11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Former CEO Agreement

     Effective January 15, 2015, the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer (“Former CEO”) voluntarily resigned from his position and entered into an agreement with the Company, pursuant to which the Former CEO agreed to waive all payments under his Employment Agreement and all future claims against the Company. Under the agreement, for six months following his termination of active employment, the Former CEO will receive his regular monthly base salary and will remain eligible to participate in medical and dental plans similar to his current coverage level for a period of twelve months. The Former CEO will also receive a cash payment of $7,852 in lieu of shares of restricted stock of the Company that would otherwise vest on November 8, 2015. In addition, the Former CEO will retain certain other ancillary benefits for limited periods. The agreement includes customary confidentiality, non-solicitation, non-competition, non-disparagement and release provisions. As of September 30, 2015, the remaining obligation to the Former CEO of approximately $1,000 is reflected as an accrual in the consolidated balance sheets. As of September 30, 2016, the obligation has been fully paid and there are no further amounts owed to the Former CEO.

Former CFO Agreement

     On February 16, 2015, the Company entered into a settlement agreement and mutual release (the “Agreement”) with James McKenna, the Company’s former Chief Financial Officer (“Former CFO”), in connection with a lawsuit filed by Mr. McKenna on August 26, 2014 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against the Company and then-directors Frank LaGrange Johnson, Robert Garrett, John F. Chiste, Timothy Gordon and Owen P.J. King (the “SDNY Lawsuit”), alleging purported claims of retaliation for whistleblowing under the Dodd-Frank Act, breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing all as against the Company, and a single claim for tortious interference with contract as against the individual defendants. The complaint sought an unspecified amount of monetary consequential damages and punitive damages. Pursuant to the Agreement, Mr. McKenna and the Company have agreed to settle and release all disputes or claims against the other party related to the SDNY Lawsuit and any such disputes or claims arising out of Mr. McKenna’s employment with the Company, without an admission of liability or wrongdoing. Under the Agreement, Mr. McKenna received: (i) $315,000 (representing 18 months' salary); (ii) approximately $375,000 in legal fees, back pay, prior out-of-pocket benefits, taxes and penalties on Mr. McKenna’s 401(k) loan, and accrued paid time off; and (iii) 35,000 restricted stock units vesting immediately. The Agreement includes customary non-disparagement and release provisions. As of September 30, 2015, the remaining obligation to the Former CFO of approximately $90,000 is reflected as an accrual in the consolidated balance sheet. As of September 30, 2016, the obligation has been fully paid and there are no further amounts owed to the Former CFO.

Guarantee Obligation

     In February 2010, Forward Switzerland and its European logistics provider (freight forwarding and customs agent) entered into a Representation Agreement (the “Representation Agreement”) whereby, among other things, the European logistics provider agreed to act as Forward Switzerland's Fiscal representative in The Netherlands for the purpose of providing services in connection with any value added tax matters. As part of this agreement, Forward Switzerland agreed to provide an undertaking (in the form of a bank letter of guarantee) to the logistics provider with respect to any value added tax liability arising in The Netherlands that the logistics provider is required to pay to Dutch tax authorities on its behalf.

     As of February 1, 2010, Forward Switzerland entered into a guarantee agreement with a Swiss bank relating to the repayment of any amount up to €75,000 (equal to approximately $84,000 as of September 30, 2016) paid by such bank to the logistics provider in order to satisfy such undertaking pursuant to the bank letter of guarantee. Forward Switzerland would be required to perform under the guarantee agreement only in the event that: (i) a value added tax liability is imposed on the Company's revenues in The Netherlands; (ii) the logistics provider asserts that it has been called upon in its capacity as surety by the Dutch Receiver of Taxes to pay such taxes; (iii) Forward Switzerland or the Company on its behalf fails or refuses to remit the amount of value added tax due to the logistics provider upon its demand; and (iv) the logistics provider makes a drawing under the bank letter of guarantee. Under the Representation Agreement, Forward Switzerland agreed that the letter of guarantee would remain available for drawing for three years following the date that its relationship terminates with the logistics provider to satisfy any value added tax liability arising prior to expiration of the Representation Agreement but asserted by The Netherlands after expiration.

     The initial term of the bank letter of guarantee expired February 28, 2011, but renews automatically for one-year periods on February 28 of each subsequent year unless Forward Switzerland provides the Swiss bank with written notice of termination at least 60 days prior to the renewal date. It is the intent of Forward Switzerland and the logistics provider that the bank letter of guarantee amount be adjusted annually. In consideration of the issuance of the letter of guarantee, Forward Switzerland has granted the Swiss bank a security interest in all of its assets on deposit with, held by, or credited to Forward Switzerland’s accounts with, the Swiss bank (approximately $1.7 million at September 30, 2016). As of September 30, 2016, the Company had not incurred a liability in connection with this guarantee.

Lease Commitments

     The Company rents its corporate headquarters in Florida under an operating lease expiring in September 2020 and its office in Switzerland on a month-to-month basis. Total rent expense included in continuing operations for the years ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 amounted to approximately $107,000 and $138,000 (net of $168,000 and $185,000 of rental income from a sub-lease), respectively. The following is a schedule by years of future minimum rental payments required under operating leases that have initial or remaining noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year as of September 30, 2016:

Fiscal Years Ended September 30,		Amount
	2017	$	85,000
	2018		87,000
	2019		90,000
	2020		93,000
	Total lease commitments	$	355,000