Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)

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Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2018
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies Policies  
Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements of the Company are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Principles of Consolidation

The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary have been consolidated in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. All intercompany balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include:

 

  · Liability for legal contingencies;
     
  · Useful lives of property and equipment;
     
  · Assumptions made in valuing equity instruments;
     
  · Deferred income taxes and related valuation allowance;
     
  · Projected development of workers’ compensation claims.
Revenue Recognition

The Company provides an array of human resources and business solutions designed to help improve business performance.

 

The Company’s revenues are primarily attributable to fees for providing staffing solutions and PEO/HCM (“Professional Employer Organization”/ “Human Capital Management”) services. The Company recognizes revenue when all of the following criteria are met: (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (ii) the services have been rendered to the customer; (iii) the sales price is fixed or determinable, and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured.

 

We account for our PEO revenues in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 605-45, Revenue Recognition, Principal Agent Considerations. Our PEO solutions revenue is primarily derived from the Company’s gross billings, which are based on (i) the payroll cost of the Company’s worksite employees and (ii) a mark-up computed as a percentage of payroll costs.

 

The gross billings are invoiced concurrently with each periodic payroll of the Company’s worksite employees. Revenues, which exclude the payroll cost component of gross billings and therefore consist solely of markup are recognized ratably over the payroll period as worksite employees perform their service at the client worksite.

 

Revenues that have been recognized but not invoiced are included in unbilled accounts receivable on our consolidated balance sheets.

 

Consistent with our revenue recognition policy, our direct costs do not include the payroll cost of our worksite employees. Our cost of revenue associated with our revenue generating activities are primarily comprised of all other costs related to our worksite employees, such as the employer portion of payroll-related taxes, employee benefit plan premiums and workers’ compensation insurance costs.

Segment Reporting

We operate one reportable segment under ASC 280, Segment Reporting. The Chief operating decision maker regularly reviews the financial information of the Company at a consolidated level in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performances.

Cash and cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased as cash equivalents. At August 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not have any cash equivalents. 

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company maintains cash with a commercial bank, which is insured by the Federal Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”). At various times, we have deposits in this financial institution in excess of the amount insured by the FDIC. The Company has not experienced any losses related to these balances and believes its credit risk to be minimal.

 

No one individual client represents more than 10% of our annualized revenues for either fiscal years 2018 or 2017. However, four clients represent 86% of total accounts receivable at August 31, 2018, compared to four clients representing approximately 58% of our total accounts receivable at August 31, 2017.

Fixed Assets

Fixed assets are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Expenditures for major additions and improvements are capitalized and minor replacements, maintenance, and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. When fixed assets are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in the results of operations for the respective period. Leasehold improvements are being amortized over the shorter of the useful life or the initial lease term.

 

Fixed assets are recorded at cost and are depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the related assets using the straight-line method. The estimated useful lives of property and equipment for purposes of computing depreciation are as follows:

 

Equipment: 5 years
Furnitures & Fixtures: 5 - 7 years

 

The amortization of these assets is included in depreciation expense on the consolidated statements of operations.

Computer Software Development

Software development costs relate primarily to software coding, systems interfaces and testing of our proprietary professional employer information systems and are accounted for in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350-40, Internal Use Software. Capitalized software development costs are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software, generally five years.

 

Internal software development costs are capitalized from the time the internal use software is considered probable of completion until the software is ready for use. Business analysis, system evaluation and software maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. The capitalized computer software development costs are reported under the section fixed assets, net in the consolidated balance sheets. 

Impairment and Disposal of Long-Lived Assets

We periodically evaluate our long-lived assets for impairment in accordance with ASC 360-10, Property, Plant, and Equipment. ASC 360-10 requires that an impairment loss be recognized for assets to be disposed of or held-for-use when the carrying amount of an asset is deemed to not be recoverable. If events or circumstances were to indicate that any of our long-lived assets might be impaired, we would assess recoverability based on the estimated undiscounted future cash flows to be generated from the applicable asset. In addition, we may record an impairment loss to the extent that the carrying value of the asset exceeded the fair value of the asset. Fair value is generally determined using an estimate of discounted future net cash flows from operating activities or upon disposal of the asset.

