Louisiana Legislative Auditor
Daryl G. Purpera, CPA, CFE

July 4, 2016

Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court Employees Paid $35,569 for 5 Extra Days Off; Leave Balances Not Reduced

A review of the payroll records for the Ouachita Parish Clerk of Court’s office showed that between December 2014 and December 2015, 51 employees were paid a total of $35,569 for up to five additional days off that were not deducted from their leave balances, the Legislative Auditor said in a report released today.

Investigative auditors found that the employees were allowed to take the additional time off during the work weeks of Christmas and New Year’s in 2014 and the work weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2015 despite office policy, which states that the clerk “will not allow any vacations during the week of Thanksgiving and the week of Christmas.”

In 2014, half of the Clerk of Court’s staff was given two extra days off during the weeks of Christmas and New Year’s, in addition to the three days that were declared paid holidays. In 2015, half of the staff received three extra days during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas to go with the two days that were declared paid holidays. As a result, employees were allowed to take entire holiday weeks off without having any time deducted from their leave records.

By allowing the additional time off without reducing her employees’ leave balances, the Ouachita Parish clerk may have violated state law and the Louisiana Constitution, which forbids the donation of public funds, the state auditor said.

For more information contact:

Legislative Auditor
225.339.3800



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Office of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor | www.LLA.La.gov