Las Vegas Sun

May 3, 2024

Fired auditor check points out payroll problem

Even though Susan Toohey was fired from her post as Las Vegas City Auditor six weeks ago, she received a paycheck for more than $2,000 from the city last week.

Toohey returned the check, along with a letter to deputy city manager Steve Houchens, her former boss. In her letter, she mentioned that she knew this error had occurred with other employees in the city.

Director of Human Resources Rick Anderson said that Toohey received the check because of an outdated payroll system. Time cards are given to each department, to be filled out manually, he said. But no marks on a card mean that the employee didn't take any time off.

"It just left the audit department, unsigned and unmarked," he said. "Data processing clerks just type the information in, they're not responsible for validating anything. The card wasn't marked, so a paycheck was issued."

Anderson said that the city's payroll system is in the midst of being replaced in the coming year with a computerized time clock system.

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