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Employee Benefits

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Employee Benefits

Employee Benefits

Note 13. Employee Benefits

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Defined Contribution Plans

​

Effective in 1998, the Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. Master 401(k) Plan (the “Master 401(k) Plan”) was established, which combined several of the various 401(k) and profit-sharing plans of the Company and its subsidiaries into one plan. Salaried and certain hourly employees of the Company and its participating subsidiaries are covered under the Master 401(k) Plan. Eligibility occurs after 30 days of service and the Company contribution vests at 25% per year. Our Other Defined Contribution Plans include the Precision Strip Retirement and Savings Plan, plans at certain foreign subsidiaries; and the plans of our 2021 acquisitions that have not merged their plans into the Master 401(k) Plan as of December 31, 2021.

​

We also sponsor the Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. Employee Stock Ownership Plan, a tax-qualified noncontributory employee stock ownership plan, for certain salaried and hourly employees of the Company. The plan is closed to new enrollees and the Company is not currently making annual contributions to the plan.

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Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans

​

Effective January 1996, we adopted a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (“Reliance SERP”), which is a nonqualified pension plan that provides postretirement pension benefits to certain key officers of the Company. The Reliance SERP is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board. Benefits are based upon the employees’ earnings. Life insurance policies were purchased for most individuals covered by the Reliance SERP and held within a rabbi trust. See Note 8—“Cash Surrender Value of Life Insurance Policies, net” for further discussion of our life insurance policies. Separate supplemental executive retirement plans exist for certain wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company (together with the Reliance SERP, the “SERPs”), each of which provides postretirement pension benefits to certain former key employees. All SERPs have been frozen to new participants.  

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Deferred Compensation Plan

​

In December 2008, the Reliance Deferred Compensation Plan was established for certain officers and key employees of the Company. Account balances from various compensation plans of subsidiaries were contributed and consolidated into this new deferred compensation plan. Plan participants may contribute a portion of their eligible compensation to the plan and Reliance currently makes contributions to the plan for certain participants.

​

During 2021, we established a rabbi trust to fund our obligations under the Reliance Deferred Compensation Plan. The rabbi trust is an irrevocable grantor trust to which we may contribute assets for the purpose of funding the Reliance Deferred Compensation Plan. Although we may not use the assets of the rabbi trust for any purpose other than meeting our obligations under the Reliance Deferred Compensation Plan, the assets of the rabbi trust remain subject to the claims of our creditors. The balance in the Reliance Deferred Compensation Plan as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 was $40.9 million and $36.2 million, respectively. Included in the Other asset caption of the Consolidated Balance Sheets are $40.9 million of marketable securities held by the rabbi trust as of December 31, 2021 compared to $33.9 million of marketable securities held in a brokerage account as of December 31, 2020. The Company expects to contribute $2.5 million to the plan during 2022.

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Multiemployer Plans

​

Certain of our union employees participate in plans collectively bargained and maintained by multiple employers and a labor union. We do not recognize on our balance sheet any amounts relating to these plans. For 2021, 2020 and 2019 our contributions to these plans were $4.8 million, $5.3 million and $5.7 million, respectively. Some of the plans we participate in are in endangered, or critical and declining status and have adopted rehabilitation plans. If we were to withdraw our participation from these plans, we would be required to recognize a liability on our balance sheet and the amount could be significant.

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Defined Benefit Plans

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Our wholly owned subsidiary, EMJ, maintains a qualified defined benefit pension plan (the “EMJ Defined Benefit Plan”) for certain union employees. The plan generally provides benefits of stated amounts for each year of service or provides benefits based on the participant’s hourly wage rate and years of service. The plan permits the sponsor, at any time, to amend or terminate the plan. We also maintained frozen defined benefit plans (together with the EMJ Defined Benefit Plan, the “Defined Benefit Plans”), which were merged into a single plan that was terminated during 2020, which resulted in our recognition of a $12.7 million settlement loss.

​

We use a December 31 measurement date for our plans. The following is a summary of the status of the funding of the SERPs and Defined Benefit Plans:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	SERPs					​	Defined Benefit Plans
​	2021			2020			2021			2020
​	(in millions)					​	(in millions)
Change in benefit obligation	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	37.5	​	$	49.8	​	$	76.3	​	$	116.2
Service cost	​	1.0	​	​	0.9	​	​	2.2	​	​	2.1
Interest cost	​	0.6	​	​	1.0	​	​	1.8	​	​	2.6
Actuarial (gain) loss	​	(1.8)	​	​	3.1	​	​	(3.6)	​	​	7.9
Benefits paid	​	(0.9)	​	​	(0.9)	​	​	(2.2)	​	​	(3.3)
Plan settlements	​	—	​	​	(16.4)	​	​	—	​	​	(49.2)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	36.4	​	$	37.5	​	$	74.5	​	$	76.3
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Change in plan assets	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	​	N/A	​	​	N/A	​	$	63.9	​	$	107.1
Actual return on plan assets	​	N/A	​	​	N/A	​	​	9.2	​	​	10.5
Employer contributions	​	N/A	​	​	N/A	​	​	—	​	​	—
Benefits paid	​	N/A	​	​	N/A	​	​	(2.2)	​	​	(53.0)
Other	​	N/A	​	​	N/A	​	​	—	​	​	(0.7)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	​	N/A	​	​	N/A	​	$	70.9	​	$	63.9
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Funded status	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Funded status of the plans	$	(36.4)	​	$	(37.5)	​	$	(3.6)	​	$	(12.4)
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Items not yet recognized as component of net periodic pension expense	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Unrecognized net actuarial losses	$	10.5	​	$	14.1	​	$	5.6	​	$	15.2
Unamortized prior service cost	​	—	​	​	—	​	​	3.4	​	​	4.0
​	$	10.5	​	$	14.1	​	$	9.0	​	$	19.2

