compliance regulations http://www.artwoo.com Returned search results for compliance regulations Copyright 2008 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:00:28 +0000 http://www.artwoo.com/rss/compliance+regulations Compliance Officer and How to Become a Compliance Officer http://www.artwoo.com/article/compliance-officer-and-how-to-become-a-compliance-officer http://www.artwoo.com/article/compliance-officer-and-how-to-become-a-compliance-officer#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:50:23 +0000 compliance officecompliance officerschief compliance officermanagerial experiencelevel positionadvertising materialsmarketing department http://www.artwoo.com/article/compliance-officer-and-how-to-become-a-compliance-officer compliance officer (CO), or in many cases (CCO) is the person at a company who has the responsibility of ensuring that their company follows the legal and regulatory requirements which pertain to their business or industry. There is often only one CO, especially at smaller companies and this individual bears a great deal of responsibility as their job performance or lack of it can seriously impact the company they work for.

A compliance office may be employed in just about any industry and their exact duties will largely depend on this. A CCO must have extensive experience in their field and a comprehensive level of knowledge, especially as pertains to the regulatory requirements of the industry. This is why the position of compliance officer is almost invariably a senior .

As a senior level position, at least in the overwhelming majority of cases, a proven track record of is important to the position of chief compliance officer -- there is a lot of interpersonal communication involved, as have the task of explaining sometimes very complex regulatory or legal issues to staff of all levels within a company in a way that can be readily grasped and implemented.

A large part of the duties of a CO involve remaining well informed and up to date with current developments in their industry. They must anticipate how these changes in regulatory requirements may affect the operations of their company. After that, they determine which steps must be taken to ensure that the company remains in compliance with these rules and regulations.

Compliance analysts typically work closely with the legal department and senior management at their firms. They help these personnel to plan and implement strategies to stay current and in full compliance with all regulations which may affect the company.

They will also work with the to make sure that marketing and are in line with any regulations and restrictions on such material in their industry; clearly, the position of compliance officer entails some complex challenges and is not a position for those who are not inclined towards constant learning and staying on top of changes in their industry.

For those considering CO positions, the requirements are typically a college degree applicable to the field in which they are seeking employment. The person should have a proven track record of success in this field and a deep understanding of their industry and the legal issues and regulatory requirements which govern it.

These positions are a good fit for an experienced manager within an industry who has a firm grasp of the issues involved in the industry. It is usually a position for someone looking to transition to a different career while staying in the same industry in which they have gained a solid grounding and foundation of knowledge to put to use in meeting the challenges posed by the position of compliance officer.

Large companies will have compliance departments. It is in these departments where college graduates who are interested in the compliance officer career are hired. They will usually work with an experienced officer, who will bring them along nicely.

If you are interested in the compliance officer career, I urge you to do more research on the profession. You can do this by visiting websites that cover the profession in more detail.

Note: You are free to reprint or republish this article. The only condition is that the Resource Box should be included and the links are clickable.Copywrite Kenneth Echie. Kenneth is a writer for Criminal Justice Schools and Degrees. Get free scholarship report and learn to become a Compliance Officer by visiting. Affiliated Website: Extra Income Ideas]]> Patriot Act Compliance and Identity Verification http://www.artwoo.com/article/patriot-act-compliance-and-identity-verification http://www.artwoo.com/article/patriot-act-compliance-and-identity-verification#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 06:08:28 +0000 act compliancecompliance effortsprocess efficiencycompliance programsecretary of the treasuryverification toolscustomer identification http://www.artwoo.com/article/patriot-act-compliance-and-identity-verification Secretary of the Treasury to develop regulations setting forth minimum standards regarding for opening new accounts at certain financial institutions. The federal banking regulatory agencies together developed regulations to implement Section 326. That regulation is known as "the CIP rule" because it requires banks, savings associations, credit unions and certain non-federally regulated banks to have written Customer Identification Programs (CIP).

The minimum standards established for CIPs are intended to enable financial institutions to form a reasonable belief about the true identity of their customers. One of the components of a CIP is therefore to verify the identity of each customer. Another component is to scan each customer against government list(s) of known or suspected terrorists or terrorist organizations.

Patriot and Your Customers

When a new customer opens an account to receive services from a financial institution, CIP requirements apply and can sometimes impact the customer experience. Such services may include deposit accounts, transaction accounts and other types of accounts. Customers can include individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts, etc. The way a financial institution approaches identity verification and watch list scanning efforts carries the potential to shape its overall customer experience. Identity and watch list checking software can play important roles in a financial institution's Patriot Act . Streamlining certain Patriot Act can lead to a more effective compliance program because software tools typically bring higher levels of accuracy and . Perhaps equally important, many software tools can do this while minimizing the friction experienced by customers. As financial institutions compete for revenue, the overall customer experience can contribute to brand value and the financial institution's bottom line.

Patriot Act Software Can Streamline Patriot Act Compliance

Meeting specific Patriot Act compliance requirements can be costly to an organization, but failing to do so can be vastly more expensive. Fines and penalties related to inadequate Patriot Act compliance programs have been significant, but the damage to a financial institution's reputation can be even more costly. If negative publicity erodes customer trust, financial institution customers may choose to reduce the number of products and services they use, or perhaps completely sever their relationships with the institution. This can negatively impact bottom line figures and lower an institution's brand value. In addition, regulatory actions may divert resources -- including senior level managers -- from focusing on revenue and profitability while they develop and implement necessary corrective actions. Patriot Act software can help financial institutions to meet certain compliance requirements and protect their organization's bottom line.

Tip: Customer Identification Methods

As you select documents, consider associated risks. If this document is not well known to your personnel, will they be able to spot a fraud? If this is a foreign document, will you accept it only when accompanied by another form of identification? Will you require certified copies of any documents? Remember it is important to provide reasonable belief that you know the true identity of each customer.

Confronting identity fraud begins with vigilant identity verification. Being aware of potential identity fraud risk will keep you alert to potential tactics and deceptive individuals.Michelle Thiel is an advocate for the information industry with an interest in bankruptcy public records , id authentication and mortgage fraud protection.]]> The End Is Near: Limited Liability Entities In New York State Must Act Today To Avoid Suspension http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-end-is-near-limited-liability-entities-in-new-york-state-must-act-today-to-avoid-suspension http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-end-is-near-limited-liability-entities-in-new-york-state-must-act-today-to-avoid-suspension#comments Mon, 21 May 2007 21:19:57 +0000 email alertsllecompliance issuescumbersomenew york timepublication processpursuant http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-end-is-near-limited-liability-entities-in-new-york-state-must-act-today-to-avoid-suspension LLE) that either was organized to the statutes or the state of New York or that is duly qualified to do business in New York, time is running out.

By this it is meant you have only until May 31, 2007, to make certain that you fully are in compliance with certain newspaper publication and filing requirements that went into effect in New York.



Specifically, if your LLE either was formed in New York or qualified to do business in the state between January 1, 1999, and June 1, 2006, you must make certain that your LLE is in compliance. The new law permitted a grace period of until the end of May to get into compliance. The legislation requires any LLE formed after June 1, 2006, to meet the newspaper publication and filing requirement no later than 120 days after formation or qualification.

