CALIFORNIA RESOURCES CORPORATION LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

EX-10.4 5 crcexhibit10493015.htm EXHIBIT 10.4 Exhibit
EXHIBIT 10.4

CALIFORNIA RESOURCES CORPORATION
LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN

NONSTATUTORY STOCK OPTION AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

DATE OF GRANT:
August 5, 2015
SHARES OF COMMON STOCK
SUBJECT TO THIS OPTION:
See Morgan Stanley Stock Plan Connect “Stock Options /Granted”
VESTING SCHEDULE:
One-third of the Options on August 4, 2016;      One-third of the Options on August 4, 2017; One-third of the Options on August 4, 2018; (each being a “Vesting Date”)
PURCHASE PRICE PER SHARE:
$4.20
The following Terms and Conditions (these “Terms and Conditions”) are set forth as of the Date of Grant between CALIFORNIA RESOURCES CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (“CRC” and, with its subsidiaries, the “Company”), and the eligible employee receiving this award (the “Grantee”).
1.Grant of Option. In accordance with these Terms and Conditions and the California Resources Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Plan”), CRC hereby grants to the Grantee the right and option (“Option”) to purchase all or any part of the aggregate number of shares of CRC common stock, $0.01 par value (“Common Stock”), set forth above. In the event of any conflict between the terms of these Terms and Conditions and the Plan, the Plan shall control. Capitalized terms used but not defined in these Terms and Conditions shall have the meanings attributed to such terms under the Plan, unless the context requires otherwise. This Option shall not be treated as an incentive stock option within the meaning of section 422(b) of the Code.
If the Grantee fails to accept this award prior to October 1, 2015, then, notwithstanding any other provision of this award, the Grantee shall forfeit this Option and all rights under this award and this award will become null and void. For purposes of these Terms and Conditions, acceptance of the award shall occur on the date the Grantee accepts this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award through Morgan Stanley Stock Plan Connect or any replacement on-line system designated by the Company.
2.    Purchase Price. The purchase price of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of this Option shall be the purchase price per share set forth above, which has been determined to be not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the Date of Grant. For all purposes of these Terms and Conditions, the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the Plan.
3.    Vesting and Exercise of Option. Subject to the earlier expiration of this Option as herein provided, this Option may be exercised, by written notice to CRC at its principal executive office addressed to the attention of its corporate secretary (or such other officer, employee or designee of the Company as CRC may designate from time to time), at any time and from time to time after the Date of Grant, but, except as otherwise provided below, this Option shall not be exercisable for more than that portion of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock offered by this Option determined under the vesting schedule set forth above.
This Option may be exercised only while the Grantee remains an employee of the Company and will terminate and cease to be exercisable upon the Grantee’s termination of employment with the Company, except that:

