Category Archives: Fiduciary Responsibility

ChatGPT and Other AI Tools Use As Discoverable Evidence in Litigation and Government Investigations: What Business Leaders Must Know


Use of AI can have significant evidence, document retention, and other consequences for organizations and their legal exposure. Organizations in their leaders need to manage the use of AI to manage these risks and obligations. Continue reading

Posted in AI, Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Cyber, Director Liability, discrimination, Document Retention, E&O, Employee Benefits, Employment, Evidence, Fiduciary Responsibility, FinCEN, Fraud, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, management, Officers, Officers Liability, Performance Management, Regulatory Affairs, Risk Management, Securities, sentencing guidelines, Uncategorized, Workforce | Leave a comment

New DOJ Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy Alerts Organizations To Strengthen Sentencing Guideline Compliance Programs


Since the Federal Sentencing Guidelines are key determinants on the criminal liability and sentencing of organizations and their leaders for federal crimes committed by their organization or their employees, organizations and their leaders need to clearly understand the multitude of laws that could trigger their application and the practices necessary to position themselves and their organizations to mitigate liability in the event of a potential criminal violation. Continue reading

Posted in agriculture, antitrust, bank secrecy act, Bankruptcy, Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Cyber, D&O, Director Liability, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Debt Collections Act, fda, Fiduciary Responsibility, Government Contractor, Internal Controls, management, Officers, Officers Liability, Reductions In Force, Risk Management, Securities, sentencing guidelines, Tax, Uncategorized, Workforce Management | Leave a comment

Manage Better By Managing Emotion In Messages


Consciously manage the emotion in your message to manage others better. Research shows people don’t actually respond to language that’s positive or negative. They respond to language that’s emotional. Emotion in language can motivate or alienate, deliver criticism or coaching, … Continue reading

Posted in Arbitration, Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Director Liability, Dispute Resolutuon, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, Leadership, management, Officers, Performance Management, Reductions In Force, Risk Management, Workforce, Workforce Management | Leave a comment

Use Lessons Of Past Mistakes or Injustice To Build Better Future


Moving beyond mistakes & injustice Continue reading

Posted in Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Director Liability, discrimination, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, Leadership, Officers Liability, Performance Management, Uncategorized, Workforce, Workforce Management | Leave a comment

Take Your Preventive Medicine


Better planning and management can head off most but not all problems. Sometimes stuff happens even when you do everything right. Either way, better management usually minimizes the damage and makes it easier to clean up the mess. It’s never … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Cyber, D&O, Data Security, Director Liability, E&O, Employee Benefits, Employment, ESOP, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Health Plans, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, Leadership, M&A, Officers, Officers Liability, Performance Management, Privacy, Reductions In Force, Reengineering, Retirement Plans, Risk Management, Shareholder Liability, Stock Plans, Tax, Teaming, Turnaround Management, Workforce Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Businesses Must Prepare To Respond For Potential Data Breach To Timely Meet Notice & Other Response Duties


Businesses that experience data breaches affecting customer banking credit card, tax, social security or certain other personal financial or other sensitive information like those reported by like Chipotle, Target, Home Depot and a growing multitude of other businesses generally bear a legal … Continue reading

Posted in Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Cyber, D&O, data breach, Data Security, Director Liability, E&O, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Health Plans, Internal Controls, Leadership, Officers, Officers Liability, Performance Management, Privacy, Retirement Plans, Tax | Leave a comment

Homeland Security Issues Urgent Cyber Warning To US Businesses


U.S. agencies are warning U.S. businesses to batten down their cyber security defenses to guard against a WannaCry ransomware cybersecurity threat sweeping the Globe. Continue reading

Posted in Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, D&O, Data Security, Director Liability, Director Liabiloity, E&O, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, Leadership, Officers, Officers Liability, Privacy, Risk Management, Shareholder Liability, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Real Leadership Speaks For Itself


Check out this discussion from Microsoft CEO about self-proclaimed “experts” and “leaders.”    #cynthiamarcottestamer #solutionslawpreas #leadership #coaching

Posted in Bankruptcy, Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, Director Liability, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Internal Controls, Leadership, Officers, Performance Management, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Data Breach & Cyber Securities & Investor Risk Management


