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EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 29, 2023
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
A majority of the Company’s full-time employees are covered by defined contribution programs. Expenses attributable to the defined contribution programs were approximately $2,190, $2,044 and $1,680 for 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The Company also has a non-qualified deferred compensation plan that provides certain officers and employees the ability to defer a portion of their compensation until a later date.  The deferred amounts and earnings thereon are payable to participants, or designated beneficiaries, at specified future dates upon retirement, death or termination of employment from the Company.  The deferred compensation liability, which is reported at fair value equal to the related rabbi trust assets, and is classified as “Deferred compensation liability” on our accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets, was approximately $24,607 and $21,466 as of September 29, 2023 and September 30, 2022, respectively.  See “Note 4 Fair Value” for additional information.

During fiscal 2021, the Company terminated its Johnson Outdoors Inc. Mankato Operations Pension Plan and Old Town Canoe Company Pension Plan (collectively, "the Terminated Plans"), both of which were frozen defined benefit pension plans at the time of termination. In connection with the plan terminations, the Company settled all future obligations under the Terminated Plans through a combination of lump-sum payments to eligible participants who elected to receive them, and the transfer of any remaining benefit obligations under the Terminated Plans to a third-party insurance company under a group annuity contract. As a result of these actions, the Company recognized a non-cash pre-tax pension termination charge of $2,526 in our fiscal 2021 Consolidated Statements of Operations as Other Expense (Income), Net. The remaining over-funded plan assets have been or will be utilized by the Company to fund remaining expenses related to the Terminated Plans, as well as obligations associated with other qualified retirement programs. The Company still maintains the Johnson Outdoors Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan ("SERP"), and all future benefit payments to participants under this plan are made from the Company's general assets.