America's Community Bankers has published a manual to help bankers write policy statements.
The guide is for institutions regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Jim Mataya, program manager and counsel at the trade group, said members complained that there is no way of knowing which rules require policy statements.
"Regulators don't have master lists," Mr. Mataya said. So the association decided to put one together.
The manual identifies which regulations must have policy statements, and gives a prototype for bankers to follow.
It also helps banks avoid liability exposure by showing the differences between board-approved policy statements and management procedures.
The 130-page softcover guide is separated into easy-to-use sections beginning with how to develop and write a policy statement and the purpose of such statements. More specific sections help bankers with requirements in certain areas, such as environmental liability, branch closures, and securities.
So far, the group has sold 1,000 copies of this manual, which costs $75 for members and $95 for nonmembers. For more information, call 202-857- 3100.