(a)If, prior to the final Vesting Date, the Grantee dies, becomes permanently disabled while in the employ of the Company and terminates employment as a result thereof, or retires with the consent of the Company (each of the foregoing, a “Forfeiture Event”), then the unvested portion of this Option shall become vested and exercisable with respect to such unvested shares of Common Stock offered by this Option as of the date of the Forfeiture Event (and shall remain exercisable for the remaining term of this Option with respect to such shares as well as the shares with respect to which this Option became vested and exercisable prior to the Forfeiture Event). If the Grantee terminates employment voluntarily or the Grantee’s employment is terminated for cause (as determined by the Company) before the final Vesting Date, then (i) the Grantee shall forfeit the portion of this Option that has not become vested and exercisable prior to the Grantee’s termination date and (ii) this Option may be exercised by the Grantee (or the person who acquires this Option by will or the laws of descent and distribution or otherwise by reason of the death of Grantee) at any time during the period ending at the earlier 60 days following such termination or the term of this Option, but only as to the number of shares the Grantee was entitled to purchase hereunder as of the date the Grantee’s employment so terminates.
(b)If, prior to the final vesting date, a Change in Control occurs and the Grantee’s employment is terminated by the Company on or after the date of such event and as a result of such event, or the Grantee terminates employment without cause (as determined by the Company) for the convenience of the Company (each of the foregoing, a “Forfeiture Event”), then the unvested portion of this Option will be reduced on a pro rata basis based upon the number obtained by (i) multiplying the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock offered by this Option by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days between and including the Date of Grant and the Forfeiture Event, and the denominator of which is the number of days between and including the Date of Grant and the final Vesting Date, and (ii) subtracting from the product the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which this Option became vested and exercisable prior to the Forfeiture Event. This Option shall become vested and exercisable with respect to such pro rata unvested shares of Common Stock offered by this Option as of the date of the Forfeiture Event (and shall remain exercisable for the lesser of the remaining term of this Option or 180 days with respect to such shares as well as the shares with respect to which this Option became vested and exercisable prior to the Forfeiture Event), and this Option shall cease to be exercisable as of such date with respect to any other shares of Common Stock offered under this Option that have not become vested and exercisable on or prior to such date. Any such determination by the Committee is binding on the Grantee.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event will this Option be exercisable after the expiration of seven years from the Date of Grant. The purchase price of shares as to which this Option is exercised shall be paid in full at the time of exercise (i) in cash, cash equivalent, or by electronic funds transfer, (ii) if permitted by the Committee in its sole discretion, by delivering or constructively tendering to CRC shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the purchase price (provided such shares used for this purpose must have been held by the Grantee for such minimum period of time as may be established from time to time by the Committee), (iii) if the Common Stock is readily tradable on a national securities exchange, through a “cashless exercise” in accordance with a Company established policy or program for the same, or (iv) in any other legal consideration the Committee deems appropriate. No fraction of a share of Common Stock shall be issued by CRC upon exercise of an Option or accepted by CRC in payment of the exercise price thereof; rather, the Grantee shall provide a cash payment for such amount as is necessary to effect the issuance and acceptance of only whole shares of Common Stock. Unless and until a certificate or certificates representing such shares shall have been issued by CRC to the Grantee, the Grantee (or the person permitted to exercise this Option in the event of the Grantee’s death) shall not be or have any of the rights or privileges of a stockholder of CRC with respect to shares acquirable upon an exercise of this Option.
4.    Taxes and Withholding. Regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any or all income tax (including U.S. federal, state and local tax and non-U.S. tax), social insurance, payroll tax, payment on account or other tax-related items related to the Grantee’s participation in the Plan and legally applicable to the Grantee (“Tax-Related Items”), the Grantee acknowledges that the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains the Grantee’s responsibility and may exceed the amount actually withheld by the Company. The Grantee further acknowledges that the Company (i) makes no representations or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with any aspect of this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award, including the grant, vesting or exercise of the Nonstatutory Stock Option Award; and (ii) does not commit to and is under no obligation to structure the terms of the grant or any aspect of the Nonstatutory Stock Option Award to reduce or eliminate the Grantee’s liability for Tax-Related Items or achieve any particular tax result. Further, if the Grantee has become subject to tax in more than one jurisdiction between the Date of Grant and the date of any relevant taxable event, the Grantee acknowledges that the Company may be required to withhold or account for Tax-Related Items in more than one jurisdiction.
Prior to the relevant taxable event, the Grantee shall pay or make adequate arrangements satisfactory to the Company to satisfy all Tax-Related Items. In this regard, the Grantee authorizes the Company to withhold all applicable Tax-Related Items legally payable by the Grantee, first, from the shares purchased upon exercise of this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award and, if not sufficient, from the Grantee’s wages or other cash compensation. The Grantee shall pay to the Company any amount of Tax-Related Items that the Company may be required to withhold as a result of the Grantee’s receipt, vesting or exercise of this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award that cannot be satisfied by the means previously described.
5.    Compensation Recoupment. Grantee’s receipt of this award is expressly conditioned on Grantee’s agreement to the terms and provisions of this Section, and Grantee acknowledges that Grantee would not have received this award in the absence of such agreement. By accepting this award, Grantee acknowledges and agrees that:
(a)    the compensation (or any portion thereof) payable pursuant to this award and any other award granted to Grantee under the Plan (whether granted before, on or after the Date of Grant) shall be subject to recovery, revocation, recoupment or “clawback” by the Company or any of its Affiliates pursuant to (i) the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Act”), (ii) any rules or regulations promulgated under the Act or by any stock exchange on which the Company’s common stock is listed (collectively, the “Rules”), or (iii) any compensation recoupment or clawback policies or procedures adopted by CRC or any of its Affiliates, in each case with respect to clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above as such provisions, rules, regulations, policies and procedures may be adopted and amended from time to time (including with retroactive effect); and
(b)    any other compensation or benefit (or any portion thereof) payable to or on behalf of Grantee from the Company or any of its Affiliates (whether payable before, on or after the Date of Grant, but excluding any compensation or benefit payable pursuant to an award granted under the Plan) shall be subject to recovery, revocation, recoupment or clawback by the Company or any of its Affiliates pursuant to the Act, the Rules or any compensation recoupment or clawback policies or procedures adopted by CRC or any of its Affiliates in accordance with the requirements of the Act and the Rules, in each case as the Act, the Rules and such policies and procedures may be adopted and amended from time to time (including with retroactive effect).
In addition, Grantee hereby agrees (on behalf of Grantee and any other individual, entity or other person claiming under or through Grantee) that: (a) compensation payable pursuant to this award and any other compensation or benefit payable to or on behalf of Grantee (whether under the Plan or otherwise) shall be subject to recovery, revocation, recoupment or clawback as provided in the preceding provisions of this Section; and (b) Grantee (or any such individual, entity or other person) shall not seek indemnification or contribution from the Company or any of its Affiliates with respect to any amount so recovered, revoked, recouped or clawed back.
6.    Employment Relationship. For purposes of these Terms and Conditions, the Grantee shall be considered to be in the employment of the Company as long as the Grantee remains an employee of any of the Company, an Affiliate, or a corporation or other entity or a parent or subsidiary of such corporation or other entity assuming or substituting a new option for this Option. Without limiting the scope of the preceding sentence, it is expressly provided that the Grantee shall be considered to have terminated employment with the Company at the time of the termination of the “Affiliate” status under the Plan of the entity or other organization that employs the Grantee. Nothing in the adoption of the Plan, nor the award of this Option thereunder pursuant to these Terms and Conditions, shall affect in any way the right of the Grantee or the Company or any such Affiliate or other entity to terminate such employment at any time. Unless otherwise provided in a written employment agreement or by applicable law, the Grantee’s employment by the Company or any such Affiliate or other entity shall be on an at-will basis, and the employment relationship may be terminated at any time by either the Grantee or the Company or any such Affiliate or other entity for any reason whatsoever, with or without cause or notice. Any question as to whether and when there has been a termination of the Grantee’s employment with the Company or any such Affiliate or other entity, and the cause of such termination, shall be determined by the Committee, and its determination shall be final.
7.    Acknowledgements Regarding Section 409A of the Code. The Grantee understands that if the purchase price of the Common Stock under this Option is less than the fair market value of such Common Stock on the date of grant of this Option, then the Grantee may incur adverse tax consequences under section 409A of the Code. The Grantee acknowledges and agrees that (a) he is not relying upon any determination by the Company, any Affiliate, or any of their respective employees, directors, managers, officers, attorneys or agents (collectively, the “Company Parties”) of the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant of this Option, (b) he is not relying upon any written or oral statement or representation of the Company Parties regarding the tax effects associated with the Grantee’s acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and his receipt, holding and exercise of this Option, and (c) in deciding to accept these Terms and Conditions, the Grantee is relying on his own judgment and the judgment of the professionals of his choice with whom he has consulted. The Grantee hereby releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company Parties from all actions, causes of actions, suits, debts, obligations, liabilities, claims, damages, losses, costs and expenses of any nature whatsoever, known or unknown, on account of, arising out of, or in any way related to the tax effects associated with the Grantee’s acceptance of these Terms and Conditions and his receipt, holding and exercise of this Option.
8.    Notices. Any notices or other communications provided for in these Terms and Conditions shall be sufficient if in writing. In the case of the Grantee, such notices or communications shall be effectively delivered if hand delivered to the Grantee at the Grantee’s principal place of employment or if sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Grantee at the last address the Grantee has filed with the Company. In the case of the Company, such notices or communications shall be effectively delivered if sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to CRC at its principal executive offices.
9.    Privacy Rights. By accepting this Award, the Grantee explicitly and unambiguously consents to the collection, use and transfer, in electronic or other form, of the Grantee’s Data (as defined below) by and among, as applicable, the Company and its affiliates for the exclusive purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Grantee’s participation in the Plan. The Company holds or may receive from any agent designated by the Company certain personal information about the Grantee, including, but not limited to, the Grantee’s name, home address and telephone number, date of birth, social insurance number or other identification number, salary, nationality, job title, any shares of stock or directorships held in the Company, details of this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award or any other entitlement to shares of stock awarded, canceled, exercised, vested, unvested or outstanding in the Grantee’s favor, for the purpose of implementing, administering and managing the Plan, including complying with applicable tax and securities laws (“Data”). Data may be transferred to any third parties assisting in the implementation, administration and management of the Plan. These recipients may be located in the Grantee’s country or elsewhere, and may have different data privacy laws and protections than the Grantee’s country. By accepting these Terms and Conditions, the Grantee authorizes the recipients to receive, possess, use, retain and transfer the Data, in electronic or other form, for the purposes described above. The Grantee may, at any time, view Data, request additional information about the storage and processing of Data, require any necessary amendments to Data or refuse or withdraw the consents herein, in any case without cost, by contacting the administrator in writing. Refusing or withdrawing consent may affect the Grantee’s ability to participate in the Plan.
10.    Electronic Delivery. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award granted under the Plan or future awards that may be granted under the Plan (if any) by electronic means or to request the Grantee’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. The Grantee hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company.
11.    Binding Effect. These Terms and Conditions shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of any successors to the Company and all persons lawfully claiming under the Grantee.
12.    Entire Agreement; Amendment. These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement of the parties with regard to the subject matter hereof, and contains all the covenants, promises, representations, warranties and agreements between the parties with respect to this Option; provided, however, that the terms of these Terms and Conditions shall not modify and shall be subject to the terms and conditions of any employment and/or severance agreement between the Company (or an Affiliate) and the Grantee in effect as of the date a determination is to be made under these Terms and Conditions. Without limiting the scope of the preceding sentence, except as provided therein, all prior understandings and agreements, if any, among the parties hereto relating to the subject matter hereof are hereby null and void and of no further force and effect. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time in any manner that is not inconsistent with the Plan; provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in the Plan or these Terms and Conditions, no amendment will adversely affect the rights of the Grantee under these Terms and Conditions in any material respect without the Grantee’s consent. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Attachment B may only be modified or revoked pursuant to the terms set forth in its Paragraph 14, and Attachment B shall survive the termination of Employee’s employment relationship with the Company, the termination of the Plan and the termination of the Terms and Conditions.
13.    Grantee’s Agreement to General Terms of Employment and Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate. By accepting this Nonstatutory Stock Option Award, the Grantee agrees, to the extent not contrary to applicable law, to the General Terms of Employment set out on Attachment 1 and to be bound by the Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate set out on Attachment 2, which, in each case, are incorporated in these Terms and Conditions by reference
14.    Governing Law. Except as provided by Paragraphs 10 and 11 of Attachment B, the laws of the State of Delaware govern the interpretation, performance, and enforcement of these Terms and Conditions.
Attachment 1
GENERAL TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT
A.    Except as otherwise required by law or legal process, the Grantee will not publish or divulge to any person, firm, corporation or institution and will not use to the detriment of CRC, or any of its subsidiaries or other affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or stockholders (collectively, “CRC Parties”), at any time during or after the Grantee’s employment by any of them, any trade secrets or confidential information of any of them (whether generated by them or as a result of any of their business relationships), including such information as described in CRC’s ethics code and other corporate policies, without first obtaining the written permission of an officer of the Company.
B.    At the time of leaving employment with the Company, the Grantee will deliver to the Company, and not keep or deliver to anyone else, any and all credit cards, drawings, blueprints, specifications, devices, notes, notebooks, memoranda, reports, studies, correspondence and other documents, and, in general, any and all materials relating to the CRC Parties (whether generated by them or as a result of their business relationships), including any copies (whether in paper or electronic form), that the Grantee has in the Grantee’s possession or control.
C.    The Grantee will, during the Grantee’s employment by the Company, comply with the provisions of CRC’s ethics code.
D.    Except as otherwise required by the Grantee’s job or permitted by law, the Grantee will not make statements about any CRC Parties (1) to the press, electronic media, to any part of the investment community, to the public, or to any person connected with, employed by or having a relationship with any of them without permission of an officer of the Company or (2) that are derogatory, defamatory or negative. Nothing herein, however, shall prevent Grantee from making a good faith report or complaint to appropriate governmental authorities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Grantee will not interfere with or disrupt any of the Company’s operations or otherwise take actions intended directly to harm any of the CRC Parties.
E.    All inventions, developments, designs, improvements, discoveries and ideas that the Grantee makes or conceives in the course of employment by the Company, whether or not during regular working hours, relating to any design, article of manufacture, machine, apparatus, process, method, composition of matter, product or any improvement or component thereof, that are manufactured, sold, leased, used or under development by, or pertain to the present or possible future business of the Company shall be a work-for-hire and become and remain the property of CRC, its successors and assigns.
The provisions of this Section do not apply to an invention that qualifies fully under the provisions of Section 2870 of the California Labor Code, which provides in substance that provisions in an employment agreement providing that an employee shall assign or offer to assign rights in an invention to his or her employer do not apply to an invention for which no equipment, supplies, facilities, or trade secret information of the employer was used and which was developed entirely on the employee’s own time, except for those inventions that either (a) relate, at the time of conception or reduction to practice of the invention, (1) to the business of the employer or (2) to the employer’s actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development, or (b) result from any work performed by the employee for the employer.
F.    The foregoing General Terms of Employment are not intended to be an exclusive list of the employment terms and conditions that apply to the Grantee. The Company, in its sole discretion, may at any time amend or supplement the foregoing terms. The Grantee’s breach of the foregoing General Terms of Employment will entitle the Company to take appropriate disciplinary action, including, without limitation, reduction of the Nonstatutory Stock Option Award granted pursuant to these Terms and Conditions and termination of employment.


Attachment 2    
MUTUAL AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE
The Grantee under the Terms and Conditions (“Employee”) and California Resources Corporation (“Company”) hereby enter into this Mutual Agreement to Arbitrate (“Agreement”).
In recognition of the fact that differences may arise out of or relating to certain aspects of Employee’s employment relationship or the termination of that relationship, and in recognition of the fact that resolution of any differences in the courts is rarely timely or cost effective for either party, Employee and Company have entered into this Agreement in order to establish and gain the benefits of a speedy, impartial and cost-effective dispute resolution procedure.
1.    Claims Subject to Arbitration. Except as expressly set forth in Paragraph 2 below, both Company and Employee mutually consent to resolve by final and binding arbitration any and all disputes, claims or controversies of any kind or nature, including but not limited to such matters arising from, related to or in connection with Employee seeking employment with, Employee’s employment relationship by or the termination of Employee’s employment with any one or more of the Company, its predecessors and each of their respective past and present parents, affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively referred to herein as “Company Group”) that either Employee may have against one or more Company Group entity (and/or each of their respective past and present employees, independent contractors, owners, agents, officers, directors, board members, shareholders, successors, assigns, benefit plans and sponsors, fiduciaries, administrators or insurers) or that any Company Group entity may have against Employee (collectively, “Claims”). The term Company Group includes, but is not limited to, Occidental Petroleum Corporation and its past and present affiliates and subsidiaries. The Claims subject to arbitration include, without limitation, (a) any Claims by Employee arising from, related to or in connection with: (i) any federal, state or local law or regulation prohibiting discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or any other condition or characteristic protected by law; (ii) any alleged breach of contract or covenant, whether express or implied, including but not limited to a breach of the Terms and Conditions; (iii) any alleged violation of any federal, state, local, or other constitution, statute, ordinance, regulation, common law, or public policy; (iv) any dispute regarding wages, hours, bonuses or other compensation or payment; and/or (v) any personal, emotional, physical, economic, property or any other injury, loss or harm; and (b) any Claims that a Company Group entity may have against Employee, including, without limitation, any alleged trade secret violations.
2.    Claims Not Subject to Arbitration. This Agreement does not apply to any Claims by Employee: (a) for state Workers’ Compensation benefits; (b) for unemployment insurance benefits filed with the appropriate government entity; (c) arising under a benefit plan where the plan expressly specifies a separate arbitration procedure; (d) arising under the National Labor Relations Act and filed through a charge with the National Labor Relations Board; or (e) which are otherwise expressly prohibited by law from being subject to arbitration under this Agreement, provided such prohibition is not preempted under the Federal Arbitration Act or any other federal law. This Agreement does not preclude filing an administrative charge or complaint with the appropriate government entity if such filing is protected or required by law. However, to the full extent permitted by law, any Claims seeking monetary relief must be asserted in arbitration pursuant to this Agreement.
3.    Class, Collective and Representative Action Waivers. To the fullest extent permitted by law, and notwithstanding anything else in this Agreement, Employee and Company agree that any Claims brought by a Company Group entity, by Employee or on Employee’s behalf shall be decided by the arbitrator on an individual basis and not on a class, collective or representative basis. Accordingly, class, collective and representative actions are not permitted under this Agreement. The arbitrator shall not have the authority or jurisdiction to hear the arbitration as a class, collective or representative action or to join or consolidate causes of action of different parties into one proceeding. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Company Group and Employee agree that they have waived, to the maximum extent possible, any of their rights to bring or participate in class, collective or representative actions with respect to any Claims. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if and to the extent applicable law precludes Employee and/or any Company Group entity from waiving any right to bring California Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”) class, collective or representative claims, and provided that the applicable law is not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act or other federal law, then the Parties agree that such PAGA class, collective or representative claims shall not be subject to the terms of this Agreement and shall be heard by a court of competent jurisdiction.
4.    Procedure. Any arbitration will be filed with and conducted by JAMS. The arbitration shall be held at the closest office of JAMS to where Employee does/did report to work or at a location mutually agreed to by the parties, pursuant to the JAMS Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures (“Rules”) in effect at the time the demand for arbitration is filed, except as modified by this Agreement (including, without limitation, as modified in Paragraph 12). Employee understands that he or she may obtain a copy of the most current Rules by visiting JAMS’ website, currently located at http://www.jamsadr.com/rules-employment-arbitration/, or by contacting Human Resources at ***@***. A copy of the Rules currently in effect is attached to this agreement as Exhibit A. If JAMS is unable or unwilling to accept the matter for any reason, the parties will submit the matter to a comparable arbitration service, which will apply the then-current Rules unless otherwise agreed to by the parties to the arbitration and as modified by this Agreement. Arbitration shall be initiated and all Claims shall be decided by a single, neutral arbitrator.
5.    Discovery and Motions. The parties to the arbitration shall be entitled to conduct reasonable discovery and the arbitrator shall have the authority to determine what constitutes reasonable discovery. The arbitrator will have the authority to hear and grant motions, including but not limited to motions for summary judgment and summary adjudication.
6.    Remedies. The arbitrator may award any form of remedy or relief (including injunctive relief) that would otherwise be available in court and any such form of remedy or relief awarded must comply with applicable state and federal law.
7.    Decision. The arbitrator shall issue a written and signed decision within thirty (30) days of the deadline for submission of post-hearing briefs. The arbitrator’s award shall be final and binding and shall contain the essential findings of fact and conclusions of law on which the decision is based. Judgment upon the award may be entered, and enforcement may be sought, only in a California state court of competent jurisdiction.