The compliance process for your LLE actually is not that or complicated. In order for your LLE to become compliant, the following steps must be taken:

1.The notice that is required of an LLE pursuant to the new law must be duly published in an appropriate weekly newspaper as described in that legislation for six consecutive weeks.

2.Following the as described, a certificate of the publication together with the duly executed affidavits from the newspaper in which the notices were published must be filed.

The reality is that this process easily can require a 90 day period to make arrangements for publication, undertake the publication process itself and to make the appropriate filing. If you have not commenced the compliance process we have outlined for you, you must make certain that this process is underway immediately.



In order to ensure that your LLE is in complete compliance in the future, you will want to make certain that you sign up for our authoritative and legal updates. If you have any questions or concerns about the that have been discussed with you today, or any other issues regarding your LLE, feel free to contact us for a consultation either by telephone or via e-mail. Robert Masud, Esq. is the principal of Masud and Company LLC, a law firm for business, finance and the internet (http://www.masudco.com). ]]> The Importance of Fire Safety Signs http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-fire-safety-signs http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-fire-safety-signs#comments Sun, 06 Jul 2008 08:50:18 +0000 fire safety signsfire safety standardssigns and signalsluminescent materialfire exitsemergency fireexit sign http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-importance-of-fire-safety-signs Fire safety signs are a must for letting people know what they should do in case there is a fire. They are legally required to be posted in some locations. If you are the owner of a business or some other building which is accessible to the public, then you likely have to post fire safety signs. Where appropriate, fire safety signs are used primarily to help people find their way to escape routes during a fire. These signs can also help in finding emergency equipment and phones. The Health and Safety (Safety ) Regulations passed in 1996 requires these signs. Any fire safety signs you buy must comply with this law.

Fire safety signs are often made of photo . They can therefore be read even in the dark, when they give off the light which they absorb during the day. Multiple sign types are available and are equally compliant with the law. The EEC or British standards may be used for signs pointing the way to exits, equipment and phones.

There are other kinds of as well. If you already have these signs in your building, make sure that they are easy to read and have pictogram s which are easily understandable and have the correct text as well. All signs in a single building should be of the same type. The British standard is the most widely understood by people and as such is recommended.

Any escape route sign should have extra text to ensure that it is understood. must be indicated by clearly visible arrows pointing towards them along with the correct text. To indicate that an exit is purely intended for emergencies, then a special should be used for this rather than combining two types of sign which will confuse people. Even people who are confused and possibly panicked must be able to read these signs, after all.

Signs must be large enough that they can be seen and read with ease. A sign which is luminescent is easier to spot than one which is non-luminescent. A smaller photo luminescent sign which is smaller can be used where a larger sign which was not luminescent would be needed. A non luminescent sign has to be a size of at least 200x600mm if it will be seen from a distance of 20 m. A luminescent sign at the same distance has only to be 340 x120mm.

Signs also have to prominently placed, without having to compete for attention with other signs. Guidelines are in place for where fire safety signs should be positioned. Over doors and in open spaces a sign must be at least 2.5 m above the floor. When wall mounted, a sign must be at least 1.7 m high. In large open spaces, the height varies.

Contact your local fire authorities if you have questions about fire safety signs and their use. If you already have signs which are in compliance with the regulations, you shouldn't need to make changes. Signs which follow different regulations (for instance, to obtain a fire certificate) also meet the standards.

Posting these fire safety signs in stairwells, hallways, offices, etc. is a legal requirement in the UK, as well as a good idea for safety in the event of a fire. Check your signs to ensure that your building is in compliance with the regulations. Having the correct signs in place can save lives!Peter Thomas is part of the team at www.fire-safety-equipment.co.uk, the UKs leading provider of fire extinguishers,fire signs,fire blankets and fire safety equipment.]]> What Is Hetas? http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-hetas http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-hetas#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:15:02 +0000 hot water systemschimney liningfuel installationsgas firesopen firescriminal offencecertificate of compliance http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-hetas gas fires, and stoves. As of 1st April 2002 it is a if you do not inform your local building control or use a hetas engineer for your stove installation. Additional legislation in effect from 1st June, 2007 means you are also required to produce a for solid that have been carried out in your property as part of the Home Information Pack.

Registered installers have been trained and assessed in safety and good practice. Hetas is the only scheme of its type specializing in solid fuels and wood biomass. The official body works in approving products covering boilers, cookers, , stoves and room heaters.



There are many reasons why you should use a hetas registered installer;

*All registered installers are fully trained and assessed to a competent standard.

*Hetas is the only recognized competent persons scheme to specialize in solid fuels and wood burning

*Hetas provides information for consumers on approved appliances, fuels and equipment to suit your needs and in compliance with Building Regulations and safety standards.

*The provision of an available list of installers, flue specialists and maintenance companies to maintain your installation long term.

*Technical information, guidelines and regulations for registered installers to follow.

*Covers a range of installations including solid mineral, wood, and .

*Any issues regarding health and safety or compliance can be referred to Hetas.

Use a hetas registered installer if you want a good quality, safe and compliant job.

After installation you should still regularly maintain your solid fuel or wood burning appliance and have it checked annually by a registered hetas engineer. The three tick logo of Hetas is the approval mark that you should look for in solid fuel domestic heating products and services.

Remember, before you think about getting a new fireplace or gas fire installed make sure you check that the company you are using is a hetas registered installer at http://www.hetas.co.uk. If you do not you could be increasing the risk of your appliance producing carbon monoxide which can be potentially fatal.

If you use an experienced hetas installer you can expect to receive a certificate of compliance, and by using a hetas approved company you will not be required to involve your local building control. This is a great help in demonstrating that the job was carried out by a competent individual working for a hetas registered business. It also means that you do not have to pay the significant fee for compliance that you would have to pay if you went directly through the local authority.

Hetas is an independent body and offers an independent verification process. This gives you peace of mind as a consumer when you are choosing a company for fireplace installation.

Further information about hetas and fireplace installation can be found at the MK fireplaces website http://www.mkfireplaces.co.uk. Further information about hetas and fireplace installation can be found at the MK fireplaces website http://www.mkfireplaces.co.uk. MK Fireplaces are experts at installing woodburners, multi-fuel fires, gas fires and stoves and are a hetas registered business. ]]> Role Of W3 Compliance In SEO http://www.artwoo.com/article/role-of-w3-compliance-in-seo http://www.artwoo.com/article/role-of-w3-compliance-in-seo#comments Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:14:57 +0000 world wide web consortiumw3c guidelineswide web consortiumdriven contenttownesfunctionalitiessearch engines http://www.artwoo.com/article/role-of-w3-compliance-in-seo World and this body or association has been providing the guidelines for website structure since 1994.

The guidelines or rules have been created according to the best practices and there are certain reasons why you or your website designer should comply with the . All the reasons are not SEO driven and some of the non-SEO reasons include:

=95 W3C Compliance will ensure that your website is accessible to the disabled.

=95 W3C Compliance will also ensure that your website can be accessed through different devices like cellular phones and PDA's and also from different browsers like Mozilla Firefox.

