Hackensack, N.J. — Bergen County returned $57,000 in federal COVID-19 relief money after a U.S. Treasury Department review found the county could not properly document how extra-duty payments to employees were calculated during the pandemic. The repayment closed out questioned costs tied to Coronavirus Relief Fund spending under the CARES Act, according to a December 4 determination letter from the Treasury Department’s Office of Inspector General.
The federal review focused on lump-sum payments issued to county employees who worked on COVID-19-related duties. Auditors said Bergen County failed to maintain records showing how individual payment amounts were determined, leaving the spending unsupported under federal requirements.
The Office of Inspector General said the questioned costs fell within the “aggregate reporting less than $50,000” payment category reviewed through the federal GrantSolutions reporting portal.
Treasury Review Targeted Pandemic Payroll Payments
The CARES Act created the $150 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund to reimburse governments for pandemic-related expenses that were necessary, unbudgeted, and incurred during a defined eligibility period beginning March 1, 2020.
Under a contract overseen by the Treasury Inspector General, an independent public accounting firm conducted a desk review of Bergen County’s reported use of relief funds. The audit identified $57,000 in unsupported questioned costs connected to employee compensation tied to COVID-19 response work.
According to the determination letter, auditors found that Bergen County “did not maintain or appropriately document how the lump sum payments were determined for each employee.”
The review stemmed from an earlier Treasury OIG desk review issued in September 2024 under report number OIG-CA-24-028.
Key Points
• Bergen County returned $57,000 in CARES Act relief funds after a Treasury review
• Auditors found missing documentation tied to COVID-related employee payments
• Federal officials said the repayment resolved the questioned costs
County Repaid Funds After Federal Follow-Up
Federal auditors contacted Bergen County in April 2025 requesting additional supporting records for the questioned expenses. The county returned the full $57,000 to the Treasury Department the following month, according to the Office of Inspector General.
Treasury officials said that repayment satisfied the corrective action requirements connected to the audit findings.
The determination letter was addressed to Bergen County Treasurer Melissa Howard at One Bergen County Plaza in Hackensack. Acting Assistant Inspector General for Audit Pauletta Battle signed the final determination.
The Office of Inspector General did not accuse county officials of fraud or intentional misuse of funds. Instead, the findings centered on documentation standards required for federal reimbursement programs.
Federal COVID relief programs imposed strict recordkeeping obligations on state and local governments receiving aid. Agencies were required to maintain detailed support showing how expenditures directly related to pandemic response activities and complied with CARES Act eligibility rules.
Why Documentation Became Critical in CARES Act Audits
During the pandemic, counties and municipalities across the country rapidly distributed emergency pay, hazard compensation, overtime funding, and operational support using federal relief dollars. Those emergency conditions later became the focus of federal oversight reviews aimed at confirming whether spending met Treasury guidance.
The Bergen County review highlights one of the most common findings in pandemic fund audits: insufficient documentation rather than outright unauthorized spending.
The CARES Act allowed governments to use Coronavirus Relief Fund money only for expenses that were:
- necessary due to the COVID-19 public health emergency,
- not already included in approved government budgets as of March 27, 2020,
- and incurred within the federally approved coverage period.
Treasury’s Office of Inspector General said Bergen County ultimately resolved the issue through repayment, closing the matter without additional enforcement action.
The determination letter also copied senior Treasury officials involved with state and local programs, including representatives from the Office of Capital Access and Treasury’s legal and operational divisions.
The case now appears administratively closed following the county’s repayment and corrective action response.
