Benefit Plans

The Company has defined benefit pension plans covering certain employees in the United States and certain foreign locations. The Company also provides certain postretirement healthcare and life insurance benefits to qualifying domestic retirees. Other postretirement benefit plans in foreign countries are not material. The measurement date used for the Company’s employee benefit plans is September 30.

Net pension and postretirement cost included the following components for the three months ended December 31:



	Pension Plans						Other Postretirement Benefits
(Millions of dollars)	2015			2014			2015			2014
Service cost	$	21		$	19		$	1		$	1
Interest cost	19			22			1			2
Expected return on plan assets	(29		)	(31		)	—			—
Amortization of prior service credit	(4		)	(4		)	(1		)	(1		)
Amortization of loss	20			17			—			1
Net pension and postretirement cost	$	28		$	23		$	1		$	2

The amounts provided above for amortization of prior service credit and amortization of loss represent the reclassifications of prior service credits and net actuarial losses that were recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in prior periods.

Postemployment benefit costs were $10 million for the three-month periods ended December 31, 2015 and 2014. During the three months ended December 31, 2015, the Company recognized charges of $3 million for employee termination costs in connection with its acquisition of CareFusion. Additional disclosures regarding the Company's restructuring activities are provided in Note 10.