=95 W3C Compliance will ensure that in spite of the different and requirements of different technologies and browsers, your website will be accessible and function in across different mediums in a similar way.

Now that you know the non-SEO reasons for ensuring full W3C compliance, you will probably ask: what has this got to do with SEO?

According to a statement made by Frederick from W3Edge web design, if you use the standards and incorporate the best practices then you are ensuring that your website will be designed in such a way that it is easier for to interpret it. At the same time, the search engines will be able to skew the content-to-code ratio in the right direction and force the information on each of the web pages to be accessible.

Basically, he means that if you remove excess code from your web pages then the keyword will get a higher priority. The second most important thing is that following the W3C compliance will ensure that your web site can be easily spidered.

How to add W3C Compliance to your website

Actually it is easier said than done. If you don't have a website then you can have it designed based on the W3C compliance from scratch and your website designer needs to know how he/she can do it. If you have a website, which is not W3C compliant then you have only one option: You need to hire a web/graphic designer who is familiar with the W3C standards and has the capability to redo your site based on the standards.

Either ways, you will benefit if your website is W3C compliant.

Let us look at a worse case scenario where you will have to do the website all by yourself. There are quite a few good resources that you can take advantage of. One of the best is the FireFox Web Developer extension. You need to first install the FireFox browser and then install the Web Developer extension.

One of the major aspects of this tool is that it provides a one-click check for W3C compliance and it will provide you with a list of the different types of errors, their cause and the solution and everything will be according to the W3C standard. The Web Developer extension can test CSS, HTML, and XHTML, compliance.

Some of the other good resources that you can check include:

=95 Holy CSS ZeldMan =95 A List Apart =95 CSS Zen Garden

How to start Once you have downloaded the Firefox browser and installed the Web Developer extension, you will need to bookmark your resources. Once this is taken care of, you will have to test your website and at the same time check that your site meets all the W3C standards.

You should first start with the CSS validation. CSS validation is an easy process and can be done quickly as compared to most of the other code files. Once you are done with CSS, move on to HTML or XHTML validation. This will take at least a few hours and even more. The bigger your website is, the more time it will take.

After the validation of CSS and HTML, you will have to comply with Accessibility standards. In this process, you will be cleaning a chunk of your existing code and moving some of the code to CSS.

What is the need?

By now you are probably wondering why you need to do all this. The only reason is that once you complete all the validations, you will have a fully compliant website. Although the W3C compliance is not the only factor that drives SEO but if your website maintains the standard then you will definitely have the edge in the rat race. Seomul Davis is search engine optimization specialist for SEO 1 Services links http://www.seo-1-marketing-services.com http://www.seo-1-marketing-services.com/company.htm http://www.seo-services-expert.com ]]> How To Become A Domestic Energy Assessor http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-become-a-domestic-energy-assessor http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-become-a-domestic-energy-assessor#comments Fri, 11 May 2007 04:30:02 +0000 domestic energynational occupational standardsdiplomacandidatecomplianceself improvementenergy assessment http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-become-a-domestic-energy-assessor domestic energy assessor in the UK. The first is assessment, the second is training. Both are provided by the NHER. Lets take a look at what is involved in the assessment of domestic energy assessor s.

Called the ABBE Level 3 domestic energy assessor , the certification is a brand new part of qualifying. This requirement to become a domestic energy assessor became available at the end of 2006, as part of the about-to-be-implemented home sale regulations on energy performance . Considered a vocational related qualification (VRQ), it is based on competence.

A would-be domestic energy assessor would achieve this diploma through not only assessment but examination as well. The UK government puts out a report, which spells out what a domestic energy assessor candidate would need to do to achieve this diploma.

There are 5 categories of compliance with domestic energy assessor National Occupational Standards. The first category is to work in a professional and effective manner, which would be both assessed and tested. The three parts to this category include the development and maintenance of effective work relationships with coworkers, consumers, vendors and other interested parties.

This category also includes proof that the candidate can manage her or his own resources and time well, that he or she is engaged in self-improvement in work areas, and conducts her or himself in an ethical and professional manner always.

The second category of compliance, for determination of domestic energy assessor qualification, is a look at whether the candidate is prepared for the . She or he must agree with and confirm the instruction that must be undertaken for the assessment and must be prepared to conduct relevant inquiries about the property.

The actual performance of energy assessment practices and procedures falls into the third category. Here is where the candidates ability to adequately inspect property and determine the performance of its energy and to record the findings of her or his inspection are assessed.

The fourth and final category of compliance to the standards for domestic energy assessors is the ability of the candidate to produce and explain the required energy performance certificates (EPC.) Include in this category are the specifics of produce the EPC document, issuing it for the homeowner and explaining what is contained therein.

A government regulated UK assessment center is tasked with determining if a candidate qualifies as a domestic energy assessor. The center must ensure that the candidate has obtained the necessary level of energy-efficiency knowledge and skills.

This is determined by the training courses the candidate has completed, and the portfolio of evidence presented that the candidate has performed EPC assessments adequately. The candidate may be instructed to train further, or may be found ready to take the ABBE exam that will certify him or her as a domestic energy assessor. Pete James runs Energy Assessor Courses for people that want a new career. You can find out more at his Web site http://www.domestic-energy-assessor-training.co.uk ]]> Regulatory Data Compliance - How Does This Affect Your Company? http://www.artwoo.com/article/regulatory-data-compliance-how-does-this-affect-your-company http://www.artwoo.com/article/regulatory-data-compliance-how-does-this-affect-your-company#comments Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:35:01 +0000 information security policiescompliance frameworkcompliant organizationscorporate scandalsoption backgroundhefty fineselectronic customer http://www.artwoo.com/article/regulatory-data-compliance-how-does-this-affect-your-company compliance framework has caused confusion about what is required. Many businesses are assuming a 'wait and see' stance or rationalize that 'this probably does not apply to me'. Indifference on taking action can become a damaging option.

Background for Compliance

Terrorist attacks, globalization, high-profile , and business-to-business online transactions have led to a dramatic rise in requirements to safeguard data. Going beyond consumer protection, recent regulations (i.e. e-Discovery) are now requiring data retention and retrieval on messaging (email and instant messages). Frequently, blunt and unedited email and instant messages can become the smoking gun in litigation.

In order to become compliant, organizations must take several actions.

First is to design and implement comprehensive written for all staff.

Second is to deploy technical solutions that will maintain constant vigil on the data environment and notify of policy breaches.

Third is to monitor and enforce. If systems are implemented but review is not active, all efforts are lost. This also becomes precedent when court cases review a company's diligence in managing their environment.

The implications of non-compliance can range from to potential prosecution and imprisonment of senior executives. The consequences are the same to a company that refuses to deliver or simply has not retained the data to produce. Over the past year there are several major court cases where failure to produce requested documents have rendered favorable awards to the plaintiffs, and in some cases fines were added. High profile cases, such as Enron and WorldCom are weighty reminders that compliance and regulation are serious business issues.

What to Do?

So, what do organizations need to know to navigate the regulation matrix? More importantly, how can content security solutions help meet the compliance challenge?

