Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan
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EX-10.1 2 tv523213_ex10-1.htm EXHIBIT 10.1 tv523213_ex10-1 - none - 8.761158s
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Exhibit 10.1
COLUMBIA FINANCIAL, INC. 2019 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents
| | | Page | | |||
ARTICLE 1 — PURPOSE AND GENERAL PROVISIONS | | | | | 1 | | |
1.1 Establishment of Plan | | | | | 1 | | |
1.2 Purpose of Plan | | | | | 1 | | |
1.3 Types of Awards | | | | | 1 | | |
1.4 Effective Date | | | | | 1 | | |
1.5 Termination of the Plan | | | | | 1 | | |
ARTICLE 2 — DEFINITIONS | | | | | 1 | | |
ARTICLE 3 — ADMINISTRATION; POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE | | | | | 5 | | |
3.1 General | | | | | 5 | | |
3.2 Authority of the Committee | | | | | 5 | | |
3.3 Delegation of Authority | | | | | 6 | | |
3.4 Agreements | | | | | 6 | | |
3.5 Indemnification | | | | | 6 | | |
3.6 Minimum Vesting Requirement | | | | | 6 | | |
3.7 Minimum Holding Period | | | | | 7 | | |
3.8 Restrictions on Dividends and Dividend Equivalents | | | | | 7 | | |
ARTICLE 4 — SHARES AVAILABLE UNDER THE PLAN | | | | | 7 | | |
4.1 Number of Shares | | | | | 7 | | |
4.2 Individual Limits | | | | | 8 | | |
4.3 Adjustment of Shares | | | | | 9 | | |
ARTICLE 5 — STOCK OPTIONS | | | | | 9 | | |
5.1 Grant of Options | | | | | 9 | | |
5.2 Agreement | | | | | 10 | | |
5.3 Option Exercise Price | | | | | 10 | | |
5.4 Duration of Options | | | | | 10 | | |
5.5 Exercise of Options | | | | | 10 | | |
5.6 Payment | | | | | 10 | | |
5.7 Special Rules for ISOs | | | | | 11 | | |
ARTICLE 6 — STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS | | | | | 11 | | |
6.1 Grant of SARs | | | | | 11 | | |
6.2 Agreement | | | | | 11 | | |
6.3 Duration of SARs | | | | | 11 | | |
6.4 Tandem SARs | | | | | 12 | | |
6.5 Payment | | | | | 12 | | |
6.6 Exercise Price | | | | | 12 | | |
6.7 Exercise of SARs | | | | | 12 | | |
ARTICLE 7 — RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS | | | | | 12 | | |
7.1 Grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units | | | | | 12 | | |
7.2 Agreement | | | | | 12 | | |
7.3 Certificates | | | | | 13 | | |
7.4 Dividends and Other Distributions | | | | | 13 | | |
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| | | Page | | |||
ARTICLE 8 — PERFORMANCE SHARES AND UNITS | | | | | 13 | | |
8.1 Grant of Performance Shares and Performance Units | | | | | 13 | | |
8.2 Agreement | | | | | 13 | | |
8.3 Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units | | | | | 14 | | |
8.4 Earning of Performance Shares and Performance Units | | | | | 14 | | |
8.5 Dividends and Other Distributions | | | | | 14 | | |
ARTICLE 9 — PERFORMANCE MEASURES | | | | | 14 | | |
9.1 In General | | | | | 14 | | |
9.2 Definitions of Performance Objectives | | | | | 14 | | |
9.3 Determinations of Performance | | | | | 14 | | |
9.4 Adjustments and Exclusions | | | | | 15 | | |
ARTICLE 10 — TERMINATION OF SERVICE RELATIONSHIP, BLACKOUT PERIODS AND CHANGE IN CONTROL | | | | | 15 | | |
10.1 Termination of Service Relationship | | | | | 15 | | |
10.2 Special Rule for Company Blackout Periods | | | | | 16 | | |
10.3 Change in Control | | | | | 16 | | |
ARTICLE 11 — BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION | | | | | 17 | | |
ARTICLE 12 — DEFERRALS | | | | | 17 | | |
ARTICLE 13 — WITHHOLDING TAXES | | | | | 17 | | |
13.1 Tax Withholding | | | | | 17 | | |
13.2 Share Withholding | | | | | 17 | | |
ARTICLE 14 — AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION | | | | | 18 | | |
14.1 Amendment or Termination of Plan | | | | | 18 | | |
14.2 Amendment of Agreement | | | | | 18 | | |
14.3 Dissolution or Liquidation | | | | | 18 | | |
ARTICLE 15 — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS | | | | | 19 | | |
15.1 Restrictions on Shares | | | | | 19 | | |
15.2 Rights of a Shareholder | | | | | 19 | | |
15.3 Transferability | | | | | 19 | | |
15.4 No Fractional Shares | | | | | 19 | | |
15.5 No Implied Rights | | | | | 19 | | |
15.6 Expenses of the Plan | | | | | 20 | | |
15.7 Compliance with Laws | | | | | 20 | | |
15.8 Recoupment/Clawback | | | | | 20 | | |
15.9 Regulatory Requirements | | | | | 20 | | |
15.10 Whistleblower Protection | | | | | 20 | | |
15.11 Successors | | | | | 20 | | |
15.12 Tax Elections | | | | | 20 | | |
15.13 Uncertificated Shares | | | | | 20 | | |
15.14 Compliance with Code Section 409A | | | | | 21 | | |
15.15 Legal Construction | | | | | 21 | | |
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COLUMBIA FINANCIAL, INC. 2019 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
ARTICLE 1 — PURPOSE AND GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1 Establishment of Plan. Columbia Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), hereby establishes an equity incentive compensation plan to be known as the “Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan” (the “Plan”), as set forth in this document.
1.2 Purpose of Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to promote the long-term growth and profitability of the Company and its Affiliates by (i) providing certain employees and non-employee directors of the Company and its Affiliates with incentives to maximize shareholder value and otherwise contribute to the success of the Company and with recognition for significant contributions to the Company’s success, and (ii) enabling the Company to attract, retain and reward the best available persons for positions of substantial responsibility.
1.3 Types of Awards. Awards under the Plan may be made to eligible Participants in the form of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or any combination thereof.
1.4 Effective Date. The Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on April 16, 2019, contingent upon approval by the Company’s shareholders. The Plan became effective on June 6, 2019, the date on which the Company’s shareholders approved the Plan (the “Effective Date”).
1.5 Termination of the Plan. No awards shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date (except as provided in Section 5.7(a) below). Awards granted under the Plan on or prior to the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Effective Date shall remain outstanding beyond that date in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and the Agreements corresponding such Awards.
ARTICLE 2 — DEFINITIONS
Except where the context otherwise indicates, the following definitions apply:
“AFFILIATE” means any entity that, directly or indirectly through on or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company, including among others Columbia Bank. With respect to all purposes of the Plan, including but not limited to, the establishment, amendment, termination, operation and administration of the Plan, the Company and the Committee shall be authorized to act on behalf of all other entities included within the definition of “Affiliate.”
“AGREEMENT” means the written or electronic agreement evidencing an Award granted to a Participant under the Plan. As determined by the Committee, each Agreement shall consist of either (i) a written agreement in a form approved by the Committee and executed on behalf of the Company by an officer duly authorized to act on its behalf, or (ii) an electronic notice of Award in a form approved by the Committee and recorded by the Company (or its designee) in an electronic recordkeeping system used for the purpose of tracking Awards, and if required by the Committee, executed or otherwise electronically accepted by the recipient of the Award in such form and manner as the Committee may require. The Committee may authorize any officer of the Company (other than the particular Award recipient) to execute any or all Agreements on behalf the Company.
“AWARD” means an award granted to a Participant under the Plan that consists of one or more Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units or a combination of these.