8.    Right of Appeal. The arbitrator shall not have the power to commit errors of law or legal reasoning. The arbitrator’s final award is subject to review for legal error, confirmation, correction or vacatur only in a California state court of competent jurisdiction. Solely in the event that a court should find that it does not have legal authority, or otherwise refuses, to review the arbitrator’s decision for legal error, then any party to the arbitration shall have a right to appeal the arbitrator’s final award pursuant to the rules and procedures set forth in the JAMS Optional Arbitration Appeal Procedure ("Appeal Rules") in effect at the time the appeal is served, except as modified by this Agreement. Employee understands that he or she may obtain a copy of the most current Appeal Rules by visiting JAMS' website, currently located at http://www.jamsadr.com/appeal/, or by contacting Human Resources at ***@***. A copy of the Appeal Rules currently in effect is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit B. The appeal must be filed with JAMS within thirty (30) days of the court’s decision to not review the arbitrator’s final award for legal error, provided that the deadline shall be tolled in the event a party seeks appellate review of the court’s decision.
9.    Arbitration Fees and Costs. To the extent required by law, Company shall bear all reasonable and necessary fees and costs of the arbitration forum that Employee would not otherwise be required to bear if the Claims were brought in court. In all other circumstances, Company and Employee will each pay fifty percent (50%) of the fees and costs of the arbitration forum. The parties shall be responsible for their own attorneys’ fees and costs, except that the arbitrator shall have the authority to award attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing party in accordance with the substantive law governing the Claims. Any controversy regarding the payment of fees and costs under this Agreement shall be decided by the arbitrator.
10.    Law Governing Claims. Except for Claims relating to or arising out of the interpretation, performance and/or enforcement of the Terms and Conditions to which this Agreement is attached, which shall be governed by Section 16 of the Terms and Conditions, the arbitrator shall apply California and federal law, as applicable, to any Claims and defenses asserted by the parties.
11.    Law Governing This Agreement. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Federal Arbitration Act shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement, the procedures for the arbitration, and the substantive governing law for review for legal error, confirmation, correction or vacatur of the arbitrator’s final award, with the sole exception that the California Arbitration Act shall apply for purposes of permitting review of the final arbitration award for legal error.
12.    Determination of Arbitrability. A California state court with jurisdiction over a party’s Claims, and not the arbitrator, shall have the exclusive authority and jurisdiction to resolve any issue relating to the formation or enforceability of this Agreement, or any issue relating to whether a Claim is subject to arbitration under this Agreement. Employee and Company agree that they are subject to the jurisdiction of California state courts for these purposes.
13.    At-Will Employment. This Agreement is not, and shall not be construed to create, any contract of employment, express or implied. This Agreement shall not be construed in any way to change Employee’s employment status from at-will or to modify, nullify or otherwise affect the at-will agreement between Employee and Company.
14.    Revocation and Modification. This Agreement shall survive the termination of Employee’s employment relationship, the termination of the California Resources Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan, and the termination of the Terms and Conditions to which this Agreement is attached. The Agreement shall apply to any Claims whether they arise or are asserted during or after termination of that relationship. This Agreement can be modified or revoked only by a writing signed by Employee and an executive of the Company that references this Agreement and specifically states an intent to modify or revoke this Agreement.
15.    Reformation and Severability. If any clause or provision of this Agreement is declared void or unenforceable by any tribunal, then such clause or provision shall be modified or, if modification is not possible, stricken to the extent necessary to allow enforcement of this Agreement, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. However, in no event shall the arbitrator hear any Claims as class, collective or representative actions, even if Paragraph 3 of this Agreement, or any clause or provision contained therein, is adjudged void or is otherwise unenforceable. In other words, if one or more of the class, collective and/or representative action waivers in Paragraph 3 are found to be unenforceable, the specific type of waiver(s) found to be unenforceable shall be stricken from the Agreement and the respective action(s) that were the subject of the stricken waiver(s) shall be heard and determined through an appropriate court proceeding, and not in arbitration. All remaining Claims shall proceed in individual arbitration.
16.    Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and it revokes and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreements or understandings on the subject of arbitration of the Claims; however, it does not supersede any arbitration agreement in connection with Company’s benefit plans, if any. Neither party is relying or shall rely on any representations (whether oral or written) on the subject of the effect, enforceability or meaning of this Agreement, except as specifically set forth in this Agreement. A scanned, copied or facsimile version of signatures on this Agreement is to be effective as original signatures.
PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY. By entering into this Agreement, you agree to final and binding arbitration of any and all disputes between you and any Company Group entity including, without limitation, disputes related to your employment relationship and the termination thereof, and claims of discrimination and harassment. You also are agreeing to waive your right to a jury trial and to bring a claim on a class, collective or representative basis.
You also acknowledge that you have read this Agreement, understand its terms and have been given the opportunity to discuss this Agreement with an advisor of your choice, including your own legal counsel, and have taken advantage of that opportunity to the extent you wish to do so.















EXHIBIT A

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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award






EXHIBIT B

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2015 Stock Option Award




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2015 Stock Option Award





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2015 Stock Option Award






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2015 Stock Option Award