Final answer:
An internal control weakness is when the personnel department is given the responsibility for distributing paychecks, as it can introduce potential conflicts of interest and risk of fraud. Option a.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of an internal control weakness is to assign the personnel department responsibility for: Distribution of paychecks option a. The core functions of a personnel department typically include tasks such as hiring personnel, authorizing deductions from pay, and interviewing employees for jobs. By involving personnel in the distribution of paychecks, an organization can introduce potential for conflicts of interest and fraud, as the personnel managing sensitive employee data would also have direct access to the financial aspects of their compensation. This could be mitigated by segregating duties and ensuring that the distribution of paychecks is handled by a separate department, such as finance or accounting, which would serve as an internal control mechanism to reduce the risk of mismanagement or unethical behavior.