“BOARD” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
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“CHANGE IN CONTROL” means the occurrence of one of the following events:
(a) if any Person, other than an Exempt Person, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more (the “CIC Percentage”) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities; provided, however, that if such Person first obtains the approval of the Board to acquire the CIC Percentage, then no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred unless and until such Person obtains a CIC Percentage ownership of the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities without having first obtained the approval of the Board; or
(b) if any Person, other than an Exempt Person, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing greater than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities, whether or not the Board shall have first given its approval to such acquisition; or
(c) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any new directors whose election, nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders or appointment was approved by a vote of at least one-half of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election, nomination or appointment was previously so approved shall be considered Incumbent Directors; and further provided, however, that no individual shall be considered an Incumbent Director if such individual’s election, nomination or appointment to the Board was in connection with an actual or threatened “election contest” (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) under the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or removal of directors (an “Election Contest”) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board (a “Proxy Contest”) including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any such Election Contest or Proxy Contest; or
(d) the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation; provided, however, a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred: (i) if such merger or consolidation would result in all or a portion of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) either directly or indirectly more than 50% of the combined voting power of the securities of the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation in substantially the same proportion as their ownership immediately prior to the merger or consolidation, or (ii) if the corporate existence of the Company is not affected and following the merger or consolidation, the directors of the Company prior to such merger or consolidation constitute at least a majority of the Board of the Company or the entity that directly or indirectly controls the Company after such merger or consolidation; or
(e) the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all the Company’s assets, other than a sale to an Exempt Person;
provided, however, that in no event shall a reorganization of the Company or Columbia Bank solely within its corporate structure or a second-step conversion constitute a Change in Control.
“CODE” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now in effect and as hereafter amended from time to time. Any reference to a particular section of the Code includes any applicable regulations promulgated under that section. All citations to sections of the Code are to such sections as they may from time to time be amended or renumbered.
“COMMITTEE” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee consisting of two or more members of the Board as may be appointed by the Board from time to time to administer this Plan pursuant to Article 3. All of the members of the Committee shall be independent
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directors within the meaning of the NASDAQ’s listing standards (as applicable). If any member of the Committee does not qualify as an “Independent Director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, the Board shall appoint a subcommittee of the Committee, consisting of at least two Independent Directors, to grant Awards to Insiders; each member of such subcommittee shall satisfy the requirements of (i) and (ii) above. References to the Committee in the Plan shall include and, as appropriate, apply to any such subcommittee.
“COMMON STOCK” means the Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company, and any other shares into which such stock may be changed by reason of a recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation or any other change in the corporate structure or capital stock of the Company.
“COMPANY” means Columbia Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors and assigns.
“DISABILITY” means, with respect to any Incentive Stock Option, a disability as determined under Code section 22(e)(3), and with respect to any other Award, unless provided otherwise in an Agreement (in which case such definition shall apply for purposes of the Plan with respect to that particular Award), (i) with respect to a Participant who is eligible to participate in a program of long-term disability insurance maintained by the Employer, the date on which the insurer or administrator under such program of long-term disability insurance determines that the Participant is eligible to commence benefits under such program, and (ii) with respect to any Participant (including a Participant who is eligible to participate in a program of long-term disability insurance maintained by the Employer), the Participant’s inability, due to physical or mental incapacity, to substantially perform the Participant’s duties and responsibilities for the Employer for one hundred eighty (180) days out of any three hundred sixty-five (365) day period or one hundred twenty (120) consecutive days.
“EFFECTIVE DATE” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 1.4 hereof.
“EMPLOYEE” means any individual whom the Employer treats as a common law employee for payroll tax purposes, either within or outside the United States.
“EMPLOYER” means the Company, each Affiliate, and any division of the Company or an Affiliate thereof.
“EXCHANGE ACT” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as now in effect and as hereafter amended from time to time. Any reference to a particular section of the Exchange Act includes any applicable regulations promulgated under that section. All citations to sections of the Act or rules thereunder are to such sections or rules as they may from time to time be amended or renumbered.
“EXEMPT PERSON” means any employee benefit plan of the Employer or a trustee or other administrator or fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Employer.
“FAIR MARKET VALUE” of a share of Common Stock of the Company means, as of the date in question,
(a) if the Common Stock is listed for trading on the NASDAQ, the closing sale price of a share of Common Stock on such date, as reported by the NASDAQ or such other source as the Committee deems reliable, or if no such reported sale of the Common Stock shall have occurred on such date, on the last day prior to such date on which there was such a reported sale;
(b) if the Common Stock is not listed for trading on the NASDAQ but is listed for trading on another national securities exchange, the closing sale price of a share of Common Stock on such date as reported on such exchange, or if no such reported sale of the Common Stock shall have occurred on such date, on the last day prior to such date on which there was such a reported sale;
(c) if the Common Stock is not listed for trading on a national securities exchange but nevertheless is publicly traded and reported (through the OTC Bulletin Board or otherwise), the closing sale price of a share of Common Stock on such date, or if no such reported sale of the Common Stock shall have occurred on such date, on the last day prior to such date on which there was such a reported sale; or
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(d) if the Common Stock is not publicly traded and reported, the fair market value as established in good faith by the Committee or the Board.
For purposes of subsection (c) above, if the Common Stock is not traded on the NASDAQ but is traded on more than one other securities exchange on the given date, then the largest exchange on which the Common Stock is traded shall be referenced to determine Fair Market Value.
Notwithstanding the foregoing but subject to the next paragraph, if the Committee determines in its discretion that an alternative definition of Fair Market Value should be used in connection with the grant, exercise, vesting, settlement or payout of any Award, it may specify such alternative definition in the Agreement applicable to the Award. Such alternative definition may include a price that is based on the opening, actual, high, low, or average selling prices of a share of Common Stock on the NASDAQ or other securities exchange on the given date, the trading date preceding the given date, the trading date next succeeding the given date, or an average of trading days.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) in the case of an Option or SAR, Fair Market Value shall be determined in accordance with a definition of fair market value that permits the Award to be exempt from Code section 409A; and (ii) in the case of an Option that is intended to qualify as an ISO under Code section 422, Fair Market Value shall be determined by the Committee in accordance with the requirements of Code section 422.
“409A AWARD” means an Award that is not exempt from Code section 409A.
“FULL VALUE AWARD” means an Award of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or Performance Units.
“FULL VALUE AWARD POOL” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in in Section 4.1.
“INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION” or “ISO” means an Option which is designated as an “incentive stock option” and intended to meet the requirements of Code section 422.
“INSIDER” shall mean an individual who is, on the relevant date, subject to the reporting requirements of Exchange Act section 16(a).
“NASDAQ” means The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC or its successor.
“NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR” means any individual who is a member of the Board and who is not also employed by the Employer.
“NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION” or “NSO” means any Option which is not designated as an “incentive stock option” or that otherwise does not meet the requirements of Code section 422.
“OPTION” means an Award granted under Article 5 which is either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option. An Option shall be designated as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, and in the absence of such designation, shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option.
“OPTION EXERCISE PRICE” means the price at which a share of Common Stock may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to the exercise of an Option.
“OPTION AWARD POOL” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in in Section 4.1.
“PARTICIPANT” means an Employee or Non-Employee Director who is eligible to receive or has received an Award under this Plan.
“PERFORMANCE PERIOD” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 8.3.
“PERFORMANCE SHARE” means an Award under Article 8 of the Plan that is valued by reference to a share of Common Stock, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of cash or other property as the Committee shall determine upon achievement of such performance objectives during the relevant Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such Award or thereafter.
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“PERFORMANCE UNIT” means an Award under Article 8 of the Plan that has a value set by the Committee (or that is determined by reference to a valuation formula specified by the Committee), which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of cash or other property as the Committee shall determine upon achievement of such performance objectives during the relevant Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such Award or thereafter.
“PERSON” means any “person” or “group” as those terms are used in Exchange Act Sections 13(d) and 14(d).
“PLAN” means the Columbia Financial, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan set forth in this document and as it may be amended from time to time.
“RESTRICTED STOCK” means an Award of shares of Common Stock under Article 7 of the Plan, which shares are issued with such restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose, including but not limited to an Award of shares that the Committee grants to an Non-Employee Director with no restrictions.
“RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT” or “RSU” means an Award under Article 7 of the Plan that is valued by reference to a share of Common Stock, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of cash or other property as the Committee shall determine and that has such restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose, including but not limited to an Award that the Committee grants to an Non-Employee Director with no restrictions.
“RESTRICTION PERIOD” means the period commencing on the date an Award of Restricted Stock or an RSU is granted and ending on such date as the Committee shall determine, during which time the Award is subject to forfeiture as provided in the Agreement.
“STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHT” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Article 6 which provides for delivery of cash or other property as the Committee shall determine with a value equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the day the Stock Appreciation Right is exercised over the specified purchase price.
