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Retirement Benefits
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Abstract]  
Retirement Benefits
17.RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Defined Contribution Plans
The Company maintains a defined contribution profit-sharing plan (401(k) plan) covering substantially all non-union persons employed by the Company, whereby employees may contribute a percentage of compensation, limited to maximum allowed amounts under the Internal Revenue Code. The 401(k) plan provides for a discretionary employer contribution and is
determined annually by the Company’s board of directors. The Company made matching contributions of $3,766, $3,250 and $2,842, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019.
Multi-Employer Pension Plans
As of December 31, 2021, the Company had approximately 2,900 employees, including 2,200 field personnel. We had 400 employees, or approximately 14% of total employees, that were union members covered by collective bargaining agreements.
The Company contributes to a number of multi-employer defined benefit pension plans under the terms of collective-bargaining agreements that cover its union-represented employees. The risks of participating in these multi-employer plans are different from single-employer plans in the following aspects:
•Assets contributed to the multi-employer plan by one employer may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. If a participating employer stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating employers.
•If the Company chooses to stop participating in some of its multi-employer plans, the Company may be required to pay those plans an amount based on the underfunded status of the plan, referred to as a withdrawal liability.
The following table presents our participation in these plans:
Pension Trust
Fund		Pension Plan Employer Identification Number
Pension Protection Act (“PPA”) Certified Zone Status (1)
FIP / RP Status Pending/Implemented (2)
ContributionsSurcharge
Imposed
Expiration Date of Collective Bargaining Agreement (3)
20212020202120202019
Pension Trust Fund for Operating Engineers Pension Plan 94-6090764YellowYellowYes$2,283 $2,278 $2,314 NoVarious
Heavy and General Construction Laborers Local 472 and Local 172 (5)
22-6032103GreenGreenNo1,9151,9571,535No2/28/2024
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825(5)
22-6033380GreenGreenNo1,2981,7551,671No6/30/2024
Carpenter Funds Administrative Office94-6050970RedRedYes887915547NoVarious
Laborers Pension Trust For Northern California94-6277608GreenGreenYes818787857NoVarious
Cement Mason Pension Trust Fund For Northern California94-6277669YellowYellowYes428426320NoVarious
All other funds(4)(5)
8,0508,1477,632
Total Contributions:$15,679 $16,265 $14,876 
 (1)    The most recent PPA zone status available in 2021 and 2020 is for the plan’s year-end during 2020 and 2019, respectively. The zone status is based on information that we received from the plan and is certified by the plan’s actuary. Among other factors, plans in the red zone are generally less than 65 percent funded, plans in the orange zone are less than 80 percent funded and have an Accumulated Funding Deficiency in the current year or projected into the next six years, plans in the yellow zone are less than 80 percent funded and plans in the green zone are at least 80 percent funded.
(2)    Indicates whether the plan has a financial improvement plan (“FIP”) or a rehabilitation plan (“RP”) which is either pending or has been implemented.
(3)    Lists the expiration date(s) of the collective-bargaining agreement(s) to which the plans are subject.
(4)    These funds include multi-employer plans for pensions and other employee benefits. The total individually insignificant multi-employer pension costs contributed were $2,149, $1,829 and $1,706 for 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and are included in the contributions to all other funds along with contributions to other types of benefit plans. Other employee benefits include certain coverage for medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and accidental death and dismemberment, disability and other benefit costs.
(5)    Includes multi-employer pension plans acquired as part of the Petillo Acquisition. The contributions made in 2021, 2020 and 2019 were made by Petillo and not by Sterling.
We currently have no intention of withdrawing from any of the multi-employer pension plans in which we participate.