Audit Report on the Operating Procedures of the Equal Employment Practices Commission

AUDIT REPORT IN BRIEF

This audit determined whether the Equal Employment Practices Commission (EEPC) met its City Charter mandate to audit the equal employment practices and procedures of each City agency at least once every four years and whether EEPC complied with its own procedures regarding timekeeping for employees and payment of commissioners’ compensation.

EEPC has complied with its procedures regarding timekeeping for employees and payment of commissioners’ compensation. The employee timesheets are properly processed. All meetings attended by the commissioners were for EEPC-related activities; and the commissioners were compensated the correct amount for attending the meetings.

However, EEPC has not met its New York City Charter mandate to audit every City agency once every four years. In addition, EEPC does not maintain a four-year plan under which agencies are to be audited within each cycle.

To address these issues, we recommend that EEPC officials should:

• Request funds from the Mayor’s Office for the additional staff members needed to meet the Charter mandate.
• Develop a comprehensive four-year plan that takes into consideration auditing larger agencies or those with a prior history of EEPC issues.
• Review all complaints filed against City agencies when deciding which agencies to audit.

The matters covered in this report were discussed with EEPC officials during and at the conclusion of this audit. A preliminary draft report was sent to EEPC officials and discussed at an exit conference held on May 11, 2004. On May 18, 2004, we submitted a draft report to EEPC officials with a request for comments. We received a written response from EEPC on June 8, 2004. Although EEPC officials agreed with the audit’s finding that they are not meeting their Charter mandate, they stated, "We will never be able to audit every city agency at least once every four years until and unless we have the necessary staff."