Dresser-Rand Company Non-Qualified Retirement Plan (Restated Effective January 1, 2009)
This agreement establishes the Dresser-Rand Company Non-Qualified Retirement Plan for select management and highly compensated employees. The plan allows eligible employees to defer portions of their salary and bonuses, with the company providing matching contributions. It outlines how accounts are managed, when and how distributions are made, vesting rules, and death benefits. The plan is designed to comply with IRS Section 409A and ERISA, and is intended as an unfunded arrangement for retirement income. Participation, contributions, and distributions are subject to specific terms and conditions set by the company.
INTRODUCTION | 1 | |||||
ARTICLE I: DEFINITIONS | 2 | |||||
1.1 | Account | 2 | ||||
1.2 | Associated Company | 2 | ||||
1.3 | Beneficiary | 2 | ||||
1.4 | Board | 2 | ||||
1.5 | Bonus | 2 | ||||
1.6 | Change in Control | 2 | ||||
1.7 | Class Year Account | 3 | ||||
1.8 | Code | 3 | ||||
1.9 | Code Section 409A | 4 | ||||
1.10 | Company | 4 | ||||
1.11 | Company Match Contribution | 4 | ||||
1.12 | Deferral Election | 4 | ||||
1.13 | Deferral Period | 4 | ||||
1.14 | Distribution Election | 4 | ||||
1.15 | Eligible Employee | 4 | ||||
1.16 | Employee Benefits Committee | 5 | ||||
1.17 | Employee | 5 | ||||
1.18 | Enrollment Period | 5 | ||||
1.19 | ERISA | 5 | ||||
1.20 | Participant | 5 | ||||
1.21 | Performance-Based Bonus | 7 | ||||
1.22 | Plan | 7 | ||||
1.23 | Plan Year | 7 | ||||
1.24 | Salary | 7 | ||||
1.25 | Separation from Service | 7 | ||||
1.26 | Short-Term Distribution Option | 8 | ||||
1.27 | Spouse | 8 | ||||
1.28 | Termination Distribution Option | 8 | ||||
1.29 | Trust | 8 | ||||
1.30 | Unforeseeable Emergency | 8 | ||||
1.31 | Valuation Date | 9 | ||||
1.32 | Transfer Contributions | 9 | ||||
ARTICLE II: ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION | 10 | |||||
2.1 | Participation | 10 | ||||
2.2 | Termination of Participation | 10 | ||||
2.3 | Inactive Participation | 10 | ||||
2.4 | Enrollment Period | 10 | ||||
ARTICLE III: PARTICIPANT DEFERRALS AND COMPANY CONTRIBUTIONS | 12 | |||||
3.1 | Participant Salary and/or Bonus Deferrals | 12 |
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3.2 | Company Match Contribution | 12 | ||||
ARTICLE IV: ACCOUNTS | 14 | |||||
4.1 | Establishment of Accounts | 14 | ||||
4.2 | Earnings Credited to Accounts | 14 | ||||
ARTICLE V: ELECTION, TIMING AND FORM OF DISTRIBUTIONS | 15 | |||||
5.1 | Participant's Distribution Election of Timing and Form of Payment | 15 | ||||
5.2 | Class Year Accounts Subject to Short-Term Distribution Options | 17 | ||||
5.3 | Accounts Subject to the Termination Distribution Option | 17 | ||||
5.4 | Hardship Distributions | 17 | ||||
5.5 | Restrictions on Specified Employees | 18 | ||||
ARTICLE VI: VESTING | 19 | |||||
6.1 | Vesting | 19 | ||||
6.2 | Service | 19 | ||||
ARTICLE VII: DEATH BENEFITS | 20 | |||||
7.1 | Beneficiary Designation | 20 | ||||
7.2 | Death of Participant | 20 | ||||
ARTICLE VIII: ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS AND DUTIES | 21 | |||||
8.1 | Plan Administration | 21 | ||||
8.2 | Delegation of Authority | 21 | ||||
8.3 | Expenses | 21 | ||||
8.4 | Indemnity of Employee Benefits Committee | 21 | ||||
8.5 | Claims and Appeals Procedures | 22 | ||||
8.6 | Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies | 23 | ||||
ARTICLE IX: AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION | 24 | |||||
9.1 | Amending the Plan | 24 | ||||
9.2 | Plan Termination | 24 | ||||
ARTICLE X: MISCELLANEOUS | 25 | |||||
10.1 | Severability | 25 | ||||
10.2 | Unsecured Interest | 25 | ||||
10.3 | Payments to the Account Trust | 25 | ||||
10.4 | Not an Employment Agreement | 25 | ||||
10.5 | No Assignment or Anticipation of Benefits | 26 | ||||
10.6 | Taxes | 26 | ||||
10.7 | State Law | 26 | ||||
10.8 | Legal Actions | 27 | ||||
10.9 | Facility of Payment | 27 | ||||
10.10 | Unclaimed Benefits | 27 | ||||
10.11 | Appendices | 27 | ||||
10.12 | Entire Agreement | 27 |
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1.1 | Account |
(a) | Salary Deferrals | ||
(b) | Bonus Deferrals | ||
(c) | Company Match Contributions | ||
(d) | Transfer Contributions |
1.2 | Associated Company |
1.3 | Beneficiary |
1.4 | Board |
1.5 | Bonus |
1.6 | Change in Control |
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(a) | during any 12-month period, the members of the Board (the Incumbent Directors) cease for any reason other than due to death or disability to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board, provided that any director whose election, or nomination for election by the Companys stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the members of the Board who are at the time Incumbent Directors shall be considered an Incumbent Director, other than any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board; | ||
