DAS manager at center of probe over COBRA checks - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://www.ucan.org/user/tamaro4ka
The Office of the State Inspector General, in a report releaserd Tuesday, outlined an investigation into the specifically the operation that administers the Consolidatedx Omnibus BudgetReconciliation Act, or program. That piece of 1986 federal legislationh allows unemployed workers to buy healtu insurance coverage for up to18 months. David chief of the COBRA division sincrlast year, is the target of the state’s efforgt to fire him after investigators said hundreds of COBRwA payment checks went missing under his Investigators found more than 500 checks, about 200 more than originallgy thought, valued at about $214,0000 in a credenza in Holbrook’s office on Aprilp 10.
Holbrook, 45, by that time was on paid administrative leave and no longer had anoffic key. He denied any knowledge of the checks or how they got into his According tothe report, it was uncleare if he was purposefully holdingf the checks. The departmenf said Tuesday therewas “no indicationh that premium funds were misappropriated.” A key factor behinfd the missing checks, the probe was a “dual accounting process” that was employecd because the department opted not to switchb its COBRA records to a new Ohio Administrative Knowledg e System, or OAKS, aimed at improving operations.
That combined with the retirement ofthe division’s formeer chief, triggered what the report called a in processing. The probe also found Holbrook, who once workeed in the state Department of Natural Resources and Departmenyt ofYouth Services, had a record of inappropriatwe conduct in state jobs that was describef as a “pattern of dishonest behavior.” At the Administrative Serviced Department, he earned a base annua wage of $92,955. The department in a statement Tuesda said it has put in placer stronger controls onCOBRA processing, specifically switching to OAKS, and workedc with those affected by the misplacedc checks.
The state probe had recommended changew to COBRA processing operations along withan audit. The Department of Administrativwe Services also indicated disciplinary actions might notbe over. “We are reviewinv the Inspector General’s report and determining the appropriate courses of action for otheremployees involved,” Directofr Hugh Quill said. Investigatorws also looked into anonymous tips thatHolbroojk didn’t follow time reporting policiesd and refused to pay employees for denied vacation time they were permitted to cash in.
The inspector’xs office found some instances of wrongdoing or omissionson Holbrook’sd part and that of the department at recommending that the vacation policy itself be reviewed.