Rossi Industries has payroll processes as described in the following paragraphs:

When a new employee is hired, the human resources department completes a personnel action form and forwards it to the payroll department. The form contains information such as pay rate, number of exemptions for tax purposes, and the type and amount of payroll deductions. When an employee is terminated or voluntarily separates from Rossi, the human resources department completes a personnel action form to indicate separation and forwards it to the payroll department.

Each employee in the production department maintains his own time card weekly. Employees fill out their time cards in ink each day, and at the end of the week, the time cards are forwarded to the payroll department. Employees in the payroll department use the time cards and employee records to prepare a weekly paycheck for each employee who has turned in a time card. A copy of the payroll checks is forwarded to the accounts payable department, and the original payroll checks are forwarded to the cash disbursements department to be signed. The payroll department updates the payroll subsidiary ledger. After the paychecks are signed, they are given to department supervisors to distribute. Any unclaimed checks are returned to the payroll department.

Required:

a. Prepare a process map of the payroll processes at Rossi.

b. Identify both internal control strengths and internal control weaknesses of the payroll processes.

c. For any internal control weaknesses, describe suggested improvements.