Documentation Check Lists

(This article first appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of the American Postal Worker magazine) 

After having completed at a minimum a yearly financial review or local audit of the financial records and inventory, beginning the new year with LMRDA compliance measures intact is the key to a successful local. January is the time to begin getting the local’s documents in order in preparation to meet important deadlines.

The primary financial officers of the local and state unions – the president and treasurer – have important legal and fiduciary responsibilities, but frequently when they assume office, they have no prior experience handling local or state finances. Implementing a local check list will assist in keeping important dates in the forefront and ensure timely submissions of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Labor (DOL) legal requirements.

Local Check List

• “In Case of Emergency” envelope in place
• Back up procedures for computer financial files and scanning financial records for backup
• Record retention policy (written) for financial records/e-board and meeting minutes
• Separate file for money/standing motions
• Determine where you have kept your past LM and IRS reports
• Review membership list and DCO
• Determine when your last inventory of union property was, and how are you disposing of old union property
• Determine what is your bond, and is your bond sufficient to cover your liquid assets
• Create a scheduling calendar if you don’t already have one
• Achieve membership goals

Group Union Liability Insurance Policies

During the October 2019 Secretary-Treasurer Conference, information was provided pertaining to Group Union Liability Insurance Policies. In addition to existing bond coverage, locals may want to consider additional liability coverage that specifically covers liabilities for circumstances involving the following:

• Duty of Fair Representation
• Financial Management of the Union
• Personal Injury Liability
• Employment Practices Liability
• Individual Labor Leader Coverage

The group program is designed to combine several local unions onto one policy that shares the liability limits. The group program does not have to be grouped with locals from the same state and the group policies will have a sub-limit for each local, so one large claim will not deplete the available coverage to the other locals. To obtain additional information about the Group Union Liability Insurance Policies, contact the Secretary-Treasurer’s Department.

The Secretary-Treasurer's Training Conference will be held in St. Louis, MO on March 7-9, 2020 at the Marriott St. Louis Grand. Information regarding topics covered and online registration can be found on apwu.org.

Reminder! March 30 is the deadline for local LM 2, LM 3 and LM 4 reports and May 15 is the deadline for filing IRS 990 reports for locals who end their fiscal year on December 31, 2019. They must be filed electronically – NO EXCEPTIONS!

Please make sure to include the following “Due By Dates” when drafting your local check list:

Due By Dates for 2020!

January 31st: W-2’s and 1099’s

March 30th: LM 2, LM 3 or LM 4 (Mandatory electronic filing) *File within 90 days after the end of the local fiscal year *

May 15th: 990, 990-EZ or 990-N (Electronic filing) *File by the 5 month and 15th day after the end of the local fiscal year*