The role of Content Security in Compliance is complex and wide-ranging. Regulatory compliance covers:

Privacy

Records retention and archiving

Monitoring of content for compliance

Recovery or discovery of information in response to litigation or court orders

From the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) Act to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), regulatory compliance requires vigilant content security policies for email and instant messaging, including archiving and encryption. SOX, for example, mandates that processes - including internal and external email - used to produce financial reports must be consistent, reliable, secure and accurate. Organizations, therefore, need to ensure that email systems are spam and virus- free, and that internal and externally shared data is secure. Protect, archive and retrieve. The SOX Act mandates that any email or IM included in the documented financial reporting process is retained for seven years. The challenge can be identifying the right messages to keep and finding them quickly and easily when required. Many businesses estimate that more than 50 percent of messages are not required for compliance purposes, but best practices are now saying to retain all messages.

SOX Does Not Apply to My Company

For those who may have decided that SOX or HIPPA does not apply to their business, e-Discovery (aka FRCP) will probably ensnare you. With a Supreme Court ruling in December, 2006, fundamentally any business that has employees is covered. The requirement is that all digital data (email, IM, documents) be retained for up to five years. Your specific industry compliance may add to this term, like NASD that requires seven years. In case of litigation, the plaintiff's counsel can request all data/messages on select time periods and personnel. Thirty days is the typical allowance to deliver all subpoenaed documents in a readable printed format.

Conclusion

Do you still feel that you may not be on the compliance list? Here is a list of current US regulations or agencies that can impact your business, depending on your industry and company structure.

FOIA- Freedom of Information Act HIPPA SEC NASD GLBA - Gramm-Leach-Bliley SOX FRCP/e-Discovery

Now you can see how broad this can become to decide if your business is required to meet compliance. Most companies fall under more than one regulation. The best course action is to decide that you are expected to comply. Most of the compliance measures have similar expectations - manage and retain you data environment.

We work with companies of all sizes to assure their data and messaging is in compliance. Our solutions are state of the art, quick to implement, cost effective and provide the comfort to know your data is secure. A phone discussion is a great way to assess your environment and what would be the best action plan. Visit our website www.enclavedata.com to learn more.

You have the responsibility to maintain your company's digital environment, with the right tools you can now also have the control to assure compliance and protect your company's assets. Dan Schutte is the President of http://enclavedata.com specializing in messaging security, content filtering, anti-spam software, email/IM archival and compliance. Visit our website http://www.enclavedata.com to read actual Case Studies of how companies have successfully protected their data. ]]> New Mexico Payday Loan http://www.artwoo.com/article/new-mexico-payday-loan http://www.artwoo.com/article/new-mexico-payday-loan#comments Mon, 18 Sep 2006 04:27:08 +0000 state of new mexicopayday loan industryshort term loanspayday loanspayday loan companiesauto title loansfid http://www.artwoo.com/article/new-mexico-payday-loan payday loan industry. Many have reported that despite some of the signage and brochure regulations for , the small industry of New Mexico payday loan still continue to persist and grow leaving some booming impacts to the lives of most of New Mexicans.

According to a certain report of the NMPIRG, a non-profit and non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting environmental preservation, consumer protection and good government in the , two-thirds of the New Mexico payday loan and title lenders are in violation of the signage and brochure regulations. And, New Mexico is practically one of the major six states in the nation that has no regulation of these small loan businesses and most of the New Mexico are not even conforming to the State's simple disclosures.

It has been reported that in the year 1992, there were actually just 23 companies offering New Mexico payday loan or auto-title loans across the state. At the close of 2001, 349 of these lenders, which have been considered as "predatory", have been spotted. And, in contrast, the total population of the New Mexico grew only 20 percent of during the same period. It is even reported that certain reports conducted on the New Mexico payday loan industry debunks industry arguments and found out that the New Mexico payday loans are not used as occasional and .

Specifically, one of the newest reports done to examine the growth of the New Mexico payday loan industry has noted that 45 payday as well as title loan company outlets around New Mexico have been established. The report actually looked at two certain regulations controlled and administered by the New Mexico Financial Institutions Division () that create signs and brochures readily available to disclose rates as well as to define terms for the consumers.

For much information, only 33 percent of the stores, as surveyed, were in compliance with the signage and brochure regulations. And, according to some penalties that were prescribed by the New Mexico Small Loan Act, the noncompliance with the New Mexico payday loan regulations would result in a fine of $100 to $300. And based on an analysis of all the New Mexico payday companies that are licensed for these small and short term businesses in the year 2001, an amount of up to $70,000 in fines could be collected just for the violations across the state. This is perhaps one of the reasons that most of the regulators and legislators were worried that they some of them proposed that seniors and other groups with fixed and restricted incomes really need more protections.

So today, given that New Mexico is one of the only six states with no usury ceiling that would regulate licensed New Mexico payday loan and title loan lenders, that it is only the New Mexico Small Loan Act that has been currently regulating these New Mexico payday loan lenders, the state regulators and legislators strived to impose much stronger regulations to stop the statewide predatory lending. Many groups have joined the campaign and they highly expect that the New Mexico payday loan industry will voluntarily comply with the regulations. Why visit http://www.cc-visionet.com? Because http://www.cc-visionnet.com and Rachel Silver is dedicated to give people objective information to help people make informed decisions, before lending or losing money. ]]> What Domestic Energy Assessors Do And How You Can Become One http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-domestic-energy-assessors-do-and-how-you-can-become-one http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-domestic-energy-assessors-do-and-how-you-can-become-one#comments Tue, 29 May 2007 10:29:54 +0000 human contactdomestic energytechnical compliancecompliance regulationsdeaenergy performancecandidate http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-domestic-energy-assessors-do-and-how-you-can-become-one domestic energy assessor you can get lots of assistance and training from the NHER. Part of this help is in the form of software related to your job of issuing Certificates.

The NHER service is online and helps you actually produce the energy performance certificate as part of your job of domestic energy assessor. You can access this EPC software from any Web-enabled device.

You can customize it and make it your own as you go about your domestic energy assessor tasks. You can instantly update it, with new energy rating compliance decisions or methodology changes.



The software is based on SAVA and NHER and products.

For those domestic energy assessors or assessor s who yearn for the NHER is available. Two certification training assessors will be assigned to you while you are training for certification.

One of these domestic energy assessor trainers will be charged with determining if you are competent in both interpersonal and business skills. The other will determine your .

The latter would include whether you could act in a domestic energy assessor capacity - in the preparation, inspection for and completion of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for residential dwellings.

This two person assessment and support team will also be responsible for making sure you have all the training and assessment tools to complete the domestic energy assessor training program.

You will be helped in your understanding of the process as well as the skills necessary to thrive in a distance learning environment. Your staying on course as a candidate is what the team is tasked with.



Once the two person assessment team has determined that a domestic energy assessor candidate is ready to test for the certification, ABBE schedules the exam. Passing the exam is a requirement for the awarding of a certificate.

Prior to the actual exam each domestic energy assessor candidate will have had a chance to do a practice self test. This will help her or him evaluate the level of knowledge theyve obtained in each of the required DEA competence areas.

