2.2.0.7 false Income Taxes 0211 - Disclosure - Income Taxes true false false false 1 USD false false USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 $ 2 Income Taxes [Abstract] 0 us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitAbstract us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false true false false false false false false 1 false false false false 0 0 false false false xbrli:stringItemType string No definition available. false 3 INCOME TAXES 1 us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureTextBlock us-gaap true na duration No definition available. false false false false false false false false false false false verboselabel false 1 false false false false 0 0   <div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif"> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><b>11. INCOME TAXES</b> </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">     The effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009 was 29.1% and 15.8%, respectively, and the effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009 was 28.9% and 22.5%, respectively. WESCO’s three and nine month effective tax rates are lower than the federal statutory rate of 35% primarily due to benefits resulting from the recapitalization of Canadian operations, which are partially offset by nondeductible expenses, state taxes and foreign rate differences. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 reflects discrete adjustments totaling $1.4 million related to changes in uncertain tax positions and discrete adjustments totaling $0.4 million related to prior years’ taxes. The effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 included a discrete benefit of $1.8 million related to the revaluation of deferred tax items associated with the convertible debt exchange and a discrete benefit of $0.2 million related to prior years’ taxes. </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">     The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits was $8.7 million and $8.1 million as of September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively. If these tax benefits were recognized in the consolidated financial statements, the portion of these amounts that would reduce WESCO’s effective tax rate would be $7.6 million and $7.1 million, respectively. During the next twelve months, it is reasonably possible that the amount of unrecognized tax benefits will decrease by $1.2 million due to the resolution of federal, state and foreign tax examinations. </div> <div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">     WESCO records interest related to uncertain tax positions as a part of interest expense in the consolidated statement of income. Penalties are recognized as part of income tax expense. As of September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, WESCO had an accrued liability for interest related to uncertain tax positions of $5.0 million and $4.5 million, respectively. A penalty of $0.1 million was recorded during the nine months ended September 30, 2010. </div> </div>  <!-- Begin Block Tagged Note false false false us-types:textBlockItemType textblock Description containing the entire income tax disclosure. Examples include net deferred tax liability or asset recognized in an enterprise's statement of financial position, net change during the year in the total valuation allowance, approximate tax effect of each type of temporary difference and carryforward that gives rise to a significant portion of deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets, utilization of a tax carryback, and tax uncertainties information. This element may be used as a single block of text to encapsulate the entire disclosure including data and tables. Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Article 4 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 136, 172 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 109 -Paragraph 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true