Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley is again criticizing the Public Employees Retirement Board, saying it continues to pay a former Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems executive director for work he never performed after leaving the agency in September. Foley says the board has already issued two checks totaling more than $15,700 and is scheduled to make a third payment on November 10, bringing the total compensation package to nearly $28,000.
According to Foley, the former executive director turned in his state equipment and left Nebraska on September 21 after less than four months on the job. Foley argues the continued salary and benefit payments are unauthorized because the former administrator no longer worked for the state. In a new 10-page letter to the retirement board, Foley also raised concerns about the former director’s work history and alleged attendance issues during his brief tenure, while questioning whether agency policies were properly followed in addressing workplace concerns.
Foley called the payments an “egregious and inexcusable waste of money” and urged the retirement board to cancel the final scheduled payment and recover the money already distributed. He said state officials have been made aware of the situation but, according to him, no action has been taken to halt the payments. Foley noted that while his office can raise objections and bring public attention to the issue, it does not have the legal authority to stop the disbursements.
