4 FAH-2 H-800
CASHIERING AND FISCAL IRREGULARITIES
4 FAH-2 H-810
CASHIERING
(CT:DOH-37; 08-10-2017)
(Office of Origin: CGFS/FPRA/FP)
4 FAH-2 H-811 INTRODUCTION
(CT:DOH-23; 02-22-2007)
This subchapter prescribes the guidance on cashier
operations abroad, as they pertain to the U.S. disbursing officer (USDO) and
requirements of the cashier supervisor. Additional guidance on cashiering is
found in 4 FAM
390 and 4
FAH-3 H-390 (Cashier Operations) and the Cashier User Guide (CUG).
4 FAH-2 H-812 ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CASHIERS AND CASHIER MANAGERS
(CT:DOH-37; 08-10-2017)
a. Cashiers are:
(1) Accountable for the imprest fund cash advance used
in cashier operations. The cashier must keep complete and accurate records of
the funds and is personally and legally responsible for the safety of those
funds;
(2) Accountable for the full amount of funds being
held at any given time. Funds may consist of cash, uncashed U.S. Government
checks, sales slips, invoices, or other receipts for cash payments, unpaid
reimbursement vouchers, or interim receipts for cash entrusted to other
individuals for specific purposes; and
(3) Responsible for depositing local currency cash and
checks drawn on foreign banks with the locally designated depositary. These
deposits should be immediately entered into the system.
b. Cashier supervisors: In accordance with 4 FAH-3 H-390,
the financial management officer (FMO) or cashiers U.S. citizen supervisor is
responsible for:
(1) Determining the need for cashier operations
including imprest fund payments and collection activities;
(2) Initiating and processing documentation for the
designation, change, and revocation of cashiers and changes in the amount of
the advance;
(3) Performing monthly unannounced verifications and
reviews of cashier activities;
(4) Providing guidance, support, and overall
supervision to individual cashiers on the operational requirements of the
cashier function and in resolving operational problems; and
(5) Ensuring that both the principal and alternate
cashiers are adequately trained in basic cashier fundamentals and automated
cashiering operations.
c. U.S. disbursing officer (USDO) and CGFS cashier
monitors:
(1) The cashiers advance originates with the USDO and
forms part of the USDOs personal accountability. The USDO has fiscal
authority over the cashier, whereas the cashier supervisor is responsible for
supervisory oversight of the cashier. The USDO should verify and be assured
that the advance amounts issued to cashiers are safeguarded and properly
controlled. This assurance process involves a thorough review of the monthly
cashier documentation by the cashier monitors that includes:
(a) Form DS-3058, Cashiers Reconciliation Statement
(also known as FSC-365);
(b) The accompanying form DS-3059, List of Items on Hand
and List of Transmittals in Transit (also known as FSC-99);
(c) Form GFS-72,
Cash On Hand Worksheet for the U.S. dollar
(USD) and local currency units (LCU);
(d) The ACDC.013, Cashier Activity Report;
(e) The verifying officers checklist; and
(f) Form DS-7629, Statement of Designated Depositary
Account, and copy of bank statement if cashier has a cashier checking account.
The USDO is responsible for notifying posts when
unannounced verification documentation is late, inadequate, or when there are
anomalies in the cashier reports and/or verifications.
(2) Cashier monitors are responsible for:
(a) Reviewing advances of Class A and B cashiers (all
agencies), alternate Class A and B cashiers, and subcashiers with advance
amounts over $10,000;
(b) Administering the cashier correspondence course and
exam;
(c) Determining cashier advance amounts and any
temporary advances;
(d) Sending and reviewing system cashier activity
reports;
(e) Assuring that form DS-3058 advance verifications are
submitted monthly by the cashiers U.S. citizen supervisor or the cash
verification officer (CVO);
(f) Quality reviewing form DS-3058 advance verification
package and documentation;
(g) Following up on problems identified during a review
of form DS-3058, Cashier's Reconciliation Statement, and form DS-3059, List of
Items on Hand and List of Transmittals in Transit, and corrective action taken
by the post;
(h) Cashier training from CGFS and post;
(i) Entering all required information into the cashier
monitors database (see 4 FAH-2 H-819);
(j) Reviewing cashier operations on site; and
(k) Recommending revocations actions to the USDO when
cashier activity is not in compliance with Department policies and procedures.
