Employee Benefit Plans

Peoples sponsors a noncontributory defined benefit pension plan that covers substantially all employees hired before January 1, 2010. The plan provides retirement benefits based on an employee’s years of service and compensation. For employees hired before January 1, 2003, the amount of postretirement benefit is based on the employee’s average monthly compensation over the highest five consecutive years out of the employee’s last ten years with Peoples while an eligible employee. For employees hired on or after January 1, 2003, the amount of postretirement benefit is based on 2% of the employee’s annual compensation during the years 2003 through 2009, plus accrued interest. Effective January 1, 2010, the pension plan was closed to new entrants. Effective March 1, 2011, the accrual of pension plan benefits for all participants was frozen. Peoples recognized this freeze as a curtailment as of December 31, 2010 and March 1, 2011, under the terms of the pension plan. Effective July 1, 2013, a participant in the pension plan who is employed by Peoples may elect to receive or to commence receiving such person's retirement benefits as of the later of such person's normal retirement date or the first day of the month first following the date such person makes an election to receive his or her retirement benefits.

Peoples also provides post-retirement health and life insurance benefits to certain former employees and directors. Only those individuals who retired before January 27, 2012 were eligible for life insurance benefits. As of January 1, 2011, all retirees who desire to participate in the Peoples Bank medical plan do so by electing COBRA, which provides up to 18 months of coverage; retirees over the age of 65 also have the option to pay to participate in a group Medicare supplemental plan. Peoples only pays 100% of the cost for those individuals who retired before January 1, 1993. For all others, the retiree is responsible for most, if not all, of the cost of the health benefits. Peoples’ policy is to fund the cost of the benefits as they arise.

The following tables detail the components of the net periodic cost for the plans described above:



	Pension Benefits
	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2019			2018			2019			2018
Interest cost	$	109		$	104		$	328		$	314
Expected return on plan assets	(195		)	(147		)	(586		)	(440		)
Amortization of net loss	19			29			58			84
Settlement of benefit obligation	—			176			—			176
Net periodic (income) loss	$	(67	)	$	162		$	(200	)	$	134



	Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
(Dollars in thousands)	2019			2018			2019			2018
Interest cost	$	1		$	—		$	3		$	2
Amortization of prior service cost	—			—			(1		)	—
Amortization of net gain	(2		)	(1		)	(4		)	(4		)
Net periodic income	$	(1	)	$	(1	)	$	(2	)	$	(2	)

Under US GAAP, Peoples is required to recognize a settlement gain or loss when the aggregate amount of lump-sum distributions to participants equals or exceeds the sum of the service and interest cost components of the net periodic pension cost. The amount of settlement gain or loss recognized is the pro rata amount of the unrealized gain or loss existing immediately prior to the settlement. In general, both the projected benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets are required to be remeasured in order to determine the settlement gain or loss.