(b) | the acquisition or ownership by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)), other than the Company or an Associated Company, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or an Associated Company, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; | ||
(c) | the merger, consolidation or other similar transaction of the Company, as a result of which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or other transaction, do not, immediately thereafter, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the merged, consolidated or other surviving company; and | ||
(d) | the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to one or more persons or entities that are not, immediately prior to such sale, transfer or other disposition, Associated Companies. |
1.7 | Class Year Account |
1.8 | Code |
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1.9 | Code Section 409A |
1.10 | Company |
1.11 | Company Match Contribution |
1.12 | Deferral Election |
1.13 | Deferral Period |
1.14 | Distribution Election |
1.15 | Eligible Employee |
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1.16 | Employee Benefits Committee |
1.17 | Employee |
1.18 | Enrollment Period |
1.19 | ERISA |
1.20 | Participant |
(a) | Subject to paragraph (b), a Participant means an individual: (1) who is an Eligible Employee and who has elected, under the Plan, to defer payment of all or allowable portions of his or her Bonus or Salary or (2) who has a Transfer Contribution to his credit. | ||
(b) | An individual who becomes a Participant solely as a result of having a Transfer Contribution to his credit shall not be eligible to make a Deferral Election or receive an allocation of Company Match Contribution under Article III until and |
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1.21 | Performance-Based Bonus |
(a) | which provides compensation based on the achievement of individual and/or organizational performance goals, measured (objectively and/or subjectively) over a period of at least 12 months; | ||
(b) | is subject to performance criteria established in writing not later than the 90th day of such performance period; | ||
(c) | for which there is no substantial certainty of payment, and the amount of the Bonus is not ascertainable, at the time a Participants Deferral Election is to be made for such Bonus; and | ||
(d) | which, in all other respects, complies with the definition of performance-based compensation under Code Section 409A. |
1.22 | Plan |
1.23 | Plan Year |
1.24 | Salary |
1.25 | Separation from Service |
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1.26 | Short-Term Distribution Option |
1.27 | Spouse |
1.28 | Termination Distribution Option |
1.29 | Trust |
1.30 | Unforeseeable Emergency |
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(a) | an illness or accident of the Participant or his or her Spouse, beneficiary or dependent, as defined in Code Section 152(a), and the related extraordinary and unforeseeable medical expenses, including non-refundable deductibles and the cost of prescription drugs; | ||
(b) | loss of a Participants property due to casualty (including the need to rebuild a home following damage to a home not otherwise covered by insurance); | ||
(c) | other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant, such as the imminent foreclosure of or eviction from the Participants primary residence, or extraordinary funeral expenses of a Spouse, beneficiary or dependent (as defined above). |
1.31 | Valuation Date |
1.32 | Transfer Contributions |
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2.1 | Participation |
(a) | Once an Employee is determined to be an Eligible Employee during the Enrollment Period (Section 2.4), he or she shall be eligible to make a Deferral Election during the applicable Enrollment Period following the eligibility effective date designated by the Board. Such an Eligible Employee shall become a Participant on the January 1 immediately following his or her timely delivery of a Deferral Election in which he or she elects to defer an amount of Salary and/or Bonus. | ||
(b) | If an Employees status/position changes such that he/she is no longer an Eligible Employee, under the criteria set forth in Section 1.15, such Employee shall continue to be a Participant for the remainder of the calendar year. However, at the end of this calendar year, the Employee shall cease to be an active Participant and the provisions of Section 2.3 below shall apply. | ||
(c) | A Participant shall be entitled to participate under the terms of the Plan only so long as the Board shall allow. |
