The state\u2019s various departments do their own performance reviews and keep track of employee data at their home offices. But the information is supposed to be entered into the centralized Colorado Personnel Payroll System.<\/p>\n
Too often, incomplete or inaccurate data was entered, according to the report by the Office of the State Auditor.<\/p>\n
Also, 840 employees \u2013 about 4 percent of the state workforce \u2013 did not receive their annual reviews in 2012. More than 1,800 did not get their reviews in 2011.<\/p>\n
The Legislature approved merit pay increases next year for the first time since 2009, so managers will need accurate information to decide who gets a raise.<\/p>\n
Kathy Nesbitt, director of the Department of Personnel and Administration, owned up to her agency\u2019s shortcomings, but she said the problems were often limited to data entry, and other agencies have accurate hard copies of their personnel files that allow them to review their employees\u2019 performance.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn paper, certainly, it would say we\u2019re not doing the best job we can, but we\u2019re doing a very good job with limited resources,\u201d Nesbitt said.<\/p>\n
Nesbitt\u2019s agency is busy implementing Amendment S, a top-to-bottom reform of the personnel system that voters approved last fall.<\/p>\n
Members of the Legislative Audit Committee said they were confident the problems could be solved, and they were impressed with Nesbitt.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have put together a very impressive team,\u201d said Sen. Steve King, R-Grand Junction. \u201cLet\u2019s face it, when you\u2019re coming in for an audit, you\u2019re never going to get 100.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other state officials have found the Legislative Audit Committee to be a dreaded venue this year, as auditors and legislators have ripped into the Colorado Energy Office and Eagle-Net, which has a government grant to build high-speed Internet connections to rural schools.<\/p>\n
The Denver Post reported Sunday that a new audit has found problems with Eagle-Net\u2019s accounting. That audit was not released to the public nor discussed at Monday\u2019s meeting of the Legislative Audit Committee.<\/p>\n