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Cohasset Associates, Inc. NOTES 4.1 2012 Managing Electronic Records Conference Retention & ESI Retention & ESI Paths to Success Paths to Success Part One May 7, 2012 1 Christine M. Burns & Carol Stainbrook ESI Friendly Retention Schedules Use Functional, not Detailed Retention Schedules Simplify Conflicting Legal Requirements C lid R i P id © 2012 Consolidate Retention Periods Eliminate “Events” Balance Detail Against Simplicity for IT May 7, 2012 2 Functional Retention Functional Retention Schedules Schedules © 2012 Streamline Retention Schedules May 7, 2012 3

M12S04 - Retention & ESI - Paths to Success - Part One

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From the MER Conference 2012 Speakers: Christine Burns and Carol Stainbrook Despite their best efforts, many companies haven't been able to devise retention schedules that can be readily applied to both their paper records and electronically stored information (ESI). Retention categories that are too broadly written can lead to excessive retention of needless information, which in turn results in higher recordkeeping and discovery costs. Conversely, retention schedules that are too detailed aren't easy to maintain or use, especially with the proliferation of ESI. Having the right blend of specificity and universality isn't impossible - it just takes understanding some key considerations. This session addresses: - Integrating conflicting statutory and regulatory requirements from different jurisdictions in ways that address different organizations' unique cultures and needs, - Determining when and how to collapse information types into fewer retention categories, - Learning when to limit the number of different retention time periods, - Recognizing different options to handle "event-based" retention periods, and - Balancing IT's seemingly contradictory needs: fewer retention periods that can be applied to broader sets of information and sufficiently detailed retention specifications that can be applied to specific tables of data within large, integrated business systems.

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Page 1: M12S04 - Retention & ESI - Paths to Success - Part One

Cohasset Associates, Inc.

NOTES

4.12012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Retention & ESIRetention & ESIPaths to SuccessPaths to Success

Part One

May 7, 2012 1

Christine M. Burns & Carol Stainbrook

ESI Friendly Retention Schedules

Use Functional, not Detailed Retention SchedulesSimplify Conflicting Legal RequirementsC lid R i P i d

© 2012

Consolidate Retention Periods Eliminate “Events”Balance Detail Against Simplicity for IT

May 7, 2012 2

Functional Retention Functional Retention SchedulesSchedules

© 2012

Streamline Retention Schedules

May 7, 2012 3

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Cohasset Associates, Inc.

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4.22012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Detailed Schedules IncludeRetention Period Per Document Type

Financial StatementsMonthly

Financial StatementsQuarterly

Financial StatementsAnnual

© 2012 May 7, 2012 4

Retain 12M Retain 2Y Retain 7Y

Functional Schedules Typically Apply ToAll Records of a Business Process

Financial Statements

© 2012 May 7, 2012 5

StatementsData & Directories

Retain “X” Years or “Max. of X Years”

Know Your LawsKnow Your Laws

© 2012

Simplify Conflicting Legal Requirements

May 7, 2012 6

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4.32012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

General Accounting Records:Some Legal Retention Requirements

Permanent (General Ledger)

Wisconsin (Domestic

50 Years - General and Subsidiary Ledgers

Tax + 3 7 Years

© 2012

(Domestic Insurers)

Georgia (Banks)

Canada

U.S. Utility Companies (Per SEC)

Tax + 3-7 YearsIRS – 3-6 Years; Worthless Securities Loss Claims – 7 Years

Most State Tax Authorities – 3-6 Years

May 7, 2012 7

General Accounting Records

General Accounting Records:Accounts receivables and payablesTransactions account entry supportReconciliation of accounts ledgers and sub

© 2012

Reconciliation of accounts, ledgers and sub-ledgersFinal accounting transaction reports and data

May 7, 2012 8

General Accounting Records:Operational Retention Considerations

Typically Current with Tax Audits?

© 2012

Must Retain General Ledgers Longer than other Accounting Records?

Impact of Escheat Filings?

May 7, 2012 9

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4.42012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Payroll Records:Some Legal Retention Requirements

Employment + 2 or 5 Years

British Columbia

Current Year + 8 Years

Minnesota6 Years or Less

© 2012

Columbia, Saskatchewan

MinnesotaOther States

3 Years

United States (Federal)

May 7, 2012 10

Payroll RecordsRetention Based on Creation Date

Payroll Processing RecordsSalary, merit and status changesVacation and overtime payment authorizations

© 2012

authorizationsEmployee reimbursements for tuition and/or relocation servicesAdjustments and manual compensation check supportPayroll registers and period-ending reports

May 7, 2012 11

Payroll RecordsRetention Based on an “Event”

Payroll Deductions & AuthorizationsTax status and withholding forms, e.g., W-4sDirect deposit formsDeductions authorizations

© 2012

Deductions authorizationsDefined Benefit Pension Calculation Support

May 7, 2012 12

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4.52012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Payroll Records:Operational Retention Considerations

Calculate Pension Benefit?

