Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans [Abstract]

5.	Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans

The Company has a qualified, noncontributory, defined benefit pension plan (“the Plan”) covering substantially all of its employees at March 31, 2017. Benefits paid from the plan are based on age, years of service, compensation, social security benefits, and are determined in accordance with defined formulas. The Company’s policy is to fund the pension plan in accordance with Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 standards. Assets of the plan are invested in bonds and publicly traded stocks and mutual funds. The Company is not required to make contributions to the Plan in 2017, and did not do so during the three months ended March 31, 2017.

In addition to the Plan, the Company also provides supplemental employee retirement plans to certain current and former executives. The Company also assumed supplemental retirement plans for certain current and former executives in the Alliance acquisition. These supplemental employee retirement plans and the Plan are collectively referred to herein as “Pension Benefits.”

Also, the Company provides certain health care benefits for retired employees. Benefits are accrued over the employees’ active service period. Only employees that were employed by the Company on or before January 1, 2000 are eligible to receive postretirement health care benefits. In addition, the Company assumed post-retirement medical life insurance benefits for certain Alliance employees, retirees and their spouses, if applicable, in the Alliance acquisition. These postretirement benefits are referred to herein as “Other Benefits.”

The components of expense for Pension Benefits and Other Benefits are set forth below):

	Pension Benefits						Other Benefits
(In thousands)	Three months ended March 31,						Three months ended March 31,
Components of net periodic cost (benefit):	2017			2016			2017		2016
Service cost	$	402		$	560		$	3	$	4
Interest cost		1,042			1,051			86		94
Expected return on plan assets		(1,985	)		(1,835	)		-		-
Net amortization		415			483			20		29
Total cost (benefit)	$	(126	)	$	259		$	109	$	127