“TANDEM SAR” means a Stock Appreciation Right granted to a Participant in connection with an Option as described in Section 6.4.
ARTICLE 3 — ADMINISTRATION; POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
3.1 General. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee.
3.2 Authority of the Committee.
(a) Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the full and discretionary authority to (i) select the persons who are eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, (ii) determine the form and substance of Awards made under the Plan and the conditions and restrictions, if any, subject to which such Awards will be made, (iii) modify the terms of Awards made under the Plan, (iv) interpret, construe and administer the Plan and Awards granted thereunder, (v) make any adjustments necessary or desirable in connection with Awards made under the Plan to eligible Participants located outside the United States, and (vi) adopt, amend, or rescind such rules and regulations, and make such other determinations, for carrying out the Plan as it may deem appropriate.
(b) The Committee may correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or any Agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to carry it into effect.
(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Committee’s determinations under the Plan and the Agreements are not required to be uniform; rather, the Committee shall be entitled to make non-uniform and selective determinations under the Plan and the Agreements.
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(d) Decisions of the Committee on all matters relating to the Plan shall be in the Committee’s sole discretion and shall be conclusive, final and binding on all parties. The validity, construction, and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan shall be determined in accordance with applicable federal and state laws and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
(e) In the event the Company shall assume outstanding equity awards or the right or obligation to make such awards in connection with the acquisition of another corporation or business entity, the Committee may, in its discretion, make such adjustments in the terms of Awards as it shall deem equitable and appropriate to prevent dilution or enlargement of benefits intended to be made under the Plan.
(f) In making any determination or in taking or not taking any action under the Plan, the Committee may obtain and may rely on the advice of experts, including but not limited to employees of the Company and professional advisors.
3.3 Delegation of Authority. The Committee may, in its discretion, at any time and from time to time, delegate to one or more of its members such of its authority as it deems appropriate (provided that any such delegation shall be to at least two members of the Committee with respect to Awards to Insiders). The Committee may, at any time and from time to time, delegate to one or more other members of the Board such of its authority as it deems appropriate. To the extent permitted by law and applicable stock exchange rules, the Committee may also delegate its authority to one or more persons who are not members of the Board, except that no such delegation will be permitted with respect to Insiders.
3.4 Agreements. Each Award granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Agreement. Each Agreement shall be subject to and incorporate, by reference or otherwise, the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan, and any other terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the Plan, as may be imposed by the Committee, including without limitation, provisions related to the consequences of termination of employment. A copy of such Agreement shall be provided to the Participant, and the Committee may, but need not, require that the Participant sign (or otherwise acknowledge receipt of) a copy of the Agreement or a copy of a notice of grant. Each Participant may be required, as a condition to receiving an Award under this Plan, to enter into an agreement with the Company containing such non-compete, confidentiality, and/or non-solicitation provisions as the Committee may adopt and approve from time to time (as so modified or amended, the “Non-Compete Agreement”). The provisions of the Non-Compete Agreement may also be included in, or incorporated by reference in, the Agreement.
3.5 Indemnification. No member or former member of the Committee or the Board or person to whom the Committee has delegated responsibility under the Plan shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award granted under it. The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member and former member of the Committee and the Board against all cost or expense (including counsel fees and expenses) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Board) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan, unless arising out of such member’s or former member’s own willful misconduct, fraud, bad faith or as expressly prohibited by statute. Such indemnification shall be in addition (without duplication) to any rights to indemnification or insurance the member or former member may have as a director or under the by-laws of the Company or otherwise.
3.6 Minimum Vesting Requirement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each equity-based Award shall vest no earlier than the one-year anniversary of the date of grant of the Award; provided, however, that: (i) up to 5% of the Full Value Award Pool and up to 5% of the Option Award Pool Award, as the Full Value Award Pool and Option Award Pool Award may be adjusted pursuant to Section 4.3, may be issued pursuant to Awards that do not satisfy this minimum vesting requirement; and (ii) the Committee may provide for accelerated vesting of an Award in full or in part prior to the one-year anniversary of the date of grant of the Award pursuant to Article 10.
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3.7 Minimum Holding Period. As a condition of receipt of an Award, the Agreement may require the Participant to agree to hold vested Shares received under the Award (including but not limited to Shares received upon exercise of an Option) for one year following the vesting or exercise date (as applicable). The foregoing limitation shall not apply to the extent an Award vests or is exercised due to death, Disability or involuntary termination of employment following a Change in Control, or to the extent that (i) the Participant directs the Company to withhold, or the Company elects to withhold, with respect to such vesting or exercise or, in lieu thereof, to retain or sell without notice a number of shares of Stock sufficient to cover to the taxes required to be withheld at the minimum statutory withholding rates, or (ii) the participant exercises an Option by net settlement, and in the case of (i) and (ii) herein, only to the extent of the Shares withheld for tax or net settlement purposes.
3.8 Restrictions on Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, dividend equivalents shall not be paid with respect to Options or SARs. Dividends and dividend equivalents with respect to a Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share or Performance Unit shall be subject to the same vesting requirements as the underlying Award; in no event shall dividends or dividend equivalents be paid on any such Award prior to the date on which such Award has become vested.
ARTICLE 4 — SHARES AVAILABLE UNDER THE PLAN
4.1 Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that are available for issuance pursuant to (i) Full Value Awards granted under the Plan is 2,271,427 (the “Full Value Award Pool”), and (ii) Options and SARs granted under the Plan is 5,678,569 (the “Option Award Pool Award”). All of the Option Award Pool may, but is not required to, be issued pursuant to Incentive Stock Options. If Awards are granted in substitution or assumption of awards of an entity acquired, by merger or otherwise, by the Company (or any Affiliate), to the extent such grant shall not be inconsistent with the terms, limitations and conditions of Code section 422, Exchange Act Rule 16b-3 or applicable NASDAQ rules, the number of shares subject to such substitute or assumed Awards shall not increase or decrease the Full Value Award Pool or Option Award Pool (as applicable).
The shares issued pursuant to Awards under the Plan shall be made available from shares currently authorized but unissued or shares currently held (or subsequently acquired) by the Company as treasury shares, including shares purchased in the open market or in private transactions.
The following rules shall apply for purposes of the determination of the number of shares of Common Stock available for grants of Awards under the Plan:
(a) Each Option shall be counted as one share subject to an Award and deducted from the Option Award Pool.
(b) Each share of Restricted Stock and each Restricted Stock Unit that may be settled in shares of Common Stock shall be counted as one share subject to an Award and deducted from the Full Value Award Pool. Restricted Stock Units that may not be settled in shares of Common Stock shall not result in a deduction from the Full Value Award Pool.
(c) Each Performance Share that may be settled in shares of Common Stock shall be counted as one share subject to an Award, based on the number of shares that would be paid under the Performance Share for achievement of target performance, and deducted from the Full Value Award Pool. Each Performance Unit that may be settled in shares of Common Stock shall be counted as a number of shares subject to an Award, based on one multiplied by the number of shares that would be paid under the Performance Unit for achievement of target performance, with the number determined by dividing the value of the Performance Unit at the time of grant by the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the time of grant, and this number shall be deducted from the Full Value Award Pool. In both cases, in the event that the Award is later settled based on above-target performance, the number of shares of Common Stock corresponding to the above-target performance, calculated pursuant to the applicable methodology specified above,
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shall be deducted from the Full Value Award Pool at the time of such settlement; in the event that the Award is later settled upon below-target performance, the number of shares of Common Stock corresponding to the below-target performance, calculated pursuant to the applicable methodology specified above, shall be added back to the Full Value Award Pool. Performance Shares and Performance Units that may not be settled in shares of Common Stock shall not result in a deduction from the Full Value Award Pool.
(d) Each Stock Appreciation Right that may be settled in shares of Common Stock shall be counted as one share subject to an Award and deducted from the Option Award Pool. Stock Appreciation Rights that may not be settled in shares of Common Stock shall not result in a reduction from the Option Award Pool. If a Stock Appreciation Right is granted in connection with an Option and the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Right results in the loss of the Option right, the shares subject to such related Option shall be added back to the Option Award Pool.