2.2 | Termination of Participation |
2.3 | Inactive Participation |
2.4 | Enrollment Period |
(a) | Administration of Enrollment Period |
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(b) | Enrollment for a Newly Eligible Employee |
(c) | Deadline for Deferral Election Form |
(i) | To Defer Salary: A specified date during the December immediately prior to the calendar year in which the Salary is earned; and | ||
(ii) | To Defer a Bonus: Six full months prior to the last day of the fiscal year during which performance is measured for the Bonus. |
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3.1 | Participant Salary and/or Bonus Deferrals | |
Each Eligible Employee shall be eligible to make an annual Deferral Election, with regard to the Salary and/or Bonus that will be earned in the following Plan Year, during an Enrollment Period as described in Section 2.4, and in accordance with the following terms: |
(a) | Bonus Deferrals | ||
An Eligible Employee may elect, under the terms and conditions of the Plan, to defer up to 80% of his or her Bonus. As soon as practicable on or after the date a Bonus is awarded, for each Eligible Employee whose Deferral Election provides for deferral of a Bonus amount, the applicable dollar amount that the Participant elected to defer shall be credited to his or her Class Year Account and designated with the timing and form of Distribution Election elected by the Eligible Employee. | |||
(b) | Salary Deferrals | ||
An Eligible Employee may elect, under the terms and conditions of the Plan, to defer up to 80% his or her Salary per pay period. Such Salary Deferrals shall be credited to his or her Class Year Account and earmarked with the timing and form of Distribution Election elected by the Eligible Employee. |
The Eligible Employees Deferral Election shall become irrevocable on the last day of the Enrollment Period. | ||
3.2 | Company Match Contribution | |
The dollar-for-dollar Company Match Contribution, as described in Section 1.11, for a Plan Year shall not exceed the dollar amount, as follows: |
Tier 1 ¾ | For Participants in Pay Grades 35 and higher, 100% of the first 10% of Salary Deferral and Bonus Deferral, up to a maximum Company Match Contribution of $150,000 during the Plan Year |
Tier 2 ¾ | For Participants in Pay Grades 32 through 34, the Company Matching Contribution shall equal 100% of first 5% of Salary Deferral and Bonus Deferral, up to a maximum Company Match Contribution of $15,000 during the Plan Year. |
For purposes of this definition, if the Participants status changes such that he or she: |
(a) | Was receiving the Tier I Company Match Contribution and becomes Eligible for the Tier 2 Company Match Contribution during the same Plan Year, the Participant will begin receiving the Tier 2 Company Match Contribution as of the effective date of the pay grade change, for the remainder of the same Plan Year, |
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(b) | Was receiving the Tier 2 Company Match Contribution and becomes Eligible for the Tier 1 Company Match Contribution during the same Plan Year, the Participant will begin receiving the Tier 1 Company Match Contribution as of the effective date of the pay grade change, for the remainder of the same Plan Year, | ||
(c) | Is no longer an Eligible Employee, the Participants Salary and Bonus deferrals and associated Company Matching Contributions will continue, subject to the Tier 2 limit as of the effective date he/she became an Ineligible Employee, for the remainder of the same Plan Year. |
The Company Match Contribution and applicable investment gains and losses are not subject to the Short-Term Distribution Option. | ||
Effective for Company Match Contributions that relate to 2009 and later Plan Years, a Participant shall be not eligible for an allocation of match attributable to a Participants Bonus Deferral, unless he is employed on the December 31 of the calendar year to which the Bonus relates, or he has died or become disabled. |
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4.1 | Establishment of Accounts | |
The Employee Benefits Committee (or the designated third-party record keeper, if any) shall establish on the Companys books and records an Account for each Participant and such sub-accounts as are described in this Plan and applicable to the Participant. For purposes of this Article IV, a Participants Account is a bookkeeping entry only and does not entitle the Participant to any ownership interest in any actual assets. | ||
4.2 | Earnings Credited to Accounts | |
