditor McCarthy joins national association’s executive committee
Washington State Auditor Pat McCarthy has been appointed to the executive committee of the National State Auditors Association. The nonpartisan group represents state auditors’ interests in financial management and provides training and resources to professionals in the field. ... CONTINUE READING
These acts of insurrection cannot stand. All Americans must condemn them.
"In light of the horrific attack yesterday on our nation’s Capitol, it is incumbent on every American to condemn these actions. I condemn them in the strongest terms." ... CONTINUE READING
Three small governments declared unauditable; final 2020 tally released
Today, the Office of the Washington State Auditor issued reports declaring three small local governments unauditable, bringing the total of such reports to seven for 2020. ... CONTINUE READING
Annual report takes a 20/20 look at 2020
2020 has been a year unlike any other. However, we at the Office of the Washington State Auditor still have a responsibility to report on what we’ve done this year. We invite you to click through our interactive 2020 annual report in this blog post. ... CONTINUE READING
Single audit alert: Updated guidance for due dates and items reported on the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA)
In July, we told you about changes to the single audit due dates and information required to be reported on the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards (SEFA). Additional guidance was published in the 2020 Compliance Supplement Addendum on Dec. 22, 2020, by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. As you read through the entire addendum, here are some key items for your attention ... CONTINUE READING
Boost motivation and productivity with a growth mindset
As this pandemic stretches on and we feel the fatigue of remote work, do you need new ideas to help motivate employees working in the remote environment? Here are some suggestions to keep them engaged and productive. ... CONTINUE READING
GAAP and Cash BARS Updates are Done!
The Overview of Changes contains detailed descriptions of the changes and links to the appropriate sections of the Manuals. Please refer to the Alerts and Changes tab for determining which revisions might affect your 2020 annual reporting. ... CONTINUE READING
Auditor McCarthy releases first audit on unemployment fraud
An audit released today provides the first, high-level accounting of some of the circumstances surrounding the major fraud scheme that targeted Washington state’s unemployment benefits in the spring. ... CONTINUE READING
New red flags coming to Schedule 01
You might see some red flags on the Schedule 01 that you haven’t seen before. In previous years, you might have received a yellow flag with the error message: “This BARS account may not be allowable in this fund type.” Starting in 2021 (reporting year 2020), we have changed this yellow flag to a red flag. To help local governments with this new error message, we have compiled a list of all BARS accounts that will be affected and their applicable fund types. Red flags must be corrected before submitting your annual report. ... CONTINUE READING