Workers' compensation

Up to July 2018, a portion of the Company’s workers’ compensation risk was covered by a retrospective rated policy, which calculates the final policy premium based on the Company’s loss experience during the term of the policy and the stipulated formula set forth in the policy. The Company funds the policy premium based on standard premium rates on a monthly basis and based on the gross payroll applicable to workers covered by the policy. During the policy term and thereafter, periodic adjustments may involve either a return of previously paid premiums or a payment of additional premiums by the Company or a combination of both. If the Company’s losses under that policy exceed the expected losses under that policy, then the Company could receive a demand for additional premium payments. During the year ended August 31, 2017, the Company funded an initial deposit of $2.3 million, which was included in Deposits – worker’ compensation (“deposits”) on the consolidated balance sheet. During the year ended August 31, 2018, the Company funded two months worth of policy premiums against this initial deposit for approximately $0.8 million. Monies funded into the program for incurred claims expected to be paid within one year are recorded as restricted cash- workers’ compensation (“restricted cash”), a short-term asset, while the remainder of claims are included in deposits, a long-term asset in our consolidated balance sheets. As of August 31, 2018, the Company had restricted cash of $0.1 million and deposits of $1.4 million, both short term assets, for this retrospective rated policy

 

The Company utilizes a third-party to estimate its loss development rate, which is primarily based upon the nature of worksite employees’ job responsibilities, the location of worksite employees, the historical frequency and severity of workers’ compensation claims, and an estimate of future cost trends. Each reporting period, changes in the assumptions resulting from changes in actual claims experience and other trends are incorporated into our workers’ compensation claims cost estimates. For the year ended August 31, 2018 and 2017 the Company accrued $0.6 million and $0 million, respectively, of estimated losses, which are recorded under Accrued workers’ compensation cost in our consolidated balance sheets. For the year ended August 31, 2018, the Company classified $0.1 million in short term accrued workers’ compensation and $0.5 million in long term accrued workers’ compensation in our consolidated balance sheets.

 

Starting in July 2018, the Company’s workers’ compensation program for our worksite employees has been provided through an arrangement with United Wisconsin Insurance Company (“UWIC”) and administered by Sunz. Under this program, the Company has financial responsibility for the first $0.5 million layer of claims per occurrence. The Company provides and maintains a loss fund that will be used to pay claims and claim related expenses. The workers’ compensation insurance carrier established monthly funding requirements comprised of premium costs and funds to be set aside for payment of future claims (“Claim loss funds”). The level of claim loss funds is primarily based upon anticipated worksite employee payroll levels and expected worker’s compensation loss rates, as determined by the insurance carrier. Monies funded into the program for incurred claims expected to be paid within one year are recorded as restricted cash- workers’ compensation (“restricted cash”), a short-term asset, while the remainder of claim funds are included in deposits- workers’ compensation (“deposits”), a long-term asset in our consolidated balance sheets.

 

During the year ended August 31, 2018, the Company funded an additional initial deposit for $1.4 million as well as an aggregate of $0.9 million in loss fund reserve. As of August 31, 2018, we had restricted cash- workers’ compensation of $0.2 million classified as a short-term asset and workers’ compensation - deposits of $2.2 million, classified as a long-term asset. Our estimate of incurred claim costs expected to be paid within one year is included in short-term liabilities, while our estimate of incurred claim costs expected to be paid beyond one year is included in long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. As of August 31, 2018, we had short term accrued workers’ compensation costs of $0.2 million and long term accrued workers’ compensation costs of $0.5 million.

  

Because the Company bears the financial responsibility for claims up to the level noted above, such claims, which are the primary component of our workers’ compensation costs, are recorded in the period incurred. Workers’ compensation insurance includes ongoing health care and indemnity coverage whereby claims are paid over numerous years following the date of injury. Accordingly, the accrual of related incurred costs in each reporting period includes estimates, which takes into account the ongoing development of claims and therefore requires a significant level of judgment. In estimating ultimate loss rates, the Company utilizes historical loss experience, exposure data, and actuarial judgment, together with a range of inputs which are primarily based upon the worksite employee’s job responsibilities, their location, the historical frequency and severity of workers’ compensation claims, and an estimate of future cost trends. For each reporting period, changes in the actuarial assumptions resulting from changes in actual claims experience and other trends are incorporated into our workers’ compensation claims cost estimates. The estimated incurred claims are based upon: (i) the level of claims processed during each quarter; (ii) estimated completion rates based upon recent claim development patterns under the plan; and (iii) the number of participants in the plan.

