Income Taxes - (Notes)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES

Our effective income tax rate was 25% and 24% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The increase was primarily from a decrease in excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, there was a de minimis change in our unrecognized tax benefits. The total amount of gross interest and penalties accrued was immaterial. It is reasonably possible the amount of the unrecognized benefit could increase or decrease within the next twelve months for which an estimate of the impact on net income cannot be made.

We are subject to tax in U.S. federal and various state and local jurisdictions, as well as Canada. We are open to federal and significant state income tax examinations for tax years 2015 and subsequent years.

We previously paid Notices of Proposed Assessments disallowing employment tax credits totaling $11 million, plus interest of $4 million in connection with the IRS examination of Gevity HR, Inc. and its subsidiaries, which was acquired by TriNet in June 2009. TriNet filed suit in June 2016 to recover the disallowed credits, and the issue is being resolved through the litigation process. TriNet and the U.S. filed cross motions for summary judgment in federal district court. On September 17, 2018, the district court granted our motion for summary judgment and denied the U.S.'s motion. On January 18, 2019, the district court entered judgment in favor of TriNet in the amount of $15 million, plus interest. The U.S. filed a notice of appeal of the federal district court's decision on March 18, 2019. The U.S. filed its opening brief in the court of appeals on June 10, 2019 and we filed our answering brief on July 24, 2019 to which the government filed its reply brief on September 6, 2019. Oral arguments occurred on March 11, 2020. We will continue to vigorously defend our position through the litigation process. Given the uncertainty of the outcome of any appeal, it remains possible that our recovery of the refund will be less than the total amount in dispute.