Note 16- Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis and Workers' Compensation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Notes to Financial Statements

Pneumoconiosis Benefits And Workers Compensation Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 16—COAL WORKERS’ PNEUMOCONIOSIS AND WORKERS’ COMPENSATION:

Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis

Under the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, as amended, CONSOL Energy is responsible for medical and disability benefits to employees and their dependents resulting from occurrences of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) disease. CONSOL Energy is also responsible under various state statutes for pneumoconiosis benefits. CONSOL Energy primarily provides for these claims through a self-insurance program. The calculation of the actuarial present value of the estimated pneumoconiosis obligation is based on an annual actuarial study by independent actuaries and uses assumptions regarding disability incidence, medical costs, indemnity levels, mortality, death benefits, dependents and interest rates which are derived from actual company experience and outside sources. Actuarial gains or losses can result from discount rate changes, differences in incident rates and severity of claims filed as compared to original assumptions. Recent legislative changes have not been favorable for CWP. Based upon the law change that contained a 15-year presumption and permitted that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a symptom of coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, there has been a surge in entitled claims for CONSOL, both from new applicants and previously denied applicants over the past years. 

Former miners and their family members asserting claims for pneumoconiosis benefits have generally been more successful asserting such claims in recent years as a result of the presumption within the PPACA that a coal miner with fifteen or more years of underground coal mining experience (or the equivalent) who develops a respiratory condition and meets the requirements for total disability under the Federal Act is presumed to be disabled due to coal dust exposure, thereby shifting the burden of proof from the employee to the employer/insurer to establish that this disability is not due to coal dust.

Workers' Compensation

CONSOL Energy must also compensate individuals who sustain employment-related physical injuries or some types of occupational diseases and, on some occasions, for costs of their rehabilitation. Workers' compensation programs will also compensate survivors of workers who suffer employment-related deaths. Workers' compensation laws are administered by state agencies, and each state has its own set of rules and regulations regarding compensation owed to an employee that is injured in the course of employment. CONSOL Energy primarily provides for these claims through a self-insurance program. CONSOL Energy recognizes an actuarial present value of the estimated workers' compensation obligation calculated by independent actuaries. The calculation is based on claims filed and an estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported as well as various assumptions, including discount rate, future healthcare trend rate, benefit duration and recurrence of injuries. Actuarial gains or losses associated with workers' compensation have resulted from discount rate changes and differences in claims experience and incident rates as compared to prior assumptions.

The reconciliation of changes in the benefit obligation and funded status of these plans at December 31, 2020 and 2019 is as follows:

	CWP						Workers' Compensation
	at December 31,						at December 31,
	2020			2019			2020			2019
Change in benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of period	$	214,473		$	177,188		$	71,480		$	70,986
State administrative fees and insurance bond premiums		—			—			1,996			2,157
Service cost		4,603			3,791			6,276			5,685
Interest cost		6,206			7,001			1,844			2,585
Actuarial loss		29,510			39,827			1,897			1,536
Benefits paid		(12,869	)		(13,334	)		(10,052	)		(11,469	)
Benefit obligation at end of period	$	241,923		$	214,473		$	73,441		$	71,480
Funded status:
Current assets	$	—		$	—		$	602		$	1,037
Current liabilities		(12,203	)		(12,331	)		(9,653	)		(11,323	)
Noncurrent liabilities		(229,720	)		(202,142	)		(64,390	)		(61,194	)
Net obligation recognized	$	(241,923	)	$	(214,473	)	$	(73,441	)	$	(71,480	)
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of:
Net actuarial loss (gain)	$	71,259		$	47,352		$	(8,866	)	$	(11,250	)
Net amount recognized (before tax effect)	$	71,259		$	47,352		$	(8,866	)	$	(11,250	)

The components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows:

	CWP							Workers’ Compensation
	For the Years Ended							For the Years Ended
	December 31,							December 31,
	2020		2019		2018			2020			2019			2018
Service cost	$	4,603	$	3,791	$	6,650		$	6,276		$	5,685		$	6,230
Interest cost		6,206		7,001		5,245			1,844			2,585			2,283
Recognized net actuarial loss (gain)		5,604		1,016		(853	)		(488	)		(774	)		(79	)
State administrative fees and insurance bond premiums		—		—		—			1,996			2,157			2,671
Net periodic benefit cost	$	16,413	$	11,808	$	11,042		$	9,628		$	9,653		$	11,105

CONSOL Energy utilizes a corridor approach to amortize actuarial gains and losses that have been accumulated under the Workers’ Compensation and CWP plans. Cumulative gains and losses that are in excess of 10% of the greater of either the estimated liability or the market-related value of plan assets are amortized over the expected average remaining future service of the current active membership of the Workers’ Compensation and CWP plans.

Assumptions:

The weighted-average discount rates used to determine benefit obligations and net periodic benefit costs are as follows:

	CWP									Workers' Compensation
	For the Years Ended									For the Years Ended
	December 31,									December 31,
	2020			2019			2018			2020			2019			2018
Benefit obligations		2.53	%		3.41	%		4.42	%		2.35	%		3.25	%		4.26	%
Net periodic benefit costs		3.41	%		4.42	%		3.75	%		3.25	%		4.26	%		3.57	%

Discount rates are determined using a Company-specific yield curve model (above-mean) developed with the assistance of an external actuary. The Company-specific yield curve models (above-mean) use a subset of the expanded bond universe to determine the Company-specific discount rate. Bonds used in the yield curve are rated AA by Moody's or Standard & Poor's as of the measurement date. The yield curve models parallel the plans' projected cash flows, and the underlying cash flows of the bonds included in the models exceed the cash flows needed to satisfy the Company's plans.

Cash Flows:

CONSOL Energy does not intend to make contributions to the CWP or Workers' Compensation plans in 2021, but it intends to pay benefit claims as they become due.

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future claims as appropriate, are expected to be paid:

			Workers' Compensation
	CWP		Total		Actuarial		Other
	Benefits		Benefits		Benefits		Benefits
2021	$	12,203	$	10,580	$	9,051	$	1,529
2022	$	11,923	$	10,392	$	8,824	$	1,568
2023	$	11,762	$	10,212	$	8,605	$	1,607
2024	$	11,439	$	10,151	$	8,504	$	1,647
2025	$	11,304	$	10,015	$	8,327	$	1,688
Year 2026-2030	$	57,386	$	50,445	$	41,350	$	9,095