(e) If, for any reason, any shares subject to an Award under the Plan are not issued or are returned to the Company, for reasons including, but not limited to, a forfeiture of Restricted Stock or a Restricted Stock Unit, or the termination, expiration or cancellation of an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Performance Share or Performance Unit, or settlement of any Award in cash rather than shares, such shares shall again be available for Awards under the Plan and shall be added to the Full Value Award Pool or Option Award Pool (as applicable).
(f) Notwithstanding anything to contrary contained herein, if the exercise price and/or tax withholding obligation under an Award is satisfied by the Company retaining shares or by the Participant tendering shares (either by actual delivery or attestation), the number of shares so retained or tendered shall be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the Option Award Pool and shall not be available for further Awards under the Plan. To the extent an SAR that may be settled in shares of Common Stock is, in fact, settled in shares of Common Stock, the gross number of shares subject to such Stock Appreciation Right shall be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the Option Award Pool and shall not be available for further Awards under the Plan. Shares reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise using cash proceeds from the exercise of Options shall not be available for Awards under the Plan and shall not be added to the Option Award Pool.
4.2 Individual Limits. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4.3, the following rules shall apply to Awards under the Plan:
(a) The maximum number of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that are not Full Value Awards that, in the aggregate, may be granted to any one Participant other than a Non-Employee Director over the lifetime of the Plan, all of which may be granted during any one calendar year, is equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the Option Award Pool.
(b) The maximum number of Full Value Awards that, in the aggregate, may be granted to any one Participant other than a Non-Employee Director over the lifetime of the Plan, all of which may be granted during any one calendar year, is equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of the Full Value Award Pool.
(c) For any one Non-Employee Director:
(i) Over the lifetime of the Plan, the maximum number of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights that, in the aggregate, may be granted to such Non-Employee Director is equal to three and one half percent (3.5%) of the Option Award Pool;
(ii) Over the lifetime of the Plan, the maximum number of Full Value Awards that, in the aggregate, may be granted to such Non-Employee Director is equal to three and one half percent (3.5%) of the Full Value Award Pool;
(iii) For any one fiscal year of the Company, the sum of the following amounts shall not exceed one million two hundred thousand dollars ($1,200,000): (A) the amount of cash
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compensation that, in the aggregate, may be payable for such fiscal year to such Non-Employee Director in respect of such Non-Employee Director’s service as a member of the Board during such fiscal year, including but not limited to service performed in such fiscal year but for which payment is made in the following fiscal year, and (B) the grant date fair value (computed as of the date of grant in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of all Awards that, in the aggregate, may be granted in such fiscal year to such Non-Employee Director.
4.3 Adjustment of Shares. If any change in corporate capitalization, such as a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, or any corporate transaction such as a reorganization, reclassification, merger or consolidation or separation, including a spin-off, of the Company or sale or other disposition by the Company of all or a portion of its assets, any other change in the Company’s corporate structure, or any distribution to shareholders (other than an ordinary cash dividend) results in the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or any securities exchanged therefor or received in their place, being exchanged for a different number or class of shares or other securities of the Company, or for shares of stock or other securities of any other corporation (or new, different or additional shares or other securities of the Company or of any other corporation being received by the holders of outstanding shares of Common Stock), or a material change in the value of the outstanding shares of Common Stock as a result of the change, transaction or distribution, then the Committee shall make equitable adjustments, as it determines are necessary and appropriate to prevent the enlargement or dilution of benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, in:
(a) the number and class of stock or other securities that comprise the Full Value Award Pool and Option Award Pool as set forth in Section 4.1, including, without limitation, with respect to Incentive Stock Options;
(b) the limitations on the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be awarded to any one Participant under various Awards as set forth in Section 4.2;
(c) the number and class of stock or other securities subject to outstanding Awards, and which have not been issued or transferred under an outstanding Award;
(d) the Option Exercise Price under outstanding Options, the exercise price under outstanding Stock Appreciation Rights, and the number of shares of Common Stock to be transferred in settlement of outstanding Awards; and
(e) the terms, conditions or restrictions of any Award and Agreement, including but not limited to the price payable for the acquisition of shares of Common Stock.
It is intended that, if possible, any adjustment contemplated above shall be made in a manner that satisfies applicable legal requirements as well as applicable requirements with respect to taxation (including, without limitation and as applicable in the circumstances, Code section 424 and Code section 409A) and accounting (so as to not trigger any charge to earnings with respect to such adjustment).
Without limiting the generality of the above, any good faith determination by the Committee as to whether an adjustment is required in the circumstances and the extent and nature of any such adjustment shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons.
ARTICLE 5 — STOCK OPTIONS
5.1 Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee may from time to time grant Options to eligible Participants. The Committee shall have sole discretion in determining the number of shares subject to Options granted to each Participant. The Committee may grant a Participant ISOs, NSOs or a combination thereof, and may vary such Awards among Participants; provided that the Committee may grant Incentive Stock Options only to individuals who are employees within the meaning of Code section 3401(c) of the Company or its subsidiaries (as defined for this purpose in Code section 424(f)). Notwithstanding anything in this Article 5 to the
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contrary, except for Options that are specifically designated as intended to be subject to Code section 409A, the Committee may only grant Options to individuals who provide direct services on the date of grant of the Options to the Company or another entity in a chain of entities in which the Company or another such entity has a controlling interest (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(e)) in each entity in the chain.
5.2 Agreement. Each Option grant shall be evidenced by an Agreement that shall specify the Option Exercise Price, the duration of the Option, the number of shares of Common Stock to which the Option pertains, the conditions upon which the Option shall become vested and exercisable (subject to Section 3.7) and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. The Option Agreement shall further specify whether the Award is intended to be an ISO or an NSO. Any portion of an Option that is not designated in the Agreement as an ISO or otherwise fails or is not qualified as an ISO (even if designated as an ISO) shall be an NSO. Dividend equivalents shall not be paid with respect to Options.
5.3 Option Exercise Price. The per share Option Exercise Price for each Option shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the Option is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option may be granted with an Option Exercise Price lower than set forth in the preceding sentence if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another Option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Code section 424(a) relating to a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization, or liquidation; provided that the Committee determines that such Option Exercise Price is appropriate to preserve the economic benefit of the replaced award and will not impair the exemption of the Option from Code section 409A (unless the Committee clearly and expressly foregoes such exemption at the time the Option is granted).
5.4 Duration of Options. Each Option shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that no Option shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary of its grant date other than an Option granted to a Participant outside the United States. If an Agreement does not specify an expiration date, the Option’s expiration date shall be the 10th anniversary of its grant date.
5.5 Exercise of Options. Options shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall specify, including conditions related to the employment of the Participant with the Employer or provision of services by the Participant to the Employer, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant. The Committee may provide in the Agreement for rights upon the occurrence of events specified in the Agreement. Upon exercise of an Option, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to exercise under any related SAR shall automatically be reduced by the number of shares represented by the Option or portion thereof which is surrendered.
5.6 Payment. Options shall be exercised, in whole or in part, by the delivery of an oral, written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designated representative in the form prescribed by the Company, setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Option is to be exercised and satisfying any requirements that the Committee may apply from time to time. Full payment of the Option Exercise Price for such shares (less any amount previously paid by the Participant to acquire the Option) must be made on or prior to the Payment Date, as defined below. The Option Exercise Price shall be paid to the Company in United States dollars either: (a) in cash, (b) by check, bank draft, money order or other cash equivalent approved by the Committee, (c) if approved by the Committee, by tendering previously acquired shares of Common Stock (or delivering a certification or attestation of ownership of such shares) having an aggregate Fair Market Value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Exercise Price (provided that the tendered shares must have been held by the Participant for any period required by the Committee), (d) if approved by the Committee, by cashless exercise as permitted under Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation T, subject to applicable securities law restrictions, (e) by any other means which the Committee determines to be consistent with the Plan’s purpose and applicable law, including a net exercise; or (f) by a combination of the foregoing. “Payment Date” shall mean the date on which a sale transaction in connection with a
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cashless exercise (whether or not payment is actually made pursuant to a cashless exercise) would have settled in connection with the subject option exercise. No certificate or cash representing a share of Common Stock shall be delivered until the full Option Exercise Price has been paid.
5.7 Special Rules for ISOs. The following rules apply notwithstanding any other terms of the Plan.
(a) No ISOs may be granted under the Plan after April 16, 2029.
