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Business Risk Mitigation: FCPA Compliance

(published in CALI Journal, May 2011)

 

UK Bribery Act becomes effective July 1, 2011.

For guidance on this Act click here.

 

Credit History Legislation in the News:

 

California Credit Law

 

Governor Jerry Brown signed into law AB 22 [Mendoza] establishing new limitations on the use of consumer credit reports in employment situations in California.


As signed into law, AB 22 prohibits an employer or prospective employer, except for certain financial institutions, from obtaining a consumer credit report for employment purposes unless the position of the person for whom the report is sought is either:


  1. A position in the state Department of Justice.
  2. A managerial position.
  3. A peace officer or other law enforcement position.
  4. A position for which the information contained in the report is required by law to be disclosed or obtained.
  5. A position that involves regular access to specified personal information for any purpose other than the routine solicitation and processing of credit card applications in a retail establishment.
  6. A position in which the person is or would be a named signatory on the employer's bank or credit card account, or authorized to transfer money or enter into financial contracts on the employer's behalf.
  7. A position that involves access to confidential or proprietary information as specified.
  8. A position that involves regular access to $10,000 or more in cash.

While these provisions may still allow for the continued use of consumer credit reports in some situations, AB 22 does place restrictions on the use of consumer credit reports.
Read more on this law here.

 

Illinois Credit Law

 

Effective January 1, 2011 employers in Illinois can only request and use credit history information when there is a bona fide job-related need. Employers may not discriminate against an employee or applicant based on his/ her credit history. Employers who have employees with financial or fiduciary responsibilities will likely have a bona fide occupational need to require credit checks.

 

State Agency Fee Increases:

 

Due to financial difficulties many state agencies including departments of motor vehicles (DMV’s), and county courthouses have increased the fees that are charged for records retrieval and court copies. The following is a partial list of increases that have occurred recently:

 

Motor Vehicle Record MVR increases by state:

 

Missouri October 2010
New Mexico September 2010
West Virginia August 2010
Oklahoma July 2010
New York July 2010
Arizona May 2010
Kansas Feb 2010
Idaho January 2010
Alabama January 2010
Kentucky January 2010
Rhode Island Nov 2009
Oregon October 2009
Massachusetts Oct 2009
Florida Sept 2009

 

Other Agency News:

 

Some state departments including DMV are closed more frequently due to continuing financial difficulties. Many county court houses across the USA are under-staffed causing delays in retrieving archived court records. Infortal notifies clients of known court delays on a case by case basis, as these are continuously changing.

 

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: FCPA News:

 

Recent FCPA Enforcement Actions: August 2010: A federal judge sentenced a Beverly Hills, Calif., film producer and his wife to six months in prison and six months home confinement each in the first criminal case involving Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) charges against individuals in the entertainment industry. Patricia and Gerald Green, whose film credits included Werner Herzog's Rescue Dawn, were convicted last fall of paying $1.8 million in bribes to a high-ranking government official in Thailand in exchange for more than $13.5 million in contracts to manage the Bangkok International Film Festival: http://tinyurl.com/4gy6dk4

 

Workplace Violence: Recent Events in the News

 

January 2011: 22 yr old Jared Loughner shoots 19, 6 killed and congresswoman Giffords shot in head.

 

November 2010: Man takes daughter hostage on Bay Bridge.

 

September 2010: Female employee, Yvonne Hiller, kills 2 and injures 2 at Kraft Foods, Philadelphia

 

February 2010: University of Alabama, Huntsville Campus: Omar Thornton killed 3 and injured

 

6 November 2009: Fort Hood gunman, Dr. Hassan, kills 13 & injures 45

 

September 2009: Murder of co-worker at Yale

 

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