EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

14           EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

401(k) Savings Plan

The Company sponsors a defined contribution plan.  Under the plan, the Company will match 75% of the first 4% of each employee’s contributions not to exceed 3% of that employee’s eligible compensation.  The matching expense under this plan charged to operations were $1,046, $1,021 and $946 from continuing operations, and $20, $22 and $29 from discontinued operations, for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Incentive Bonus Plans

The Company sponsors two incentive bonus plans.  The quarterly site bonus plan is designed to encourage and reward property operations employees for superior financial performance as measured versus budget.  The annual incentive bonus plan is designed to motivate executive officers and certain other corporate and regional employees to maximize the Company’s annual operating and financial performance as measured in year over year actual financial measures, annual performance as compared to a peer group and, beginning in 2011, attainment of certain individual and team objectives.  The expense under these plans was $7,034, $7,874 and $5,030 for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Deferred Bonus Plan

The Company sponsors a deferred bonus plan, which permits certain employees to defer receipt of up to 100% of their annual incentive bonus for three, five or ten years.  Under the plan, the Company will match 10% of the amount deferred and the match vests after three years.  Each deferral and match is credited to an individual employee account with the number of shares of the Company’s common stock that could be purchased with the amounts deferred and matched at the common stock closing price the day before the bonus would have otherwise been paid.  An equivalent of dividends on those shares is also credited to the employee account on dividend payment dates based upon the common stock closing price on those dates.  Payments out of deferred accounts are made by issuance of common stock.  The total amounts deferred were $1,390 and $960 at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.  The matching expense under this plan was $10, $15 and $11 for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Deferred Compensation Plan

In 2011, the Company initiated a deferred compensation plan, which permits certain employees to defer up to 50% of their annual base pay until retirement.  Upon retirement, the employee can elect a lump sum distribution or annual payments over two to ten years.  There is no Company match and all deferred amounts are 100% vested.  The total amount deferred was $405 at December 31, 2012.