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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Contingencies

The Company assesses its exposure related to legal matters, including those pertaining to product liability, safety and health matters and other items that arise in the regular course of its business. If the Company determines that it is probable a loss has been incurred, the amount of the loss, or an amount within the range of loss, that can be reasonably estimated will be recorded.

Environmental Remediation

The Company accrues for losses associated with environmental remediation obligations when such losses are probable and estimable. Remediation obligations are accrued based on the latest available information and are recorded at undiscounted amounts. The Company regularly monitors the progress of environmental remediation. If studies indicate that the cost of remediation has changed from the previous estimate, an adjustment to the liability would be recorded in the period in which such determination is made. (See Note 22).

Legal Proceedings

The Company has been sued, together with the 3M Company and approximately 30 other carpet manufacturers, by the Gadsden (Alabama) Water Works in the circuit court of Etowah County Alabama [The Water Works and Sewer Board of the City of Gadsden v. 3M Company, et al, civil action No. 31-CV-2016-900676.00] and by the Town of Centre (Alabama) Water Works in the circuit court of Cherokee County Alabama [The Water Works and Sewer Board of the Town of Centre v. 3M Company, et al, civil action No. 13-CV-2017-900049.00]. Both cases seek monetary damages and injunctive relief related to the use of certain chemical compounds in the manufacture and finishing of carpet products “in and around Dalton Georgia.” On motion of the defendants, the cases were removed to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (Middle Division) Case No. 4:16-CV-01755-SGC and Case No. 4:17-CV-01026-KOB. Subsequently, the Gadsden Water Works filed a motion to have the case remanded back to the state court and such motion has been granted. Currently, the Company joined several other co-defendants in filing a Petition for Writ of Mandamus with the Alabama Supreme Court asking for an Order directing the trial court to grant the Company’s and other codefendants’ motions to dismiss the Alabama-filed actions for lack of personal jurisdiction. The Petitions have been consolidated by the Alabama Supreme Court with the Town of Centre (Alabama) matter (described above). The Petitions are still pending and there is no statutory deadline for the court to issue a decision. The lawsuits allege that perflourinated compounds (“PFC”), perflourinated acid (“PFOA”) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (“PFOS”) manufactured by 3M were used in certain finishing and treatment processes by the defendants and, as a consequence of such use, were subsequently either discharged into or leached into the water systems around Dalton, Georgia. The Complaints seek damages that exceed $10, but are otherwise unspecified in amount in addition to injunctive relief and punitive damages. The Company intends to defend the matters vigorously and is unable to estimate the potential exposure to loss, if any, at this time.

On November 16, 2018 the Superior Court of the State of California granted preliminary approval of a class action settlement in the matter of Carlos Garcia v. Fabrica International, Inc. et al Orange County Superior Court Case No. 30-2017-00949461-CU-OE-CXC. The court further approved the procedures for Settlement Class Members to opt-out of or object to the Settlement. The terms of the settlement provide that Fabrica, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, has agreed to pay $1,514 (the “Gross Settlement Amount”) to fully resolve all claims in the Lawsuit, including payments to Settlement Class Members, Class Counsel’s attorneys’ fees and expenses, settlement administration costs, and the Class Representative’s Service Award. The amount of the proposed settlement was recorded during the quarter ended June 30, 2018. The deadline for class members to opt-out was February 1, 2019. The deadline for the plaintiff to file a motion for final approval of the class action settlement was March 29, 2019. The final fairness hearing took place on April 12, 2019 with final approval being granted.
 
The Company is one of multiple parties to three current lawsuits filed in Madison County Illinois, styled Brenda Bridgeman, Individually and as Special Administrator of the Estate of Robert Bridgeman, Deceased, vs. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., f/k/a Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., et al No. 15-L-374, styled Charles Anderson, Pltf., vs. 3M Company, et al, No. 17-L-525 and styled Danny Atkins and Pamela Atkins, Pltfs., vs. Aurora Pump Company, et al. No. 18-L-2. All three lawsuits entail a claim for damages to be determined in excess of $50 filed on behalf of either a former employee or the estate of an individual which alleges that the deceased contracted mesothelioma as a result of exposure to asbestos while employed by the Company. Discovery in each matter is ongoing, and a tentative trial date has been set for one of the cases. The Company has denied liability, is defending the matters vigorously and is unable to estimate its potential exposure to loss, if any, at this time. In August of 2017, the lawsuit styled Sandra D. Watts, Individually and as Special Administrator of the Estate of Dianne Averett, Deceased vs. 4520 Corp., Inc. f/k/a Benjamin F. Shaw Company, et al No. 12-L-2032 was placed in the category of "special closed with settlements and bankruptcy claims pending" to all remaining defendants. In March 2018, the lawsuit styled Charles Anderson, Individually and as Special Administrator of the Estate of Charles Anderson, Deceased vs. 3M Company, et al, No. 17-L-525 was dismissed without prejudice. In October 2018, the lawsuit styled Danny Atkins and Pamela Atkins, Pltfs., vs. Aurora Pump Company, et al. No. 18-L-2 was dismissed without prejudice.

The Company has been sued in the matter styled: The Canyons Grand Summit Resort Hotel Owners Association, Inc. v. The Dixie Group Inc. d/b/a Masland Contract Carpet, Case No. 190500139, in the Third District Court, State of Utah, Summit County, Silver Summit Department, which was filed on March 29, 2019. This claim seeks monetary damages of $500 over carpet sold for installation in a condominium complex. The Company intends to defend the matter vigorously and is unable to estimate the potential exposure to loss, if any, at this time.

See Note 21 under the Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements for discussion of a series of workers compensation claims filed related to the closure of manufacturing facilities in California.