Contingencies and Litigation

Legal Matters

As more fully discussed below, we are involved in a variety of claims, lawsuits, investigations and proceedings concerning securities law, intellectual property law, environmental law, employment law and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). We determine whether an estimated loss from a contingency should be accrued by assessing whether a loss is deemed probable and can be reasonably estimated. We assess our potential liability by analyzing our litigation and regulatory matters using available information. We develop our views on estimated losses in consultation with outside counsel handling our defense in these matters, which involves an analysis of potential results, assuming a combination of litigation and settlement strategies. Should developments in any of these matters cause a change in our determination as to an unfavorable outcome and result in the need to recognize a material accrual, or should any of these matters result in a final adverse judgment or be settled for significant amounts, they could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial position in the period or periods in which such change in determination, judgment or settlement occurs.

Brazil Tax and Labor Contingencies

Our Brazilian operations are involved in various litigation matters and have received or been the subject of numerous governmental assessments related to indirect and other taxes, as well as disputes associated with former employees and contract labor. The tax matters, which comprise a significant portion of the total contingencies, principally relate to claims for taxes on the internal transfer of inventory, municipal service taxes on rentals, gross revenue taxes and import taxes and duties. We are disputing these tax matters and intend to vigorously defend our position. Based on the opinion of legal counsel and current reserves for those matters deemed probable of loss, we do not believe that the ultimate resolution of these matters will materially impact our results of operations, financial position or cash flows. The labor matters principally relate to claims made by former employees and contract labor for the equivalent payment of all social security and other related labor benefits, as well as consequential tax claims, as if they were regular employees.

As of March 31, 2015, the total amounts related to the unreserved portion of the tax and labor contingencies, inclusive of any related interest, amounted to approximately $699, with the decrease from December 31, 2014 balance of approximately $817 primarily related to currency partially offset by interest. With respect to the unreserved balance of $699, the majority has been assessed by management as being remote as to the likelihood of ultimately resulting in a loss to the Company. In connection with the above proceedings, customary local regulations may require us to make escrow cash deposits or post other security of up to half of the total amount in dispute. As of March 31, 2015, we had $104 of escrow cash deposits for matters we are disputing, and there are liens on certain Brazilian assets with a net book value of $15 and additional letters of credit of approximately $209, which include associated indexation. Generally, any escrowed amounts would be refundable and any liens would be removed to the extent the matters are resolved in our favor. We routinely assess all these matters as to probability of ultimately incurring a liability against our Brazilian operations and record our best estimate of the ultimate loss in situations where we assess the likelihood of an ultimate loss as probable.

Litigation Against the Company

State of Texas v. Xerox Corporation, Xerox State Healthcare, LLC, and ACS State Healthcare, LLC, a Xerox Corporation: On May 9, 2014, the State of Texas, via the Texas Office of Attorney General (the “State”), filed a lawsuit in the 53rd Judicial District Court of Travis County, Texas. The lawsuit alleges that Xerox Corporation, Xerox State Healthcare, LLC and ACS State Healthcare (collectively “Xerox” or the "Company”) violated the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act in the administration of its contract with the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (“HHSC”). The State alleges that the Company made false representations of material facts regarding the processes, procedures, implementation and results regarding the prior authorization of orthodontic claims. The State seeks recovery of actual damages, two times the amount of any overpayments made as a result of unlawful acts, civil penalties, pre- and post-judgment interest and all costs and attorneys’ fees. The State references the amount in controversy as exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars. Xerox filed its Answer in June, 2014 denying all allegations. Xerox will continue to vigorously defend itself in this matter. We do not believe it is probable that we will incur a material loss in excess of the amount accrued for this matter. In the course of litigation, we periodically engage in discussions with plaintiff’s counsel for possible resolution of the matter. Should developments cause a change in our determination as to an unfavorable outcome, or result in a final adverse judgment or settlement for a significant amount, there could be a material adverse effect on our results of operations, cash flows and financial position in the period in which such change in determination, judgment or settlement occurs.

Other Contingencies

We have issued or provided the following guarantees as of March 31, 2015:


•	$412 for letters of credit issued to (i) guarantee our performance under certain services contracts; (ii) support certain insurance programs; and (iii) support our obligations related to the Brazil tax and labor contingencies.


•	$688 for outstanding surety bonds. Certain contracts, primarily those involving public sector customers, require us to provide a surety bond as a guarantee of our performance of contractual obligations.

In general, we would only be liable for the amount of these guarantees in the event of default in our performance of our obligations under each contract; the probability of which we believe is remote. We believe that our capacity in the surety markets as well as under various credit arrangements (including our Credit Facility) is sufficient to allow us to respond to future requests for proposals that require such credit support.

We have service arrangements where we service third party student loans in the Federal Family Education Loan program (FFEL) on behalf of various financial institutions. We service these loans for investors under outsourcing arrangements and do not acquire any servicing rights that are transferable by us to a third party. At March 31, 2015, we serviced a FFEL portfolio of approximately 2.6 million loans with an outstanding principal balance of approximately $38.1 billion. Some servicing agreements contain provisions that, under certain circumstances, require us to purchase the loans from the investor if the loan guaranty has been permanently terminated as a result of a loan default caused by our servicing error. If defaults caused by us are cured during an initial period, any obligation we may have to purchase these loans expires. Loans that we purchase may be subsequently cured, the guaranty reinstated and the loans repackaged for sale to third parties. We evaluate our exposure under our purchase obligations on defaulted loans and establish a reserve for potential losses, or default liability reserve, through a charge to the provision for loss on defaulted loans purchased. The reserve is evaluated periodically and adjusted based upon management’s analysis of the historical performance of the defaulted loans. As of March 31, 2015, other current liabilities included reserves of approximately $3 for losses on defaulted loans purchased. In addition to potential purchase obligations arising from servicing errors, various laws and regulations applicable to student loan borrowers could give rise to fines, penalties and other liabilities associated with loan servicing errors.