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Pension Benefits
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Pension Benefits [Abstract]  
Pension Benefits
15. Pension Benefits

The Company has a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan covering all employees who work at least 1,000 hours per year. The participants shall have a vested interest in their accrued benefit after five full years of service. The benefits of the plan are based upon the employee's years of service and average annual earnings for the highest five consecutive calendar years during the final ten year period of employment. Plan assets are primarily debt securities (including U.S. Treasury and Agency securities, corporate notes and bonds), listed common stocks (including shares of AmeriServ Financial, Inc. common stock which is limited to 10% of the plan's assets), mutual funds, and short-term cash equivalent instruments. The net periodic pension cost for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 were as follows (in thousands):

 

     Three months ended
March 31,		  
     2012     2011  

Components of net periodic benefit cost

     

Service cost

    $ 373      $ 303   

Interest cost

      299        301   

Expected return on plan assets

      (406 )      (393 ) 

Amortization of prior year service cost

      (5 )      2   

Amortization of transition asset

      (4 )      (4 ) 

Recognized net actuarial loss

      262        203   
  

 

 

    

 

 

  

Net periodic pension cost

    $ 519      $ 412