BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

NOTE 9. BENEFIT OBLIGATIONS

Pension and Other Benefit Obligations

The components of net periodic (credit) benefit costs are as follows (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits												Other Post-Retirement Benefits
	For the Three Months Ended June 30,						For the Six Months Ended June 30,						For the Three Months Ended June 30,						For the Six Months Ended June 30,
	2011			2010			2011			2010			2011			2010			2011			2010
Interest cost	$	1,112		$	1,055		$	2,224		$	2,111		$	83		$	119		$	166		$	238
Expected return on plan assets		(1,302	)		(1,237	)		(2,604	)		(2,474	)		—			—			—			—
Amortization of net prior service cost		(83	)		(82	)		(165	)		(164	)		—			—			—			—
Amortization of actuarial gain		(8	)		(15	)		(15	)		(30	)		(76	)		(25	)		(152	)		(50	)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	(281	)	$	(279	)	$	(560	)	$	(557	)	$	7		$	94		$	14		$	188

Effective December 31, 2005, we froze service accruals in the defined benefit pension plan for employees in the United States who did not participate in retirement plans offered by collective bargaining units or our insurance subsidiaries. All active employees who were eligible participants in the defined benefit pension plan, as of December 31, 2005, became 100% vested and have a non-forfeitable right to these benefits as of such date. During the second quarter of 2011, we informed employees who were eligible participants in the pension plan of our plan to terminate the pension plan, subject to approval by the IRS, with the intention of fully distributing plan assets as promptly as practicable following such approval. As of December 2010, the fair value of plan assets exceeded accumulated benefit obligations for the pension plan. We expect any final settlement contribution to the plan to be immaterial.

Defined Contribution Plans

Substantially all of our employees in the United States are eligible to participate in defined contribution plans we sponsor. Our costs related to defined contribution plans were $3.6 million and $3.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively and $7.2 million and $8.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively.