Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

v2.4.0.6
Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates
2. Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

The consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and the rules of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts and transactions of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Estimates and Assumptions
Management makes estimates and assumptions that can affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported as of the date of the financial statements, as well as the amounts of reported revenues and expenses during the periods presented. Those estimates and assumptions typically involve expectations about events to occur subsequent to the balance sheet date, and it is possible that actual results could ultimately differ from the estimates. If differences were to occur in a subsequent period, the Company would recognize those differences when they became known. Significant matters requiring the use of estimates and assumptions include, but may not be limited to, deferred income tax valuation allowances, accounts receivable allowances, accounting for acquisitions, and evaluation of impairment. Management believes that its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, based on information that is available at the time they are made.

Revenue Recognition
Direct hire placement service revenues are recognized when applicants accept offers of employment, less a provision for estimated losses due to applicants not remaining employed for the Company's guarantee period. Contract staffing service revenues are recognized when services are rendered.

Cost of Contract Staffing Services
The cost of contract services includes the wages and the related payroll taxes and employee benefits of the Company's employees while they work on contract assignments.
 
Income Taxes
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences reverse. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized as a tax benefit in the future.

Income or Loss Per Share
Basic income or loss per share is based on the average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted income per share is based on the average number of common shares and the dilutive effect of stock options. Stock options are not considered to be dilutive during loss periods. The diluted net income per share includes the effect of 255,000 stock options in fiscal 2011. The diluted net loss per share in fiscal 2010 excludes 388,000 stock options as they had an anti-dilutive effect.

Cash Equivalents
Highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased are considered to be cash equivalents. At September 2011 and 2010, there were no cash equivalents. The Company maintains deposits in financial institutions in excess of amounts guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. We have never experienced any losses related to these balances. All of our non-interest bearing cash balances were fully insured at September 30, 2011 due to a temporary federal program in effect from December 31, 2010 through December 31, 2012. Under the program, there is no limit to the amount of insurance for eligible accounts. Beginning 2013, insurance coverage will revert to $250,000 per depositor at each financial institution, and our non-interest bearing cash balances may again exceed federally insured limits.

Accounts Receivable Allowances
An allowance for placement falloffs is recorded, as a reduction of revenues, for estimated losses due to applicants not remaining employed for the Company's guarantee period. An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded, as a charge to bad debt expense, where collection is considered to be doubtful due to credit issues. These allowances together reflect management's estimate of the potential losses inherent in the accounts receivable balances, based on historical loss statistics and known factors impacting its customers. The nature of the contract service business, where companies are dependent on employees for the production cycle allows for a small accounts receivable allowance.

Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation expense is calculated on a straight-line basis over estimated useful lives of five years for computer equipment and two to ten years for office equipment, furniture and fixtures. The Company capitalizes computer software purchased or developed for internal use and amortizes it over an estimated useful life of five years. The carrying value of property and equipment is reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that it may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of an asset group is greater than its estimated future undiscounted cash flows, the carrying value is written down to the estimated fair value.

Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of cost over the fair value of the net assets acquired in the June 1, 2010 acquisition of On-Site Services, Inc., the November 1, 2010 purchase of DMCC Staffing, LLC and RFFG of Cleveland, LLC and the Ashley Ellis, LLC acquisition on September 1, 2011. The Company assesses goodwill for impairment at least annually. The Company early adopted ASU No. 2011-08, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment (ASU 2011-08), which allows the Company to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the entity determines that this threshold is not met, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. An impairment loss would be recognized to the extent the carrying value of goodwill exceeds its implied fair value.
 
Intangible Assets
Customer lists, non-compete agreements, customer relationships, management agreements and trade names were recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition and are amortized over their estimated useful lives ranging from two to ten years using both accelerated and straight-line methods.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets
The Company records an impairment of long-lived assets used in operations, other than goodwill, when events or circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired and the estimated undiscounted cash flows to be generated by those assets over their remaining lives are less than the carrying amount of those items. The net carrying value of assets not recoverable is reduced to fair value, which is typically calculated using the discounted cash flow method.

Stock-Based Compensation
Compensation expense is recorded for the fair value of stock options issued to directors and employees. The expense is measured as the estimated fair value of the stock options on the date of grant and is recorded over the vesting periods.

Advertising
The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred. Advertising costs were $541,000 and $370,000 for the years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Segment Data
The Company has three operating business segments a) Contract staffing services, b) Direct hire placement services and c) Management services. These operating segments were determined based primarily on how the chief operating decision maker views and evaluates our operations. Operating results are regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and to assess its performance. Other factors, including type of business, type of employee, length of employment, and revenue recognition are considered in determining these operating segments.