4 FAH-2 H-813 CASHIER DESIGNATIONS and
REVOCATIONS
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
U.S. disbursing officers (USDOs) are responsible for
designating cashiers, including alternate cashiers, for all agencies with
cashiers operating abroad. The designations for cashiers for agencies other
than Department of State must also have approval of the Office of Global
Disbursing Operations (CGFS/DO). The principal or alternate cashier must have
a current designation before he or she may serve as a cashier. The USDOs
designate Class A and B cashiers, including their alternates, based on cashier
qualifications as defined in 4 FAH-3 H-390.
Cashiers abroad responsible for change-making purposes are normally designated
as subcashiers. The USDO designates subcashiers only when their advance amount
is over U.S. dollar equivalent (USDE) 10,000. The financial management officer
(FMO), agency supervisor, or management officer at post designates subcashiers
with advances of USDE 10,000 or less.
4 FAH-2 H-813.1 Cashier Designation
Procedures
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
a. Agencies with cable capabilities should send their
request to the appropriate servicing U.S. disbursing officers (USDOs).
Agencies that are unable to send the request via cable may use form DS-4013
(formerly form SF-211), Request for Change or Establishment of Imprest Fund, or
by official letter/memorandum.
b. The official authorized by the agency to make the
designation request must sign the request (form DS-4013, letter, or memorandum,
as appropriate) or approve an official message to the USDO requesting the
designation. The USDO must have the officials identifying information, as
described in (1) and (2) below, on file. This information is compared to that
on the request before any authorization is made:
(1) For Department of State: The Office of the
Associate Comptroller (CGFS/S) delegates a blanket authorization to request
designations to all financial management officers (FMOs) or management officers
assigned to the post from which the request is being made. Clearance of the
requesting cable by this official, confirmed by a statement in the text,
satisfies compliance with this requirement. The USDO will maintain a current
list of all Department of State FMOs or management officers assigned to every
post they service. The USDO will consult this list when a request is
received. If the requesting officials name is not on the list, the USDO will
clarify with the post. Department of State FMOs or management officers are not
required to have their signatures on file with the USDO;
(2) For agencies other than Department of State: Each
agency is responsible for determining the individual(s) authorized to request
designation or advance amount changes. An official letter, signed by the
agency headquarters, must be on file with CGFS/S and each servicing agency
before any cashier designation request can be authorized. This letter should
state the following:
(a) How the agency will make requests; i.e., via
official cable from post, cable from headquarters, form DS-4013, official
letter from post, or letter from headquarters;
(b) The name, office designation, or position title of
the official(s) authorized by the agency to make the request. If desired,
Department of Treasury form FMS-2958, Delegation of Authority, may be used for
this purpose. Refer to 4 FAH-2 Exhibit
H-813 at the end of this subchapter for an example of Treasury form
FMS-2958;
(c) Any additional requirements or information that the
agency would like the USDO and the Office of Global Disbursing Operations
(CGFS/DO) to review prior to authorization of the agencys request; and
(d) The office symbol used for cable correspondence at
both the post level and headquarters level (if applicable). If the agency does
not have cable capabilities, include the appropriate fax and phone numbers and
mailing addresses in this letter.
c. For a new cashier operation, the designation
request must include the name of the cashier, type of cashier (A, B, or
subcashier), whether the cashier will be a principal or alternate cashier, the
agency name, post name, effective date of designation, and the amount of
operating advance required. (See 4 FAH-2 H-815
to determine how much is an adequate amount of advance.) In addition, the
request must cite the waiver conditions needed to justify the operation of an
imprest fund (see 4
FAM 390). If the request is for designating a new cashier for an existing
cashier operation, the request should also include the cashier code assigned to
the operation:
(1) The request must identify the employee status
(e.g., direct hire, personal services agreement (PSA), or personal services
contractor (PSC)), and include a statement that the cashier meets the cashier
responsibilities as specified in 4 FAH-3
H-393.1. These include having the integrity to assume responsibility for
U.S. Government funds; the ability to perform fiscal services; and the ability
to work with little supervision. The cashier must read, write, and speak
English with sufficient fluency to understand and carry out the duties and
responsibilities of the cashier function and must complete a Bureau of the Comptroller
and Global Financial Services (CGFS)-sponsored or -approved cashier course and
pass the examination (see 4 FAH-2 H-814).
