Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations.    Robert Half International Inc. (the “Company”) provides specialized staffing and risk consulting services through such divisions as Accountemps^®, Robert Half^® Finance & Accounting, OfficeTeam^®, Robert Half^® Technology, Robert Half^® Management Resources, Robert Half^® Legal, The Creative Group^®, and Protiviti^®. The Company, through its Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, and Robert Half Management Resources divisions, is a specialized provider of temporary, full-time, and project professionals in the fields of accounting and finance. OfficeTeam specializes in highly skilled temporary administrative support personnel. Robert Half Technology provides information technology professionals. Robert Half Legal provides temporary, project, and full-time staffing of attorneys and specialized support personnel within law firms and corporate legal departments. The Creative Group provides project staffing in the advertising, marketing, and web design fields. Protiviti provides business consulting and internal audit services, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Revenues are predominantly derived from specialized staffing services. The Company operates in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The Company is a Delaware corporation.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation.    The Consolidated Financial Statements (“Financial Statements”) of the Company are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation.    The Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly-owned. All intercompany balances have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. As of December 31, 2013, such estimates included allowances for uncollectible accounts receivable, workers’ compensation losses and income and other taxes. Management estimates are also utilized in the Company’s goodwill impairment assessment and in the valuation of stock grants subject to market conditions.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition.    The Company derives its revenues from three segments: temporary and consultant staffing, permanent placement staffing, and risk consulting and internal audit services. Net service revenues as presented on the Consolidated Statements of Operations represent services rendered to customers less sales adjustments and allowances. Reimbursements, including those related to travel and out-of-pocket expenses, are also included in net service revenues, and equivalent amounts of reimbursable expenses are included in direct costs of services. The Company records revenue on a gross basis as a principal versus on a net basis as an agent in the presentation of revenues and expenses. The Company has concluded that gross reporting is appropriate because the Company (i) has the risk of identifying and hiring qualified employees, (ii) has the discretion to select the employees and establish their price and duties and (iii) bears the risk for services that are not fully paid for by customers.

Temporary and consultant staffing revenues—Temporary and consultant staffing revenues are recognized when the services are rendered by the Company’s temporary employees. Employees placed on temporary assignment by the Company are the Company’s legal employees while they are working on assignments. The Company pays all related costs of employment, including workers’ compensation insurance, state and federal unemployment taxes, social security and certain fringe benefits. The Company assumes the risk of acceptability of its employees to its customers.

Permanent placement staffing revenues—Permanent placement staffing revenues are recognized when employment candidates accept offers of permanent employment. The Company has a substantial history of estimating the effect of permanent placement candidates who do not remain with its clients through the 90-day guarantee period. Allowances are established to estimate these losses. Fees to clients are generally calculated as a percentage of the new employee’s annual compensation. No fees for permanent placement services are charged to employment candidates.

Risk consulting and internal audit revenues—Risk consulting and internal audit services are generally provided on a time-and-material basis or fixed-fee basis. Revenues earned under time-and-material arrangements are recognized as services are provided. Revenues on fixed-fee arrangements are recognized using a proportional performance method as hours are incurred relative to total estimated hours for the engagement. The Company periodically evaluates the need to provide for any losses on these projects, and losses are recognized when it is probable that a loss will be incurred.

Costs of Services

Costs of Services.    Direct costs of temporary and consultant staffing services consist of payroll, payroll taxes and insurance costs for the Company’s temporary employees, as well as reimbursable expenses. Direct costs of permanent placement staffing services consist of reimbursable expenses. Risk consulting and internal audit costs of services include professional staff payroll, payroll taxes and insurance costs, as well as reimbursable expenses.

Advertising Costs

Advertising Costs.    The Company expenses all advertising costs as incurred. Advertising costs for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, are reflected in the following table (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2013		2012		2011
Advertising Costs	$	38,845	$	42,256	$	42,728

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive Income.    Comprehensive income includes net income and certain other items that are recorded directly to Stockholders’ Equity. The Company’s only source of other comprehensive income is foreign currency translation adjustments.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments.    The Company does not have any financial instruments which require re-measurement to fair value. The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses represent fair value based upon their short-term nature.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents.    The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity at the date of purchase of three months or less as cash equivalents.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets.    Goodwill and intangible assets primarily consist of the cost of acquired companies in excess of the fair market value of their net tangible assets at the date of acquisition. Identifiable intangible assets are amortized over their lives, typically ranging from two to five years. Goodwill is not amortized, but is tested at least annually for impairment. The Company completed its annual goodwill impairment analysis as of June 30 in each of the three years ended December 31, 2013, and determined that no adjustment to the carrying value of goodwill was required. There were no events or changes in circumstances during the six months ended December 31, 2013 that caused the Company to perform an interim impairment assessment.

