Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

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 senior-level project professionals in the fields of accounting and finance. OfficeTeam specializes in highly skilled temporary administrative support professionals. Robert Half Technology provides project and full-time technology professionals. Robert Half Legal provides temporary, project, and full-time staffing of lawyers, paralegals and legal support personnel. The Creative Group provides interactive, design, marketing, advertising and public relations professionals. Protiviti is a global consulting firm that helps companies solve problems in finance, technology, operations, governance, risk and internal audit, 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 unaudited Condensed 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”). The comparative year-end condensed consolidated statement of financial position data presented was derived from audited financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations for the periods presented have been included. These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2015, included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of, nor comparable to, the results of operations for a full year.

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 March 31, 2016, 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.

Advertising Costs

Advertising Costs. The Company expenses all advertising costs as incurred.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Customer's Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement.  In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued authoritative guidance designed to assist customers in their determination of whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. The guidance will not change GAAP for a customer’s accounting for service contracts. This guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2016. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

Business Combinations. In September 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance that eliminates the requirement to restate prior period financial statements for measurement period adjustments following a business combination. The new guidance requires that an acquirer record in the same period’s financial statements the effects of the cumulative impact of adjustments including the impact on prior periods. The prior period impact of the adjustments should be presented separately on the face of the income statement or disclosed in the notes. The new guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2016. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In May 2014, the FASB issued authoritative guidance that provides companies

with a single model for use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes current revenue

recognition guidance, including industry-specific revenue guidance. The new guidance requires a company to recognize

revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive

in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty

of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and

assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In August 2015, the FASB issued a decision to delay the

effective date by one year. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017.

Public entities are not permitted to adopt the standard earlier than the original effective date (that is, no earlier than 2017 for

calendar year-end entities). The guidance permits companies to either apply the requirements retrospectively to all prior periods

presented, or apply the requirements in the year of adoption, through a cumulative adjustment. The Company is in the process

of evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its Financial Statements.

Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. In November 2015, the FASB issued authoritative guidance which changes how deferred taxes are classified on a company's balance sheet. The new guidance eliminates the current requirement for companies to present deferred tax liabilities and assets as current and noncurrent in a classified balance sheet. Instead, companies will be required to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The guidance may be applied either prospectively, for all deferred tax assets and liabilities, or retrospectively (i.e., by reclassifying the comparative balance sheet). If applied prospectively, entities are required to include a statement that prior periods were not retrospectively adjusted. If applied retrospectively, entities are also required to include quantitative information about the effects of the change on prior periods. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this guidance on its Financial Statements.

Lease Accounting. In February 2016, the FASB issued authoritative guidance which changes financial reporting as it relates to leasing transactions. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a lease liability, measured on a discounted basis; and a right-of-use asset, for the lease term. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early application is permitted for all entities upon issuance. Lessees and lessors must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its Financial Statements.

Stock Compensation. In March 2016, the FASB issued authoritative guidance which changes financial reporting as it relates to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. Under the new guidance, several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions will be simplified, including: a) income tax consequences; b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities; and c) classification on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is permitted for any organization in any interim or annual period. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its Financial Statements.

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is involved in a number of other lawsuits arising in the ordinary course of business. While management does not expect any of these other matters to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows, litigation is subject to certain inherent uncertainties.

Legal costs associated with the resolution of claims, lawsuits and other contingencies are expensed as incurred.

Treasury Stock

The repurchased shares are held in treasury and are presented as if constructively retired. Treasury stock is accounted for using the cost method. Repurchase activity for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, is presented in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity.

Repurchases of shares and issuances of cash dividends are applied first to the extent of retained earnings and any remaining amounts are applied to capital surplus.