COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Leases

The Company leases facilities and equipment under operating leases that expire at various dates through 2027. Some of the operating leases provide for increasing rents over the term of the lease. Total rent expense under these leases is recognized ratably over the lease terms. As of December 31, 2016, future minimum lease commitments under non-cancelable operating leases, which will be expensed as primarily in office and general expenses, were as follows:



2017	$	15,355
2018	13,181
2019	8,758
2020	5,506
2021	1,615
Thereafter	1,027
	$	45,442

Rent and related expenses for operating leases of facilities and equipment recorded under the caption “Office and general” in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations were $8,931, $10,540, and $14,441 for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Future minimum lease commitments have not been offset by expected future minimum sublease rental income of $5,893, due in the future through 2020 under subleases with third parties. Commitments and sublease rentals based in currencies other than U.S. dollars were translated using exchange rates as of December 31, 2016.

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company has certain asset retirement obligations that are primarily the result of legal obligations for the removal of leasehold improvements and restoration of premises to their original condition upon termination of leases. The current portion of asset retirement obligations are included under the caption “Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The non-current portion of asset retirement obligations are included under the caption “Other non-current liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company’s asset retirement obligations that are included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 were as follows:



	As of December 31,
	2016		2015
Current portion of asset retirement obligations	$	78	$	142
Non-current portion of asset retirement obligations	1,693		1,820
Total asset retirement obligations	$	1,771	$	1,962

Consulting, Employment and Non-compete Agreements

The Company has entered into various consulting, and employment agreements with certain key members of management. These agreements generally (i) are one year in length, (ii) contain restrictive covenants, (iii) under certain circumstances, provide for compensation and subject to providing the Company with a release, severance payments, and (iv) are automatically renewed annually unless either party gives sufficient notice of termination.

Litigation and Complaints

The Company is subject, from time to time, to various claims, lawsuits, contracts disputes and other complaints from, for example, clients, candidates, suppliers, landlords for both leased and subleased properties, former and current employees, and regulators or tax authorities arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company routinely monitors claims such as these, and records provisions for losses when the claim becomes probable and the amount due is estimable. Although the outcome of these claims cannot be determined, the Company believes that the final resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

For matters that have reached the threshold of probable and estimable, the Company has established reserves for legal, regulatory and other contingent liabilities. The Company’s reserves were $105 and $109 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Costs Associated with Termination

As previously disclosed, in May 2015, the Company incurred compensation and benefits obligations to its former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Manuel Marquez, under his employment agreement, dated March 7, 2011, in connection with the Company providing Mr. Marquez notice of non-renewal of his employment agreement, which is treated as a termination without cause. The Company had accrued $747 as of March 31, 2016 in connection with compensation and benefits Mr. Marquez was entitled to upon a termination without cause, subject to his execution of a release. Mr. Marquez did not agree with the Company’s treatment of compensation and benefits under his employment agreement and, in August 2015, filed an arbitration claim against the Company for additional amounts of up to approximately $2,000 and reimbursement of his legal fees.

On May 27, 2016, the arbitrator issued his decision on Mr. Marquez’s claim and awarded Mr. Marquez approximately $1,800 in additional compensation and benefits and approximately $700 toward the reimbursement of a portion of his legal fees incurred pursuing his claim. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company recorded an additional charge of $3,025 for the resolution of this arbitration.