Convertible debt

The Company evaluates embedded conversion features within convertible debt under ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging” to determine whether the embedded conversion feature(s) should be bifurcated from the host instrument and accounted for as a derivative at fair value with changes in fair value recorded in earnings. If the conversion feature does not require derivative treatment under ASC 815, the instrument is evaluated under ASC 470-20 “Debt with Conversion and Other Options” for consideration of any beneficial conversion features.

Fair Value Measurements

The fair value accounting guidance defines fair value as “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.” The definition is based on an exit price rather than an entry price, regardless of whether the entity plans to hold or sell the asset. This guidance also establishes a fair value hierarchy to prioritize inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:

 

Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets;

 

Level 2: Inputs, other than quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly; and

 

Level 3: Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

 

The Company did not fair value any of its operating assets or liabilities as of August 31, 2018, or 2017. The carrying value of accounts receivable, accounts payables, convertible notes, and other financial instruments approximates the fair value due to their short-term maturities.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes pursuant to Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740, “Income Taxes.” Under FASB ASC 740 deferred income taxes are provided on a liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss carryforwards and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The provision for income taxes represents the tax expense for the period, if any, and the change during the period in deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.

 

FASB ASC 740 also provides criteria for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions. Under FASB ASC 740, the impact of an uncertain tax position on the income tax return may only be recognized at the largest amount that is more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority. 

Advertising Costs

The Company expenses advertising costs when incurred. Advertising costs incurred amounted to approximately $0.5 million and $0.3 million for the years ended August 31, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Stock-Based Compensation

At August 31, 2018, the Company has one stock-based compensation plan under which the Company may issue awards. The Company accounts for this plan under the recognition and measurement principles of ASC 718, Compensation- Stock Compensation, which requires all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee stock options, to be recognized in the consolidated statements of operations on their fair values.

 

The grant date fair value is determined using the Black-Scholes-Merton (“Black-Scholes”) pricing model. For all employee stock options, the Company recognizes expense over the requisite service period on an accelerated basis over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the equity grant).

 

The Company’s option pricing model requires the input of highly subjective assumptions, including the expected stock price volatility and expected term. The expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company since our Initial Public Offering. Any changes in these highly subjective assumptions significantly impact stock-based compensation expense.

 

Following the adoption of Accounting Standards Update ASU 2016-09, the Company elected to account for forfeitures as they occur, as such, compensation cost previously recognized for an award that is forfeited because of a failure to satisfy a service condition is reversed in the period of the forfeiture.

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

The Company utilizes FASB ASC 260, “Earnings per Share.” Basic loss per share is computed by dividing loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the reporting period. Diluted loss per share is computed similar to basic loss per share except that the denominator is increased to include additional common share equivalents available upon exercise of stock options and warrants using the treasury stock method. Dilutive common share equivalents include the dilutive effect of in-the-money share equivalents, which are calculated based on the average share price for each period using the treasury stock method, excluding any common share equivalents if their effect would be anti-dilutive.

  

Securities that are excluded from the calculation of weighted average dilutive common shares, because their inclusion would have been antidilutive are:

 

   

For the year

ended

August 31,

2018

   

For the year

ended

August 31,

2017

 
             
Senior Secured Convertible Notes (Note 7)     4,016,064       -  
Options     1,348,745       790,000  
Warrants     3,778,796       2,595,413  
Total potentially dilutive shares     9,143,605       3,385,413  

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year’s data to confirm to the current year’s presentation. Such reclassifications had no impact on the Company’s financial condition, operating results, cash flows or stockholder’s equity.

