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I.
Purpose
The primary functions of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board
of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect
to: (i) the Company's systems of internal controls regarding finance,
accounting, legal compliance and ethical behavior; (ii) the Company's
auditing, accounting and financial reporting processes generally; (iii)
the Company's financial statements and other financial information provided
by the Company to its stockholders, the public and others; (iv) the Company's
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; and (v) the performance
of the Company's Corporate Audit Department and independent auditors.
Consistent with these functions, the Committee will encourage continuous
improvement of, and foster adherence to, the Company's policies, procedures
and practices at all levels.
Although the Committee has the powers and responsibilities set forth
in this Charter, the role of the Committee is oversight. The members
of the Committee are not full-time employees of the Company and may or
may not be accountants or auditors by profession or experts in the fields
of accounting or auditing and, in any event, do not serve in such capacity.
Consequently, it is not the duty of the Committee to conduct audits or
to determine that the Company's financial statements and disclosures
are complete and accurate and are in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles and applicable rules and regulations. These are
the responsibilities of Management and the independent auditors.
II. Organization
The Audit Committee shall be comprised of three or more Directors as
determined by the Board of Directors, each of whom shall satisfy the
independence, financial literacy and experience requirements of Section
10A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, The New York Stock Exchange
and any other regulatory requirements.
Committee members shall be elected by the Board at the annual organizational
meeting of the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the Nominating/Corporate
Governance Committee; members shall serve until their successors shall
be duly elected and qualified. The Committee's Chairperson shall be designated
by the full Board or, if it does not do so, the Committee members shall
elect a Chairperson by vote of a majority of the full Committee.
The Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees when appropriate.
III. Meetings
The Audit Committee shall meet four times per year on a quarterly basis,
or more frequently as circumstances require. The Committee shall require
members of Management, the Corporate Audit Department, the independent
auditors and others to attend meetings and to provide pertinent information,
as necessary. As part of its job to foster open communications, the Committee
shall meet in separate executive sessions during each of its four regularly
scheduled meetings with Management, the head of the Corporate Audit Department
and the Company's independent auditors to discuss any matters that the
Committee (or any of these groups) believes should be discussed privately.
IV. Responsibilities and Duties
In recognition of the fact that the Company's independent auditors are
ultimately accountable to the Audit Committee, the Committee shall have
the sole authority and responsibility to select, evaluate, and, where
appropriate, replace the independent auditors or nominate the independent
auditors for shareholder approval. The Committee shall approve all audit
engagement fees and terms and all non-audit engagements with the independent
auditors. The Committee shall consult with Management but shall not delegate
these responsibilities.
To fulfill its responsibilities
and duties, the Audit Committee shall:
With respect to the independent auditors:
- Be directly responsible for the appointment,
compensation and oversight of the work of the independent
auditors (including resolution of disagreements between
Management and the independent auditors regarding financial
reporting) for the purpose of preparing its audit report
or related work.
- Have the sole authority to review
in advance, and grant any appropriate pre-approvals of,
(i) all auditing services to be provided by the independent
auditors and (ii) all non-audit services to be provided
by the independent auditors as permitted by Section 10A
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and (iii) connection
therewith to approve all fees and other terms of engagement.
The Committee shall also review and approve disclosures
required to be included in Securities and Exchange Commission
periodic reports filed under Section 13(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 with respect to non-audit services.
- Review the performance of the Company's
independent auditors on at least an annual basis.
- On an annual basis, review and discuss
with the independent auditors all relationships the independent
auditors have with the Company in order to evaluate the
independent auditors' continued independence. The Committee:
(i) shall ensure that the independent auditors submit
to the Committee on an annual basis a written statement
(consistent with Independent Standards Board Standards
No. 1) delineating all relationships and services that
may impact the objectivity and independence of the independent
auditors; (ii) shall discuss with the independent auditors
any disclosed relationship or services that may impact
the objectivity and independence of the independent auditors;
and (iii) shall satisfy itself as to the independent
auditors' independence.
- At least annually, obtain and review
an annual report from the independent auditors describing
(i) the independent auditors' internal quality control
procedures and (ii) any material issues raised by the
most recent internal quality control review, or peer
review, of the independent auditors, or by any inquiry
or investigation by governmental or professional authorities,
within the preceding five years, respecting one or more
independent audits carried out by the independent auditors,
and any steps taken to deal with any such issues.
- Confirm that the lead audit partner,
or the lead audit partner responsible for reviewing the
audit, for the Company's independent auditors has not
performed audit services for the Company for each of
the five previous fiscal years.
- Review all reports required to be
submitted by the independent auditors to the Committee
under Section 10A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
- Review, based upon the recommendation
of the independent auditors and the Corporate Audit Department,
the scope and plan of the work to be done by the independent
auditors for each fiscal year.
With respect to financial statements:
- Review and discuss with Management,
the Corporate Audit Department and the independent auditors
the Company's quarterly financial statements (including
disclosures made in "Management's Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and
the independent auditors' review of the quarterly financial
statements) prior to submission to stockholders, any
governmental body, any stock exchange or the public.
- Review and discuss: (i) with Management,
the Corporate Audit Department and the independent auditors
the Company's annual audited financial statements (including
disclosures made in "Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations").
- Discuss with the independent auditors
the matters required to be discussed by Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended, relating to the
conduct of the audit.
