3405 - Employer's responsibility for fraudulent indorsement by employee.

     § 3405.  Employer's responsibility for fraudulent indorsement by                employee.        (a)  Definitions.--As used in this section, the following     words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this     subsection:        "Employee."  Includes an independent contractor and employee     of an independent contractor retained by the employer.        "Fraudulent indorsement."            (1)  In the case of an instrument payable to the        employer, a forged indorsement purporting to be that of the        employer.            (2)  In the case of an instrument with respect to which        the employer is the issuer, a forged indorsement purporting        to be that of the person identified as payee.        "Responsibility."  With respect to instruments means     authority:            (1)  to sign or indorse instruments on behalf of the        employer;            (2)  to process instruments received by the employer for        bookkeeping purposes, for deposit to an account or for other        disposition;            (3)  to prepare or process instruments for issue in the        name of the employer;            (4)  to supply information determining the names or        addresses of payees of instruments to be issued in the name        of the employer;            (5)  to control the disposition of instruments to be        issued in the name of the employer; or            (6)  to act otherwise with respect to instruments in a        responsible capacity.     The term does not include authority that merely allows an     employee to have access to instruments or blank or incomplete     instrument forms that are being stored or transported or are     part of incoming or outgoing mail or similar access.        (b)  Rights and liabilities.--For the purpose of determining     the rights and liabilities of a person who, in good faith, pays     an instrument or takes it for value or for collection, if an     employer entrusted an employee with responsibility with respect     to the instrument and the employee or a person acting in concert     with the employee makes a fraudulent indorsement of the     instrument, the indorsement is effective as the indorsement of     the person to whom the instrument is payable if it is made in     the name of that person. If the person paying the instrument or     taking it for value or for collection fails to exercise ordinary     care in paying or taking the instrument and that failure     substantially contributes to loss resulting from the fraud, the     person bearing the loss may recover from the person failing to     exercise ordinary care to the extent the failure to exercise     ordinary care contributed to the loss.        (c)  Application.--Under subsection (b), an indorsement is     made in the name of the person to whom an instrument is payable     if:            (1)  it is made in a name substantially similar to the        name of that person; or            (2)  the instrument, whether or not indorsed, is        deposited in a depositary bank to an account in a name        substantially similar to the name of that person.        Cross References.  Section 3405 is referred to in sections     3417, 4208 of this title.