While no one is compelled to take the self test they would be foolish not to avail themselves of this helpful examination aid. Identifying of the areas where knowledge of domestic energy assessor practice need improvement is crucial to earning the domestic energy assessor diploma and certificate.

A career as a domestic energy assessor is going to become increasingly more lucrative as legislation increases the demand for these certified energy efficiency experts. EPCs will then be commissioned not only by home information pack agencies and other providers, and by real estate agents and the sellers themselves.

Added to the list of those seeking domestic energy assessor professionals will be landlords, local government authorities and property management companies. James Copper works for http://www.propertycareerskills.co.uk as a Career Advisor. ]]> Sarbanes Oxley Compliance: What Is It? http://www.artwoo.com/article/sarbanes-oxley-compliance-what-is-it http://www.artwoo.com/article/sarbanes-oxley-compliance-what-is-it#comments Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:50:22 +0000 sarbanes oxley compliancesarbanes oxley actperformance metricsstatistical quality controlquality movementproactive methodcorporations http://www.artwoo.com/article/sarbanes-oxley-compliance-what-is-it Sarbanes Oxley Act seeks to make in corporate governance is best understood by drawing an analogy with the total . In the days of , companies looked at quality after the fact and measured defect rates in a sample of their final output. This was not helpful since companies could not undo the damage, i.e., they had no way to recover the costs incurred on the rejections. The Japanese brought about a paradigm shift by implementing systems to produce quality products at the outset. They placed built-in checks on the production floor where errors in manufacturing were corrected before they were compounded as work-in-progress moved from one stage to another.

Similarly, the message of is that management should change from a reactive approach to risky events to a which anticipates adverse situations, takes preemptive action before an unfavorable course of events snowballs into a crisis or the systems and processes are strong enough to weather the buffeting should unforeseen events strike.

SOX Compliance has removed the veil that hid many ills inside . It now seeks real time information that can materially impact the financial performance of a corporation. Senior management cannot hide behind the familiar ruse that their task is to provide a strategic direction to their companies; they are now required to monitor , in real time, to ensure that their companies are not overtaken by unexpected events. SOX Compliance has dramatically raised the standards of transparency, and accountability in companies to ensure that they can sustain a consistent level of performance. The key instrument to clean corporations of fraud and inefficiency is to provide detailed information, delivered electronically, to executives, shareholders and regulatory bodies. Strategic and tactical metrics to measure the health of corporations will play a critical role in the governance of corporations in the future.

SOX Compliance also frees the Board of Directors and the Auditors from the cult of the Chief Executive and provides them space to play their roles.Increasingly; they will bring their knowledge and creativity to manage the risks of companies.

Compliance would require data warehouses for storage of financial and non-financial data affecting risks and its analysis for continually reviewing strategies for risk management. In this framework, company executives and board members will not have any room to point fingers at someone else since they would have access to all corporate information and the responsibility to monitor it.

In the past, companies had a knee-jerk reaction to unexpected turn of events and usually were not the masters of their situation. Typically, companies could only patch up their balance sheets when their financial performance fell short. Nothing in the extant corporate governance legislation required them to analyze the root causes of lapses in performance and work towards improving the outcomes over time. Sarbanes Oxley requires companies to take a strategic view of risk and learn from their experiences to improve their model for coping with risk. Sarbanes-Oxley-Compliance.us is a FREE resource on the http://www.sarbanes-oxley-compliance.us and provides explanation of the implications of http://www.sarbanes-oxley-compliance.us/overview.php and what this means for your business. ]]> Domestic Energy Assessor Training 101 http://www.artwoo.com/article/domestic-energy-assessor-training-101 http://www.artwoo.com/article/domestic-energy-assessor-training-101#comments Sat, 09 Jun 2007 09:34:53 +0000 how to write a personal statementdea certificationenergy complianceaboundnational occupational standardsfour elementsevidence http://www.artwoo.com/article/domestic-energy-assessor-training-101 abound. There are different training packages, each with its own energy courses.

These energy courses are based on four training elements, each two days in length. Once a DEA candidate signs up for the energy courses each category of course is delivered about two weeks apart.

Training is generally held in Milton Keynes, UK, at the NHERs suite dedicated to DEA training. Energy courses are held weekends or weekdays and candidates can choose the format and schedule that works best for them.

Two of the of the total energy courses training are required of those who have already worked in the energy assessor field and are just seeking and diploma. For those just starting out as energy assessors all energy courses are required.

Category one involves two days of courses, which involve energy-related lectures as well as practical workshops on energy-efficiency and assessment. During these energy courses students will be introduced to the first two units of the UKs .

They will get practical information on the way to upload of . Having assessed 1400 home inspectors as of this writing, those who designed the NHER energy courses determined that this information is an absolute must for DEA candidates.

Without practical guidance and workshops such as this, according to these DEA experts, candidates will have a difficult time progressing in their candidacy.

Details of the learning involved in these energy courses include the knowledge of what energy compliance really is, what is required of NOS units one and two, how they will find and generate the compliance evidence, how they will upload said evidence, and .

Energy courses will also look at the general health and safety of individuals, and the community as a whole as it pertains to and is influenced by the wise use of energy.

Students will learn and practice the steps of assessing energy risks and reporting them. They will see a live demonstration of the online EPC software, and will be given access to it.

The second category of DEA energy courses, optional for those who have energy assessor experience, includes two complete days of classroom lecture and practical energy assessment exercises.

Here candidates will get a broader understanding of the basic theory of home construction of thermal energy and of residential energy efficiency. They will learn how dwellings are constructed, the home construction terminology associated with residential building, and identification of property age with consideration of local geography. They will be taught about home construction regulations and will take part in exercises that teach them how to identify construction age.

These energy courses will also teach student to identify the basics of thermal properties, to include attics, cavity walls and insulation, among others. They learn about heating, cooling and hot water systems and controls, as well. James Copper works for NCS, who offer Domestic Energy Assessors training - http://www.newcareerskills.co.uk ]]> Health And Safety Regulations And Contract Cleaning Companies http://www.artwoo.com/article/health-and-safety-regulations-and-contract-cleaning-companies http://www.artwoo.com/article/health-and-safety-regulations-and-contract-cleaning-companies#comments Sat, 26 May 2007 12:35:00 +0000 health and safetysafety regulationshide behindstrict healthill healthhigh riskcleaning companies http://www.artwoo.com/article/health-and-safety-regulations-and-contract-cleaning-companies Health and Safety regulations within the Cleaning Industry appears to be a very grey area indeed. Many and Employers of Cleaners receive new regulations negatively, seeing these as another way that governments control us, limit freedom and make more money out of businesses. A common attitude is that Health and are simply bureaucratic procedures and more paperwork for the already over-stressed employer. Other Cleaning Companies see new regulations as something that they simply haven't got the time, money or expertise to implement within their companies. Things that they know they really should be doing concerning Health and Safety get pushed to the back of the pile, as there always seems to be more pressing matters to deal with, such as actually making money for the business!

