Table of Contents 24. Restructuring costs Our accounting for employee separations is dependent upon how the particular program is designed. For voluntary programs, we recognize eligible separation costs at the time of employee acceptance unless the acceptance requires explicit approval by the company. For involuntary programs, we recognize eligible costs when management has approved the program, the affected employees have been properly notified and the costs are estimable. Restructuring costs for 2020, 2019 and 2018 were as follows: (Millions of dollars) 2020 2019 2018 Employee separations  $ 271 $ 48  $ 112  Contract terminations  2 1  7  Long-lived asset impairments  38 65  93  Defined benefit plan curtailments and termination benefits  — —  (8) Other  43 122  182  Total restructuring costs $ 354 $ 236  $ 386  1 1 1 2 3  Recognized in Other operating (income) expenses. 1  Recognized in Other income (expense). 2 Represents costs related to our restructuring programs, primarily for inventory write-downs, equipment relocation, project management, accelerated depreciation and building demolition, all of which are primarily included in Cost of goods sold. 3  The restructuring costs in 2020 were primarily related to various voluntary and involuntary employee separation programs implemented across the company and strategic actions to address certain product lines, which were partially offset by a gain on the sale of a manufacturing facility that had been closed. The restructuring costs in 2019 were primarily related to restructuring actions across the company. The restructuring costs in 2018 were primarily related to ongoing facility closures across the company. Beginning in 2019, only certain restructuring costs were excluded from segment profit. Restructuring costs included in segment profit were as follows: The following table summarizes the 2019 and 2020 employee separation activity: Most of the remaining liability balance as of December 31, 2020 is expected to be paid in 2021. (Millions of dollars) 2020 2019 2018 Construction Industries $ 13 $ 4  $ —  Resource Industries 19 5  —  Energy & Transportation 55 7  —  Financial Products Segment — —  —  All Other operating segment 9 8  —  (Millions of dollars) 2020 2019 Liability balance, beginning of period $ 48 $ 85  Increase in liability (separation charges) 271 48  Reduction in liability (payments) (155) (85) Liability balance, end of period $ 164 $ 48  140