The request should also include a statement indicating that security measures
consistent with 4 FAH-3
H-393.4-3 have been established to protect the advance;
(2) A cashier is normally a direct-hire, permanent
employee. Cashiers may be employees of other U.S. Government agencies located
at the post. An exception has been made for certain personal services
agreement (PSA) and personal services contract (PSC) employees to be designated
as Class B cashiers. PSA and PSC cashiers must have special language in their
PSA agreement/PSC contract that addresses accountability issues:
(a) The exception for PSA and PSC employees applies only
to the Department of State and Agency for International Development (AID),
since these agencies have specific authority from Treasury to have PSA and PSC
employees as cashiers. Other agencies may not use PSAs and PSCs as cashiers
without specific authority from Treasury and a confirmation that the agency has
agreed to indemnify Treasury for any losses by these employees. For non-State
or AID agencies, the required documentation must be on file with CGFS/F/WO
prior to submitting any designation request for a PSA or PSC cashier, and the
requesting agency must confirm in the designation request that PSA or PSC
employment documentation is consistent with the required documentation for a
Department of State cashier (see 4 FAH-3
H-393.1-1, paragraph b);
(b) Requests for a PSA or PSC cashier designation must
identify the employee to be designated, and the PSA agreement or PSC contract
must meet the requirements identified in 4 FAH-3
H-393.1-1. The servicing USDO and the Office of Global Disbursing
Operations (CGFS/DO) may request additional documentation as needed for the
designation decision;
(c) After confirming the authenticity of the request, as
in subparagraph c(2)(b), the USDO will designate the cashier via cable. For
agencies other than Department of State, a copy of the cable will be sent to
the headquarters office symbol identified in the agency letter required by 4 FAH-2
H-813.1 subparagraph b(2). If the post or agency does not have cable
capabilities, the USDO will fax a copy of the official cable to the appropriate
offices; and
(d) For new designations, the cashier should contact the
CGFS cashier monitor to request the advance specified in the designation. The
advance to the cashier is in U.S. dollars. The amount of local currency units
is expressed in the designation cable and tracked by the cashier in U.S.
dollars. See 4
FAH-2 H-815 for more information on cashier advance amounts.
4 FAH-2 H-813.2 Cashier Revocation
Procedures
(TL:DOH-23; 02-22-2007)
a. When post determines that the cashier will no longer
serve as a cashier, the financial management officer (FMO) or agency supervisor
must request the revocation of the cashier designation, following the same
procedures as for designation requests. When the request is processed by the
U.S. disbursing officer (USDO), a cable is sent to the post confirming the
revocation and listing all current active cashiers.
b. The USDO has the authority to revoke any cashier
designation for cause if it is believed that the U.S. Government funds advanced
to them are not being properly safeguarded or are being mismanaged.
4 FAH-2 H-814 CASHIER EXAMINATION
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
a. All cashiers, both Department of State and other
agencies, must take a Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services (CGFS)-sponsored
or -approved course and pass the examination. All permanent designations must
be in accordance with 4 FAH-3
H-393.1-1, paragraph c.
b. When a temporary designation has been authorized,
but training and examination have not been completed, the USDO will
automatically revoke the temporary designation when it expires. The cashier
supervisor may request an extension of the temporary designation by providing a
justification to the USDO at least 15 days prior to the expiration date. The
USDO may accept or reject the requested extension based on knowledge of the
situation.
c. The cashier examination will be sent by the USDO to
the cashier supervisor when requested. The exam is sent back to and graded by
the USDO, who will in turn notify the cashiers supervisor of the results.
Once the cashier passes the exam, the designation is changed from temporary to
permanent. The USDO will send a cable to indicate the change in cashier
status.
4 FAH-2 H-815 CASHIER ADVANCES
(CT:DOH-26; 10-07-2010)
a. Cashiers are given funds, known as cashier advances,
to use in executing their official duties. Cashiers are accountable for all
amounts advanced. The maximum amount of the advance (authorized amount) is
specified in the cashier designation. The authorized advance represents the
maximum amount of funds that the cashier should have on hand when making
payments, accommodation exchanges, and receiving collections. This advance
should not exceed one months expenditures. This advance is referred to as the permanent
advance.
b. Occasionally, a cashier may need additional funds
temporarily (normally for 30 days or less) to support a special activity such
as a congressional delegation (CODEL). This advance has to be approved by the
USDO and is referred to as a temporary advance and must be returned to the USDO
when the special activity is over (see 4 FAH-2
H-815.2).
