My question is concerning BSA Annual Training. I am putting together an annual update for BSA for lenders & lending personnel. Does the training need to be a meeting or can it be just a handout with the employee signing off proving they received it? I also give a quiz so it will also prove they are reading it (or copying from someone else ha ha).

We do a sit down hour long meeting.
I imagine you can structure your training in whichever format you choose, - based on your location and risk.

We have 2 branches, a community bank, with about 53 employees. I will categorize us as being very low risk. I had a sit down meeting with the Tellers and the CSRs since a lot of BSA pertains to them. The lending function doesn't have a whole lot to deal with when it comes to BSA. I give the IT and bookkeeping departments handouts and tests. We had an in depth BSA training last year and we haven't hired any new employees for the loan department. This is actually a basic overview/update. I feel like I can do handouts but I wanted others opinions.

That sounds good.... except your Board of Directors needs to have annual training also, and I would not make that comment about lending! LOL.
BSA affects all areas of the bank including lending and regulators look for them to have BSA training specific to their area.

I do Board BSA Training as well. Each department has specific training according to their job responsibilities. I just wanted to make sure a handout would suffice instead of getting all the lenders & lending personnel together in a meeting.

Based on your size and location, I think what you are doing is enough, especially since you also give a quiz.

With all the crazy stuff going on in the lending world - BSA Definitely affects them.

I spent MORE time with my lending group.


if you PM me your email - I'll shoot you over a Power Point I created for my group.

My opinion for what it's worth. I wouldn't just send a handout and assume they'll read it. The quiz too can be copied from the material in the handout. BSA is too important in my opinion to rely on just that. I did in person training this year, for about 1/2 hour and concentrated on the lending red flags in the BSA manual.

How much documentation do you feel is necessary to show that the training was taken? Especially for Board members - do you take an attendance list, or just rely on meeting minutes saying the training was delivered?

For staff ... we have everyone sign an attendance list.

For Board - we rely on Meeting Minutes that state who was present ... etc ...

Would you be interested in sharing your training for the Board? We have just been criticized by our auditors because of the lack of training specifically geared to the Board. I don't know what would be approved as adequate that my Board won't rebel against sitting through.

If so,let me know and I'll send my email address. Thanks even if you don't wish to share. No problem.

If you PM me with your email, I can send you what I have used.