Many small Cleaning Companies may also believe that Health and Safety regulations do not apply to the type of work they do. and Safety regulations are something that applies to huge companies and those who work on construction sites, hospitals, and the like. The Cleaning Industry is a , hazardous industry, and Health and Safety Regulations are there for simply that reason. Regardless of the size of the company, the very nature of cleaning itself means that people are at risk of injury and . It is not only your Employees, but other members of the Public are put at risk by each and every Cleaning operation. The HSE states that over =A3500 million per year is spent by the work industry from slips and trips alone. To Cleaners themselves, there were over 3500 work related injuries reported to the HSE in the period of 2005-6, of which 700 were major. Many Employers the belief that insurance should cover any accident or injury, but the truth is that insurance only covers a small part of the costs.

As an Employer you are responsible for ensuring the Health and Safety of every person who may be affected by the work your company will be carrying out. Work related injury and ill health should never be view as just statistics. They affect real people and result in far more damage to individuals than time out of work.



More information will be available in future articles. Laura Elizabeth Smith is a Director of Sparkle Cleaning Services(UK)LTD, http://www.wesparkle.co.uk ]]> Applying For Truck Permits http://www.artwoo.com/article/applying-for-truck-permits http://www.artwoo.com/article/applying-for-truck-permits#comments Tue, 08 May 2007 17:24:56 +0000 most important aspectsfmcsaheavy dutyrules and regulationslegal formalitiesinterstate truckservice providers http://www.artwoo.com/article/applying-for-truck-permits rules and regulations of getting a license issued in your name.

There is a lot of paper work involved, and you have to comply with many . Truck drivers and vehicle owners seek companies and organizations that can assist them to get permits issued in their name. Hence, as the demand and supply function behaves, we see many agencies that provide this service, popularly referred to as a truck permit service.

The agencies providing the truck permit service have to comply with the rules and regulations laid down by the authorized body.

Most of the companies provide the following services to the clients looking for truck permits.

line Permits - The organizations assist individuals to acquire interstate Truck permits. This is necessary for heavy duty vehicles running on highways and carrying goods.

Temporary Truck Permits - the formalities, involved in getting a valid license are many, therefore, it takes a couple of week or sometimes even moths, to get a permanent license. Truck permit help in getting temporary trucks permits issued in their client's name.

SSRS or Single State Registrations - As the governing authority may demand, the trucks operating in particular areas have to comply with Single State Registration regulations.

Compliance with /MC rules and regulations - All forms have to be duly filled out, and it is to be ensured that the heavy duty vehicle operator has complied with all FMCSA laws.

Driver's Examination and Licensing Programs - The truck permit service providers play an important role in this aspect, they guide the drivers through out the examination program, and ensure, that a license is granted to them.

Drugs and Alcohol testing programs. - This is one of the of the licensing program for the drivers.

Road Taxes, heavy duty vehicle operating permissions. - Before truck permits are granted, all road taxes and similar dues have to be cleared and heavy duty vehicle operating permission is required from the concerned authorities.

Another factor to consider when applying for a truck permit is the local, state, and federal fees involved. Many times you may be better off registering for the permit via another route so as to avoid the excessive fees that some areas charge.



Whatever type of truck permit you are applying for though be sure and complete all requirements so you do not get yourself in legal trouble. Greg Lucas is a small business owner and an on-line marketing expert who owns and operates a large network of informative and educational websites like: http://www.truckpermitservice.com where you can learn all about truck permits. ]]> Preparing For FDA Inspection - 5 Ways To Prepare http://www.artwoo.com/article/preparing-for-fda-inspection-5-ways-to-prepare http://www.artwoo.com/article/preparing-for-fda-inspection-5-ways-to-prepare#comments Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:30:01 +0000 fda noticefda inspectioncompliance checksfda inspectorsfda inspectionsfdc actnecessary burden http://www.artwoo.com/article/preparing-for-fda-inspection-5-ways-to-prepare FDA inspections are a that they must bear in order to retain FDA approval for selling their products into the U.S. market.

What to Expect:

The FDA is required to contact you in advance of an inspection, informing you as to the purpose, estimated duration, and number of FDA personnel expected to take part. On the day of inspection, the FDA investigator will attempt to locate the top management official at your site. They are required to show their credentials to that official, and they must present an of Inspection. At that point, the inspection authority will conduct a thorough inspection of your facility, accompanied by one or more of your employees. Then, within a reasonable period of time after the actual inspection, the FDA will send members of your top management an Inspectional Observations form notifying you of objectionable conditions relating to products or processes or other violations to the FDandC Act and related Acts.

Potential Outcomes:

The results of an FDA inspection can range from no required actions to a complete shutdown of your facility accompanied by administrative, civil or criminal actions levied against you. In many cases, the FDA will make recommendations on how to improve your operations such that they are in compliance with the FDandC Act.

How to Prepare: 5 Ways

Here are 5 ways your organization can prepare for your next FDA inspection.

1. Conduct regular internal FDandC Act : Of course, the best way to prepare for an FDA inspection is to make sure that your facility is in compliance with FDA regulations. Every employee within your organization should be kept abreast of the standards that the products and processes for which they are responsible must meet in order to be FDandC Act-compliant. Furthermore, employees should be trained to remain calm, be courteous to , and comply with their requests. At the same time, your employees should know their rights in terms of what they are required to say or show to the FDA inspector and (as well as what they are not).

2. Identify and attend to potential weak spots: It is smart to identify potential areas or processes in your facility that will attract FDA attention during an inspection. Ask yourself: Which of our processes pose the most potential for contamination of the food, drugs or other consumable materials we are processing? Which areas of your facility appear to be under-maintained, unclean or potentially faulty? While the FDA will attempt to thoroughly inspect your entire facility, it is likely that they will be most thorough in inspecting these potential problem areas.

3. Elect point persons to accompany inspectors: At least two or more persons who oversee each major process within your facility should be trained to accompany an FDA representative during the inspection. Teach these "point persons" how to treat and interact with the inspectors.

4. Create an operating manual: Your employees should at all times have access to manuals which indicate the actions and steps they should take in order to remain FDA-compliant, both throughout the normal course of business operations and upon an FDA inspection. Having such a manual will educate your team and encourage them to handle the inspection with confidence.

5. Conduct regular FDA compliance checks: Rather than wait for an FDA inspection to discover problems in your processes or environment, it is wise to conduct regular compliance checks throughout your facility. You may even choose to have one of your employees act as if they were an FDA inspector and then ask your point persons and other employees to proceed as if you were undergoing an actual FDA inspection. Such practice runs can be a great way to build confidence among your employees and potentially uncover flaws in your operating procedure for inspections.

Undergoing an FDA inspection is something to which most companies do not look forward, for it means committing additional resources and energy in advance. However, being prepared can not only help you pass the inspection with flying colors, but it can also help you regain your peace of mind in the meantime.