(b) In no event shall any Participant who owns (within the meaning of Code section 424(d)) stock of the Company possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any “parent” or “subsidiary” (within the meaning of Code section 424(e) or (f), respectively) be eligible to receive an ISO (i) at an Option Exercise Price less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the ISO is granted, or (ii) that is exercisable later than the fifth (5th) anniversary date of its grant date.
(c) The aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock options (within the meaning of Code section 422) granted to a Participant are first exercisable in any calendar year under the Plan and all other incentive stock option plans of the Employer shall not exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000). For this purpose, Fair Market Value shall be determined with respect to a particular incentive stock option on the date on which such incentive stock option is granted. In the event that this One Hundred Thousand Dollar ($100,000) limit is exceeded with respect to a Participant, then ISOs granted under this Plan to such Participant shall, to the extent and in the order required by Treasury Regulations under Code section 422, automatically become NSOs granted under this Plan.
(d) Solely for purposes of determining the limit on ISOs that may be granted under the Plan, the provisions of Section 4.1 that replenish the Option Award Pool shall only be applied to the extent permitted by Code section 422 and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
ARTICLE 6 — STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS
6.1 Grant of SARs. Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee may grant SARs to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as the Committee shall determine. The Committee may grant Tandem SARs or SARs that are unrelated to Options. A Stock Appreciation Right shall entitle the holder, within the specified period (which may not exceed 10 years), to exercise the SAR and receive in exchange therefor a payment having an aggregate value equal to the amount by which the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the exercise date exceeds the specified purchase price, times the number of shares with respect to which the SAR is exercised. The Committee may provide in the Agreement for automatic exercise on a certain date, for payment of the proceeds on a certain date, and/or for rights upon the occurrence of events specified in the Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Article 6 to the contrary, except for SARs that are specifically designated as intended to be subject to Code section 409A, the Committee may only grant SARs to individuals who provide direct services on the date of grant of the SARs to the Company or another entity in a chain of entities in which the Company or another such entity has a controlling interest (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(e)) in each entity in the chain.
6.2 Agreement. Each SAR grant shall be evidenced by an Agreement that shall specify the exercise price, the duration of the SAR, the number of shares of Common Stock to which the SAR pertains, the conditions upon which the SAR shall become vested and exercisable (subject to Section 3.7) and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine. Dividend equivalents shall not be paid with respect to SARs.
6.3 Duration of SARs. Each SAR shall expire at such time as the Committee shall determine at the time of grant; provided, however, that no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th) anniversary of its grant date other than an SAR granted to a participant outside the United States. If an Agreement does not specify an expiration date, the SAR’s expiration date shall be the 10th anniversary of its grant date.
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6.4 Tandem SARs. A Tandem SAR shall entitle the holder, within the specified exercise period for the related Option, to surrender the unexercised related Option, or a portion thereof, and to receive in exchange therefor a payment having an aggregate value equal to the amount by which the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the exercise date exceeds the Option Exercise Price per share, times the number of shares subject to the Option, or portion thereof, which is surrendered. Each Tandem SAR shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as the related Option, including limitations on transferability, and shall be exercisable only to the extent such Option is exercisable and shall terminate or lapse and cease to be exercisable when the related Option terminates or lapses. The grant of SARs related to ISOs must be concurrent with the grant of the ISOs. With respect to NSOs, the grant either may be concurrent with the grant of the NSOs, or in connection with NSOs previously granted under Article 5, which are unexercised and have not terminated or lapsed.
6.5 Payment. The Committee shall have sole discretion to determine in each Agreement whether the payment with respect to the exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right will be in the form of all cash, all shares of Common Stock, or any combination thereof. Unless and to the extent the Committee specifies otherwise, such payment will be in the form of shares of Common Stock. If payment is to be made in shares, the number of shares shall be determined based on the Fair Market Value of a share on the date of exercise. The Committee shall have sole discretion to determine and set forth in the Agreement the timing of any payment made in cash or shares, or a combination thereof, upon exercise of SARs.
6.6 Exercise Price. The exercise price for each Stock Appreciation Right shall be determined by the Committee and shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date the SAR is granted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an SAR may be granted with an exercise price lower than set forth in the preceding sentence if such SAR is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another SAR in a manner satisfying the provisions of Code section 424(a) relating to a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, separation, reorganization, or liquidation; provided that the Committee determines that such SAR exercise price is appropriate to preserve the economic benefit of the replaced award and will not impair the exemption of the SAR from Code section 409A (unless the Committee clearly and expressly foregoes such exemption at the time the SAR is granted).
6.7 Exercise of SARs. SARs shall be exercisable at such times and be subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall specify, including conditions related to the employment of the Participant with the Employer or provision of services by the Participant to the Employer, which need not be the same for each grant or for each Participant. The Committee may provide in the Agreement for rights upon the occurrence of events specified in the Agreement. Upon exercise of a Tandem SAR, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to exercise under the related Option shall automatically be reduced by the number of shares represented by the Option or portion thereof which is surrendered.
ARTICLE 7 — RESTRICTED STOCK AND RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS
7.1 Grant of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. Subject to provisions of the Plan, the Committee may from time to time grant Awards of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”) to Participants. Awards of Restricted Stock and RSUs may be made either alone or in addition to or in tandem with other Awards granted under the Plan.
7.2 Agreement. The Restricted Stock or RSU Agreement shall set forth the terms of the Award, as determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, the number of shares of Restricted Stock or the number of RSUs granted; the purchase price, if any, to be paid for such Restricted Stock or RSUs, which may be equal to or less than Fair Market Value of a share and may be zero, subject to such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law; any restrictions applicable to the Restricted Stock or RSU such as continued service or achievement of performance objectives; the length of the Restriction Period, if any (subject to Section 3.7), and any circumstances that will shorten or terminate the Restriction Period; and rights of the Participant to vote or receive dividends with
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respect to the shares during the Restriction Period. The Committee shall have sole discretion to determine and specify in each RSU Agreement whether the RSUs will be settled in the form of all cash, all shares of Common Stock, or any combination thereof. Unless and to the extent the Committee specifies otherwise, such settlement will be in the form of shares of Common Stock.
7.3 Certificates. Upon an Award of Restricted Stock to a Participant, shares of restricted Common Stock shall be registered in the Participant’s name. Certificates, if issued, may either (i) be held in custody by the Company until the Restriction Period expires or until restrictions thereon otherwise lapse, and/or (ii) be issued to the Participant and registered in the name of the Participant, bearing an appropriate restrictive legend and remaining subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. If required by the Committee, the Participant shall deliver to the Company one or more stock powers endorsed in blank relating to the Restricted Stock. If and when the Restriction Period expires without a prior forfeiture of the Restricted Stock subject to such Restriction Period, unrestricted certificates for such shares shall be delivered to the Participant or registered in the Participant’s name on the Company’s or transfer agent’s records; provided, however, that the Committee may cause such legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates as it may deem advisable under the terms of the Plan and the rules, regulations and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission and any applicable federal or state law. Concurrently with the lapse of any risk of forfeiture applicable to the Restricted Stock, the Participant shall be required to pay to the Company an amount necessary to satisfy any applicable federal, state and local tax requirements as set out in Article 13 below.
7.4 Dividends and Other Distributions. Except as provided in this Article 7 or in the applicable Agreement, a Participant who receives a Restricted Stock Award shall have (during and after the Restriction Period), with respect to such Restricted Stock Award, all of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including the right to vote the shares and the right to receive dividends and other distributions to the extent, if any, such shares possess such rights; provided, however, that (i) any dividends and other distributions payable on such shares of Restricted Stock during the Restriction Period shall be either automatically reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock or paid to the Company for the account of the Participant, in either case subject to the same restrictions on vesting as the underlying Award, and (ii) all terms and conditions for payment of such dividends and other distributions shall be included in the Agreement related to the Award and shall, to the extent required, comply with the requirements of Code section 409A. The Committee shall determine whether interest shall be paid on such amounts, the rate of any such interest, and the other terms applicable to such amounts (again, provided that all such terms shall, to the extent required, comply with Code section 409A). A Participant receiving a Restricted Stock Unit Award shall not possess voting rights and shall accrue dividend equivalents on such Units only to the extent provided in the Agreement relating to the Award; provided, however, that (i) any dividend equivalents payable on such Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be subject to the same restrictions on vesting as the underlying Award, and (ii) all terms and conditions for payment of such dividend equivalents shall be included in the Agreement related to the Award and shall, to the extent required, comply with the requirements of Code section 409A.