4 FAH-2 H-815.1 Permanent Advances
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
a. Initial permanent advance for a cashier:
(1) The FMO or agency supervisor at post must
determine the initial permanent advance amount for a new cashier operation and
state that amount in the designation request to the USDO. A cashier's advance
should be sufficient to meet daily cash requirements. How much is sufficient
depends on many factors. These factors include:
(a) Availability of local depository for cashing advance
checks;
(b) Turnaround time for receiving electronic funds
transfer (EFT) replenishments, replenishment checks or cash from the servicing
USDO; and
(c) Volume of business conducted by the cashier.
(2) While it is essential for the cashier to have
sufficient cash on hand to meet daily requirements, the cashier should not
store excessive amounts of cash at post. The advance should be enough for 1
week's transactions plus replenishment time.
b. Reviewing the size of the advance:
(1) The FMO at post should review the cashier advance
every 6 months but not less than annually, or as required by the servicing
USDO. The FMOs review of the advance should be consistent with 4 FAH-3
H-393.4-2 and include the following steps:
(a) Calculate average daily vendor and other cash
payments based on form DS-7635 (formerly OF-1129), Cashier Reimbursement
Voucher and/or Accountability Report, and certified cash vouchers;
(b) Calculate average daily accommodation exchange
payments;
(c) Calculate average daily collections;
(d) Calculate turnaround time for replenishment (the
time required for request to reach the servicing USDO and EFT replenishments,
replenishment checks, or cash to arrive at post);
(e) Identify the frequency of requests for
replenishment;
(f) Identify the number of emergency replenishment
requests in the past 6 months; and
(g) If the advance appears to be too low, determine
whether an increase in the frequency of replenishment requests would provide
the cashier with adequate funds.
(2) If the FMO determines that an increase (or
decrease) to the advance is needed, the FMO must document the findings and
provide written justification to the servicing USDO for the request. The cable
must include:
(a) Name of cashier;
(b) Class B, Class A, or alternate;
(c) Office location of cashier (FMO, general services
office (GSO), etc.);
(d) U.S. dollar (USD) amount of present advance;
(e) U.S. dollar amount of proposed advance;
(f) Date of last increase, decrease, or adjustment to
the cashier's advance;
(g) Total accommodation exchange payments per month for
6-month period (report as U.S. dollar equivalent);
(h) Total vendor and other cash payments per month for
6-month period;
(i) Total number of cash collections;
(j) Number of EFT and local currency replenishments per
month for 6-month period;
(k) Number of U.S. dollar replenishments per month for a
6-month period;
(l) Total number of emergency telegraphic
replenishments requested for 6-month period;
(m) Method of accommodation exchange (by cashier, bank,
or other source);
(n) Average turnaround time for replenishments (by
currency if varied);
(o) List of other agencies with cashiers at post;
(p) For Class B cashier, number of subcashiers and total
amount of advances to subcashiers (in U.S. dollars); and
(q) Other justification for the increase (or decrease).
This might include an increase to or decrease in the exchange rate, which could
cause the advance to exceed or be less than the authorized U.S. dollar
equivalent of the advance.
(3) The USDO is required to review every cashier
advance at least once a year to determine whether the advance is adequate:
(a) To ensure all cashier advances are reviewed
annually, the USDO should establish a schedule for the year to review a certain
number of cashiers each week, as an ongoing process;
(b) The USDO reviews transactions processed by the
cashier for a 6-month period to make an initial determination of what an
adequate advance amount should be. This is accomplished with output from the
financial management system's disbursing module, which the Office of Global
Disbursing Operations (CGFS/DO) makes available as a guide or tool for the
cashier monitors. When working with the disbursing data and input from the
cashier monitors, the USDO should take into consideration additional
information known about a post, such as the cashier has large collections that
are used as replenishments, etc. Final decisions should not be based solely on
the disbursing data since it is only a tool for analysis. In general, the
information reviewed by the USDO is the same as that reviewed by the FMO,
except that the transactions are extracted from official USDO records;
(c) When the review is completed, the USDO sends the
results of the analysis along with any additional information used to make his
or her determination of the advance amount to the FMO or agency supervisor.
