The U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is seeking to improve payouts to clients that receive arbitration awards against the industry.
The U.S. self-regulatory organization (SRO) has published a consultation paper that aims to encourage a “dialogue about addressing the challenges of customer recovery across the industry,” FINRA says in a news release.
The SRO plans to organize discussions with other regulators and policymakers to seek potential action.
The Public Investors Arbitration Bar Association (PIABA), an investor advocacy group, issued a statement in response saying that it supports FINRA’s efforts to improve customer recovery. It also called for the creation of an industry-funded pool for unpaid arbitration awards.
“FINRA deserves credit for attempting to create a multi-sided dialogue on potential solutions for the problem, including an unpaid arbitration pool, increased net capital requirements, insurance for brokers and expanding SIPC to possibly include unpaid arbitration awards,” says Andrew Stoltmann, PIABA president, in a statement.
Separately, FINRA also seeks comment on proposed rule amendments to prevent industry firms and individuals from evading payment of awards. The proposals would prevent an individual from switching firms, or a firm from using asset transfers or similar transactions to avoid payment of arbitration awards, FINRA says in a regulatory notice. The comment period on the proposals runs until April 9.