Enforcement unit reports surge in complaints and stretched staff; board discusses options

Brooke Grabowski, the board''s enforcement program manager, told members the enforcement unit has opened 314 cases in the first seven months of the fiscal year, compared with 398 cases for the entire prior year. She attributed the rise partly to easier complaint filing through the board''s connect system and to a higher volume of matters that require follow-up for additional documentation.

"We're 7 months into the fiscal year, and we already have 314 cases opened," Grabowski said, and added that the board has seen more long-running investigations that linger between one and three years. Board members and staff noted the unit has lost roughly 1.9 positions in recent budget reductions and that the vacancies are compounding workload challenges.

Board members asked whether the increased volume reflected competitor complaints or a rise in allegedly fraudulent filings; Grabowski said she has not seen a spike in competitor-driven scam complaints but said the unit is seeing more unlicensed offerings advertised through online freelance platforms, which can complicate investigations when the alleged actor is out of jurisdiction.

Members suggested potential responses, including developing supporting justification for a future budget change proposal (BCP) if caseload and investigation duration continue to grow. Staff indicated they will continue internal workload planning and report back to the board on options to reduce case age and to address staffing shortages.

Next steps: staff will continue to prioritize reducing investigation time and will return with proposals if the workload justifies a request for additional resources.