State Auditor Hotline FAQ’s

What Types of Complaints Does the Office of the State Auditor Investigate?

We investigate improper governmental activities which are subject to our authority, including:

• Waste or misuse of public funds, property, or manpower
• Violations of a law, rule, or regulation applicable to the government
• Gross mismanagement
• Abuse of authority
• Unethical conduct

(For further information, see the sections on this webpage related to the screening and prioritization process and the types of complaints which we do not investigate).

What Types of Complaints Does the Office of the State Auditor NOT Investigate?

All submissions to the Hotline are taken seriously and reviewed by experienced members of the audit staff. However, some complaints should be submitted to other entities, so please review the list below to make sure the Office is the correct destination for your concerns.

How Do I File a Complaint?

We request that complaints be submitted in writing using the Hotline Reporting Form. Use of this form helps complainants effectively communicate essential information regarding the complaint to our office.

Complainants should also submit any evidence that supports the complaint at this time. Due to limited resources, our office is unable to accept complaints that are not specific in nature or that are not well supported by credible evidence. At a minimum, please use the form as a guide to ensure the necessary information is provided.

If you have questions, please contact the Hotline team:

• Email: auditorhotline@utah.gov
• US Mail: OSA Hotline, PO Box 142310, SLC, Utah 84114-2310
• Phone: (801) 538-9777

Back to Top

What Information and Data Do I Need to Provide?

An important step in establishing the significance of reported concerns is to provide credible information and substantiated data with each complaint. Essential information includes specifics on ‘who, what, where, when’ as well as any other details that may be important such as information on other witnesses, documents, and pertinent evidence.

Providing specific examples and documentation that directly support the reported allegations will increase the likelihood that the Office will be able to pursue the complainant’s concerns. If the complaint is too broad, vague, or unsubstantiated, we will not be able to perform an effective investigation and the complaint will likely be declined.

What is the Screening and Prioritization Process?

We screen and prioritize complaints based on significance, internal resources, and other factors. The following represents some of the factors that are considered during the screening and prioritization process.

• Entity authority: Does the complaint involve actions by an entity subject to the Office of the State Auditor’s authority? The entity must be a Utah State Agency, Local Government Entity, County, City, Town, Special Service or Local District, Local Education Agency (School District, Public School, or Charter School), other non-federal public entity (Court, College, University, etc.), or certain not-for-profit entities.
• Improper governmental activities: Does the complaint pertain to improper governmental activities? Disagreements with management decisions or actions taken by elected officials that are within the law will not be investigated.
• Resolution steps: Has the complainant taken appropriate steps to resolve the issue with the entity? If the entity is not responsive, the concern relates to top management, or the complainant desires anonymity, the Hotline may be contacted first.
• Timing and frequency: What is the timing and frequency of alleged improper activity? Allegations of improper activities that are recent and/or ongoing may receive a higher priority.
• Referral to other entities: Should the allegation be investigated by another entity? In some cases, we may refer complaints to internal/external auditors or other entities, as considered appropriate. We will generally discuss these options with the complainant.
• Investigative feasibility: Can the complaint be efficiently and effectively investigated? Overly broad or vague complaints or complaints where evidence is unavailable may be declined or receive a low priority.

Do I Qualify for Whistleblower Protection?

Utah Code § 67-21-3 prohibits public employers from taking adverse action against their employees for reporting government waste or violations of law in good faith, to the appropriate authorities. A public entity employee, public body employee, legislative employee, or judicial employee, is presumed to have communicated in good faith if they have given written notice or otherwise formally communicated the conduct to the Office of the State Auditor (see Utah Code § 67-21-3(1)(b)(iv)(A) for more information).

Will My Identity Be Protected?

The identity of the complainant is considered protected information under the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) and will be kept confidential if requested by the complainant. (See Utah Code Section 67‑3‑1(17)).

Complaints may be submitted anonymously to the Hotline. However, we prefer that the complainant provide their name and phone number to allow us to ask follow-up questions, investigate the complaint thoroughly, and report the results back to the complainant. Also, anonymous complaints do not invoke the Whistleblower protections.