Note J - Commitments

12 Months Ended

Sep. 24, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE J - COMMITMENTS

1. Lease Commitments

The following is a summary of approximate future minimum rental commitments for non-cancelable operating leases with terms of more than one year as of September 24, 2016:

	Plants and
	Offices		Equipment		Total
	(in thousands)
2017	$	6,472	$	6,879	$	13,351
2018		5,911		5,626		11,537
2019		5,305		4,292		9,597
2020		4,537		2,365		6,902
2021		3,830		1,012		4,842
2022 and thereafter		18,984		262		19,246
Total minimal rental commitments	$	45,039	$	20,436	$	65,475

Total rent expense was $17,481,000, $16,448,000 and $15,163,000 for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

2. Other Commitments

We are a party to litigation which has arisen in the normal course of business which management currently believes will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

We self-insure, up to loss limits, certain insurable risks such as worker’s compensation and automobile liability claims. Accruals for claims under our self-insurance program are recorded on a claims incurred basis. Our total recorded liability for all years’ claims incurred but not yet paid was $8,200,000 and $8,200,000 at September 24, 2016 and September 26, 2015, respectively. In connection with certain self-insurance agreements, we customarily enter into letters of credit arrangements with our insurers. At September 24, 2016 and September 26, 2015, we had outstanding letters of credit totaling $8,675,000 and $9,075,000, respectively.

We have a self-insured medical plan which covers approximately 1,500 of our employees. We record a liability for incurred but not yet reported or paid claims based on our historical experience of claims payments and a calculated lag time period. Our recorded liability at September 24, 2016 and September 26, 2015 was $1,719,000 and $1,659,000, respectively.