Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2022
Loss Contingency [Abstract]
Contingencies	(9) 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. Derivative Lawsuit Related to New York Cigarette Litigation. On October 3, 2019, FedEx and certain present and former FedEx directors and officers were named as defendants in a stockholder derivative lawsuit filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The complaint alleged the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the activities alleged in lawsuits filed by the City of New York and the State of New York against FedEx Ground in December 2013 and November 2014 and against FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight in July 2017. The underlying lawsuits related to the alleged shipment of cigarettes to New York residents in contravention of several statutes, as well as common law nuisance claims, and were dismissed by the court in December 2018 following entry into a final settlement agreement for approximately $35 million. The settlement did not include any admission of liability by FedEx Ground or FedEx Freight. In addition to the settlement amount, we recognized approximately $10 million for certain attorney’s fees in connection with the underlying lawsuits. On June 28, 2021, the stockholder derivative lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice. The dismissal was appealed on July 28, 2021. On February 25, 2022, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal, and the matter is now concluded. 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 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.

Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2022

(9) 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.

Derivative Lawsuit Related to New York Cigarette Litigation. On October 3, 2019, FedEx and certain present and former FedEx directors and officers were named as defendants in a stockholder derivative lawsuit filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The complaint alleged the defendants breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the activities alleged in lawsuits filed by the City of New York and the State of New York against FedEx Ground in December 2013 and November 2014 and against FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight in July 2017. The underlying lawsuits related to the alleged shipment of cigarettes to New York residents in contravention of several statutes, as well as common law nuisance claims, and were dismissed by the court in December 2018 following entry into a final settlement agreement for approximately $35 million. The settlement did not include any admission of liability by FedEx Ground or FedEx Freight. In addition to the settlement amount, we recognized approximately $10 million for certain attorney’s fees in connection with the underlying lawsuits. On June 28, 2021, the stockholder derivative lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice. The dismissal was appealed on July 28, 2021. On February 25, 2022, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal, and the matter is now concluded.

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 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.