ARTICLE 8 — PERFORMANCE SHARES AND UNITS
8.1 Grant of Performance Shares and Performance Units. The Committee may grant Performance Shares and Performance Units to Participants in such amounts and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time, as the Committee shall determine.
8.2 Agreement. The Performance Share or Performance Unit Agreement shall set forth the terms of the Award, as determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units granted; the purchase price, if any, to be paid for such Performance Shares or Performance Units, which may be equal to or less than Fair Market Value of a share and may be zero, subject to such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law; the performance objectives applicable to the Performance Shares or Performance Units; and any additional restrictions applicable to the Performance Shares or Performance Units such as continued service (subject to Section 3.7). The Committee shall have sole discretion to determine and specify in
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each Performance Shares or Performance Units Agreement whether the Award will be settled in the form of all cash, all shares of Common Stock, or any combination thereof. Unless and to the extent the Committee specifies otherwise, such settlement will be in the form of shares of Common Stock. Any such shares may be granted subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee.
8.3 Value of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Each Performance Unit shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. Each Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. In addition to any non-performance terms applicable to the Award, the Committee shall set performance objectives in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number and/or value of Performance Shares, Performance Units or both, as applicable, that will be paid out to the Participant. For purposes of this Article 8, the time period during which the performance objectives must be met shall be called a “Performance Period.” The Committee may, but is not obligated to, set such performance objectives by reference to the performance measures set forth in Article 9.
8.4 Earning of Performance Shares and Performance Units. Subject to the terms of this Plan, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of the Performance Shares or Performance Units shall be entitled to receive a payout of the number and value of Performance Shares or Performance Units, as applicable, earned by the Participant over the Performance Period, if any, to be determined as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance objectives have been achieved and any applicable non-performance terms have been met.
8.5 Dividends and Other Distributions. A Participant receiving Performance Shares or Performance Units shall not possess voting rights. A Participant receiving Performance Shares or Performance Units or any other Award that is subject to performance conditions shall accrue dividend equivalents on such Award only to the extent provided in the Agreement relating to the Award; provided, however, that (i) any dividend equivalents payable on such Performance Shares or Performance Units shall be subject to the same restrictions on vesting as the underlying Award, and (ii) all terms and conditions for payment of such dividend equivalents shall be included in the Agreement related to the Award and shall, to the extent required, comply with the requirements of Code section 409A.
ARTICLE 9 — PERFORMANCE MEASURES
9.1 In General. The Committee may, in its discretion, include performance objectives in any Award. The Committee may provide for a threshold level of performance below which no amount of compensation will be paid, and it may provide for the payment of differing amounts of compensation for different levels of performance.
9.2 Definitions of Performance Objectives. If the Committee makes an Award subject to a particular performance objective, the Committee shall adopt or confirm a written definition of that performance objective at the time the performance objective is established. The performance objective for an Award may be described in terms of Company-wide objectives or objectives that are related to a specific division, subsidiary, Employer, department, region, or function in which the participant is employed or as some combination of these (as alternatives or otherwise). A performance objective may be measured on an absolute basis or relative to a pre-established target, results for a previous year, the performance of other corporations, or a stock market or other index. If the Committee specifies more than one individual performance objective for a particular Award, the Committee shall also specify, in writing, whether one, all or some other number of such objectives must be attained.
9.3 Determinations of Performance. For each Award that has been made subject to a performance objective, within an administratively practicable period following the end of each Performance Period, the Committee shall determine whether the performance objective for such Performance Period has been satisfied. If a performance objective for a Performance Period is not achieved, the Committee in its sole discretion may pay all or a portion of that Award based on such
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criteria as the Committee deems appropriate, including without limitation individual performance, Company-wide performance or the performance of the specific division, subsidiary, Employer, department, region, or function employing the participant.
9.4 Adjustments and Exclusions. In determining whether any performance objective has been satisfied, the Committee may include or exclude any or all items that are unusual or non-recurring, including but not limited to (i) charges, costs, benefits, gains or income associated with reorganizations or restructurings of the Employer, discontinued operations, goodwill, other intangible assets, long-lived assets (non-cash), real estate strategy (e.g., costs related to lease terminations or facility closure obligations), litigation or the resolution of litigation (e.g., attorneys’ fees, settlements or judgments), or currency or commodity fluctuations; and (ii) the effects of changes in applicable laws, regulations or accounting principles. In addition, the Committee may adjust any performance objective for a Performance Period as it deems equitable to recognize unusual or non-recurring events affecting the Employer, changes in tax laws or regulations or accounting procedures, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, or any other factors as the Committee may determine. To the extent that a performance objective is based on the price of the Company’s common stock, then in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or other change in the capital structure of the Company, any merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation or other distribution of assets (other than a normal cash dividend), issuance of rights or warrants to purchase securities or any other corporate transaction having an effect similar to any of the foregoing, the Committee shall make or provide for such adjustments in such performance objective as the Committee in its sole discretion may in good faith determine to be equitably required in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of participants.
ARTICLE 10 — TERMINATION OF SERVICE RELATIONSHIP, BLACKOUT PERIODS AND CHANGE IN CONTROL
10.1 Termination of Service Relationship.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, if a Participant ceases to be an Employee or Non-Employee Director of, or to otherwise perform services for, the Company and its Affiliates for any reason (i) all of the Participant’s Options and SARs that were exercisable on the date of such cessation shall remain exercisable for, and shall otherwise terminate at the end of, a period of 90 days after the date of such cessation, but in no event after the expiration date of the Options or SARs, (ii) all of the Participant’s Options and SARs that were not exercisable on the date of such cessation shall be forfeited immediately upon such cessation, and (iii) all of the Participant’s Restricted Stock, RSUs, Performance Shares, and Performance Units that were not vested on the date of such cessation shall be forfeited immediately upon such cessation.
(b) The Committee may, in its sole discretion and in such manner as it may from time to time prescribe (including, but not by way of limitation, in granting an Award or in an individual employment agreement, severance plan or individual severance agreement), provide that a Participant shall be eligible for a full or prorated Award in the event of a cessation of the Participant’s service relationship with the Employer due to death, disability, involuntary termination without cause or resignation for good reason. With respect to Awards that are subject to one or more performance objectives, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide that any such full or prorated Award will be paid prior to when any or all such performance objectives are certified (or without regard to whether they are certified) in the event of a cessation of the Participant’s service relationship with the employer due to death, disability, involuntary termination without cause or resignation for good reason.
(c) The transfer of an Employee from the Company to an Affiliate, from an Affiliate to the Company, or from one Affiliate to another shall not be considered a termination of employment. Consistent with the provisions of Code Section 409A (as applicable), it shall not be considered a termination of employment if an Employee is placed on military, disability or sick leave or such
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other leave of absence which is considered by the Committee as continuing intact the employment relationship. If an Employee’s employment or other service relationship is with an Affiliate and that entity ceases to be an Affiliate, a termination of employment shall be deemed to have occurred when the entity ceases to be an Affiliate unless the Employee transfers his or her employment or other service relationship to the Company or its remaining Affiliate. An Non-Employee Director’s cessation of service on the Board shall not be considered a termination of the Non-Employee Director’s service relationship with the Company if the former Non-Employee Director continues to provide services to the Company as a member of the Advisory Board of Directors of the Company or its Affiliate without interruption in the Non-Employee Director’s period of service; such service as a member of the Advisory Board of Directors of the Company or its Affiliate shall be considered service with the Company or its Affiliate with respect to Awards outstanding to the former Non-Employee Director.
10.2 Special Rule for Company Blackout Periods. The Company has established a securities trading policy (the “Policy”) relative to disclosure and trading on inside information as described in the Policy. Under the Policy, certain Employees and Non-Employee Directors of the Company are prohibited from trading stock or other securities of the Company during certain “blackout periods” as described in the Policy. If, under the above provisions or the terms of the applicable Agreement, the last date on which an Option or SAR can be exercised falls within a blackout period imposed by the Policy, the applicable exercise period shall automatically be extended by this Section 10.2 by a number of days equal to the number of United States business days that the applicable blackout period is in effect. The Committee shall interpret and apply the extension automatically provided by the preceding sentence to ensure that in no event shall the term of any Option or SAR expire during an imposed blackout period.
