Employee Benefits

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Employee Benefits

Note 11—Employee Benefits

Defined Contribution Plans

Lumen Technologies sponsors a qualified defined contribution plan covering substantially all of our employees. Under this plan, employees may contribute a percentage of their annual compensation up to certain maximums, as defined by the plan and by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). Currently, we match a percentage of our employee's contributions in cash. For the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recognized $30 million, $32 million, and $31 million, respectively, in expense related to this plan.

Defined Benefit Plans

We have certain contributory and non-contributory employee pension plans, which are not significant to our financial position or operating results. We recognize in our balance sheet the funded status of our qualified defined benefit post-retirement plan, which is measured as the difference between the fair value of the plan assets and the plan benefit obligations. We are also required to recognize changes in the funded status within accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, to the extent such changes are not recognized in earnings as components of periodic net benefit cost.

The following table presents the funded status of our defined benefit plans as of December 31, 2024 and 2023:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2024		2023
	(Dollars in millions)
Fair value of plan assets	$	37	40
Benefit obligation	35		39
Funded status	$	2	1

The plans were fully funded as of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023.