12. Employee Retirement Plans

Pension benefits

The Company provides noncontributory defined benefit pension plans for most employees. Plans covering salaried employees generally provide pension benefits that are based on the employee’s average earnings and credited service. Plans covering hourly employees generally provide benefits of stated amounts for each year of service. The Company’s funding policy for the plans is to contribute amounts sufficient to meet the minimum funding requirement of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, plus any additional amounts that the Company may determine to be appropriate.

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the fair value of plan assets, funded status of plans, and amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consisted of the following:



	December 31
	2014		2013

Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	31,715	$	36,209
Service cost		216		246
Interest cost		1,496		1,449
Actuarial (gain) loss		6,156		(5,031)
Benefits paid		(1,221)		(1,158)
		38,362		31,715
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		24,638		21,808
Actual return on plan assets		1,221		3,160
Employer contributions through December 31		1,408		828
Benefits paid		(1,221)		(1,158)
		26,046		24,638
	$	(12,316)	$	(7,077)

The components of net periodic pension cost consisted of the following for the years ended December 31,



		2014		2013		2012
Components of net periodic pension cost:
Service cost	$	216	$	246	$	268
Interest cost		1,496		1,449		1,482
Expected return on plan assets		(1,631)		(1,409)		(1,274)
Amortization of net loss		203		1,205		770
Net periodic pension cost	$	284	$	1,491	$	1,246

The accumulated benefit obligation for all pension plans as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, was $38,226 and $31,623, respectively.

In accordance with its adoption of ASC 715‑20, the Company uses December 31 as its measurement date for all periods presented. Assumptions used in determining net periodic pension cost for the plans consisted of the following:



	Year ended December 31
	2014			2013			2012
Discount rates		4.8% - 4.9	%		4.1	%	4.6	%
Rates of increase in compensation levels:
Salaried		3.5			3.5		3.5
Hourly		N/A			N/A		N/A
Expected long-term rate of return on assets		7.25			7.25		7.25

The discount rate used to determine the benefit obligation at December 31, 2014 4.0% and 3.9% for the hourly and salaried pension plans, respectively. Meanwhile the discount rate used to determine the benefit obligation at December 31, 2013 was 4.9% and 4.8% for the hourly and salaried pension plans, respectively.

For 2015, the expected long‑term rate of return on plan assets is 7.25%. To determine the long‑term rate of return assumption for plan assets, the Company studies historical markets and preserves the long‑term historical relationships between equities and fixed‑income securities consistent with the widely accepted capital market principle that assets with higher volatility generate a greater return over the long run. The Company evaluates current market factors such as inflation and interest rates before it determines long‑term capital market assumptions and reviews peer data and historical returns to check for reasonableness and appropriateness.

The expected benefit payments under the pension plans are as follows:



2015	$	1,360
2016		1,370
2017		1,410
2018		1,460
2019		1,530
2020-2024		8,800

The Company made required minimum pension funding contributions of $1,408 to the pension plans in 2014 and currently expects to make $1,126 of required minimum pension funding contributions in 2015.

The Company maintains target allocation percentages among various asset classes based on an investment policy established for the pension plans, which is designed to achieve long‑term objectives of return, while mitigating downside risk and considering expected cash flows. The current weighted‑average target asset allocations are reflective of actual investments at December 31, 2014 and 2013. The investment policy is reviewed periodically in order to achieve overall objectives in light of current circumstances.

The Company’s weighted‑average asset allocation and actual allocation for the qualified pension plans by asset category at December 31 is as follows:



	Target			2014				2013
Large Cap Equity		37	%	$	9,417	36	%	$	7,373	30	%
Mid Cap Equity		4	%		1,005	4	%		938	4	%
Small Cap Equity		3	%		1,019	4	%		935	4	%
International Equity		12	%		2,546	10	%		2,485	10	%
Emerging markets Equity		2	%		645	2	%		617	2	%
Fixed Income and Cash Equivalents		34	%		8,794	34	%		9,830	40	%
Real Estate		8	%		2,620	10	%		2,460	10	%

Total		100	%	$	26,046	100	%	$	24,638	100	%

The investment strategy is to build an efficient, well‑diversified portfolio based on a long‑term, strategic outlook of the investment markets. The investment market outlook utilizes both historical‑based and forward‑looking return forecasts to establish future return expectations for various asset classes. These return expectations are used to develop a core asset allocation based on the needs of the plan. The core asset allocation utilizes investment portfolios of various asset classes and multiple investment managers in order to help maximize the plan’s return while providing multiple layers of diversification to help minimize risk.

The following table presents the fair values of the plan assets related to the Company’s pension plans within the fair value hierarchy as defined in Note 2.

The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets as of December 31, 2014 are as follows:



	Balance as of December 31, 2014		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Equity holdings	$	15,936	$	—	$	15,936	$	—
Fixed-income holdings		8,794		—		8,794		—
Alternative investments		1,316		—		—		1,316

Total pension plan assets	$	26,046	$	—	$	24,730	$	1,316

The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets as of December 31, 2013 are as follows:



	Balance as of December 31, 2013		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Equity holdings	$	13,582	$	—	$	13,582	$	—
Fixed-income holdings		9,830		—		9,830		—
Alternative investments		1,226		—		—		1,226

Total pension plan assets	$	24,638	$	—	$	23,412	$	1,226

Level 2 investments are based on quoted prices for similar assets in markets that are not active while Level 3 investments are comprised of a real estate fund for which the fair value is determined by taking the appraised values of the properties on hand plus other assets and subtracting mortgage loans and other liabilities.