10.3 Change in Control.
(a) The Committee may, in its sole discretion and in such manner as it may from time to time prescribe (including, but not by way of limitation, in granting an Award or in an individual employment agreement, severance plan or individual severance agreement), provide that a Participant shall be eligible for a full or prorated Award in the event that both a Change in Control and a cessation of the Participant’s service relationship with the Employer occurs or if the surviving entity in such Change in Control does not assume or replace the Award in the Change in Control. With respect to Awards that are subject to one or more performance objectives, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, provide that any such full or prorated Award will be paid under the provisions of this Section 10.3 prior to when any or all such performance objectives are certified (or without regard to whether they are certified).
(b) In the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its discretion, cause each Award to be assumed or for an equivalent Award to be substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of such successor corporation and adjusted as appropriate. In addition or in the alternative, the Committee may, in its discretion, cancel all or certain types of outstanding Awards at or immediately prior to the time of the Change in Control provided that the Committee either (i) provides that the Participant is entitled to a payment (in cash or shares) equal to the value of the portion of the Award that would be vested upon the Corporate Transaction, as determined below and to the extent there is any such value, or (ii) at least 15 days prior to the Change in Control (or, if not feasible to provide 15 days’ notice, within a reasonable period prior to the Change in Control), notifies the Participant that, subject to rescission if the Change in Control is not successfully completed within a certain period, the Award will be terminated and, if the Award is an Option, SAR or similar right, provides the Participant the right to exercise the portion of the Option, SAR or similar right that would be vested upon the Change in Control prior to the Change in Control. For this purpose, the value of the Award that would be vested upon the Change in Control shall be measured as of the date of the Change in Control and shall equal the value of the cash, shares or other property that would be payable to the Participant for such vested Award (or, if the Award is an Option, SAR or similar right, upon exercise of the vested
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Award) less the amount of any payment required to be tendered by the Participant upon such exercise. The Committee may adopt such valuation methodologies for outstanding Awards as it deems reasonable in the event of a cash settlement and, in the case of Options, SARs or similar rights, but without limitation on other methodologies, may base such settlement solely upon the excess (if any) of the per share amount payable upon or in respect of such event over the exercise price of such Option, SAR or similar right and may cancel each Option, SAR or similar right with an exercise price greater than the per share amount payable upon or in respect of such event without any payment to the person holding such Option, SAR or similar right. For example, under this provision, in connection with a Change in Control, the Committee is permitted to cancel all outstanding Options under the Plan in consideration for payment to the holders thereof of an amount equal to the portion of the consideration that would have been payable to such holders pursuant to the Change in Control if their vested Options had been fully exercised immediately prior to such Change in Control, less the aggregate Option Exercise Price that would have been payable therefor, or if the amount that would have been payable to the Option holders pursuant to such Change in Control if their vested Options had been fully exercised immediately prior thereto would be less than the aggregate Option Exercise Price that would have been payable therefor, the Committee can cancel any or all such Options for no consideration or payment of any kind. Payment of any amount payable pursuant to this cancellation provision may be made in cash or, in the event that the consideration to be received in such transaction includes securities or other property, in cash and/or securities or other property in the Committee’s discretion. Any actions taken pursuant to this Section 10.3(b) shall be valid with respect to a 409A Award only to the extent that such action complies with Code section 409A.
ARTICLE 11 — BENEFICIARY DESIGNATION
To the extent permitted by the Committee, each Participant may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any vested but unpaid Award is to be paid in case of the Participant’s death. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the Company, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing with the Company or its designee during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such designation, benefits remaining unpaid at the Participant’s death shall be paid to the Participant’s beneficiary as determined under the Company’s 401(k) plan.
ARTICLE 12 — DEFERRALS
The Committee may permit a Participant to defer such Participant’s receipt of the payment of cash or the delivery of shares that would otherwise be due to such Participant by virtue of the lapse or waiver of restrictions with respect to RSUs, or the satisfaction of any requirements or objectives with respect to Performance Shares and Performance Units. If any such deferral election is permitted or required, the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, establish rules and procedures for such payment deferrals, which rules and procedures shall comply with Code section 409A. The deferral of Option and SAR gains is prohibited.
ARTICLE 13 — WITHHOLDING TAXES
13.1 Tax Withholding. The Company shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a Participant to remit to the Company, an amount sufficient to satisfy Federal, state, and local taxes, domestic or foreign, required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising as a result of or in connection with this Plan or any Award.
13.2 Share Withholding. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee or provided in the Agreement corresponding to an Award:
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(a) With respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, upon the lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, upon the achievement of performance objectives related to Performance Shares or Performance Units, or upon any other taxable event arising as a result of or in connection with an Award granted hereunder that is settled in shares of Common Stock, unless other arrangements are made with the consent of the Committee, Participants shall satisfy the withholding requirement by having the Company withhold shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to not more than the amount necessary to satisfy the Company’s withholding obligations at the minimum statutory withholding rates (or at any greater rate that will not result in adverse accounting or tax treatment, as determined by the Committee). All such withholding arrangements shall be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
(b) A Participant may elect to deliver shares of Common Stock to satisfy, in whole or in part, the withholding requirement. Such an election must be made on or before the date the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Once made, the election shall be irrevocable. The Fair Market Value of the shares to be delivered will be determined as of the date the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Such delivery must be made subject to the conditions and pursuant to the procedures established by the Committee with respect to the delivery of shares of Common Stock in payment of the corresponding Option Exercise Price.
(c) A Participant who is classified by the Company as an officer at the time the tax withholding requirement arises with respect to his or her Restricted Stock or, to the extent settled in shares of Common Stock, his or her Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units, Options or SARs, may elect to satisfy such withholding requirement by delivering payment of the tax required to be withheld in cash or by check on the date on which the amount of tax to be withheld is determined. Once made, the election shall be irrevocable.
ARTICLE 14 — AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
14.1 Amendment or Termination of Plan. The Board or the Committee may at any time terminate and from time to time amend the Plan in whole or in part, but no such action shall materially adversely affect any rights or obligations with respect to any Awards previously granted under the Plan, unless such action is required by applicable law or any listing standards applicable to the Common Stock or the affected Participants consent in writing. To the extent required by Code section 422, other applicable law, and/or any such listing standards, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the shareholders of the Company.
14.2 Amendment of Agreement. The Committee may, at any time, amend outstanding Agreements in a manner not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan; provided, however, except as provided in Sections 14.3, 14.4 and 15.9, if such amendment is materially adverse to the Participant, as determined by the Committee, the amendment shall not be effective unless and until the Participant consents, in writing, to such amendment. To the extent not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, the Committee may, at any time, amend an outstanding Agreement in a manner that is not unfavorable to the Participant without the consent of such Participant. Except for adjustments as provided in Sections 4.3 or in connection with a Change in Control , the terms of outstanding awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Awards or cancel outstanding Options or SARs with per share exercise prices that are more than the Fair Market Value at the time of such cancellation in exchange for cash, other awards, or Options or SARs with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options or SARs without shareholder approval.
14.3 Dissolution or Liquidation. Each outstanding Award shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, unless otherwise determined by the Committee.
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ARTICLE 15 — MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
15.1 Restrictions on Shares. If the Committee determines that the listing, registration or qualification upon any securities exchange or under any law of shares subject to any Award is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the granting of same or the issue or purchase of Shares thereunder, no such Award may be exercised in whole or in part (as applicable), no such Award may be paid out (as applicable) and no shares may be issued pursuant to such Award (as applicable) unless such listing, registration or qualification is effected free of any conditions not acceptable to the Committee. All certificates for shares of Common Stock delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any listing standards applicable to the Common Stock and any applicable federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions. In making such determination, the Committee may rely upon an opinion of counsel for the Company.
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, the Company shall have no liability to deliver any shares under the Plan or make any other distribution of the benefits under the Plan unless such delivery or distribution would comply with all applicable state, federal and foreign laws (including, without limitation and if applicable, the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933), and any applicable requirements of any securities exchange or similar entity.