Income Tax Assets and Liabilities

Income Tax Assets and Liabilities.    In establishing its deferred income tax assets and liabilities, the Company makes judgments and interpretations based on the enacted tax laws and published tax guidance that are applicable to its operations. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured and recorded using current enacted tax rates, which the Company expects will apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are recovered or settled. The likelihood of a material change in the Company’s expected realization of these assets is dependent on future taxable income, its ability to use foreign tax credit carryforwards and carrybacks, final U.S. and foreign tax settlements, and the effectiveness of its tax planning strategies in the various relevant jurisdictions.

The Company also evaluates the need for valuation allowances to reduce the deferred tax assets to realizable amounts. Management evaluates all positive and negative evidence and uses judgment regarding past and future events, including operating results, to help determine when it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the deferred tax assets may not be realized. When appropriate, a valuation allowance is recorded against deferred tax assets to offset future tax benefits that may not be realized. Valuation allowances of $37.0 million and $39.3 million were recorded as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The valuation allowances recorded related primarily to net operating losses in certain foreign operations. If such losses are ultimately utilized to offset future operating income, the Company will recognize a tax benefit up to the full amount of the valuation reserve.

Workers' Compensation

Workers’ Compensation.    Except for states which require participation in state-operated insurance funds, the Company retains the economic burden for the first $0.5 million per occurrence in workers’ compensation claims. Workers’ compensation includes ongoing healthcare and indemnity coverage for claims and may be paid over numerous years following the date of injury. Claims in excess of $0.5 million are insured. Workers’ compensation expense includes the insurance premiums for claims in excess of $0.5 million, claims administration fees charged by the Company’s workers’ compensation administrator, premiums paid to state- operated insurance funds, and an estimate for the Company’s liability for Incurred But Not Reported (“IBNR”) claims and for the ongoing development of existing claims.

The reserves for IBNR claims and for the ongoing development of existing claims in each reporting period includes estimates. The Company has established reserves for workers’ compensation claims using loss development rates which are estimated using periodic third party actuarial valuations based upon historical loss statistics which include the Company’s historical frequency and severity of workers’ compensation claims, and an estimate of future cost trends. While management believes that its assumptions and estimates are appropriate, significant differences in actual experience or significant changes in assumptions may materially affect the Company’s future results.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation.    The results of operations of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated at the monthly average exchange rates prevailing during the period. The financial position of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is translated at the current exchange rates at the end of the period, and the related translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income within Stockholders’ Equity. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, and have not been material for all periods presented.

Stock-based Compensation

Stock-based Compensation.    Under various stock plans, officers, employees and outside directors have received or may receive grants of restricted stock, stock units, stock appreciation rights or options to purchase common stock.

The Company recognizes compensation expense equal to the grant-date fair value for all stock-based payment awards that are expected to vest. This expense is recorded on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the entire award, unless the awards are subject to performance conditions, in which case the Company recognizes compensation expense over the requisite service period of each separate vesting tranche. The Company determines the grant-date fair value of its restricted stock and stock unit awards using the fair market value of its stock on the grant date, unless the awards are subject to market conditions, in which case the Company utilizes a binomial-lattice model (i.e., Monte Carlo simulation model). The Monte Carlo simulation model utilizes multiple input variables to determine the stock-based compensation expense.

No stock appreciation rights have been granted under the Company’s existing stock plans.

The Company determines the fair value of options to purchase common stock using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The Company recognizes expense over the service period for options that are expected to vest and records adjustments to compensation expense at the end of the service period if actual forfeitures differ from original estimates. The Company has not granted any options to purchase common stock since 2006.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment.    Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation expense is computed using the straight-line method over the following useful lives:

Computer hardware	2 to 3 years
Computer software	2 to 5 years
Furniture and equipment	5 years
Leasehold improvements	Term of lease, 5 years maximum

Internal-use Software

Internal-use Software.    The Company capitalizes direct costs incurred in the development of internal-use software. Amounts capitalized are reported as a component of computer software within property and equipment. Internal-use software development costs capitalized for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, are reflected in the following table (in thousands):

	Years Ended December 31,
	2013		2012		2011
Internal-use software development costs	$	13,027	$	19,083	$	18,133

New Accounting Pronouncements

Balance Sheet Disclosures.    In December 2011, the Financial Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative guidance in regards to the presentation of netting assets and liabilities related to financial and derivative instruments as a single amount in the statement of financial position to address the difference between GAAP and international financial reporting standards (“IFRS”). This authoritative guidance is to be applied for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. The adoption of this guidance as of March 31, 2013, did not have an impact on the Company’s Financial Statements.

Comprehensive Income.    In March 2013, the FASB issued authoritative guidance in regards to comprehensive income and reporting amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income to improve the transparency of reporting these reclassifications. Other comprehensive income which included gains and losses that are initially excluded from net income for an accounting period would need to be presented either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes. This authoritative guidance is to be applied for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The adoption of this guidance as of March 31, 2013, did not have an impact on the Company’s Financial Statements.

Income Taxes.    In September 2013, the FASB issued authoritative guidance in regards to the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The amendment states that an unrecognized tax benefit or a portion of the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. This authoritative guidance is to be applied for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its Financial Statements.