​

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the following amounts were recognized on the balance sheet:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	SERPs					​	Defined Benefit Plans
​	2021			2020			2021			2020
​	(in millions)					​	(in millions)
Amounts recognized in the statement of financial position	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Current liabilities	$	(12.9)	​	$	(0.9)	​	$	—	​	$	—
Noncurrent liabilities	​	(23.5)	​	​	(36.6)	​	​	(3.6)	​	​	(12.4)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	​	10.5	​	​	14.1	​	​	9.0	​	​	19.2
Net amount recognized	$	(25.9)	​	$	(23.4)	​	$	5.4	​	$	6.8

​

The accumulated benefit obligation for the SERPs was $32.9 million and $31.2 million as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

​

​

Accumulated benefit obligation information of our Defined Benefit Plans is presented below:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​
​	Year Ended December 31,
​	2021			2020
​	(in millions)
Information for defined benefit plans with an accumulated benefit obligation and projected benefit obligation in excess of plan assets	​	​	​	​	​
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	74.5	​	$	76.3
Projected benefit obligation	​	74.5	​	​	76.3
Fair value of plan assets	​	70.9	​	​	63.9

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Details of net periodic benefit cost related to the SERPs and Defined Benefit Plans are presented below:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

SERPs

​

Defined Benefit Plans

​

Year Ended December 31,

​

Year Ended December 31,

​

2021

2020

2019

2021

2020

2019

​

(in millions)

​

(in millions)

Service cost

$

1.0

​

$

0.9

​

$

0.9

​

$

2.2

​

$

2.1

​

$

1.6

Interest cost

​

0.6

​

​

1.0

​

​

1.4

​

​

1.8

​

​

2.6

​

​

3.8

Expected return on plan assets

​

—

​

​

—

​

​

—

​

​

(3.9)

​

​

(4.4)

​

​

(5.6)

Settlement loss

​

—

​

​

6.7

​

​

—

​

​

—

​

​

12.7

​

​

—

Prior service cost

​

—

​

​

—

​

​

—

​

​

0.6

​

​

0.6

​

​

0.4

Amortization of net loss

​

1.8

​

​

1.9

​

​

1.0

​

​

0.8

​

​

1.1

​

​

1.3

​

$

3.4

​

$

10.5

​

$

3.3

​

$

1.5

​

$

14.7

​

$

1.5

​

Net periodic benefit cost related to the SERPs and the Defined Benefit Plans is presented in our consolidated statements of income, as summarized below:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

SERPs

​

Defined Benefit Plans

​

Year Ended December 31,

​

Year Ended December 31,

​

2021

2020

2019

2021

2020

2019

​

(in millions)

​

(in millions)

Amounts recognized in the statement of income

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Warehouse, delivery, selling, general and administrative expense

$

1.0

​

$

0.9

​

$

0.9

​

$

2.2

​

$

2.1

​

$

1.6

Other expense (income), net

​

2.4

​

​

9.6

​

​

2.4

​

​

(0.7)

​

​

12.6

​

​

(0.1)

​

$

3.4

​

$

10.5

​

$

3.3

​

$

1.5

​

$

14.7

​

$

1.5

​

Assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost are detailed below:

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

SERPs

​

Defined Benefit Plans

​

​

Year Ended December 31,

​

Year Ended December 31,

​

​

2021

2020

2019

2021

2020

2019

Weighted average assumptions to determine net cost

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Discount rate

1.64

%

2.63

%

3.81

%

2.40

%

2.85

%

4.06

%

Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets

N/A

​

N/A

​

N/A

​

6.25

%

6.25

%

6.09

%

Rate of compensation increase

6.00

%

6.00

%

6.00

%

N/A

​

N/A

​

N/A

​

​

Assumptions used to determine the benefit obligation are detailed below:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	SERPs			​	Defined Benefit Plans			​
​	December 31,			​	December 31,			​
​	2021		2020		2021		2020
Weighted average assumptions to determine benefit obligations	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Discount rate	2.16	%	1.60	%	2.70	%	2.40	%
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets	N/A	​	N/A	​	6.25	%	6.25	%
Rate of compensation increase	6.00	%	6.00	%	N/A	​	N/A	​

​

Employer contributions of $12.9 million are expected during 2022 to the SERPs and none for the Defined Benefit Plans.