Until a Participants Account has been fully distributed, the balance of such Account shall be credited as of each Valuation Date with the investment earnings, losses and/or income attributable to the investment fund or funds chosen by the Participant. The Employee Benefits Committee shall have full and complete discretion to determine the investment funds offered under the Plan. |
The Employee Benefits Committee shall have the authority to establish any and all rules pertaining to the frequency of permissible changes in investment directions, the manner and timing for a Participant to deliver directions for the investment of future allocations to his or her Account, and procedures for the reinvestment of existing account balances. |
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5.1 | Participants Distribution Election of Timing and Form of Payment |
(a) | Election of Distribution |
(i) | A Participants Distribution Election shall include electing whether a deferral of Salary and/or Bonus shall be subject to the Short-Term Distribution Option or the Termination Distribution Option. The Participant may choose separate Short-Term Distribution Options for Salary and Bonus. | ||
The Termination Distribution Option shall automatically apply to a Participants vested portion of the Company Matching Contributions Account, and all applicable investment earnings thereon. | |||
(ii) | In lieu of an election submitted by the Participant, the default Termination Distribution Election will be in the form of a single lump sum. | ||
(iii) | The Distribution Elections described in this Article V must be completed by, and shall be irrevocable on, the deadline date for making the Deferral Election under Section 2.4(c). | ||
(iv) | (A) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (i) and (iii) of this Section 5.1(a), the provisions of this subparagraph (iv) shall apply to the time and manner of distribution of a Participants Transfer Contributions and earnings. |
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(b) | Timing of Distributions |
(i) | Short-Term Distribution Option | ||
If the Participant elects the Short-Term Distribution Option, which shall apply to the principal amount of Salary or Bonus deferred, and any applicable investment earnings, he or she is to specify the year in which the Short Term Distribution is to be paid. | |||
The earliest Short-Term Distribution Option payment date of a Class Year Account shall be in January following a period of two calendar years post the Participants Deferral Period. | |||
However, if the Participants Separation from Service or death precedes a scheduled Short-Term Distribution payment date, all pending Short-Term Distributions are voided and the Termination Distribution Option or Survivor distribution option shall be administered. | |||
(ii) | Termination Distribution Option | ||
If the Participant elects the Termination Distribution Option for his or her deferred Salary or deferred Bonus, the triggering event for the distribution of the Class Year Account shall be the Participants Separation from Service. In no event shall such distribution be made or commence later than the end of the calendar year containing the date of such Separation from Service or the 15th day of the third month following such date, if later. In the event a Participant incurs a Separation from Service as a result of a Change in Control, the latest date on which payment can be made shall be determined without regard to the date on which the Company incurs a Change in Control. |
(c) | Form of Distribution |
(i) | Short-Term Distribution Option | ||
The form of payment for a distribution of deferred Salary or Bonus, to the extent that a Participant has elected the Short Term Distribution Option for a Class Year Account, shall be a single lump sum payment at the time elected by the Participant (as stated in subsection (b)(i) above. | |||
(ii) | Termination Distribution Option | ||
As applied to all of a Participants Account balances that are subject to the Termination Distribution Option (or which become subject to that option at the time of the Participants Separation from Service), a Participant shall make an initial Deferral Election among the following optional forms of payment. Once elected, the form of payment for the Termination Distribution Option may not be changed by the Participant. The optional forms of payment are: |
(A) | a single lump-sum payment; | ||
(B) | a single lump-sum payment in January following the Participants |
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Separation from Service; or |
(C) | an annual declining balance installment over a period of 5 years. Each installment payment will be issued in January of each year. The amount of the annual installment shall be calculated using a declining balance formula whereby the first payment will be 1/5 of the account, the second payment will be 1/4 of the remaining Account, and so on until the account is depleted. Payment of installments shall not be interrupted or suspended in the event a Participant becomes rehired by the Company. |