The FMO may agree with the new advance amount or comment by providing
additional information; and
(d) The USDO then makes a final decision on the advance
amount. If there is a change from the previously authorized amount, the USDO
sends a cable either increasing or decreasing the amount of the advance, with
instructions on how the cashier should change his or her advance amount (i.e.,
deposit funds, request more advance funds, etc.). At the same time, the USDO
will send new designation cables for all active cashiers for that cashier code,
noting the new authorized advance amount. The USDO must also remember to
change this information in the cashier database.
4 FAH-2 H-815.2 Temporary Cashier
Advances
(CT:DOH-26; 10-07-2010)
a. There are times when an event at the post (VIP
visit, ship visit, etc.) may cause a temporary need for cash in excess of the
advance. In these instances, a temporary increase in the advance amount may be
necessary.
b. The FMO or agency supervisor must request the
temporary advance at least several weeks before the event, if known, to allow
processing of the request. It is not required to include all the information
in the temporary advance request as is required for a permanent advance
increase. However, the request must contain valid justification for the
additional funds. A cashier may have more than one temporary advance at one
time. Each temporary advance is assigned a different number in the cashiers
database program, and each advance should be issued, tracked, and closed
separately.
c. Normally, temporary advances are approved for short
periods, such as 30 days or less. All temporary advances must have a date at
which time it is to be returned to the USDO (referred to as the invalid date).
Temporary advances may not be outstanding longer than the invalid date unless
the USDO officially extends the invalid date by cable notification. Temporary
advances can be issued for longer time periods but must be fully justified. If
the temporary advance is needed for more than 6 months, the USDO should discuss
with the FMO the option of increasing the permanent advance, rather than having
a long-term temporary advance.
4 FAH-2 H-816 VERIFICATION OF THE
CASHIERS PERMANENT ADVANCE
4 FAH-2 H-816.1 U.S. Citizen
Supervisor and Management at Post
(CT:DOH-37; 08-10-2017)
a. The cashiers U.S. citizen supervisor must conduct
an unannounced cashier verification using form DS-3058, Cashiers
Reconciliation Statement, at least once a month in accordance with requirement
in 4
FAH-3 H-397.1-2. This verification is to ensure that the cashier is in
compliance with Department of Treasury and Department of State regulations and
that post has established effective internal controls to prevent U.S.
Government funds from being stolen or misused.
b. There must be at least one form DS-3058, Cashier's
Reconciliation Statement, and one form DS-3059, List of Items on Hand and List
of Transmittals in Transit package submitted to the USDO that is dated for each
month of the year. This package must include a properly completed form DS-3058
(also known as FSC-365); form DS-3059 (also known as FSC-99); the U.S. dollar
(USD) and local currency unit (LCU) cash-counting worksheet; the ACDC.013
report; the checklist for verifying officers (Cashier User Guide, Chapter 13); and if the cashier has a cashier checking
account, form DS-7629, Statement of Designated Depositary Account, and a bank
statement. The verification must be signed by both the verifying officer and
the cashier. Posts using the automated cashier system should use the
reconciliation menu options to create and print form DS-3058 and form DS-3059
reports.
c. If the principal cashier is on leave, the monthly
unannounced cashier verification for that month will be performed with the
alternate cashier.
d. You must submit all completed documentation to the
servicing USDO within 5 workdays after completing the verification. The work
requirement for the cashiers supervisor must include an element covering this
internal control responsibility.
e. Post management must ensure that the monthly unannounced
cashier verification is completed even when the cashiers normal supervisor is
on leave or there is a staffing gap. It is required that an alternate be
designated to perform this task in the absence of the financial management
officer (FMO) or management officer and that the designation be included on the
post designations list. This will ensure that the alternate U.S. citizen
cashier supervisor is well acquainted with the cashier internal control
guidelines and verification process.
4 FAH-2 H-816.2 U.S. Disbursing
Officer (USDO) and Cashier Monitors
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
a. The U.S. disbursing officer (USDO) provides the
funds advance to the cashier and is responsible for monitoring post
managements compliance with cashier internal controls. The USDO staff
(cashier monitors) tracks the receipt of all monthly unannounced cashier
verification documents from post and reviews the supporting documentation. The
USDO is required to notify post management when the monthly unannounced cashier
verification documentation is not received according to the following
guidelines:
(1) If the cashier verification documents (form DS-3058,
Cashier's Reconciliation Statement, also known as FSC-365, and form DS-3059,
List of Items on Hand and List of Transmittals in Transit, also known as
FSC-99, are not received within 60 days of the last verification, the USDO
sends a cable notifying the cashier supervisor. If the verification was
completed, the post is requested to submit the package by the fastest means possible.
