Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

Income tax (benefit) expense was $(1.8) million, or an effective income tax rate of 48.8%, for the six months ended June 30, 2020 compared to $1.4 million, or an effective income tax rate of 28.9%, for the six months ended June 30, 2019. The decrease in income tax expense was primarily due to changes in the jurisdictional mix of earnings and the tax effects of a decrease in pre-tax earnings. Income tax expense for the interim quarterly periods is based on an estimated annual effective tax rate which includes the U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S. statutory rates, permanent differences, and other items that may have an impact on income tax expense.

On March 27, 2020, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to provide certain relief as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act, among other things, includes various income and payroll tax provisions, as well as provisions relating to net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, and modification to the net interest deduction limits. The CARES Act resulted in the recognition of a tax benefit of $0.2 million on our condensed consolidated financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2020 related to carrying back losses to prior years. Tax payment deferrals provided for under the Cares Act resulted in liabilities for deferred payroll tax payments and other deferred tax payments under other government relief programs in different regions of the world where we operate, totaled $12.3 million as of June 30, 2020, of which approximately $9.7 million is included in accounts payable and accrued expenses and $2.6 million is in other noncurrent liabilities. We continue to monitor any effects that may result from the CARES Act.

An uncertain tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return is recognized in the financial statements when it is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than fifty percent) that the position would be sustained upon examination by tax authorities that have full knowledge of all relevant information. A recognized tax position is then measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Interest and penalties related to income taxes are accounted for as income tax expense. As of June 30, 2020, we had no uncertain tax positions reflected on our condensed consolidated balance sheet. The Company files income tax returns in U.S. federal, state and local jurisdictions, and various non-U.S. jurisdictions, and is subject to audit by tax authorities in those jurisdictions. Tax years 2016 through 2019 remain open to examination by these tax jurisdictions, and earlier years remain open to examination in certain of these jurisdictions which have longer statutes of limitations.