Consider Personal Injury/Property Limitation of Action Periods?

© 2012

Consider Potential Liability UnderLilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?

Consider Limitation Periods in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform &Consumer Protection Act?

Destroy Personally IdentifiableWhen Eligible?

May 7, 2012 13

General Contracts

Obligations + 30 YearsBritish Columbia & Manitoba Obligations + 15 Years

Kentucky, Ohio,Ontario, Saskatchewan, & New Brunswick

Obligations + 10 YearsIllinois Indiana Iowa Louisiana Missouri Rhode 6 Years or Less

© 2012 May 7, 2012 14

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Rhode Island, West Virginia & Wyoming;Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador & Quebec

6 Years or LessAll remaining states and provinces

Contract Records

Contract recordsRFPs and ResponsesContract Review RecordsAgreements and Exhibits

© 2012

Agreements and ExhibitsAmendmentsCertificates of Insurances

May 7, 2012 15

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4.62012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Contract Records:Operational Retention Considerations

Difference Between “Major” and “Minor” Contracts?

Are Certificates of Insurance Filed

© 2012

With Contracts?

Is the “Active” Period Consistent?

Do NDA’s “Expire”? If not, what is a reasonable validity period?

May 7, 2012 16

Consolidate RetentionConsolidate Retention

© 2012

Limit Number of Retention Periods

May 7, 2012 17

Establish ONE Retention Period for Internal, Non-Regulated Records

X Years

© 2012

Current + X Years

No Longer than X After Last Use

May 7, 2012 18

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4.72012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Combine Retention Periods for Longer-term Regulated Records

G l

Payroll

© 2012

Privacy

General Accounting

X Years

May 7, 2012 19

Number of Retention Periods Will Vary, Often Based on Regulations

More Regulated

© 2012

Less Regulated Functions or Jurisdictions

More Regulated

May 7, 2012 20

Lightly Regulated, U.S. Based Only

Retention PeriodActive Use + 3 YearsActive Use + 7 Years

© 2012

Active Use + 7 Years“Indefinite”

“Indefinite” ~ 6 Categories with a Required Minimum and a Not to Exceed Maximum Retention Period “Active Use” Period Varies by Record Type

May 7, 2012 21

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4.82012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Moderately Regulated, Canadian & U.S. Locations

Retention Years Record Types7 Years General accounting records (excluding

the general ledger)10 Years Payroll records

© 2012 May 7, 2012 22

10 Years Payroll recordsEmployment +

10 YearsPayroll records - British Columbia, Saskatchewan

15 Years General contractsPermanent General ledger

New York Based Organization,U.S. Federal & 50 State Jurisdictions

Retention Years Record Types7 Years General accounting records and

general contracts9 Years Payroll-related records, excluding year-

d ll i t

© 2012

end payroll registers50 Years Payroll registers, compensation plan

records

May 7, 2012 23

Eliminate “Events” Eliminate “Events” Whenever PossibleWhenever Possible

© 2012

Choose How to Handle “Event-Based” Retention

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4.92012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Eliminate Event-Based Retention Periods Whenever Possible

Tax Audit or Exam

Project Completion

© 2012

Project Completion

Termination

Updated

May 7, 2012 25

Consider Alternatives Before Using “Conditional”

Change “Until Tax Audit” or “Exam” to:

XX Years = Typical Tax Settlement

© 2012

Retention Periods:Accounting

Tax Settlement /Exam Cycle

Use Records Holds for Exceptions

May 7, 2012 26

Consider Alternatives Before Using “Conditional”

Separate Projects by Metadata, Libraries, Folders...

Change “Project Completion” to:

© 2012

Retention Periods:Projects

Completion to:

Last Action for Specific Project’s Library or Folder

May 7, 2012 27

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4.102012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Consider Alternatives Before Using “Conditional”

Longest Employment Period?

Change “Termination” to:

© 2012

RetentionPeriods:Payroll

Termination to:

50 Years (Longest Employment + 7-10 Year Period)

May 7, 2012 28

Consider Alternatives Before Using “Conditional”

Establish 3-Year P&P Review Process

Change “Until Updated” to:

© 2012

RetentionPeriods:P&Ps

Updated to:

10 Years (3-Year Review + 7 Year Period)

May 7, 2012 29

Understand Understand CompetingCompetingNeedsNeeds

© 2012

Balance Detail Against Simplicity for IT

May 7, 2012 30

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4.112012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Understand that IT HasCompeting Needs

© 2012

Fewer Periods

More Detail

May 7, 2012 31

“Finishing” the Retention Scheduleis Just a Beginning

© 2012 May 7, 2012 32

Q & A

© 2012 May 7, 2012 33

Page 12: M12S04 - Retention & ESI - Paths to Success - Part One

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4.122012 Managing Electronic Records Conference

Retention & ESIRetention & ESIPaths to SuccessPaths to Success

Part One

May 7, 2012 34

Christine M. Burns & Carol Stainbrook