ComplianceAugust 2, 2011

SEC Amends Schedule for Adopting Some Dodd-Frank Rules

<p>According to law firm Winston & Strawn, the Securities and Exchange Commission has modified its schedule for adopting rules relating to the Dodd-Frank Act, including the key provisions applicable to executive compensation.</p><p> </p>

Reported by Rebecca Moore

The new schedule is as follows:

August – December 2011 (planned)
- §951: Adopt rules regarding disclosure by institutional investment managers of votes on executive compensation
- §952: Adopt exchange listing standards regarding compensation committee independence and factors affecting compensation adviser independence; adopt disclosure rules regarding compensation consultant conflicts
January – June 2012 (planned)
- §§953 and 955: Adopt rules regarding disclosure of pay-for-performance, pay ratios, and hedging by employees and directors
- §954: Adopt rules regarding recovery of executive compensation
- §956: Adopt rules (jointly with others) regarding disclosure of, and prohibitions of certain executive compensation structures and arrangements
July – December 2012 (planned)
- §952: Report to Congress on study and review of the use of compensation consultants and the effects of such use
Dates still to be determined
- §957: Issue rules defining “other significant matters” for purposes of exchange standards regarding broker voting of uninstructed shares

It seems unlikely that all five of the clawback, pay-for-performance, CEO pay ratio, incentive compensation rules for large financial institutions, and hedging by employees and directors provisions will be effective for next year’s proxy season, according to the firm. However, if they meet this schedule, one or two of the provisions will be effective for proxies filed after January (as with the shareholder say on pay rules, published in January 2011).