Source: FDA Investigations Operations Manual 2007 Want to be prepared for your next food recall? Contact GroupCast to find out how to launch a secure, customizable phone campaign that enables you to contact up to 500,000 consumers per hour and document each phone call at: http://www.productrecallpartner.com/ ]]> Rules And Regulations For Payday Loans http://www.artwoo.com/article/rules-and-regulations-for-payday-loans http://www.artwoo.com/article/rules-and-regulations-for-payday-loans#comments Sat, 22 Apr 2006 15:50:08 +0000 payday loan companypayday loanspaydayloanemailpaydayloansextra chargesstate laws http://www.artwoo.com/article/rules-and-regulations-for-payday-loans paydayloan) is basically meant to help you out in the case of an emergency. In the recent years with the easy availability of these loans and the convenience that they offer, their popularity has soared. At the same time, though people recognize the advantages of these (also written as ), they do not have any knowledge about the laws that regulate the functioning of this industry. When you plan to apply for a payday loan ideally you should know your rights so that you are not duped by the lender.

Laws, Rules and Regulations

A has to abide by federal as well as . The state laws help in determining the amount that you can borrow and it also dictates the repayment period. In certain states their might also be a number of other laws that are applicable to payday loans. The lender should be able to provide information on these and if he refuses to do so, then you need to be extra cautious in your dealings. A lot of information about the laws, rules and regulations regarding payday loans is now available online, so take out a little time to carry out some research on your own.

The Right to Information

As a consumer, as is the case while buying any other product, you have the right to information. This implies that the lender has to inform you about all the costs involved in getting a payday loan. This implies that you need to be told the exact interest rate, the finance fees and the transaction costs if any, and also the that you would need to pay in case you need an extension. Also, before you take a payday advance, make sure that you know the exact payment plan. In most cases payday loan lenders offer this information on their website. In case this information is not available on the website, you can either send an to them or call them up to find out the requisite details. This information should also be mentioned in the loan agreement.

Canceling a Payday Loan

Now, there are times when you apply for a payday loan but then later on realize that you do not need it. In certain states, there is a provision to cancel the payday loan within a day without any cost. But then again, before taking such a decision, find out if the rule is applicable in your state or not. In case it is, then you would need to give a written application to the lender in order to cancel the loan. Also, if the advance has already been deposited into your account, then you would have to pay that back immediately as per the instructions of the lender that have to be in compliance with the applicable laws. Also, when you cancel a payday loan, make sure that you take a receipt from the lender that the amount has been paid back. At the same time, it ideally makes more sense to consider your decision to take a loan and determine if you really need it before applying for a loan. The author is one of the top experts in the no fax payday loans industry today. He has spent last several years studying the online payday advance business. He has developed the single best online faxless payday loans service available. This service can be accessed at http://www.200cash.com, home of 200CASH.COM, INC. ]]> Dog Food Label Regulations http://www.artwoo.com/article/dog-food-label-regulations http://www.artwoo.com/article/dog-food-label-regulations#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2007 14:35:00 +0000 net weightmetric conversionaafcodog fooddisplay panelfeed control officialsname and address http://www.artwoo.com/article/dog-food-label-regulations dog food product gives a great deal of information about the product inside the bag, box, can or carton. To interpret this data properly, it is necessary to know and understand the various parts of the label copy and the regulations involved. The purpose of this article is to explain current pet food regulations, and what the dog owner can determine from information provided on the label.

Manufacturer's Information

Each label shall show the of the manufacturer, packer or distributor of the dog food. If a manufacturer has several locations where dog food is produced, the name and address of that manufacturer's principal place of business will be used.

The net weight statement must be shown on the principal . The declaration of the net weight shall be made in conformity with the U.S. Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the regulations promulgated there under.

The figures for net weight will be in the lower one-third of the display panel, and the size of the numbers and letters will be determined by the package size.

Net weights may appear on other parts of the label as well as the principal display panel, particularly on larger package sizes. Net weight statement must include weight in .

Nutritional Adequacy Statement

The label shall show whether or not the product provides complete and balanced nutrition, and if it is adequate for all life stages or just for a particular life stage, such as maintenance of the adult cat or dog.

Toll-Free Consumer Information Number

Although this is not a required element, some manufacturers include an 800 number on the label. This is an important element for consumers because it can be a source of information not available on the label and a way for dog owners to learn more about the product they are feeding.

Who Establishes and Governs Label Requirement Policies?

The Association of American () develops the regulations for livestock and companion animal foods. The regulations are published annually in the AAFCO Official Publication. The label on a dog food product gives a great deal of information about the product inside the bag, box, can or carton. To interpret this data properly, it is necessary to know and understand the various parts of the label copy and the regulations involved. http://www.linkbrander.com/go/45132 ]]> How To Get A Career In Energy http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-get-a-career-in-energy http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-get-a-career-in-energy#comments Fri, 15 Jun 2007 10:19:51 +0000 energy efficiencyinsresidential dwellingsefficiency factorsefficiency reportsenergy efficientenergy legislation http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-get-a-career-in-energy residential dwellings.

One of the best energy courses to start your understanding of in the UK is called Energy Efficiency from A to Z. The energy course came about with the UK government understanding that the energy used in the United Kingdoms residential dwellings now represents the greatest part of the countrys total use of energy.

Regulations in both the UK and all of Europe now demand improvement in energy standards and energy-.

The first in a series of energy courses, this introductory one day look at energy efficiency is designed to teach domestic energy assessor candidates, builders, home owners, home buyers, landlords, property managers and any other interested individuals and organizations the and outs of making residential dwellings .

Included in the information of this and other energy courses will be a look at the UK legislation that regulates energy and the reasons behind the implementation. These courses will also study throughout other parts of Europe. This energy course will provide a practical look at the factors involved in making a home energy efficient.

Those who attend this energy course should, at the end of the day, know and understand several key energy . They should understand why it is important to become as energy efficient as possible, both from the eyes of the home dweller and the government.

They should have a clear understanding of all new and old legislation. One important law that they will fully study is the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. Included as well will be country-specific building and housing regulations that have energy-efficient elements.

This and subsequent energy courses will define and study fuel poverty as well as ways to combat the problem. The course will teach home energy rating systems and the regulations for compliance.

Those who attend this energy course will learn as well about the various choices of heating, cooling and hot water controls and systems. They will be trained in comparison of the costs of each. They will be apprised of grants and other funding help that is available for those who want to improve on their homes energy efficiency.

They will learn the meaning and the value of renewable energy, as opposed to non-renewable fossil fuel use. They will also learn about ways to conserve on heating costs, through things like ventilation, insulation and reduction of condensation.

This, as with all the government-provided energy courses, is open to many. Attendees at these energy courses include front line energy assessment teams such as domestic energy assessors, members and staff of local authority agencies, staff of pertinent housing associations, health and medical care professionals, staff and managers of utility and other energy firms, homeowners, landlords, property management staff and potential home buyers. James Copper works for http://www.propertycareerskills.co.uk who offer energy assessor training courses for people who want a new career. ]]> Email Archival - Here Is Where Regulatory Compliance Can Actually Improve Your Operation http://www.artwoo.com/article/email-archival-here-is-where-regulatory-compliance-can-actually-improve-your-operation http://www.artwoo.com/article/email-archival-here-is-where-regulatory-compliance-can-actually-improve-your-operation#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:15:03 +0000 compliance measuresincremental backupsemail databasestorage performanceretrieval technologiesstriking effectemail system http://www.artwoo.com/article/email-archival-here-is-where-regulatory-compliance-can-actually-improve-your-operation
As the digital age pervades both our personal and business lives, are beginning to follow. Messaging is receiving increased scrutiny. Recent measures now hold employers accountable to produce specific data (i.e. emails, instant messages, attachments) from several years back, upon request. Effective archival and are now becoming paramount to meeting compliance. New regulations usually require change and expense, without a contribution to the bottom line. However, here is a way that archival compliance can become a strategic advantage for you.

