Washington State Auditor’s Office
Whistleblower Report

Department of Corrections
Report Date
July 31, 2008
Report No. WB 08-022

Issue Date
August 11, 2008

Washington State Auditor
Brian Sonntag

August 11, 2008

Department of Corrections
Thurston County
Olympia, Washington

Report on Whistleblower Investigation
Attached is the official report on Whistleblower Case No. WB 08-022 for the McNeil Island Correction
Center, Department of Corrections.
The State Auditor’s Office received an assertion of improper governmental activity at the Correction
Center. This assertion was submitted to us under the provisions of Chapter 42.40 of the Revised Code of
Washington, the Whistleblower Act. At the request of the State Auditor’s Office, the Department
investigated the assertion independently and objectively through interviews and by reviewing relevant
documents. We agree with the Department’s conclusion. This report contains the results of the
Department’s investigation.
Questions about this report should be directed to Senior Investigator Sandy Miller at (360) 902-0378 or
Director of Special Investigations Jim Brittain at (360) 902-0372.

BRIAN SONNTAG, CGFM
WASHINGTON STATE AUDITOR
BS:sm
cc: Kathy Smith, Internal Audit Manager

Insurance Building, P.O. Box 40021 y Olympia,
Washington
98504-0021
y (360) 902-0370 y TDD Relay (800) 833-6388
Washington
State Auditor’s
Office
FAX (360) 753-0646 y2http://www.sao.wa.gov

Investigation Summary
State of Washington
Department of Corrections
ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION
A complaint was made alleging that a dental assistant with the Department of Corrections, McNeil
Island Corrections Center has taken leave without submitting leave slips for over 1½ years. It
was reported that this issue was brought to the attention of the Dental Assistant’s supervisor but
nothing has been done to address the issue.
A meeting was held with the Department’s Internal Audit Manager at which time it was learned
that the Department had also received a complaint and was in the process of conducting an
internal investigation. It was decided to allow the Department to continue with its investigation
and once it reached a determination, decide at that time if further investigation is warranted.

ASSERTION(S) AND RESULTS
An employee at McNeil Island Corrections Center is taking leave without
submitting a leave slip.
The Department found reasonable cause to believe an improper governmental action did occur.
After reviewing the Department’s internal investigation it was determined that a full investigation
into the assertion of improper governmental action was not warranted by the State Auditor’s
Office.
The Department reviewed the subject’s daily logs against her leave slips and time summary for
the time period January through December 2007 and found the subject had taken approximately
300 hours of leave without reporting it.
During this 12-month period, the subject failed to report 46 days she either arrived late or left
early and 19 eight-hour days of leave without reporting it.
The Department advised that it met with the subject to give her the opportunity to review the
hours. The subject disagreed with the amount of hours the Department felt she took, but did
agree that she did take 285.30 hours without reporting it.
On May 7, 2008, the subject signed a Statement of Verification for Unreported Leave
acknowledging that between January and December 2007 she accumulated 285.30 hours of
unreported leave.

DEPARTMENT'S PLAN OF RESOLUTION
The Department considers not reporting leave properly to be a serious matter. Disciplinary action
has been taken, including requiring the employee to reimburse the Department for all leave taken
but not reported in 2007, and attendance monitoring processes have been changed to prevent a
re-occurrence.

Washington State Auditor’s Office
1

AUDITOR’S REMARKS
We thank Department officials and personnel for their assistance and cooperation during the
investigation.

INVESTIGATION CRITERIA
We came to our determination in this investigation by evaluating the facts against the criteria
below:
RCW 42.52.070 Special Privileges
Except as required to perform duties within the scope of employment, no state
officer or state employee may use his or her position to secure special privileges
or exemptions for himself or herself, or his or her spouse, child, parents or other
persons.

Washington State Auditor’s Office
2

Contacts
Washington State Auditor
Brian Sonntag, CGFM

(360) 902-0360

sonntagb@sao.wa.gov

Director of Special Investigations
Jim Brittain, CPA
brittaij@sao.wa.gov

(360) 902-0372

Deputy Director of Special Investigations
Kim Hurley, CPA
hurleyk@sao.wa.gov

(360) 725-5352

Whistleblower and Hotline Program Coordinator
Julie Cooper
cooperj@sao.wa.gov

(360) 902-0377

Investigators
LaRene Barlin
Sandy Miller
Cheri Elliott

barlinl@sao.wa.gov
millers@sao.wa.gov
elliottc@sao.wa.gov

(360) 902-2213
(360) 902-0378
(360) 725-5358

Director of Communications
Mindy Chambers

chamberm@sao.wa.gov

(360) 902-0091

Public Records Officer
Mary Leider

liederm@sao.wa.gov

(360) 725-5617

Main phone number

(360) 902-0370

Toll-free hotline for reporting government waste, efficiency

(866) 902-3900

Web site

www.sao.wa.gov

To receive electronic notification of audit reports, visit:
https://www.sao.wa.gov/applications/subscriptionservices/

Americans with Disabilities
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act,
this document will be made available in alternate formats.
Please call (360) 902-0370 for more information.