Note 11 - Employee Benefit Program

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

11.	Employee Benefit Program

Employees of all subsidiaries except BTC participate in a Company-sponsored defined contribution savings plan under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The terms of the plan provide for an elective contribution from employees not to exceed $17.5 thousand for each of 2013, 2014 and 2015. During 2013, the Company matched the employee’s contribution up to 6

.0% of the employee’s annual compensation. The Company matched the employee’s contribution up to 4.5% of the employee’s annual compensation during 2014 and 2015. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, and 2015, the total contributions and expense associated with this plan was $670 thousand, $494 thousand and $520 thousand, respectively.

The employees of BTC participate in a multiemployer Retirement and Security Program (“RSP”) as a defined benefit plan and a Savings Plan (“SP”) provided through the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (“NTCA”). The risks associated with participating in a multiemployer plan are different from a single-employer plan. Contributions to the multiemployer plan by the Company may be used to provide benefits to employees of other participating employers. If a participating employer stops contributing to the plan, the unfunded obligations of the plan may be borne by the remaining participating employers. Participation in the RSP requires a minimum employee contribution of 1

.0% of their annual compensation. For each of 2013, 2014 and 2015, the Company contributed 6

.0%, 4.5% and 4.5%, respectively, of their annual compensation for every participating employee. SP is a defined contribution savings plan under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code to which the Company made no contribution for 2013, 2014 or 2015. The employee can make voluntary contributions to the SP as desired. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2014 and 2015, the total expense associated with these plans was $30 thousand, $15 thousand and $15 thousand, respectively.