Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Commitments and Contingencies

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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements  
Note 7. Commitments and Contingencies

Operating Leases

 

On December 22, 2015 we entered into a lease for new office space for a 12 month term, with a monthly rent payment of approximately $6,500 per month plus additional charges. This lease was renewed for a one year term in December 2016.

 

On December 17, 2015 we entered into a sublease agreement for our former office space with a third party with a lease term starting January 1, 2016 to February 28, 2018. The average monthly rent to be received under this sub-lease is approximately $15,000 per month, over the sub-lease term. At December 31, 2015 the present value of the negative cash flows over this sub-lease term was approximately $433,000 and this amount plus a real estate commission paid to find the sub-lease tenant of approximately $20,000, resulted in a total $453,000 that was recognized as an abandonment loss in general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015. The long-term portion of deferred lease abandonment liability was approximately $28,000 and the short-term portion of deferred lease abandonment liability of approximately $169,000 was included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities at December 31, 2016. The long-term portion of deferred lease abandonment liability was approximately $197,000 and the short-term portion of deferred lease abandonment liability of $237,000 was included in accounts payable and accrued liabilities at December 31, 2015. We have a standard indemnification arrangement under this sublease agreement that require us to indemnify the sublessee against liabilities and claims incurred in connection with the premises covered by the Company’s lease. The term of this indemnification agreement is from the time of execution of the agreement to its expiration. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is $75,000, which is covered by a letter of credit that is outstanding as of December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2016, the Company had not accrued a liability for this indemnification because the likelihood of incurring a payment obligation in connection with this indemnification is remote.

 

The future minimum lease payments required under the non-cancelable operating leases are as follows (rounded in millions):

 

Year ending December 31,   Amount  
2017   $ 0.5  
2018     0.1  
Total minimum payments required   $ 0.6  

 

Minimum payments have not been reduced by minimum sublease rentals of approximately $0.3 million due in the future under non-cancelable subleases.

 

Litigation

 

A former Chief Financial Officer of the Company filed a complaint against the Company with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (the “OSHA Complaint”) on March 9, 2015.

 

The OSHA Complaint alleges that the Company unlawfully retaliated against the former Chief Financial Officer for challenging allegedly improper actions of the Company by making allegedly defamatory statements and terminating him from his employment with the Company. The former Chief Financial Officer’s demand for damages is for back pay, front pay, and special damages.

 

The Company believes that all of the above claims by the former Chief Financial Officer are without merit and intends to vigorously defend itself. As of December 31, 2016, legal fees of $12,955 were incurred that are expected to be paid by the Company’s insurance carrier.