NOTE J

- COMMITMENTS

Lease Commitments

The following is a summary of approximate future minimum rental commitments for non-cancelable operating leases with terms of more than

one

year as of

September 30, 2017:

	Plants and
	Offices		Equipment		Total
		(in thousands)
2018	$	8,613	$	6,828	$	15,441
2019		7,919		5,599		13,518
2020		7,040		3,705		10,745
2021		6,197		2,275		8,472
2022		5,788		512		6,300
2023 and thereafter		27,976		62		28,038
Total minimal rental commitments	$	63,533	$	18,981	$	82,514

Total rent expense was

$20,354,000,

$17,481,000

and

$16,448,000

for fiscal years

2017,

2016

and

2015,

respectively.

Other Commitments

We are a party to litigation which has arisen in the normal course of business which management currently believes will

not

have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

We self-insure, up to loss limits, certain insurable risks such as worker’s compensation and automobile liability claims. Accruals for claims under our self-insurance program are recorded on a claims incurred basis. Our total recorded liability for all years’ claims incurred but

not

yet paid was

$8,100,000

and

$8,200,000

September 30, 2017

and

September 24, 2016,

respectively. In connection with certain self-insurance agreements, we customarily enter into letters of credit arrangements with our insurers. At

September 30, 2017

and

September 24, 2016,

we had outstanding letters of credit totaling

$8,675,000

and

$8,675,000,

respectively.

We have a self-insured medical plan which covers approximately

1,600

of our employees. We record a liability for incurred but

not

yet reported or paid claims based on our historical experience of claims payments and a calculated lag time period. Our recorded liability at

September 30, 2017

and

September 24, 2016

was

$2,382,000

and

$1,719,000,

respectively.