Significant Recent Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that “an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.” The standard provides enhancements to the quality and consistency of how revenue is reported by companies, while also improving comparability in the financial statements of companies reporting using International Financial Reporting Standards or U.S. GAAP. The new standard also will require enhanced revenue disclosures, provide guidance for transactions that were not previously addressed comprehensively, and improve guidance for multiple-element arrangements. This accounting standard becomes effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim reporting periods within annual reporting periods beginning after August 31, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods (including interim periods) beginning after December 15, 2016. This new standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method.

 

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations. The purpose of this standard is to clarify the implementation of guidance on principal versus agent considerations related to ASU 2014-09. The standard has the same effective date as ASU 2014-09 described above.

 

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, which provides clarity related to ASU 2014-09 regarding identifying performance obligations and licensing implementation. The standard has the same effective date as ASU 2014-09 described above.

 

In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-12: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, which provides narrow scope improvements and practical expedients related to ASU 2014-09. The purpose of this standard is to clarify certain narrow aspects of ASU 2014-09, such as assessing the collectability criterion, presentation of sales taxes, and other similar taxes collected from customers, noncash considerations, contract modifications at transition, completed contracts are transition, and technical correction. The standard has the same effective date as ASU 2014-09 described above.

  

In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-20: Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The amendments in this standard affect narrow aspects of guidance issued in ASU 2014-09. The standard has the same effective date as ASU 2014-09 described above.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on leases ASU 2016-02, Leases. The new standard requires that a lessee recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for leases with terms longer than 12 months. The recognition, measurement and presentation of lease expenses and cash flows by a lessee will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. The guidance also includes new disclosure requirements providing information on the amounts recorded in the financial statements. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that this standard will have on its consolidated financial statement.

 

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): (Part I) Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features; (Part II) Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests with a Scope Exception, (ASU 2017-11). Part I of this update addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Down round features are features of certain equity-linked instruments (or embedded features) that result in the strike price being reduced on the basis of the pricing of future equity offerings. Current accounting guidance creates cost and complexity for entities that issue financial instruments (such as warrants and convertible instruments) with down round features that require fair value measurement of the entire instrument or conversion option. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018 but the Company elected to early adopt for its fiscal year ended August 31, 2018. ASC 815-40 required that a freestanding equity-linked financial instrument to be indexed to the issuer’s own stock to be classified as equity. An equity-linked embedded feature that meets the definition of a derivative may avoid bifurcation and derivative accounting if it is indexed to the issuer’s own stock. Today, a freestanding financial instrument or embedded feature isn’t considered indexed to the issuer’s own stock if it has a down round provision. Consequently, the freestanding financial instrument is classified as a liability, and if it meets the definition of a derivative, it must be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recorded through earnings. Under this guidance, entities will no longer consider a down round feature when determining whether a freestanding financial instrument (i.e. a warrant) or an embedded feature (i.e. a conversion option) that contains a down round feature is considered indexed to the entity’s own stock under ASC 815-40.

 

Under ASC 815-40-35, the Company has adopted a sequencing policy. In the event that reclassification of contracts from equity to assets or liabilities is necessary pursuant to ASC 815 due to the Company’s inability to demonstrate it has sufficient authorized shares as a result of certain securities with a potentially indeterminable number of shares, shares will be allocated on the basis of the earliest issuance date of potentially dilutive instruments, with the earliest grants receiving the first allocation of shares. Pursuant to ASC 815, issuance of securities to the Company’s employees or directors are not subject to the sequencing policy.

 

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, which simplifies the accounting for nonemployee share-based payment transactions. The amendments specify that Topic 718 applies to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in a grantor’s own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, although early adoption is permitted (but no sooner than the adoption of Topic 606). The Company does not expect that the adoption of this ASU will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

 

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820). The ASU eliminates such disclosures as the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The ASU adds new disclosure requirements for Level 3 measurements. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted for any eliminated or modified disclosures. The Company is evaluating the effect of adopting this new accounting guidance to determine the impact it may have on the Company’s financial statements.

 

In November 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted cash (ASU 2016-18), which requires companies to include amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in cash and cash equivalents when reconciling beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown in the statement of cash flow. This guidance is effective for fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-18 to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements.