(16) Employee Benefit Costs: Retirement Plan and Other Postretirement Benefits The Company has noncontributory, defined benefit retirement plans and other postretirement benefit plans covering certain employees. In October 2012, the Board of Directors of the Company authorized an amendment to the Company's defined benefit retirement plans for U.S. non-bargaining employees. The amendment freezes accruals for all non-bargaining employees within the pension plan effective December 31, 2013. The Company uses a June 30 measurement date for all of its plans. The following provides a reconciliation of obligations, plan assets and funded status of the plans for the two years indicated (in thousands): Pension Benefits Other Postretirement Benefits Actuarial Assumptions: 2019 2018 2019 2018 Discounted Rate Used to Determine Present Value of Projected Benefit Obligation 3.60 % 4.30 % 3.55 % 4.25 % Weighted Average Expected Long-Term Rate of Return on Plan Assets 6.90% 7.00% n/a n/a Change in Benefit Obligations: Projected Benefit Obligation at Beginning of Year $ 959,010 $ 1,116,705 $ 58,801 $ 66,693 Service Cost 4,541 2,402 106 135 Interest Cost 39,720 43,068 2,332 2,372 Plan Settlements (1,720 ) (101,553 ) — — Plan Participant Contributions — — 2,212 2,346 Actuarial (Gain) Loss 59,362 (27,541 ) 1,364 (146 ) Benefits Paid (63,228) (74,071) (10,815) (12,599) Projected Benefit Obligation at End of Year $ 997,685 $ 959,010 $ 54,000 $ 58,801 Change in Plan Assets: Fair Value of Plan Assets at Beginning of Year $ 765,644 $ 870,606 $ — $ — Actual Return on Plan Assets 68,745 36,914 — — Plan Participant Contributions — — 2,212 2,346 Employer Contributions 3,734 33,748 8,603 10,253 Benefits Paid (63,228 ) (74,071 ) (10,815 ) (12,599 ) Plan Settlements (1,720) (101,553) — — Fair Value of Plan Assets at End of Year $ 773,175 $ 765,644 $ — $ — Funded Status: Plan Assets (Less Than) in Excess of Projected Benefit Obligation $ (224,510 ) $ (193,366 ) $ (54,000 ) $ (58,801 ) Amounts Recognized on the Balance Sheets: Accrued Pension Cost $ (221,033 ) $ (189,872 ) $ — $ — Accrued Wages and Salaries (3,477) (3,494) — — Accrued Postretirement Health Care Obligation — — (25,929 ) (30,186 ) Accrued Liabilities — — (6,760) (8,418) Accrued Employee Benefits — — (21,311 ) (20,197 ) Net Amount Recognized at End of Year $ (224,510) $ (193,366) $ (54,000) $ (58,801) Amounts Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax: Net Actuarial Loss $ (242,565) $ (218,066) $ (10,571) $ (11,815) Prior Service Credit (Cost) (3 ) (125 ) — 433 Net Amount Recognized at End of Year $ (242,568) $ (218,191) $ (10,571) $ (11,382) The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans was $998 million and $959 million at June 30, 2019 and July 1, 2018, respectively. 71