A Limited Scope Performance Audit of the Salt Lake County Justice Court
May 14, 2026
Report Highlights
Extended Use of Temporary Positions Bypassed Merit System Controls and Council Oversight
The Justice Court maintained three temporary positions for periods ranging from 2.6 to over 15 years. Utah law prohibits using temporary appointments to circumvent the merit system. The Justice Court's use of temporary positions presents a risk of operating outside these requirements. One employee worked consistent part-time hours throughout the audit period, another transitioned directly from a permanent merit position to the same role on a temporary basis (and maintained the temporary position after a similar merit position was hired), and a third remained active in County Human Resources and payroll systems with no work recorded since 2017.
Inadequate Oversight of Temporary Employee Resulted in Reporting Violations and Unrecorded Work Hours
We identified two control deficiencies related to oversight of temporary employees. First, the Temporary Admin and Fiscal Manager reported to the Office Manager rather than the Justice Court Judge. This differs from County Ordinance and from the structure used for the corresponding merit position. Reporting to a lower level of authority diminished oversight and conflicted with County Ordinance. This increases the risk that errors or inappropriate actions are not identified and addressed in a timely manner.
Second, documentation confirmed that the Temporary Admin and Fiscal Manager performed work on at least five occasions without recording time in the County's timekeeping system. Federal law requires employers to maintain accurate records of all hours worked and treat unrecorded work time as compensable. Incomplete records expose the County to potential wage claims and legal liability.
Justice Court Did Not Maintain Required Onboarding and Personnel Documentation for Temporary Employees
The Justice Court did not fully meet onboarding and documentation requirements in five of seven categories assessed - background checks, Form I-9 reverification, conflict of interest disclosures, Description of Duties memos, and pay grade determinations. For the Temporary Admin and Fiscal Manager, the Justice Court relied on another Justice Court's Rap Back enrollment without a process to verify continued enrollment or confirm that adverse notifications would be reported. Additionally, the Justice Court did not request conflict of interest disclosures from its employees until February 2024, after the January filing deadline. No request for disclosures was made in 2025.
