NOTE 8—EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS:

The Company has established a pretax savings plan under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. The 401(k) Plan allows eligible employees in the United States to voluntarily contribute a portion of their pre-tax salary, subject to a maximum limit specified in the Internal Revenue Code. The Company matches employee contributions of up to 4% of their annual base salaries. The total expenses for these contributions were approximately $522,000, $422,000 and $286,000 for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Under Israeli law, the Company is required to make severance payments to its retired or dismissed Israeli employees. For those hired prior to January 1, 2007, the severance pay liability is calculated based on the monthly salary of each employee multiplied by the number of years of such employee's employment and is presented in the Company's balance sheet in long-term liabilities, as if it was payable at each balance sheet date on an undiscounted basis. This liability is partially funded by the purchase of insurance policies or pension funds in the name of the employees. The surrender value of the insurance policies or pension funds is presented in long-term assets.

The severance pay detail is as follows:

	December 31,

	2012		2011
	(in thousands)
Accrued severance liability	$	11,821	$	10,433
Severance assets		8,907		7,767

Unfunded portion	$	2,914	$	2,666

With respect to its Israeli employees hired after January 1, 2007, the Company's contributions for severance pay will replace its severance obligation. Upon a monthly contribution equal to 8.33% of the employee's monthly salary to an insurance policy or pension fund no additional calculations shall be conducted between the parties regarding the matter of severance pay and no additional payments will be made by the Company to the employee. Further, the related obligation and amounts deposited on behalf of the employee for such obligation are not stated on the balance sheet, as the Company is legally released from the obligation to employees once the deposit amounts have been paid.

Severance expenses for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 were $4.3 million, $3.9 million and $2.2 million, respectively.

In addition, the Company has established a pension contribution plan with respect to its employees in Israel. Under the plan, the Company contributes up to 6% of employee monthly salary toward the plan. Employees are entitled to amounts accumulated in the plan upon reaching retirement age, subject to any applicable law. Defined pension contribution plan expenses were $3.2 million, $2.5 million and $1.3 million in the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.