Note 16 - Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Notes to Financial Statements

Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

16. CONTINGENCIES

From time to time, the Company is a defendant or plaintiff in various legal actions that arise in the normal course of business.  As such, the Company is required to assess the likelihood of any adverse outcomes to these matters as well as potential ranges of losses and possible recoveries.  The Company

may

not be covered by insurance as it pertains to some or all of these matters. A determination of the amount of the provision required for these commitments and contingencies, if any, which would be charged to earnings, is made after careful analysis of each matter.  Once established, a provision

may

change in the future due to new developments or changes in circumstances, and could increase or decrease the Company’s earnings in the period that the changes are made.  Asserted claims in these matters sought approximately

$1.5

million and

$1.9

million in damages as of

December

31,

2016

and

January

2,

2016,

respectively

. As of

December

31,

2016,

the Company accrued

$0.5

million for such liabilities.

The Company is also subject to other pending legal proceedings and claims that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of its business, which

may

not be covered by insurance.