12. Commitments and contingencies

Litigation

The Company is involved in various legal proceedings, including the matters described below, in the ordinary course of its business.

In March 2009, a state Medicaid agency asserted a claim against MAXIMUS, related to a discontinued business line, in the amount of $2.3 million in connection with a contract MAXIMUS had through February 1, 2009 to provide Medicaid administrative claiming services to school districts in the state. MAXIMUS entered into separate agreements with the school districts under which MAXIMUS helped the districts prepare and submit claims to the state Medicaid agency which, in turn, submitted claims for reimbursement to the federal government. No legal action has been initiated. The state has asserted that its agreement with MAXIMUS requires the Company to reimburse the state for the amounts owed to the federal government. However, the Company’s agreements with the school districts require them to reimburse MAXIMUS for such payments and therefore MAXIMUS believes the school districts are responsible for any amounts disallowed by the state Medicaid agency or the federal government. Accordingly, the Company believes its exposure in this matter is limited to its fees associated with this work and that the school districts will be responsible for the remainder. MAXIMUS has exited the federal healthcare claiming business and no longer provides the services at issue in this matter.

In 2008 MAXIMUS sold the SchoolMAX student information system business line as part of the divestiture of the MAXIMUS Education Systems division. In 2011, a school district which was a SchoolMAX client initiated the dispute resolution process under their contract. The client raised a number of issues pertaining to services and products delivered under the contract. The parties participated in various mediation sessions during 2011, but they did not reach a resolution. In April 2012, the client filed a formal arbitration notice alleging that MAXIMUS and the buyer failed to (i) use best practices in developing the software and (ii) deliver and test product releases as required by the contract. The client contends that those failures resulted in damages of at least $10 million. MAXIMUS and the buyer are contesting the client’s claims. We cannot at this time reasonably estimate the possible loss that could be incurred if the plaintiff were to prevail but we believe that we have substantial defenses. In addition, we believe that we are entitled to indemnification from the buyer of the business for the claims asserted in the arbitration notice. Recently, the client has asserted that MAXIMUS defrauded the client in 2007 or 2008 by misrepresenting its intentions regarding the sale of the Education Systems division. That allegation is not part of the arbitration, and no formal claim or lawsuit has been filed. The company believes it has a number of defenses to that allegation and would contest it vigorously.

Flexible New Deal contract liabilities and contingent gains

In August 2009, the Company commenced work for the United Kingdom government as a provider of services under the “Flexible New Deal,” a welfare-to-work initiative. The work was performed in the Company’s Human Services Segment. This initiative was terminated for all contract providers during the 2011 fiscal year and replaced with the “Work Programme,” under which MAXIMUS also performs services. As a consequence of the termination of the Flexible New Deal, MAXIMUS incurred certain costs related to the termination of leases, including property leases for offices which are no longer occupied by the Company but for which the Company then retained responsibility for future lease payments. For properties which were exited, the Company recognized a liability for future lease rentals, service charges and property taxes for which it was liable, offset by anticipated future sublease rentals. The Company initially recorded a reserve of $0.5 million at September 30, 2011 to cover these liabilities, which reserve has been fully utilized at September 30, 2012.

As part of the Flexible New Deal contract, MAXIMUS was entitled to reimbursement for costs incurred as a consequence of early termination, as well as a contract settlement for payments the Company would have received for realizing certain long-term goals under the contract. During the year ended September 30, 2012, MAXIMUS received a payment of $2.7 million for revenue foregone and $1.7 million of cost recoveries, net of subcontractor expenses.

Contracts

During the year ended September 30, 2012, the Company recorded a gain of $6.8 million on a fixed price contract owing to changes in our estimate to complete the work and the execution of a change order. During the year ended September 30, 2011, the Company recorded a charge of $7.3 million on the same contract. The Company has no further liabilities relating to anticipated losses on this contract.

During the year ended September 30, 2012, the Company signed an amendment on a significant Health Services contract. As a consequence, the Company recognized additional revenue in the period of $10.2 million.

Employment agreements

The Company has an employment agreement with its chief executive officer with a term ending in fiscal 2014.

Collective bargaining agreements

Approximately 15% of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements or similar arrangements. These agreements are typically renewed annually.