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INCOME TAXES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Tax Disclosure
INCOME TAXES
Under ASC 270, “Interim Reporting”, and ASC 740-270, “Income Taxes – Intra Tax Allocation”, the Company is required to adjust its effective tax rate for each quarter to be consistent with the estimated annual effective tax rate. Jurisdictions with a projected loss for the full year where no tax benefit can be recognized are excluded from the calculation of the estimated annual effective tax rate. Applying the provisions of ASC 270 and ASC 740-270 could result in a higher or lower effective tax rate during a particular quarter, based upon the mix and timing of actual earnings versus annual projections.
Effective Tax Rate
The benefit from income taxes for the six months ended June 30, 2012 was $4,765 on a pre-tax loss of $7,591, compared with a provision for income taxes of $2,175 on pre-tax income of $6,393 for the same period in 2011. The Company’s effective income tax rate was 62.8% and 34.0% for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The change in the effective tax rate was primarily attributable to the Company's reduction of reserves of approximately $3,000 for uncertain tax positions in connection with the settlement of an appeal with the State of Pennsylvania, partially offset by the inability to benefit from losses in certain foreign jurisdictions in 2012.
Uncertain Tax Positions 
As of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company had $4,581 and $7,807, respectively, of unrecognized tax benefits, including interest and penalties, which if recognized in the future, would lower the Company’s annual effective income tax rate. Accrued interest and penalties were $710 and $1,644 as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. Estimated interest and penalties are classified as part of the provision for income taxes in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and totaled to a benefit of $938 and $103 for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
In many cases, the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits are related to tax years that remain subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities. Tax years with net operating losses remain open until the losses expire or the statutes of limitations for those years when the losses are used expire. The open tax years are 2008 through 2011 for the U.S. Federal and 2005 through 2011 for most state and local jurisdictions, 2010 through 2011 for the U.K., 2007 through 2011 for Australia and 2006 through 2011 for most other jurisdictions. The Company is currently under income tax examination in the State of Illinois (2008-2009) and New Zealand (2009). The Company believes that its tax reserves are adequate for all years subject to examination.
Based on information available as of June 30, 2012, it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits could decrease in a range of $500 to $1,100 within 12 months as a result of projected resolutions of global tax examinations and controversies and potential lapses of the applicable statutes of limitations.