5.2 | Class Year Accounts Subject to Short-Term Distribution Options |
(a) | Payment Triggered by Short-Term Distribution Election | ||
In the case of a Class Year Account for which a Participant has elected a Short-Term Distribution Option, the principal amount of deferred Salary or Bonus, plus applicable earnings credited to that Class Year Account, shall be distributed in one lump-sum payment in January of the calendar year, in accordance with the Participants applicable Distribution Election. Payment shall be made no later than the end of the calendar year containing the specified date. | |||
(b) | Exception | ||
Notwithstanding subsection (a), all of the Participants future elected Short-Term Distribution Options shall cease to apply in the event of the Participants Separation from Service, in which case, the Participants election under the Termination Distribution Option shall apply. |
5.3 | Accounts Subject to the Termination Distribution Option |
(a) | Payment Triggered by Separation from Service | ||
In the event of a Participants Separation from Service, the Separation from Service shall be a triggering event for the distribution of a Participants vested Account, including: (i) the principal and earnings of any and all Class Year Accounts (regardless of any Short-Term Distribution Option elected by the Participant), (ii) the Participants Company Match Contribution Account and (iii) the Participants Transfer Account. | |||
(b) | Form of Payment | ||
A distribution triggered by a Participants Separation from Service shall be paid in the form elected by the Participant for his or her Termination Distribution Option. |
5.4 | Hardship Distributions |
(a) | In the event of a Participants Unforeseeable Emergency, a Participant may request, and the Employee Benefits Committee may approve, a withdrawal from |
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the balance of the Participants Account (excluding Transfer Contributions and earnings). In such a case, the burden of proof shall be on the Participant to produce information sufficient to demonstrate to the Employee Benefits Committee the existence of the Unforeseeable Emergency, the inadequacy or lack of availability of other resources, and the amount required to satisfy the need. Distributions attributable to an Unforeseeable Emergency shall be limited to the amount that the Employee Benefits Committee determines to be reasonably necessary to satisfy the emergency need (which may include amounts necessary to pay any federal, state, or local income taxes or penalties reasonably anticipated to result from the distribution). A distribution on account of an Unforeseeable Emergency may not be made to the extent that the emergency is or may be relieved through reimbursement from insurance or otherwise, or by liquidation of the Participants assets, to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not cause severe financial hardship. | |||
(b) | Suspension of Deferrals following Hardship Distribution | ||
In the event that a Participant receives a hardship withdrawal pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) above, or from the Retirement Savings Plan, any Deferral Election under this Plan shall be suspended for the remainder of the Plan Year. |
5.5 | Restrictions on Specified Employees | |
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary and except as otherwise permitted under Code Section 409A, in the case of a Participant who is a specified employee as such term is defined under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), no distribution shall be made to such Participant upon such Participants Separation from Service until the date that is six months after such Participants Separation from Service. A specified employee is a Participant who is a key employee as defined in Code Section 416(i) (without regard to paragraph (5) thereof) of the Company while the Company is a corporation, any stock of which is publicly traded on an established securities market. A Participant is a specified employee for the 12-month period beginning April 1 if such Participant meets the requirement for a key employee for the calendar year immediately preceding the April 1 date. Any payments delayed under this Section 5.5 will be credited with applicable investment gains/losses in the Participants Account. |
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6.1 | Vesting |
(a) | The portion of the Participants Account comprised of the Salary Deferrals, Bonus Deferrals and Transfer Contributions shall be fully vested. | ||
