RESTRUCTURING

In September 2015, the Company commenced a restructuring plan relating primarily to workforce reductions in its international operations. The Company has also undertaken workforce reductions in its North America segment. In addition to workforce reductions in its ongoing markets, the Company ceased operations in 17 countries within its International segment as part of the restructuring plan between September 2015 and March 2016. Those country exits, which generally comprised the Company's smallest international markets, resulted from a series of separate decisions made at different times during that period that were not part of an overall strategic shift. Costs related to the restructuring plan are classified as Restructuring charges on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The actions under the Company's restructuring plan were completed as of September 30, 2017 and substantially all of the remaining cash payments for actions under that plan are expected to be disbursed through December 31, 2018.

The Company incurred cumulative costs for employee severance and benefits and other exit costs of $80.5 million under the plan since its inception in September 2015. In addition to those costs, the Company incurred cumulative long-lived asset impairment charges of $7.5 million resulting from its restructuring activities.

The following tables summarize the costs incurred by segment related to the Company’s restructuring plan for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
	Employee Severance and Benefit Costs ⁽¹⁾		Other Exit Costs ⁽¹⁾		Total Restructuring Charges
North America	$	—	$	—	$	—
International	230		53		283
Consolidated	$	230	$	53	$	283



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
	Employee Severance and Benefit Costs ⁽²⁾		Other Exit Costs		Total Restructuring Charges
North America	$	1,778	$	177	$	1,955
International	523		253		776
Consolidated	$	2,301	$	430	$	2,731


(1)	The $0.3 million of restructuring charges during three months ended March 31, 2018 reflects changes in estimates related to prior actions.


(2)	The employee severance and benefit costs for the three months ended March 31, 2017 related to the termination of approximately 200 employees.

The following table summarizes the restructuring liability activity for each period (in thousands):



	Employee Severance and Benefit Costs			Other Exit Costs			Total
Balance as of December 31, 2017	$	3,817		$	304		$	4,121
Charges payable in cash	230			53			283
Cash payments	(720		)	(53		)	(773		)
Foreign currency translation	71			—			71
Balance as of March 31, 2018	$	3,398		$	304		$	3,702