CSA Uncovers Widespread HR and Payroll Irregularities in Judiciary; Only 33% of Staff Verified

By Jacqueline L. Dennis

MONROVIA – A week-long personnel and credential verification exercise by the Civil Service Agency (CSA) has exposed significant gaps in Liberia’s judicial workforce, highlighting absenteeism, underqualified staff, and irregular payroll practices.

The partial report, presented by CSA Director-General Josiah F. Joekai, Jr., to Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr., and senior judicial officials, underscores both progress and systemic challenges within the Judicial Branch.

Verification Findings: 674 Staff Verified, 1,374 Pending
Of the judiciary’s workforce in Montserrado County, 674 employees—representing 33% of the national staff—were physically verified. The remaining 1,374 personnel across Liberia’s 14 counties are still awaiting scrutiny.

All verified personnel files in Montserrado now meet compliance standards, marking a significant milestone for record-keeping.

Attendance Violations Widespread
The verification exercise revealed rampant absenteeism:

• 127 staff may face salary deductions for absences of five days or fewer.
• 22 employees could be suspended for six to thirteen days of absence.
• 63 staff are at risk of dismissal for repeated or prolonged absenteeism.

In total, 38.3% of verified personnel exhibited attendance violations—a problem CSA describes as systemic.

Credentials Under Question
The CSA’s credential verification raised alarming concerns:

• Only 426 employees (63%) had verifiable academic qualifications.
• 56 cases of questionable credentials have been referred to academic institutions for independent verification.
• 92 staff members had no documented academic qualifications, and 243 held only high school diplomas.

These findings cast doubt on whether the judiciary’s staffing aligns with job requirements.

Structural and Demographic Challenges
Additional workforce issues include:

• Gender imbalance, with 70% male staff.
• Aging workforce: 11% past retirement age and 22% nearing retirement within 10 years.
• Misplacement: 150 employees are assigned to roles unsuited to their qualifications, with 40 underqualified for current positions.

Payroll Irregularities Raise Legal Concerns
The CSA discovered a dual payroll system:

• A CSA-managed, taxable payroll compliant with the 2019 Remuneration and Standardization Act.
• A non-taxable judiciary-managed payroll, contravening statutory law and CSA regulations.

The agency warned that this dual system undermines transparency and accountability in public sector spending.

CSA Recommendations for Reform
Dr. Joekai issued six key recommendations:

1. Payroll Consolidation: Move all staff to the CSA-managed system.
2. Credential Integrity: Suspend employees with fraudulent documents and remove them from payroll if unverified.
3. Workforce Reclassification: Assign staff to roles matching their qualifications.
4. Attendance Enforcement: Apply penalties or dismiss habitual absentees and introduce biometric attendance systems.
5. Workforce Development: Implement training, adult education, and structured promotion pathways.
6. Governance Reforms: Digitize HR records, unify payroll and personnel data, and enforce “one person, one payroll” policies.

CSA Pledges Support for Judiciary Reform
Dr. Joekai concluded: “The verification exercise has laid a strong foundation. With full implementation of these recommendations, we can restore transparency, ensure merit-based service, and rebuild public trust in our judicial institutions.”

The CSA urged the Supreme Court to take swift action to implement reforms across all counties, emphasizing that accountability, efficiency, and compliance are essential for strengthening Liberia’s justice system.