Benefit Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Benefit Plans

Benefit Plans

SJW Group maintains noncontributory defined benefit pension plans for its eligible employees. SJWC and CTWS employees hired before March 31, 2008, and January 1, 2009, respectively, are entitled to benefits under the pension plans based on the employee’s years of service and compensation. For SJWC employees hired on or after March 31, 2008, benefits are determined using a cash balance formula based upon compensation credits and interest credits for each employee. Certain CTWS employees hired before March 1, 2012, and covered by a plan merged into the CTWS plan in 2013 are also entitled to benefits based on the employee’s years of service and compensation. CTWS employees hired on or after January 1, 2009, are entitled to an additional 1.5% of eligible compensation to their company sponsored savings plan. SJW Group does not have multi-employer plans.

In addition, senior management hired before March 31, 2008, for SJWC and January 1, 2009, for CTWS are eligible to receive additional retirement benefits under supplemental executive retirement plans and retirement contracts. SJWC’s senior management hired on or after March 31, 2008, are eligible to receive additional retirement benefits under SJWC’s Cash Balance Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan. The supplemental retirement plans and Cash Balance Executive Supplemental Retirement Plan are non-qualified plans in which only senior management and other designated members of management may participate. SJW Group also provides health care and life insurance benefits for retired employees under employer-sponsored postretirement benefits other than pension plans.

The components of net periodic benefit costs for the defined benefit plans and other postretirement benefits for the three months ended March 31, 2022, and 2021 are as follows:

	Three months ended March 31,
	2022		2021
Service cost	$	2,652	2,735
Interest cost	2,860		2,580
Expected return on assets	(5,043)		(4,752)
Unrecognized actuarial loss	1,164		1,780
Amortization of prior service cost	4		12
Total	$	1,637	2,355

In 2022, SJW Group expects to make required and discretionary cash contributions of up to $7,842 to the pension plans and other postretirement benefits. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, SJW Group has made no contributions to the plans.