If it was not, the U.S. citizen supervisor is requested to perform the
verification and send the completed package immediately;
(2) If the cashier verification documents (form DS-3058
and form DS-3059) are not received within 75 days after the previous cashier
verification, the USDO will request the management officer or counselor, or the
other agency representatives, to verify the status of the cashier
verification. Copies of a past-due verification may be submitted if an
immediate issue requires resolution and a copy is acceptable to the cashier
monitor. However, original verification documents must follow within 15 days
to ensure that the copy is valid. Post will be asked to respond by cable the
same day the notification cable is received. The USDO will advise post
management to perform the verification immediately if it has not been
completed. The appropriate regional bureau, executive officer, other agency
headquarters, and the director of the Office of Global Disbursing Operations
(CGFS/DO) will also receive a copy of this notification;
(3) If the cashier verification documents (form DS-3058
and form DS-3059) are not received within 90 days after the previous cashier
verification, the USDO will notify, as appropriate, the deputy chief of mission
(DCM) and other agency representatives. The USDO will hold cashier
replenishment requests from the post until the cashier verification
documentation is received. The appropriate regional bureau, executive officer,
other agency headquarters, and the director of CGFS/DO will also receive a copy
of this notification.
b. By February 15 each year, the USDO will send an
annual report card to post management comparing the actual number of
verifications (form DS-3058) received from post during the previous calendar
year to the number of months the cashier was serviced by the post. If a
cashier was serviced by the USDO for the entire 12 months of the year, the post
should submit 12 copies of form DS-3058 (one for each monthly unannounced cash
verification). Send the report by official cable, listing all serviced
cashiers and their form DS-3058 submission record. The text and calculations
for this cable can be automatically produced in the cashiers database program:
(1) The purpose of this annual report is to summarize
cashier supervisor compliance and advise post management of information that
could impact the embassys annual risk assessment questionnaire;
(2) If a post has submitted 12 or more copies of form DS-3058
(FSCs-365), the USDO will send a cable to the post acknowledging receipt of the
required number of cash verifications. If a cashier has submitted 10 or fewer,
the USDO will notify the individual posts that they were not in compliance with
the requirements and that they must comply in the following year. The USDO
should personally contact each cashier supervisor that has submitted fewer than
six copies of form DS-3058 during the year to discuss reasons why she or he did
not comply with the requirement, and what needs to be done in the next year to
ensure improvement.
c. Review of form DS-3058 verification documents. The
USDO must ensure that the cashier monitors review cashier documentation
submitted with the form DS-3058 verifications. The monitors use a cashier
monitor checklist (i.e., Monthly Checklist for Verifying Officer), which
contains questions pertaining to the verification documents. The checklist is
available from the servicing USDO and is also contained in the Cashier User
Guide. The cashier monitor should follow up with the cashier supervisor for
any no answers on the checklist. If the cashier or cashier supervisor does
not respond to inquiries from the cashier monitors, the USDO should become
personally involved in future correspondence. If problems continue, the USDO
should contact the Office of Global Disbursing Operations (CGFS/DO) for
assistance.
4 FAH-2 H-816.3 Foreign Service
Nationals (FSNs) and Others as Verifying Officers for the Monthly Form DS-3058
Reconciliations
(CT:DOH-23; 02-22-2007)
The Department of State has implemented a program whereby,
under certain conditions described in 4 FAH-3
H-397.1-2, a locally employed staff can be allowed to perform and sign the
monthly form DS-3058, Cashiers Reconciliation Statement.
4 FAH-2 H-816.4 Cashier Monitor
Visits to Post
(CT:DOH-26; 10-07-2010)
The U.S. disbursing officer (USDO) will establish a
schedule for travel to posts for on-site cashier reviews and training. Each
cashier should be visited once every 5 years if there is no indication of
problems with the cashier. Cashiers with occasional or recurring problems
should be visited more often. A trip report should be completed after each
visit and filed in the cashiers official file. Visits to post that are not on
the established schedule are sometimes recommended. The following situations
may warrant a nonroutine (emergency) visit to post by the cashier monitor:
(1) Cashier is not submitting form DS-3058 for 3
months or more;
(2) Serious out-of-balance condition continues for an
extended period of time; and
(3) Existence of suspicious transactions.
