OTHER EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAMS:

Employee Bonus Programs

The Company has performance-based bonus programs that include a majority of non-union employees. Approximately $23 million, $20 million and $23 million were awarded under the various performance-based bonus plans for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Defined Contribution Plans

Under the Genesee & Wyoming Inc. 401(k) Savings Plan in the United States, the Company matches participants' contributions up to 4% of the participant's salary on a pre-tax basis.

The Company's Canadian subsidiaries administer two different retirement benefit plans. The plans qualify under Section 146 of the federal and provincial income tax law. Under each plan, employees may elect to contribute a certain percentage of their salary on a pre-tax basis. The first plan is a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), and the Company matches up to a maximum of 6% of gross salary. The second plan is a Retirement Pension Plan (RPP), and the Company contributes 5% of gross salary.

The Company's Australian subsidiary administers a statutory retirement benefit plan. The Company was required to contribute the equivalent of 9.5% of an employee's base salary into a registered superannuation fund in each of the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016. Employees may elect to make additional contributions either before or after tax.

The Company's U.K. subsidiary administers a defined contribution plan. The Company matches 150% of participants' contributions up to a maximum of 7.5% of the participant's salary on a pre-tax basis for the first 15 years of service by the participant and increases to 9% after 15 years of service by the participant.

Company contributions to defined contribution plans in total for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 were as follows (dollars in thousands):



	2018		2017		2016
Company contributions to defined contribution plans	$	12,476	$	11,562	$	9,785

North American Operations Defined Benefit Plans

The Company administers three United States noncontributory defined benefit plans for union and non-union employees and one Canadian noncontributory defined benefit plan. Benefits are determined based on a fixed amount per year of credited service. The Company's funding policy requires contributions for pension benefits based on actuarial computations, which reflect the long-term nature of the plans. The Company has met the minimum funding requirements according to the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and Canada's Pension Benefits Standards Act. As of December 31, 2018, there were approximately 247 employees participating under these plans. As of December 31, 2018, the Company's consolidated balance sheet included a $2.1 million pension liability and a $1.5 million loss in accumulated other comprehensive (loss)/income related to these plans.

The Company administers two plans which provide health care and life insurance benefits for certain retired employees in the United States. The Company funds the plans on a pay-as-you-go basis. As of December 31, 2018, there were approximately 67 employees participating under these plans. As of December 31, 2018, the Company's consolidated balance sheet included a $7.4 million postretirement benefit liability and a $0.2 million gain in accumulated other comprehensive (loss)/income related to these plans.