- Recommend to the Board of Directors,
if appropriate, that the Company's annual audited financial
statements be included in the Company's annual report
on Form 10-K for filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
- Prepare the report required by the
Securities and Exchange Commission to be included in
the Company's annual proxy statement and any other Committee
reports required by applicable securities laws or stock
exchange listing requirements or rules.
Periodic and Annual Reviews:
- Periodically review separately with
each of Management, the independent auditors and the
Corporate Audit Department (i) any significant disagreement
between Management and the independent auditors or the
Corporate Audit Department in connection with the preparation
of the financial statements, (ii) any difficulties encountered
during the course of the audit (including any restrictions
on the scope of work or access to required information),
and (iii) Management's response to each.
- Periodically discuss with the independent
auditors, without Management being present, (i) their
judgments about the quality, appropriateness, and acceptability
of the Company's accounting principles and financial
disclosure practices, as applied in its financial reporting,
and (ii) the completeness and accuracy of the Company's
financial statements.
- Consider and approve, if appropriate,
significant changes to the Company's accounting principles
and financial disclosure practices as suggested by the
independent auditors, Management or the Corporate Audit
Department. Review with the independent auditors, Management
and the Corporate Audit Department, at appropriate intervals,
the extent to which any changes or improvements in accounting
or financial practices, as approved by the Committee,
have been implemented.
- Review with Management, the independent
auditors, the Corporate Audit Department and the Company's
counsel, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance
matters that could have a significant impact on the Company's
financial statements, including significant changes in
accounting standards or rules as promulgated by the Financial
Accounting Standards Board, the Securities and Exchange
Commission or other regulatory authorities with relevant
jurisdiction.
- Obtain and review an annual report
from Management relating to the accounting principles
used in preparation of the Company's financial statements
(including those policies for which Management is required
to exercise discretion or judgments regarding the implementation
thereof).
Discussions with Management:
- Review and discuss with Management
the Company's earnings press releases (including the
use of "pro forma" or "adjusted" non-GAAP
information) as well as financial information and earnings
guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies.
- Review and discuss with Management
all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements,
obligations (including contingent obligations) and other
relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities
or other persons, that may have a material current of
future effect on financial condition, changes in financial
condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital
resources, capital reserves or significant components
of revenues or expenses.
- Inquire about the application of
the Company's accounting policies and its consistency
from period to period, and the compatibility of these
accounting policies with generally accepted accounting
principles, and (where appropriate) the Company's provisions
for future occurrences which may have a material impact
on the financial statements of the Company.
- Review and discuss with Management
(i) the Company's major financial risk exposures and
the steps Management has taken to monitor and control
such exposures (including Management's risk assessment
and risk management policies), and (ii) the program that
Management has established to monitor compliance with
its code of business ethics and conduct for Directors,
Officers and employees.
- Review and discuss with Management
all disclosures made by the Company concerning any material
changes in the financial condition or operations of the
Company.
- Obtain explanations from Management
for unusual variances in the Company's annual financial
statements from year to year, and review annually the
independent auditors' letter of the recommendations to
Management and Management's response.
With respect to the internal audit function and
internal controls:
- Review, based upon the recommendation
of the independent auditors and the head of the Corporate
Audit Department, the scope and plan of the work to be
done by the Corporate Audit Department.
- Review and approve the appointment
and replacement of the head of the Corporate Audit Department,
and review on an annual basis the performance of the
Corporate Audit Department.
- In consultation with the independent
auditors and the Corporate Audit Department, (a) review
the adequacy of the Company's internal control structure
and system, and the procedures designed to insure compliance
with laws and regulations, and (b) discuss the responsibilities,
budget and staffing needs of the Corporate Audit Department.
- Establish procedures for (i) the
receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received
by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting
controls or auditing matters, and (ii) the confidential,
anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns
regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
Other:
- Review and approve all related-party
transactions.
- Review and approve (i) any change
or waiver in the Company's code of business conduct and
ethics for Directors or Executive Officers, and (ii)
any disclosure made on Form 8-K regarding such change
or waiver.
- Establish the policy for the Company's
hiring of employees or former employees of the independent
auditors who were engaged on the Company's account.
- Review any Management decision to
seek a second opinion from independent auditors other
than the Company's regular independent auditors with
respect to any significant accounting issue.
- Review with Management and the independent
auditors the sufficiency and quality of the Corporate
Audit Department staff and other financial and accounting
personnel of the Company.
- Review and reassess the adequacy
of this Charter annually and recommend to the Board any
changes the Committee deems appropriate.
- The Committee shall conduct an annual
performance evaluation of itself.
- Perform any other activities consistent
with this Charter, the Company's By-laws and governing
law as the Committee or the Board deems necessary or
appropriate.
- This Charter will be made available
on the Company's Web site at "www.adp.com."
V. Resources
The Audit Committee shall have the authority to retain independent legal,
accounting and other consultants to advise the Committee. The Committee
may request any officer or employee of the Company or the Company's outside
counsel or independent auditors to attend a meeting of the Committee or
to meet with any members of, or consultants to, the Committee.
The Committee shall determine the extent of funding necessary for payment
of compensation to the independent auditors for purpose of rendering or
issuing the annual audit report and to any independent legal, accounting
and other consultants retained to advise the Committee.
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