Note 14 - Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

14. Commitments and Contingencies

The Company leases a portion of its equipment, office space, computer equipment, automobiles and trucks under leases which expire at various dates.

Minimum future operating lease obligations in effect at December 31, 2015, were as follows (in thousands):

	Operating Leases
2016	$	8,271
2017		4,784
2018		3,422
2019		2,654
2020		1,298
Thereafter		5,738
Total	$	26,167

Rental expense under operating leases was $11.3 million, $11.5 million and $12.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

In the ordinary course of conducting our business, we become involved in litigation and other claims from private party actions, as well as judicial and administrative proceedings involving governmental authorities at the federal, state and local levels. During 2014 and early 2015, a number of lawsuits were filed by current and former employees, in Federal Court against the Company and or one of its subsidiaries, alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). The plaintiffs seek damages and penalties for the Company’s alleged failure to: properly classify its field service employees as “non-exempt” under the FLSA; and pay them on an hourly basis (including overtime). The plaintiffs are seeking recovery on their own behalf as well as a class of similarly situated employees. Settlement of the class action against the Company was approved and a judgment was entered November 19, 2015. The Company has settled the vast majority of these claims and is evaluating potential settlements for the remaining individual plaintiffs’ claims which are not expected to be significant.

We are a party to various pending or threatened claims, lawsuits and administrative proceedings seeking damages or other remedies concerning our commercial operations, products, employees and other matters, including occasional claims by individuals alleging exposure to hazardous materials as a result of our products or operations. Some of these claims relate to matters occurring prior to our acquisition of businesses, and some relate to businesses we have sold. In certain cases, we are entitled to indemnification from the sellers of businesses, and in other cases, we have indemnified the buyers of businesses from us. Although we can give no assurance about the outcome of pending legal and administrative proceedings and the effect such outcomes may have on us, we believe that any ultimate liability resulting from the outcome of such proceedings, to the extent not otherwise provided for or covered by indemnity or insurance, will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or liquidity.