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A
Only the broker themselves
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B
All affiliated salespersons and any associate brokers licensed under the managing broker, including their advertising, client interactions, contracts, and trust fund handling
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C
Only newly licensed salespersons in their first year
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D
Only salespersons who request supervision
Why this is the answer
A managing or designated broker carries supervisory liability for ALL licensees affiliated with the brokerage. Most states use the term 'reasonable supervision' to describe the standard — the broker must establish policies, training, and oversight reasonable to ensure compliance with license law. Specific supervisory duties typically include: (1) reviewing contracts and material disclosures for compliance and adequate disclosure; (2) monitoring advertising to ensure brokerage name appears as required and no false or misleading claims are made; (3) handling and reconciling trust funds; (4) ensuring agency disclosures are properly delivered to clients and customers; (5) maintaining required transaction files and records; (6) ensuring license law compliance and continuing education tracking; (7) training new agents in office procedures and ethical practice. The broker can DELEGATE administrative tasks but the legal RESPONSIBILITY remains with the broker. When a salesperson violates license law, the state real estate commission frequently disciplines the supervising broker as well, especially if a pattern of violations suggests failure to supervise. The broker can be sanctioned even without direct knowledge of the violation — the failure-to-supervise theory holds the broker accountable for not having systems that would have caught the issue. This is why brokerages maintain written office policy manuals, conduct training, audit transactions periodically, and require supervisory review of contracts. Common failure-to-supervise findings include: failing to discover that an agent was conducting unlicensed activity (e.g., before license was active); not catching repeated trust account mishandling; allowing agents to advertise in their personal name without brokerage identification; not having procedures for handling earnest money. New brokers should establish clear policies from day one — verbal expectations are insufficient defense in a commission investigation.
Source: Broker Supervisory Duties