4 FAH-2 H-817 USE OF THE AUTOMATED
CASHIER SYSTEM
(CT:DOH-37; 08-10-2017)
a. All Department of State Class A or B cashiers are
required to use the automated cashier system, where hardware and software
capabilities are available. Other agency cashiers are encouraged to use
Department of State automated software but may use comparable automated
software or spreadsheet-formatted forms to use in their cashier operations.
b. Using the automated cashier system improves
cashiering practices and significantly decreases the possibility of fraudulent
activity by the cashier. The automated cashier system fully automates the
cashiering activity and handles all cashier window operations such as official
collections, accommodation exchange, deposits, and payments. The automated
cashier system simplifies the cash verification process and reduces
substantially the amount of time it takes to perform verification. The
automated cashier system incorporates several security and internal control
features, making it more difficult for the cashiers to manipulate the outcome
of a verification. Additionally, temporary advances and outstanding debit
vouchers are monitored by the system, and the International Cooperative
Administrative Support Services (ICASS) statistics are automatically computed.
c. The current version of the automated cashier system
prepares transmittals when requested and generates an electronic 1166, Voucher and Schedule of
Payments, and files, with the exception of U.S. dollar (USD) deposits, credit
card deposits, and emergency transfers, for automatic transmission to CGFS
Charleston or Bangkok.
4 FAH-2 H-818 CASHIER TRAINING
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
a. Cashier and cashier supervisory training is
periodically scheduled at CGFS Bangkok, CGFS Charleston, and CGFS Office of
Financial Support and Training (Paris). Post management should take advantage
of these training opportunities as part of their efforts to strengthen internal
controls at posts. Transferring financial management officers (FMOs) should
visit CGFS Charleston or Bangkok (depending on which center services their
post) for consultation and discussions pertaining to the overall cashier
operation at the new post.
b. U.S. disbursing officers (USDOs) should establish a
cashier training program for all employees who operate as cashiers, supervise a
cashier, provide guidance to a cashier, or monitor a cashier. This includes
employees from posts, as well as from Global Financial Services (CGFS).
Classes should be scheduled as far in advance as possible to allow participants
time to make travel arrangements. Consider the following types of training
when developing the training program:
(1) Cashier training for both new and more advanced
cashiers;
(2) Cashier training in the automated cashier system
for both new automated cashier program users and more advanced users;
(3) Cashier training for cashier supervisors in basic
cashiering operations; how to perform the monthly form DS-3058, Cashiers
Reconciliation Statement; and in automated cashier system procedures and
techniques;
(4) Cashier training for cashier monitors in basic
cashiering operations and the automated cashier system; and
(5) On-site training at posts when needed in basic
cashiering, automated cashier system (installations or training), or
supervisory techniques.
4 FAH-2 H-819 USE OF the cashier
database
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
a. The cashier database tracks cashier designations and
advance information and provides a tool for monitoring the cashier reconciliation
reports. It also further defines the cashier monitors tasks and standardizes
the positions responsibilities. All CGFS cashier monitors should use this
program.
b. The database automatically tracks when late-notice
cables should be sent to cashier supervisors who have not submitted required
reports. When form DS-3058 and form DS-3059 verifications are received, the
monitor enters information that identifies whether the verification package
includes all required documents and completes a checklist of questions
covering information on the form DS-3058 and form DS-3059 reconciliation. Some
of these questions include whether the cashier is in balance; has any long
outstanding in-transit items or debit vouchers (bad checks); or has reconciled
his or her bank account (if relevant).
c. The U.S. disbursing officers (USDOs) should run the
management reports in the cashiers database at least once a month to determine
how well the cashier monitors are performing their duties. The program
provides information on many areas, including any cashiers with outstanding
temporary advances, temporary designations, debit vouchers or fiscal
irregularities, as well as information on cashiers who have not submitted their
forms DS-3058 and form DS-3059 each month.
d. The programming staff at the CGFS Charleston help
desk maintains the database. Direct all problems with the database, or
suggestions for enhancements, to that office. CGFS Bangkok should forward its
database file to the help desk on a quarterly basis.
4 FAH-2 Exhibit H-813
Treasury Form FMS 2958
(CT:DOH-33; 07-22-2013)
