7.	INCOME TAXES

Effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“TCJA”) was signed into U.S. law. Among other things, the TCJA reduces the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% beginning in 2018 and requires companies to pay a one-time transition tax on previously unremitted earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred. ASC Topic 740, Accounting for Income Taxes, requires companies to recognize the effect of tax law changes in the period of enactment even though the effective date for most provisions is for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.

Given the significance of the legislation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”), which allows registrants to record provisional amounts during a one year “measurement period” similar to that used when accounting for business combinations. However, the measurement period is deemed to have ended earlier when the registrant has obtained, prepared, and analyzed the information necessary to finalize its accounting. During the measurement period, impacts of the law are expected to be recorded at the time a reasonable estimate for all or a portion of the effects can be made, and provisional amounts can be recognized and adjusted as information becomes available, prepared, or analyzed.

Our accounting for certain elements of the TCJA was incomplete as of December 31, 2017 and remains incomplete as of March 31, 2018. However, we were able to make reasonable estimates of the effects and therefore, recorded provisional estimates for these items.

During early 2018, the Internal Revenue Service issued additional guidance affecting the computation of our 2017 federal income tax liability. As a result of this and additional analysis, we revised our prior estimates and recorded $0.2 million of additional tax benefits. The ultimate impact of the TCJA may differ from current estimates, and such differences could be material, due to changes in interpretations or assumptions.

While the TCJA provides for a territorial tax system, beginning in 2018, it includes the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) provision. We elected to account for GILTI tax in the period in which it is incurred. The GILTI provisions require entities to include in its U.S. income tax return foreign subsidiary earnings in excess of an allowable return on the foreign subsidiary’s tangible assets.

For the three months ended March 31, 2018, our effective tax rate increased by approximately 10% as a result of the GILTI provisions due to our utilization of U.S. federal tax loss carryforward, which restricts our ability to recognize the associated foreign tax credits and a deduction of up to 50% of the GILTI income. Since we are using U.S. federal tax loss carryforwards, there is no impact to cash taxes related to the GILTI provisions.

Income taxes are recognized for the amount of taxes payable or refundable for the current year and deferred tax liabilities and assets for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in our consolidated financial statements or tax returns. The effects of income taxes are measured based on enacted tax laws and rates.

As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, we had $27.8 million and $26.9 million of gross unrecognized tax benefits. As of March 31, 2018, if such benefits were to be recognized, approximately $17.6 million would be recorded as a component of income tax expense, thereby affecting our effective tax rate.

We, or one of our subsidiaries, file income tax returns with the United States Internal Revenue Service, as well as various state and foreign authorities.

The following table summarizes, by major jurisdiction, tax years that remain subject to examination:

	Open Tax Years
Jurisdiction	Examinations not yet initiated	Examination in progress
United States
Federal	2014 - 2017	N/A
State	2013 - 2017	2014 – 2016
Canada⁽¹⁾	2010-2013; 2017	2014 – 2016
Germany⁽¹⁾	2016 - 2017	2011 – 2015
France	2015 - 2017	2012
United Kingdom	2016 - 2017	N/A
Philippines	2015, 2017	2016

(1)	includes provincial or similar local jurisdictions, as applicable

The amount of income taxes we pay is subject to ongoing audits by federal, state and foreign tax authorities, which often result in proposed assessments. Management performs a comprehensive review of its global tax positions on a quarterly basis and accrues amounts for uncertain tax positions. Based on these reviews and the result of discussions and resolutions of matters with certain tax authorities and the closure of tax years subject to tax audit, reserves are adjusted as necessary. However, future results may include favorable or unfavorable adjustments to our estimated tax liabilities in the period the assessments are determined or resolved or as such statutes are closed. Due to potential for resolution of federal, state and foreign examinations, and the lapse of various statutes of limitation, it is reasonably possible our gross unrecognized tax benefits balance may decrease within the next twelve months by a range of zero to $4.9 million. Substantially all of this range relates to tax positions taken in Germany and the U.S.

We recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as income tax expense. The following table summarizes information related to interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions:

	Three months ended March 31
In millions	2018		2017
Interest expense (income)	$	0.1	$	0.1
Penalties		—		—

	March 31		December 31
	2018		2017
Accrued interest payable	$	0.9	$	0.8