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Description of Business, Basis of Presentation, and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Feb. 28, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Description of business | Description of business: Paychex, Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “Paychex”) is a leading provider of payroll, human resource, insurance, and benefits outsourcing solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses in the United States (“U.S.”). The Company also has operations in Germany. Paychex, a Delaware corporation formed in 1979, reports as one segment. Substantially all of the Company’s revenue is generated within the U.S. The Company also generates revenue within Germany, which represented less than one percent of the Company's total revenue for the nine months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013. Long-lived assets in Germany are insignificant in relation to total long-lived assets of the Company as of February 28, 2014 and May 31, 2013.
Basis of presentation | Basis of presentation: The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“Form 10-Q”) and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statement presentation. The consolidated financial statements include the consolidated accounts of the Company with all significant intercompany transactions eliminated. In the opinion of management, the information furnished herein reflects all adjustments (consisting of items of a normal recurring nature), which are necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the interim period. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements presented in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (“Form 10-K”) as of and for the year ended May 31, 2013 (“fiscal 2013”). Operating results and cash flows for the nine months ended February 28, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for other interim periods or the full fiscal year ending May 31, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”). The Company has evaluated subsequent events for potential recognition and/or disclosure through the date of issuance of these financial statements.
PEO workers' compensation insurance | PEO workers’ compensation insurance: Workers’ compensation insurance for professional employer organization ("PEO") worksite employees is provided under a deductible workers’ compensation policy with a national insurance company. Reserves are established to provide for the estimated costs of paying claims underwritten by the Company. The Company’s maximum individual claims liability is $1.0 million under both its fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013 policies. As of February 28, 2014 and May 31, 2013, the Company had recorded current liabilities of $8.5 million and $6.8 million, respectively, and long-term liabilities of $14.8 million and $13.7 million, respectively, on its Consolidated Balance Sheets for PEO workers’ compensation costs. Estimating the ultimate cost of future claims is an uncertain and complex process based upon historical loss experience and actuarial loss projections, and is subject to change due to multiple factors, including economic trends, changes in legal liability law, and damage awards, all of which could materially impact the reserves as reported in the consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, final claim settlements may vary from the present estimates, particularly when those payments may not occur until well into the future. The Company regularly reviews the adequacy of its estimated workers' compensation insurance reserves. Adjustments to previously established reserves are reflected in the results of operations for the period in which the adjustment is identified. Such adjustments could be significant, reflecting any combination of new and adverse or favorable trends.
Stock-based compensation costs | Stock-based compensation costs: The Company has issued stock-based awards to employees and directors consisting of stock options, restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, performance shares, and performance stock options. The Company accounts for all stock-based awards to employees and directors as compensation costs in the consolidated financial statements based on the fair value measured as of the date of grant. These costs are recognized over the requisite service period. Stock-based compensation costs recognized were $7.1 million and $21.7 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended February 28, 2014, as compared with $5.4 million and $16.9 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended February 28, 2013. The methods and assumptions used in the determination of the fair value of stock-based awards are consistent with those described in the Company’s fiscal 2013 Form 10-K.
Reclassifications | Reclassifications: Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation and had no effect on reported consolidated earnings.
New accounting pronouncements | Recently adopted accounting pronouncements: Effective June 1, 2013, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2013-02, "Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income," issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). This authoritative guidance requires the reporting of the effect of significant reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income on the respective line items in net income. There are no changes to the components that are recognized in net income or other comprehensive income. Adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements. Effective June 1, 2013, the Company adopted ASU 2012-02, "Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment." This updated guidance allows companies the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more-likely-than-not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset might be impaired and whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test. The Company currently does not have any indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill, so adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. Recently issued accounting pronouncements: In January 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-01, "Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects." This ASU permits a company to make an accounting policy election to account for investments in qualified affordable housing projects under a new proportional amortization method. If such an election is not made, the ASU requires use of the equity or cost method for investments. The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2014, with early adoption permitted. The Company currently accounts for its investments in qualified affordable housing projects using the equity method for investments and does not anticipate that this ASU will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists." This ASU provides explicit guidance regarding the presentation in the statement of financial position of an unrecognized tax benefit when net operating losses or tax credit carryforwards exist. It is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013, with early adoption permitted, and is applicable to the Company's fiscal year beginning June 1, 2014. The Company does not anticipate that the adoption of this guidance will have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. Other recent authoritative guidance issued by the FASB (including technical corrections to the Accounting Standards Codification), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Securities and Exchange Commission did not, or are not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for estimating its liability as of the balance sheet date for the ultimate cost of settling reported and unreported claims incurred and claims adjustment expenses (including effects of inflation and other societal and economic factors). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph b -Article 7 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.13(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2560295 + Details
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