The following table presents a reconciliation of the fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3):



	December 31,
		2014		2013
Balance, beginning of year	$	1,226	$	1,117
Deposits		70		41
Actual return on plan assets held at reporting date		155		149
Withdrawals		(135)		(81)

Balance, end of year	$	1,316	$	1,226

Postretirement benefits

The Company provides postretirement healthcare benefits for certain employee groups. The postretirement healthcare plans are contributory and contain certain other cost‑sharing features such as deductibles and coinsurance. The plans are unfunded. Employees do not vest until they retire from active employment with the Company and have at least twelve years of service. These benefits can be amended or terminated at anytime and are subject to the same ongoing changes as the Company’s healthcare benefits for employees with respect to deductible, co‑insurance and participant contributions.

Effective January 1, 2004, the postretirement healthcare benefits were extended to all active employees of the Company as of December 31, 2003. The period of coverage was reduced and the retiree contribution percentage was increased in order to keep the cost of the plan equivalent to the previous plan design.

Maximum coverage under the plan is limited to ten years. All benefits terminate upon the death of the retiree. Employees who began working for the Company after December 31, 2003, are not eligible for postretirement healthcare benefits.

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of the projected benefit obligation for the Company consisted of the following:



	December 31
	2014		2013
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	4,874	$	6,812
Service cost		159		250
Interest cost		213		245
Participant contributions		63		100
Changes in actuarial assumptions		1,895		(2,085)
Benefits paid		(160)		(448)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year	$	7,044	$	4,874
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheets consisted of:
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities	$	270	$	220
Retiree health benefit obligation		6,774		4,654
	$	7,044	$	4,874

The components of postretirement healthcare benefit cost consisted of the following for the year ended December 31,



		2014		2013		2012
Components of net postretirement health benefit cost:
Service cost	$	159	$	250	$	281
Interest cost		213		245	360
Amortization of net gain		(398)		(172)	(17)
Net postretirement healthcare benefit cost (income)	$	(26)	$	323	$	624

The assumed discount and healthcare cost trend rates are summarized as follows:



	Year Ended December 31
	2014			2013			2012
Discount rate		4.5	%		3.7	%	4.4	%
Immediate healthcare cost trend rate		*			7.0		8.0
Ultimate healthcare cost trend rate		4.5			4.5		4.5
Assumed annual reduction in trend rate		*			**		***
Participation		60			80		80

*Health Care Cost Trend rate is assumed to be 7.0% and 6.0% for Pre-65 participants and Post – 65 participants, respectively, beginning in 2014 gradually reducing to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2023.

**Health Care Cost Trend rate is assumed to be 7.0% beginning in 2013 gradually reducing to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2020.

***Health Care Cost Trend rate is assumed to be 8.0% beginning in 2012 gradually reducing to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2019.

The discount rate used to determine the benefit obligation at December 31, 2014 and 2013 is 3.7% and 4.5%, respectively. For December 31, 2014, the health care cost trend rate is assumed to be 7.0% and 6.0% for Pre-65 participants and Post – 65 participants, respectively, beginning in 2015 gradually reducing to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2023 for both participants under 65 and over 65. For December 31, 2013, the health care cost trend rate is assumed to be 7.0% for participants under 65 and 5.0% for those over 65 beginning in 2014 gradually reducing to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2020 for both participants under 65 and over 65. For December 31, 2012, the health care cost trend rate is assumed to be 8.0% for participants under 65 and 6.0% for those over 65 beginning in 2013 gradually reducing to an ultimate rate of 4.5% in 2021 for both participants under 65 and over 65.

A one percentage point change in the healthcare cost trend rate would have the following effect at December 31, 2014:



	1%		1%
	Increase		Decrease
Effect on total service and interest cost	$	68	$	(58)
Effect on postretirement benefit obligation		831		(720)

Amounts included in other comprehensive loss, net of tax, at December 31, 2014, which have not yet been recognized in net periodic pension or OPEB cost, were net actuarial gain (loss) of ($6,835) and $807 for the pension plans and postretirement healthcare benefit plans, respectively. The estimated actuarial gain (loss) for the defined benefit plans that will be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive loss into net periodic pension or OPEB cost during 2015 are ($1,020) and $69 for the pension plans and postretirement healthcare benefit plans, respectively.

Defined contribution plan

The Company has a defined contribution plan, which qualifies under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code and provides substantially all employees an opportunity to accumulate personal funds for their retirement. Contributions are made on a before‑tax basis to the plan and are invested, at the employees’ direction, among a variety of investment alternatives including, commencing January 1, 2013, a Company common stock fund designated as an employee stock ownership plan.

As determined by the provisions of the plan, the Company matches a portion of the employees’ basic voluntary contributions. The Company matching contributions to the plan were approximately $255, $213 and $198 for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Beginning January 1, 2012, the Company amended its defined contribution plan to permit non‑ discretionary employer contributions. The Company made non‑discretionary employer contributions of $1,021, $807 and $871 in the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Non‑qualified plan

The Company also maintains a supplemental non‑qualified plan for certain officers and other key employees. Expense for this plan was $509 and $450 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The amount accrued was $1,708 and $1,105 as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Amounts were determined based on the fair value of the liability at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.