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Plan Assets and Investment Policy

​

The weighted-average asset allocations of our Defined Benefit Plans by asset category were as follows:

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​	​	​	​	​
​	December 31,			​
​	2021		2020	​
Plan Assets	​	​	​	​
Equity securities	66	%	62	%
Debt securities	32	%	32	%
Cash and cash equivalents	2	%	6	%
Total	100	%	100	%

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Plan assets are invested in various asset classes that are expected to produce a sufficient level of diversification and investment return over the long term. The investment goal is a return on assets that is at least equal to the assumed actuarial rate of return over the long-term within reasonable and prudent levels of risk. We establish our estimated long-term return on plan assets assumption considering various factors including the targeted asset allocation percentages, historic returns and expected future returns.

​

The fair value measurements of the investment held by our Defined Benefit Plans fall within the following levels of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2021 and 2020:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	Level 1			Level 2			Level 3			Total
​	(in millions)
December 31, 2021	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Common stock(1)	$	39.0	​	$	—	​	$	—	​	$	39.0
U.S. government, state and agency	​	—	​	​	5.1	​	​	—	​	​	5.1
Corporate debt securities(2)	​	—	​	​	4.9	​	​	—	​	​	4.9
Mutual funds(3)	​	20.6	​	​	—	​	​	—	​	​	20.6
Interest bearing cash	​	1.3	​	​	—	​	​	—	​	​	1.3
Total investments at fair value	$	60.9	​	$	10.0	​	$	—	​	$	70.9
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
December 31, 2020	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Common stock(1)	$	30.6	​	$	—	​	$	—	​	$	30.6
U.S. government, state and agency	​	—	​	​	7.4	​	​	—	​	​	7.4
Corporate debt securities(2)	​	—	​	​	3.9	​	​	—	​	​	3.9
Mutual funds(3)	​	18.4	​	​	—	​	​	—	​	​	18.4
Interest bearing cash	​	3.6	​	​	—	​	​	—	​	​	3.6
Total investments at fair value	$	52.6	​	$	11.3	​	$	—	​	$	63.9

(1) Comprised primarily of securities of large domestic and foreign companies. Valued at the closing price reported on the active market on which the individual securities are traded on national exchanges.

​

(2) Valued using pricing models maximizing the use of observable inputs for similar securities. This includes basing values on a combination of inputs, including benchmark yields, reported trades, broker/dealer quotes, issuer spreads, two-sided markets, benchmark securities, bids, offers and reference data.

​

(3) Mutual funds held are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These funds are required to publish their daily net asset value (NAV) and to transact at that price. The mutual funds held are deemed to be actively traded.

​

(4) Certain investments, including common collective trusts, are measured at fair value using the NAV practical expedient. The fair value of these investments is excluded from the fair value hierarchy and are presented in the tables above to permit reconciliation of the investments classified within the fair value hierarchy to the total investments at fair value.

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Summary Disclosures—SERPs and Defined Benefit Plan

​

The following is a summary of benefit payments under the SERPs and the Defined Benefit Plans, which reflect expected future employee service, as appropriate, expected to be paid in the periods indicated:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​
​	​	​	​	Defined
​	SERPs			Benefit Plans
​	​	(in millions)
2022	$	12.9	​	$	2.3
2023	​	0.8	​	​	2.5
2024	​	0.8	​	​	2.7
2025	​	0.8	​	​	2.9
2026	​	0.7	​	​	3.1
2027-2031	​	24.5	​	​	17.4

​

Contributions to Reliance Sponsored Retirement Plans

​

Our expense for Reliance-sponsored retirement plans was as follows:

​

​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
​	Year Ended December 31,
​	2021			2020			2019
​	(in millions)
Master 401(k) Plan	$	21.2	​	$	21.2	​	$	22.7
Other Defined Contribution Plans	​	6.9	​	​	6.9	​	​	9.6
Deferred Compensation Plan	​	2.5	​	​	(0.3)	​	​	5.0
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans	​	3.4	​	​	10.5	​	​	3.3
Defined Benefit Plans	​	1.5	​	​	14.7	​	​	1.5
​	$	35.5	​	$	53.0	​	$	42.1

​

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Description containing the entire pension and other postretirement benefits disclosure as a single block of text and description containing the entire postemployment benefits disclosure which may include supplemental unemployment benefits, obligations recognized for all types of benefits provided to former or inactive employees, their beneficiaries, and covered dependents after employment but before retirement. Disclosure may also include discussion that an obligation for postemployment benefits is not accrued in accordance with regulation only because the amount cannot be reasonably estimated.

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