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Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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May 31, 2022
Loss Contingency [Abstract] |
Contingencies | NOTE 19: CONTINGENCIES Service Provider Lawsuits. FedEx Ground is defending lawsuits in which it is alleged that FedEx Ground should be treated as a joint employer of 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 these matters could, among other things, entitle 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 FedEx Ground is not an employer or joint employer of the drivers of these independent businesses. FedEx Ground Vehicle Accident Lawsuit. In July 2012, FedEx Ground was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in New Mexico state court related to a vehicle accident involving a driver employed by a service provider engaged by FedEx Ground that resulted in three fatalities, including the driver employed by the service provider. The complaint alleged personal injury and wrongful death. After trial, in January 2015, the jury awarded the plaintiffs compensatory damages of approximately $160 million. Following the trial judge’s recusal, this award was affirmed by the substitute judge in July 2015 and by the New Mexico Court of Appeals in February 2018, respectively. FedEx Ground subsequently sought a discretionary appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court to address what FedEx Ground believed to be an excessive verdict. The New Mexico Supreme Court granted FedEx Ground’s appeal in June 2018. In May 2022, the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the New Mexico Court of Appeals. A loss reserve in the amount of approximately $370 million was recorded in FedEx’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended May 31, 2022, representing the approximately $160 million base amount of the judgment and accrued pre- and post-judgment interest, with a corresponding insurance receivable recorded for the base amount of the judgment in excess of FedEx Ground’s $7.5 million self-insured retention and insurance deductible. In July 2022 we paid approximately $370 million to plaintiffs and their counsel. Our insurance carriers funded the base amount of the judgment in excess of FedEx Ground’s self-insured retention and insurance deductible, and we intend to vigorously pursue all insurance coverages for reimbursement of our payment of approximately $210 million of pre- and post-judgment interest. 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, as well as other lawsuits containing allegations that FedEx and its subsidiaries are responsible for third-party losses related to vehicle accidents that could exceed our insurance coverage for such losses. 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. Environmental Matters. SEC regulations require us to disclose certain information about proceedings arising under federal, state, or local environmental provisions if we reasonably believe that such proceedings may result in monetary sanctions above a stated threshold. Pursuant to the SEC regulations, FedEx uses a threshold of $1 million or more for purposes of determining whether disclosure of any such proceedings is required. Applying this threshold, there are no environmental matters required to be disclosed for this period.

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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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