Corporations and their leaders to add reviewing prospectus and investor cyber security and data breach disclosures to their data breach and cyber security risk management and response to do lists help guard against  post event  shareholder claims and regulator investigations. … Continue reading

Posted in Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, D&O, Data Security, Director Liability, Director Liabiloity, E&O, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, Officers, Officers Liability, Risk Management, Shareholder Liability, Turnaround Management, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

10 Practical Pointers To Use Law To Better Strengthen The Legal Defensibility Of Your Business & Its Leaders


Businesses and their leaders struggling to managing the ever-changing and constantly growing regulatory and other legal risks inherent in operating a business in today’s litigation and enforcement-charged environment often miss invaluable opportunities by failing to take certain basic steps that strengthen their liability defenses and the effectiveness of their risk management and compliance efforts.

While each organization and leader needs to carefully tailor its organizational risk management and compliance programs to meet the unique needs and challenges of its operations, all risk management and compliance efforts generally should incorporate and operate on at least each of the following 10 Corporate Governance processes:
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Posted in Bankruptcy, Board of Directors, CEO, CFO, Compliance, D&O, Data Security, Deferred Compensation Plans, Director Liability, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Health Plans, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, M&A, Officers Liability, Privacy, Reductions In Force, Reengineering, Retirement Plans, Risk Management, Shareholder Liability, Stock Plans, Tax, Turnaround Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

IRS Guidance On Section 1446 Withholding Tax On Foreign Individual Partners Released


The Internal Revenue Service is publish a clarifying correction to fix potentially misleading information in its final regulations for reporting and withholding of foreign income by foreign financial institutions for 2014. As corrected, the correction with provide, “With respect to … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Money Services Business Pays $45K CMP For Violating BSA Reporting Requirements


Mian, Inc., doing business as Tower Package Store, a money services business (MSB) is learning an expensive of the risks of failing to report cash transactions and other anti-money laundering (AML) requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).  It’s paying … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FFI List Search and Download Tool Added To FATCA Website


The FFI List Search and Download Tool located on the FATCA Website is now available.  Use the Search and Download Tool to find out if a Foreign Financial Institution (FFI) has registered.  Download an entire list of Financial Institutions or … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

June 16 Deadline Nears for Taxpayers Living Abroad; June 4 IRS Webinar Can Help Those Reporting Foreign Accounts


Taxpayers abroad qualifying for an automatic two-month extension must file their 2013 federal income tax returns by Monday, June 16, according to the Internal Revenue Service. The June 16 deadline applies to U.S. citizens and resident aliens living overseas, or … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IRS Releases Stats on Taxpayers Earning More Than $200K


The Internal Revenue Service today announced the spring 2014 issue of the Statistics of Income Bulletin is now available, featuring information on high-income individual income tax returns filed for tax year 2011. The Spring 2014 Statistics of Income Bulletin just … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged | Leave a comment

J.P. Morgan Chase Hit For $461M For Madoff-Related Bank Secrecy Act Violations


The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)  today fined J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. $461 million for willfully violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) by failing to report suspicious transactions arising out of Bernard L. Madoff’s decades-long, multi-billion dollar fraudulent investment … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

IRS Shares Procedures To Seek Tax-Exemption Reinstatement For Non-Filers


Tax-exempt organizations that fail to file required returns on a timely basis risk losing their tax exemption under Section 6033(j) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). Revenue Procedure 2014-11 provides potential opportunities for reinstatement through timely and appropriate action.  It … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IRS Reminds Financial Institutions About Foreign Account Reporting Requirements


Financial institutions creating accounts and entering registration information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) FATCA registration website about certain steps that they will need to take on or after January 1, 2014 — as originally announced in IRS Notice 2013-43. Announcement 2014-1 reminds financial institutions to act to meet the requirements and also provides general information concerning anticipated publication dates of final qualified intermediary (QI), withholding foreign partnership (WP), and withholding foreign trust agreements (WT). Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Justice Department ADA, Fair Housing Disability Discrimination Settlement with Design Professionals Highlights Growing Disability Discrimination Exposures


