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Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Aug. 31, 2019
Loss Contingency [Abstract] |
Contingencies | (9) Contingencies Independent Contractor — Lawsuits and Administrative Proceedings. FedEx Ground is involved in lawsuits and administrative proceedings claiming that owner-operators engaged under operating agreements no longer in place should have been treated as employees of FedEx Ground, rather than independent contractors. In addition, we are defending joint-employer cases where it is alleged that FedEx Ground should be treated as an employer of the drivers employed by service providers engaged by FedEx Ground. These cases are in varying stages of litigation, and we are not currently able to estimate an amount or range of potential loss in all of these matters. However, we do not expect to incur, individually or in the aggregate, a material loss in these matters. Nevertheless, adverse determinations in matters related to owner-operators or service providers engaged by FedEx Ground could, among other things, entitle former owner-operators to the reimbursement of certain expenses, and service providers’ drivers to certain wage payments from the service providers and FedEx Ground, and result in employment and withholding tax and benefit liability for FedEx Ground. We continue to believe that owner-operators engaged by FedEx Ground were properly classified as independent contractors and that FedEx Ground is not an employer or joint employer of the service providers’ drivers. Federal Securities Litigation. On June 26, 2019 and July 2, 2019, FedEx and certain present and former officers were named as defendants in two putative class action securities lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaints allege violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder relating to alleged misstatements or omissions in FedEx’s public filings with the SEC and other public statements during the period from September 19, 2017 to December 18, 2018. We are not currently able to estimate the probability of loss or the amount or range of potential loss, if any, at this stage of the litigation. Environmental Matters. SEC regulations require disclosure of certain environmental matters when a governmental authority is a party to the proceedings and the proceedings involve potential monetary sanctions that management reasonably believes could exceed $100,000. On July 26, 2019, FedEx Freight received a pre-litigation offer from the San Bernardino District Attorney’s Office in California to settle a civil action that the District Attorney intended to file against FedEx Freight for alleged violations of the state’s environmental and hazardous waste regulations. Specifically, the District Attorney alleged that between 2015 and 2018, FedEx Freight illegally transported and stored hazardous waste, failed to report releases of hazardous materials or substances, and unlawfully released oil into a storm drain. In September 2019, we reached an agreement to settle this matter for an immaterial amount. The settlement agreement is subject to court approval. Other Matters. FedEx and its subsidiaries are subject to other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business, including certain lawsuits containing various class-action allegations of wage-and-hour violations in which plaintiffs claim, among other things, that they were forced to work “off the clock,” were not paid overtime or were not provided work breaks or other benefits. In the opinion of management, the aggregate liability, if any, with respect to these other actions will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for loss and gain contingencies. Describes any existing condition, situation, or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as of the balance sheet date (or prior to issuance of the financial statements) as to a probable or reasonably possible loss incurred by an entity that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur, and typically discloses the amount of loss recorded or a range of possible loss, or an assertion that no reasonable estimate can be made. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2127197 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2127163 + Details
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