13.     COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

In the normal course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries are involved in, and will continue to be involved in, various claims, arbitrations, contractual disputes, investigations, and regulatory and litigation matters relating to, and arising out of, our businesses and our operations. These matters may involve, but are not limited to, allegations that our services or vehicles caused damage or injury, claims that our services did not achieve the desired results, claims related to acquisitions and allegations by federal, state or local authorities of violations of regulations or statutes. In addition, we are parties to employment-related cases and claims from time to time, which may include claims on a representative or class action basis alleging wage and hour law violations. We are also involved from time to time in certain environmental matters primarily arising in the normal course of business. We evaluate pending and threatened claims and establish loss contingency reserves based upon outcomes we currently believe to be probable and reasonably estimable.

As we previously disclosed, the SEC is conducting an investigation (the “SEC Investigation”). We believe the SEC Investigation is primarily focused on how the Company established accruals and reserves at period-ends for periods beginning January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018 and the impact of those accruals and reserves on reported earnings per share, specifically, in the first quarter of 2016 and the second quarter of 2017. The Company is in ongoing discussions with the SEC staff regarding a potential resolution of the SEC Investigation.  In light of the foregoing, in accordance with the accounting guidance in ASC 450, “Contingencies,” the Company recorded an accrual for $8.0 million related to the SEC Investigation in the third and fourth quarters of 2021, which is reflected in other current liabilities in our consolidated statements of financial position. The ultimate amount of any liability related to the potential resolution of the SEC Investigation could be different from the $8.0 million accrued as of December 31, 2021. The Company will continue to cooperate with the SEC in working towards a final resolution of the SEC Investigation. As we previously reported during the third quarter of 2021, the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors initiated a related, supplemental internal investigation. This supplemental investigation was concluded in the fourth quarter of 2021.  The Company believes that no restatement of its prior period financial statements will be required as a result of the SEC Investigation or matters related thereto.

Management does not believe that any pending claim, proceeding or litigation, regulatory action or investigation, either alone or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity; however, it is possible that an unfavorable outcome of some or all of the matters could result in a charge that might be material to the results of an individual quarter or year.