A settlement announced May 16, 2013 reminds U.S. housing and other businesses of their growing exposure to disability discrimination claims.  Justice Department Nails Architects & Engineers For Disability Discrimination On May 16, 2013, the Justice Department announced a $865,000 settlement … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Health Care Reform Adds New Cost Implications To Already Hot Worker Misclassification Risks


Businesses using non-employee workers should heed the recently announced expansion of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Voluntary Classification VCS Program (VCS Program) as yet another warning to clean up their worker classification practices and defenses for all workers performing services … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

13 Tips To Help Business Cope With Health Care Reform Now!


Since the Supreme Court’s June 28, 2012 National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius health care reform ruling upholding the “pay or play” mandates of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA), most business leaders, plan fiduciaries, health insurers, administrators of employment-based … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

12/31 Hiring Deadline To Claim Work Opportunity Tax Credit For Hiring Vets


U.S. businesses planning to hire for positions that veterans qualify for might want to make their hiring decision by December 31, 2012 to take advantage of a possible opportunity to receive a Work Opportunity Tax Credit. Employers planning to claim an … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, M&A, Officers, Reductions In Force, Reengineering, Tax, Turnaround Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

RIFS & Other Workforce Changes Require Careful Legal & Operational Management


Hotel Bel-Air Gets Labor Gocha When Offering Severance A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that nails Hotel Bel-Air (Hotel) for offering severance packages to unionized workers highlights one of a range of potentially costly missteps that businesses conducting reductions … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Internal Controls, Labor Relations, M&A, Officers, Reductions In Force, Reengineering, Tax, Turnaround Management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Disability Exposures Big US Business Risk; New DOD App Helps ID Resources


Businesses and individuals looking to find solutions to help accommodate persons with disabilities may find a new free app for Apple Devices from the Department of Defense (DOD) Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program helpful.  The new application now available in the iTunes App store … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Personal Consumer Information Protection in Hospital/Healthcare Setting At HIMSS November 11


Stamer Speaks on “PCI In the Hospital/Healthcare Setting” on 11/1 in LA Cynthia Marcotte Stamer will speak on “PCI In The Hospital/Healthcare Setting” at the Privacy and Security Forum in Los Angeles, CA on Thursday, November 1. About The Program … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Companies, Officers, Directors, Fiduciaries & Vendors Urged To Confirm ERISA Credentials & Bonding For Internal Staff, Plan Fidiciaries, Vendors Dealing With Benefits


Businesses sponsoring employee benefit plans and officers, directors, employees and others acting as fiduciaries with respect to these employee benefit plans should take steps to confirm that all of the appropriate fiduciary bonds required by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of … Continue reading

Posted in CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, Officers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

12 Steps Every Business With Employee Health Plan Should Do Now To Manage Risks & Liabilities


While most employer and union health plan sponsors, fiduciaries and administrators are bracing to cope with “pay or play” and other mandates of the Affordable Care Act in 2014, many employer and other health plan sponsors are failing to take steps necessary now to manage already accruing exposures and costs arising from mandates applicable to their health plans under the Affordable Care Act and other federal regulations and to prepare to meet upcoming responsibilities.
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Posted in CEO, Director Liabiloity, Employee Benefits, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Health Plans, Tax | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

IRS Shares Model Section 83(b) Election Language; Execs & Companies Should Use Care When Handling Tax, Other Compensation Matters


New model notice to help Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Record $10M Plus Housing Disability Discrimination Settlement Shows Disability Exposures Big US Business Risk


 A $10,250,000  settlement announced by the Justice Department today (June 25, 2012) with JPI Construction L.P. (JPI) and six other JPI firms is the largest-ever disability-based housing discrimination settlement discriminated. The settlement resolves Justice Department charges the JPI and its affiliates illegally discriminated on the … Continue reading

Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Obama’s Comments Remind Businesses Of Rising Disability Discrimination Enforcement Risks On Olmstead Anniversary


Statements made today (June 22, 2012) by the Obama Administration confirm that U.S. businesses face a continuing and growing need to be on guard to defend against potential disability discrimination liabilities.

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Posted in Bankruptcy, CEO, D&O, Director Liabiloity, Employment, Fiduciary Responsibility, Fraud, Internal Controls, M&A, Officers, Reengineering, Shareholder Liability, Tax, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment