Finding for recovery of $15,689 issued against Akron-Canton Regional Airport Authority

COLUMBUS – A finding for recovery of $15,689 was issued this week against 40 employees of the Akron-Canton Regional Airport Authority after they were paid for overtime hours worked during weeks when they also claimed paid leave, contrary to adopted policies, Auditor of State Keith Faber announced.

The total was more than double a finding for recovery issued in the 2021 audit for the same reason, after the airport authority said it would address the issue.

The new finding was included in an audit of the airport authority’s finances for calendar 2022. A copy of the full report is available online (ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/search.aspx).

Under the authority’s adopted Personnel Policy and Procedure Manual, employees are to be paid one and one-half times their regular rate for “time actually worked in excess of 40 hours per week.” The policy specifically noted, for the purposes of overtime, “paid sick leave, paid vacation and lunch periods shall not be considered time worked.”

However, auditors determined that 40 employees received overtime pay, with values ranging from $28 to $2,036, without consideration of paid sick and/or vacation leave used during the same week.

The employees involved, along with the Vice President of Finance and Administration James Krum and the airport authority’s bonding company, are jointly and severally liable for the finding for recovery.

This week's audit report included two additional findings for recovery, totaling $154, for alcohol that was purchased by the airport authority. Both findings were repaid.