Our Current Environment

Here are some facts to consider about how we manage our data, and then let's review how compliance can become a complementary asset.

Email is now moving a significant portion of a company's data. The communications and attachments are often intellectual property or IP (i.e. contracts, marketing plans, employment agreements and product designs, etc.). It is estimated that 70% of a company's IP is within the , so we should consider this our vault.

Clearly, email volume is growing. Server and is continually requiring more resource. Staffs are reluctant to delete email, or attachments, in case they may need a document later, resulting in growing user accounts.

Disruption of the email service is now crippling to a company. One day of downtime has a on lost productivity and direct cost.

Routine of the email system, typically nightly, leave wide gaps of exposure for missing, deleted or altered emails. An restoration becomes lengthy and fragmented with lingering recoil of missing data and synchronization.

All email that runs through a company's system belongs to the company, and equally the company is responsible for the content. The message is that there is no 'personal email' and we need to know what is crossing your network from a liability perspective.

How Compliance Can Become An Advantage

The mandate to store and retrieve email and instant messages is alive, but here are seven benefits you can realize upon deployment.

Expedient capture - with an archival system ALL emails and IM messages are captured, and written, unaltered, to a different system, within the minute they are received or sent. As the archival device is exclusive to message capture and retention, there is no resource contention on the email system.

Instant Messaging is Now Equal to Email - do you have a usage and retention policy on your Instant Messaging? Typically not, but you should. In litigation this is also requested and can be even more damaging due to the informal and unedited style of composition. A quality archival system will store Instant Messages on the same system as the emails. Content would be accessible the same as email during queries.

Scheduled Email Purging - Policy and procedures can be implemented for regular systematic deletion of emails on user accounts (i.e. delete all after 90 days). This will assure your email server/ storage performance. Users will continue to have access to the archived messages for retrieval and review from the archive system, but without the ability to alter.

Periodic Internal Audits - The archival technology provides robust search tools to locate data. Specific terms, dates and expressions can be queried. Routine message reviews should be performed to assure that company policies and data protection are intact. This is far better to be in a proactive mode.

Know How You Stand - If your company is subpoenaed for information, within minutes you can know how you will fare in litigation. Do you have a smoking gun or reason to request a dismissal?

Rapid Recovery in Case of Disruption - In cases of business continuity or recovery, restoring an email server from nightly incremental backups can be lengthy and sketchy. An archival system assures rapid recovery and full accountability within minutes.

Get the Word Out to Employees - A company's communication to their employees of new policies will have an overseer effect. Once they have the awareness of the tools and detection capabilities to be implemented, most violations cease and your risk decreases.

Final Thoughts

Weigh the alternatives and you will begin to see how this particular compliance requirement could be beneficial to your operations, and deliver competitive advantage. Compliance requires us to take action. Don't rationalize that nightly backups will be adequate. This could be a risk that costs your company in image, litigation and dollars. It will also continue to add cost to your current operation to maintain inadequate coverage. Implement a comprehensive archival system and you can manage your email environment effectively and strategically.

We are frequently asked about outsourcing the email archival function as an option. Keep in mind that if outsourced, you are still the responsible party in any litigation regardless of how your outsourced solution performs.

To house archival technology in-house today is not burdensome and often times produce a quick ROI vs.outsourcing. Contact us at www.enclavedata.com for further discussion and actual case studies of many companies who successfully brought this under their roof.

We work with companies of all sizes to assure their archival is in compliance. Our solutions are state of the art, quick to implement, cost effective and provide the comfort to know your data is secure and in compliance.

You have the responsibility for your company's email, with the right archival system you can now also have the control to assure compliance and protect your company's assets. Dan Schutte is the President of Enclave Data Solutions, specializing in messaging security, content filtering, anti-spam software, email/IM archival and compliance. Visit http://www.enclavedata.com to read actual Case Studies of how companies have successfully protected their data networks and messaging. ]]> Federal Regulations Affecting Payday Loans http://www.artwoo.com/article/federal-regulations-affecting-payday-loans http://www.artwoo.com/article/federal-regulations-affecting-payday-loans#comments Sat, 08 Jul 2006 20:27:08 +0000 payday loansfederal truthfederal regulationstruth in lending actpayday lendersact statestruth in lending http://www.artwoo.com/article/federal-regulations-affecting-payday-loans federal regulations affecting exist today. Proponents of payday loans claim this is so because regulations over and above what individual states have already passed are not necessary. They believe payday loans are viable alternates when individuals find themselves temporarily short on cash. Opponents argue that payday loans are predatory and federal regulations affecting payday loans are needed immediately to curb the growth of this rapidly escalating industry.

The status of federal regulations affecting payday loans

In the year 2000, the wording of Regulation Z of the in Lending Act was modified to include originators of payday loans. Although the Act itself was not new, the wording resulted in the first federal regulations affecting payday loans. Originally designed to force lenders to fairly and accurately disclose to borrowers certain loan terms, the wording forced payday loans originators to also comply. Specifically, are now required to disclose the annual percentage rate, all finance charges, the payment schedule and the policy on late payments before an applicant agrees to the loan.

The law also requires that lenders clearly explain these parts of the loan in an easy-to-understand format. In addition to needing to be simplistically explained, the that the terminology must also be readily apparent and not buried in the fine print. Other sections of the Federal Act that now apply to payday loans include the sections on filing civil complaints against lenders and the ability to recover actual and statutory damages.

Other Federal regulations affecting payday loans have been introduced to Congress as recently as the 2005 session. However, none of these has yet to become law.

States legislation

Although federal regulations affecting payday loans are nearly non-existent, many states have enacted legislation governing payday loans. While crafted with the interests of consumers at heart, state legislation is not consistent among the different states. Instead of protecting consumers, most legislation seems only to confuse consumers further. Some states have even taken the drastic step of outright prohibiting companies from engaging in the business of payday loans.

Given the fact that Federal regulations affecting payday loans are few and State laws governing the process are jumbled, one has to wonder whether or not such legislation is necessary and whether it really can benefit the consumers, the people that many feel are at such risk. In other words, are payday loans really the monster that many claim them to be?

As with anything in life, there's a right way and a wrong way to use a payday loan. Those who see such cash advances as a short-term solution do benefit from their availability. They get the money they need, the fees are reasonable, and they repay the advance when due. On the other hand, those who repeatedly rely on this type of funding can and sometimes do end up with a bigger financial problem on their hands. Shouldn't then the responsibility lie with the applicant and not in the need to create federal regulations affecting payday loans? http://www.speeddog.com ]]>