Litigation and contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Litigation and contingencies

Litigation and contingencies

There are various lawsuits, claims, investigations and proceedings that have been brought or asserted against the company, which arise in the ordinary course of business, including actions with respect to commercial and government contracts, labor and employment, employee benefits, environmental matters, intellectual property, and non-income tax matters. The company records a provision for these matters when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Any provisions are reviewed at least quarterly and are adjusted to reflect the impact and status of settlements, rulings, advice of counsel and other information and events pertinent to a particular matter.

The company believes that it has valid defenses with respect to legal matters pending against it. Based on its experience, the company also believes that the damage amounts claimed in the lawsuits disclosed below are not a meaningful indicator of the company’s potential liability. Litigation is inherently unpredictable, however, and it is possible that the company’s results of operations or cash flows could be materially affected in any particular period by the resolution of one or more of the legal matters pending against it.

In April 2007, the Ministry of Justice of Belgium sued Unisys Belgium SA-NV, a Unisys subsidiary (Unisys Belgium), in the Court of First Instance of Brussels. The Belgian government had engaged the company to design and develop software for a computerized system to be used to manage the Belgian court system. The Belgian State terminated the contract and in its lawsuit has alleged that the termination was justified because Unisys Belgium failed to deliver satisfactory software in a timely manner. It claims damages of approximately €28.0 million. Unisys Belgium filed its defense and counterclaim in April 2008, in the amount of approximately €18.5 million. The company believes it has valid defenses to the claims and contends that the Belgian State’s termination of the contract was unjustified.

The company’s Brazilian operations, along with those of many other companies doing business in Brazil, are involved in various litigation matters, including numerous governmental assessments related to indirect and other taxes, as well as disputes associated with former employees and contract labor. The tax-related matters pertain to value-added taxes, customs, duties, sales and other non-income-related tax exposures. The labor-related matters include claims related to compensation. The company believes that appropriate accruals have been established for such matters based on information currently available. At December 31, 2019, excluding those matters that have been assessed by management as being remote as to the likelihood of ultimately resulting in a loss, the amount related to unreserved tax-related matters, inclusive of any related interest, is estimated to be up to approximately $103 million.

On June 26, 2014, the State of Louisiana filed a Petition for Damages against, among other defendants, the company and Molina Information Systems, LLC, in the Parish of East Baton Rouge, 19th Judicial District. The State alleged that between 1989 and 2012 the defendants, each acting successively as the State’s Medicaid fiscal intermediary, utilized an incorrect reimbursement formula for the payment of pharmaceutical claims causing the State to pay excessive amounts for prescription drugs. The State contends overpayments of approximately $100 million for the period 1995 through 2012. The company believes that it has valid defenses to Louisiana’s claims and is asserting them in the pending litigation.

With respect to the specific legal proceedings and claims described above, except as otherwise noted, either (i) the amount or range of possible losses in excess of amounts accrued, if any, is not reasonably estimable or (ii) the company believes that the amount or range of possible losses in excess of amounts accrued that are estimable would not be material.

Litigation is inherently unpredictable and unfavorable resolutions could occur. Accordingly, it is possible that an adverse outcome from such matters could exceed the amounts accrued in an amount that could be material to the company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows in any particular reporting period.

Notwithstanding that the ultimate results of the lawsuits, claims, investigations and proceedings that have been brought or asserted against the company are not currently determinable, the company believes that at December 31, 2019, it has adequate provisions for any such matters.