1. Time and Effort Reporting
Grants Office
4/9/2017

2. 4/9/2017

3. Know The Basics
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4. When is Time and Effort Required?
Time and Effort reporting is required when any part of an employee’s salary is:
Charged to a Federal program
Used as match for a Federal program
Paid with non-Federal funds (State)
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5. Where are the Requirements?
Time and Effort reporting is required under 2 CFR Section 225 (formerly Federal Office of Management and Budget’s Circular A-21, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions)
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6. Who is considered an employee?
Salaries, wages and benefits are charged under object codes 1, 2, and 3
An employee is NOT a vendor or independent consultant
Time and Effort isn’t needed for non-employees
Time and Effort isn’t needed for employees using time sheets or honorariums
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7. What is Effort?
Total effort is defined as whatever amount of time a person devotes to fulfilling his/her program-related responsibilities
OMB Circular No. A-21, J10c(2)(a)-(f)
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8. Effort Reporting is… A way for an employee to certify that…
Effort supported (paid) by a grant sponsored project has been performed as promised
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9. Effort Reporting…
Is required by Federal regulation and District policy for all individuals working on grant funded sponsored projects
Makes salary sources for the period congruent with effort spent for the period
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10. Why Does Time & Effort Continue to be an Audit Problem?
Large % of Federal Education Funds Used for Staffing
Staff Turnover
Decentralized responsibilities
Communication
Complexity of applying requirements to variety of situations
People don’t like it!
4/9/2017

11. Why should We Care?
Signed effort reports are considered legal documents in which an individual attests to the accuracy of the effort spent on sponsored projects
Erroneously certifying effort reports can be viewed as fraud
We are obliged by Federal regulations to exercise good stewardship of those funds
Effort is a part of that stewardship
Personnel costs are the majority of program costs
False Claims Act, 31, U.S.C., sections 3729 & 3721
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12. What type of reporting is needed?
Single cost objective
→Semi annual certification
Multiple cost objectives →Monthly time reports or Personnel Activity Reports (PARs)
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13. What is a “cost objective”?
A particular set of work activities for which cost data is accumulated
A-21 Definition: Compensation for personal services covers all amounts paid currently or accrued by the institution for services of employees rendered during the period of performance under sponsored agreements. P. 255 EDGAR
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14. What are some typical examples of single cost objectives?
Example 1: An employee funded 100% by the grant who provides services only to the special population identified in the grant
Example 2: An office assistant who works 100% of the time for a sponsored program and is funded partially with local funds.
Example 3: An early childhood education teacher funded 80% with “pass-through” and 20% with district funds if there isn’t a difference in activities performed.
Since there is no difference in the activities Semi-Annual certification is only needed.
4/9/2017

15. What are some typical examples of multiple cost objectives?
Example 1: An employee provides counseling services to TRIO student 60% of the time and college counseling services to the general student population 40% of the time. The counseling objectives are different for the TRIO students and must be documented for verification and continuation of the program.
Since the counseling is intended for different purposes, PAR is required monthly.
4/9/2017

16. Another example of multiple cost objectives
Example 2: An accountant manages several categorical budgets as well as the college’s Work Force Training Center budget. Although the budgets within the Center deals with multiple categorically-funded grants, the categorical programs are intended for different purposes, multiple cost objectives are reported. Time and Effort reporting is required monthly.
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17. What is a semi-annual certification?
A statement that individual(s) worked solely on activities related to single cost objective
Completed at least every six months
Signed and dated by employee and supervisor with first-hand knowledge of work performed
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18. 4/9/2017

19. What is a monthly time report? (PAR)
Accounts for total time / activity
Prepared & signed at least monthly
Signed and dated by employee and supervisor
Reflects actual work performed (not budgeted)
Agrees to supporting documentation
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20. 4/9/2017

21. What type of supporting documentation is needed?
Requires a judgment call
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Grant activities and goals
Number of students served
Number of reports generated
Calendars or work logs
Contact the Grants Office for advice
Ext. 6948
4/9/2017

22. When is an accounting adjustment required?
If the difference is 10% or more:
Payroll charges must be adjusted at the time of the comparison
AND: The following quarter’s estimates must be adjusted to more closely reflect actual activity
If the difference is less than 10%:
No action required until the end of the year
BUT: At year-end any payroll charges to federal awards that exceed actual time and effort must be reconciled
4/9/2017

23. Who should sign the reports?
Monthly reports (PARs) must be signed by the employee
Semi annual certifications must be signed by employee and supervisor having first-hand knowledge of work performed
Internal controls through the District requires the employee & supervisor to sign both forms
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24. 4/9/2017

25. Time and Effort: Tracking / Calculation
Employee Name:
Position/Title:
Track Hours Worked
FUNDING SOURCE
July
August
September
October
November
December
Restricted Program
Account
Hrs.
Effort % 0%
Subtotal
Unrestricted Program
Match Fund To Program
Other Leave
Sick/Vac/Holiday
Other
Total Hours/Month
Total Actual Work Hours
Total Distribution of Efforts
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26. Caution:
Beware of
Re-organization!
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27. Administrators: Changes can affect program activities
President, Vice Presidents, Deans usually not allowable charges to federal program
Requires good documentation to support
Could be a supplanting issue
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28. Other Requirements for Charging Compensation to Federal Programs
Reasonable and necessary
Compensation consistent with nonfederal activities of the District
Leave buy-out at termination is an indirect charge or may be charged to the Division
Other leave (vacation/sick) is subject to OMB Circular A-21, J 10 and Appendix A, Part 225
4/9/2017

29. Tips……
Know the Basics
Train employees on the mechanics of filing out forms (new employees)
Identify which program cost objectives they are working on
Communicate:
Who needs to communicate what changes (budget/personnel changes)
Be ready to redirect work of employees or adjust grant salary
Ask the Grants Office for help if needed
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30. Discussion
Missing Time and Effort report documentation is one of the most frequent and costly audit findings in the state.
How can your department ensure that every employee required to report time and effort does so?
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31. For Additional Information
See OMB Circular A-21
Examples
Sample forms
Time and Effort FAQs
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32. Questions? ?
? ?
? ?
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