Employee Benefit Plans

The Company maintains a non-contributory defined benefit pension plan that covers substantially all U.S. employees who were employed at December 31, 2011. After that date, no further benefits are being accrued in this plan. For the frozen pension plan, benefits are based primarily on years of service and, for certain employees, levels of compensation.

The Company also maintains supplemental non-qualified plans for certain officers and other key employees, and an Employee Savings and Stock Option Plan (“ESSOP”).

The Company additionally has a postretirement healthcare benefit plan that provides medical benefits for certain U.S. retirees and eligible dependents hired prior to November 1, 2004. Employees are eligible to receive postretirement healthcare benefits upon meeting certain age and service requirements. No employees hired after October 31, 2004 are eligible to receive these benefits. This plan requires employee contributions to offset benefit costs.

The following table sets forth the components of net periodic benefit cost for the three months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 based on December 31, 2014 and 2013 actuarial measurement dates, respectively:



	Defined pension plan benefits						Other postretirement benefits
(In thousands)	2015			2014			2015		2014
Service cost – benefits earned during the year	$	8		$	15		$	36	$	32
Interest cost on projected benefit obligations	450			496			62		67
Expected return on plan assets	(538		)	(703		)	—		—
Amortization of prior service cost	—			—			14		41
Amortization of net loss	177			174			—		—
Settlement expense	—			680			—		—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	97		$	662		$	112	$	140

The following table sets forth the components of net periodic benefit cost for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 and 2014 based on December 31, 2014 and 2013 actuarial measurement dates, respectively:



	Defined pension plan benefits						Other postretirement benefits
(In thousands)	2015			2014			2015		2014
Service cost – benefits earned during the year	$	22		$	47		$	110	$	97
Interest cost on projected benefit obligations	1,350			1,489			188		202
Expected return on plan assets	(1,614		)	(2,110		)	—		—
Amortization of prior service cost	—			—			40		121
Amortization of net loss	532			521			—		—
Settlement expense	—			680			—		—
Net periodic benefit cost	$	290		$	627		$	338	$	420

The Company disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 that it was not required to make a minimum contribution to the defined benefit pension plan for the 2015 calendar year. The Company continues to believe no additional contributions will be required during 2015. During the third quarter of 2014, the Company began moving assets within its defined pension plan from its equity and fixed income policy towards a strategy more focused on fixed income. The intent was to more closely align assets with the corresponding pension liability and reduce exposure in equities.

The Company also disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2014 that it estimated it would pay $0.4 million in other postretirement benefits in 2015 based on actuarial estimates. As of September 30, 2015, $0.1 million of such benefits have been paid. The Company continues to believe that its estimated payments for the full year are reasonable. However, such estimates contain inherent uncertainties because cash payments can vary significantly depending on the timing of postretirement medical claims and the collection of the retirees’ portion of certain costs. Note that the amount of benefits paid in calendar year 2015 will not impact the expense for postretirement benefits for 2015.