Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jul. 02, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

(12) Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings. We are from time to time involved in various claims and legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business, including proceedings involving product liability claims, product labeling claims, worker’s compensation and other employee claims, and tort and other general liability claims, as well as trademark, copyright, patent infringement and related claims and legal actions. While we cannot predict with certainty the results of these claims and legal actions in which we are currently, or in the future may be, involved, we do not expect that the ultimate disposition of any currently pending claims or actions will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Environmental. We are subject to environmental laws and regulations in the normal course of business. We did not make any material expenditures during the first two quarters of 2022 or 2021 in order to comply with environmental laws and regulations. Based on our experience to date, management believes that the future cost of compliance with existing environmental laws and regulations (and liability for any known environmental conditions) will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity. However, we cannot predict what environmental or health and safety legislation or regulations will be enacted in the future or how existing or future laws or regulations will be enforced, administered or interpreted, nor can we predict the amount of future expenditures that may be required in order to comply with such environmental or health and safety laws or regulations or to respond to such environmental claims.

Collective Bargaining Agreements. As of July 2, 2022, 1,770 of our 3,096 employees, or approximately 57.2%, were covered by collective bargaining agreements.

As of the date of this report, we have only one collective bargaining agreement that is scheduled to expire in the next twelve months. The collective bargaining agreement covering employees at our Cincinnati, Ohio facility, which covers approximately 125 employees, is scheduled to expire on April 30, 2023. While we believe that our relations with our union employees are in general good, we cannot assure you that we will be able to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement for our Cincinnati facility on terms satisfactory to us, or at all, and without production interruptions, including labor stoppages. At this time, however, management does not expect that the outcome of these negotiations will have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Severance and Change of Control Agreements. We have employment agreements with each of our executive officers. The agreements generally continue until terminated by the executive or by us, and provide for severance payments under certain circumstances, including termination by us without cause (as defined in the agreements) or as a result of the employee’s death or disability, or termination by us or a deemed termination upon a change of control (as defined in the agreements). Severance benefits generally include payments for salary continuation, continuation of health care and insurance benefits, present value of additional pension credits and, in certain cases, accelerated vesting under compensation plans.