15.2 Rights of a Shareholder. Except as provided otherwise in the Plan or in an Agreement, no Participant awarded an Option, SAR, RSU, Performance Share or Performance Unit shall have any right as a shareholder with respect to any shares covered by such Award prior to the date of issuance to him or her or his or her delegate of a certificate or certificates for such shares or the date the Participant’s name is registered on the Company’s books as the shareholders of record with respect to such shares.
15.3 Transferability. No ISO granted under the Plan may be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, other than upon the Participant’s death, to a beneficiary in accordance with Article 11 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Unless the Committee determines otherwise consistent with securities and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, (i) no Award granted under the Plan shall be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated by a Participant other than upon the Participant’s death, to a beneficiary in accordance with Article 11 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and (ii) each Option and SAR outstanding to a Participant may be exercised during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant or his or her guardian or legal representative (provided that Incentive Stock Options may be exercised by such guardian or legal representative only if permitted by the Code and any regulations promulgated thereunder). In the event of a transfer to a Permitted Transferee as permitted under this Section 15.3 or by the Committee, appropriate evidence of any transfer to the Permitted Transferee shall be delivered to the Company at its principal executive office. If all or part of an Award is transferred to a Permitted Transferee, the Permitted Transferee’s rights thereunder shall be subject to the same restrictions and limitations with respect to the Award as the Participant. For the avoidance of doubt, any permitted transfer of an Award will be without payment of consideration by the Permitted Transferee.
15.4 No Fractional Shares. Unless provided otherwise in the Agreement applicable to an Award, no fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award and any fractional share otherwise payable pursuant to an Award shall be forfeited.
15.5 No Implied Rights. Nothing in the Plan or any Agreement shall confer upon any Participant any right to continue in the employ or service of the Employer, or to serve as a Non-Employee Director thereof, or interfere in any way with the right of the Employer to terminate the Participant’s employment or other service relationship at any time and for any reason. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, no Award granted under the Plan shall be deemed salary or compensation for the purpose
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of computing benefits under any employee benefit plan, severance program, or other arrangement of the Employer for the benefit of its employees. No Participant shall have any claim to an Award until it is actually granted under the Plan. An Award of any type made in any one year to an eligible Participant shall neither guarantee nor preclude a further grant of that or any other type of Award to such Participant in that year or any subsequent year. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company under the Plan, such right shall, except as otherwise provided by the Committee, be no greater than the right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.
15.6 Expenses of the Plan. The expenses of the Plan shall be borne by the Company. The Company shall not be required to establish any special or separate fund or make any other segregation of assets to assume the payment of any Award under the Plan.
15.7 Compliance with Laws. The Plan and the grant of Awards shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules, and regulations and to such approvals by any United States government or regulatory agency as may be required. It is the intent of the Company that the awards made hereunder comply in all respects with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and that any ambiguities or inconsistencies in construction of the Plan be interpreted to give effect to such intention. Any provision herein relating to compliance with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act shall not be applicable with respect to participation in the Plan by Participants who are not Insiders.
15.8 Recoupment/Clawback. All Awards are subject to recoupment in accordance with the Company’s recoupment, clawback and/or recovery policies in effect from time to time. In addition, the Committee may include such recoupment, clawback and/or recovery provisions in an Agreement as the Committee determines necessary or appropriate.
15.9 Regulatory Requirements. The grant and settlement of Awards under the Plan shall be conditioned upon and subject to compliance with Section 18(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1828(k), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
15.10 Whistleblower Protection. Nothing contained in this Plan or any Agreement (i) shall be deemed to prohibit any Participant from responding to a subpoena or order of a court or other governmental authority to testify or give evidence or engaging in conduct otherwise protected by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (ii) shall be deemed to prohibit any Participant from providing truthful information in good faith to any federal, state, or local governmental body, agency, or official investigating an alleged violation of any antidiscrimination or other employment-related law or otherwise gathering information or evidence pursuant to any official investigation, hearing, trial, or proceeding; (iii) is intended in any way to intimidate, coerce, deter, persuade, or compensate any Participant with respect to providing, withholding, or restricting any communication whatsoever to the extent prohibited under 18 U.S.C. §§ 201, 1503, or 1512 or under any similar or related provision of state or federal law; and (iv) is intended to require any Participant to provide notice to the Employer or its attorneys before reporting any possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity (“Whistleblower Disclosures”) or to provide notice to the Employer or its attorneys after any Participant has made any such Whistleblower Disclosures.
15.11 Successors. The terms of the Plan and outstanding Awards shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns.
15.12 Tax Elections. Each Participant agrees to give the Committee prompt written notice of any election made by such Participant under Code section 83(b) or any similar provision thereof. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Committee may condition any award on the Participant’s not making an election under Code section 83(b).
15.13 Uncertificated Shares. To the extent that the Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the transfer of shares of Common Stock, the transfer of such shares may be effected on a non-certificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the rules of any stock exchange on which shares of Common Stock are traded.
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15.14 Compliance with Code Section 409A. At all times, this Plan shall be interpreted and operated (i) with respect to 409A Awards in accordance with the requirements of Code section 409A, and (ii) to maintain the exemptions from Code section 409A of Options, SARs and Restricted Stock and any Awards designed to meet the short-term deferral exception under Code section 409A. To the extent there is a conflict between the provisions of the Plan relating to compliance with Code section 409A and the provisions of any Agreement issued under the Plan, the provisions of the Plan control. Moreover, any discretionary authority that the Committee may have pursuant to the Plan shall not be applicable to a 409A Award to the extent such discretionary authority would conflict with Code section 409A. In addition, to the extent required to avoid a violation of the applicable rules under Code section 409A by reason of Code section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), any payment under an Award shall be delayed until the earliest date of payment that will result in compliance with the rules of Code section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) (regarding the required six-month delay for distributions to specified employees that are related to a separation from service). To the extent that the Plan or a 409A Award provides for payment upon the recipient’s termination of employment as an Employee or cessation of service as an Non-Employee Director, the 409A Award shall be deemed to require payment upon the individual’s “separation from service” within the meaning of Code section 409A. To the extent any provision of this Plan or an Agreement would cause a payment of a 409A Award to be made because of the occurrence of a Change in Control, then such payment shall not be made unless such Change in Control also constitutes a “change in ownership”, “change in effective control” or “change in ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets” within the meaning of Code section 409A. Any payment that would have been made except for the application of the preceding sentence shall be made in accordance with the payment schedule that would have applied in the absence of a change in control. To the extent that this Plan or a 409A Award provides for payment upon the recipient’s Disability, then such payment shall not be made unless the recipient’s Disability also constitutes disability within the meaning of Code section 409A(a)(2)(C). Any payment that would have been made except for the application of the preceding sentence shall be made in accordance with the payment schedule that would have applied in the absence of a Disability (and other Participant rights that are tied to a Disability, such as vesting, shall not be affected by the prior sentence). Any payment that would have been made except for the application of the preceding sentence shall be made in accordance with the payment schedule that would have applied in the absence of a Disability. To the extent an Award is a 409A Award and is subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture within the meaning of Code section 409A (or will be granted upon the satisfaction of a condition that constitutes such a substantial risk of forfeiture), any compensation due under the Award (or pursuant to a commitment to grant an Award) shall be paid in full not later than the 60th day following the date on which there is no longer such a substantial risk of forfeiture with respect to the Award (and the Participant shall have no right to designate the year of the payment), unless the Committee shall clearly and expressly provide otherwise at the time of granting the Award. In the event that an Award shall be deemed not to comply with Code section 409A, then neither the Company, the Board, the Committee nor its or their designees or agents, nor any of their affiliates, assigns or successors (each a “protected party”) shall be liable to any Award recipient or other person for actions, inactions, decisions, indecisions or any other role in relation to the Plan by a protected party if made or undertaken in good faith or in reliance on the advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Company), or made or undertaken by someone other than a protected party.
15.15 Legal Construction.
(a) If any provision of this Plan or an Agreement is or becomes or is deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or would disqualify the Plan or any Agreement under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Agreement, it shall be stricken and the remainder of the Plan or the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.
(b) Where the context admits, words in any gender shall include the other gender, words in the singular shall include the plural and words in the plural shall include the singular.
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(c) To the extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan and all Agreements hereunder shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law provisions. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Agreement, the recipient of an Award is deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the Federal and state courts of Delaware to resolve any and all issues that may arise out of or relate to the Plan or such Agreement.
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