Employee Pension Benefits

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Employee Pension Benefits

10. Employee Pension Benefits

The following table sets forth the components of net periodic pension benefit of the ESI Pension Plan and ESI Excess Pension Plan for the periods indicated:

	Three Months Ended  September 30,				Nine Months Ended  September 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Interest cost		$516		$608		$1,548		$1,804
Expected return on assets		(1,128)		(1,273)		(3,385)		(3,567)
Recognized net actuarial loss		679		400		2,037		1,352
Amortization of prior service (credit)		(389)		(474)		(1,166)		(1,166)
Net periodic pension (benefit)		($322)		($739)		($966)		($1,577)

The benefit accruals under the ESI Pension Plan and ESI Excess Pension Plan were frozen effective March 31, 2006. As a result, no service cost has been included in the net periodic pension benefit.

We did not make any contributions to the ESI Pension Plan or the ESI Excess Pension Plan in the three or nine months ended September 30, 2012 or 2011. We do not expect to make any contributions to the ESI Pension Plan or the ESI Excess Pension Plan in 2012.