California state workers, agencies caught for wrongdoing in audit

Everyone has their snout in the trough

(News 10 ABC)  -  California has 224,991 active state employees, according to the State Controller's Office website. Some of them, as well as state agencies, have engaged in malfeasance costing taxpayers, the California State Auditor reported Tuesday.

Among the auditor's findings:

- A full-time employee in the Department of Industrial Relations convinced his manager to allow him to telecommute. That allowed the employee to work a second, full-time job without his boss' knowledge. The audit estimated the employee was paid at least $12,000 for time when he was unavailable to perform his job.

- A State Water Resources Control Board manager stole more than $3,500 when she directed surplus state property to be taken to a local recycling center for a cash redemption which she pocketed.

- An Employment Development Department manager and other employees didn't accurately designated an employee's headquarters and so reimbursed the employee for $26,800 in improper travel payments over five years.

- The audit concluded when the Department of General Services allowed a private security firm's guards to park their personal vehicles in a state-owned garage without paying parking fees, it cost California a minimum of $12,800 in lost revenue.

Link to full Investigations of Improper Activities by State Agencies and Employees report.