(b) | Participants interest in the Company Match Contributions Account shall become fully vested and non-forfeitable upon the earliest of: |
(1) | completion of 36 Months of Service as determined under Section 6.2; or | ||
(2) | attainment of age 65 while in the employ of the Company; or | ||
(3) | death while in the employ of the Company; or | ||
(4) | a Change in Control while in the employ of the Company. |
Upon vesting due to a Change in Control any and all subsequent deferrals and contributions to such Account shall also be immediately 100% vested. |
(c) | If a Participant incurs a termination of employment before one of the events described in paragraph (b), the Participants Company Match Contributions Account shall be forfeited. |
6.2 | Service | |
A Participant will be credited with a Month of Service for each full calendar month the Participant is an Employee with the Company or an Associated Company. | ||
The following is included in determining a Month of Service: |
(i) | If a Participant was employed by the Company on September 5, 2005 and was employed by Tuthill Corporation on September 4, 2005, then the service with Tuthill Corporation will be included in computing a Month of Service. |
(ii) | If a Participant was employed by the Company on August 29, 2008 and was employed by Arrow Industries on August 28, 2008, then the service with Arrow Industries will be included in computing a Month of Service. |
(a) | BreaksInService | ||
Period of services when a person was not employed by the Company or an Associated Company will be excluded from determining the Months of Service for Vesting. Service with the Company or an Associated Company that precedes a break-in-service equal to 60 or more months will not be included for Vesting determination, unless the person had a minimum of 120 Months of Service prior to the break. |
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7.1 | Beneficiary Designation | |
Each Participant shall name one or more persons as the Beneficiary who will receive any payment under Section 5.1(c)(ii). A Beneficiary designation is effective only if made in writing on a form provided by the Employee Benefits Committee and filed with the Employee Benefits Committee. A Participant may change a Beneficiary designation by filing another form in accordance with this Section. | ||
If the Participant fails to designate a Beneficiary or no designated Beneficiary is living when any payment under Section 5. l(c)(ii) is to be made, then: |
(a) | the surviving Spouse of the Participant shall be the Beneficiary; or | ||
(b) | if the Participants Spouse is not living, then the surviving children of the Participant will be deemed the Beneficiaries and will take on a per stirpes basis. | ||
(c) | if there are no children, then the estate of the Participant will be deemed the Beneficiary. |
7.2 | Death of Participant | |
On the death of a Participant, the entire balance of such Participants Account shall be distributed to the Participants Beneficiary(ies) in a lump sum (or divided equally in the case of multiple Beneficiaries) as soon as administratively practicable following the Participants death, but in no event later than the end of the calendar year containing the date of death or the 15th day of the third month following the date of death, if later. The restrictions in Section 5.5 will not apply in the event of a Participants death. |
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8.1 | Plan Administration | |
The administration of the Plan shall be vested in the Employee Benefits Committee. | ||
The Employee Benefits Committee shall, subject to express provisions of the Plan, have power to construe the Plan, prescribe rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and make all determinations necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. All resolutions or other actions or decisions of the Employee Benefits Committee shall be by vote of a majority of the Employee Benefits Committee members. No member of the Employee Benefits Committee shall have the right to vote or decide upon any matter relating solely to himself or herself under the Plan or to vote in any case in which his individual right to claim any benefit under the Plan is particularly involved. In any case in which an Employee Benefits Committee member is so disqualified to act, and the remaining members cannot agree, the Board shall decide the matter in which he or she is disqualified. | ||
The Company may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan in the manner and to the extent deemed expedient to carry it into effect within legal confines. | ||
8.2 | Delegation of Authority | |
The administrative duties and responsibilities set forth in Section 8.1 may be delegated by the Employee Benefits Committee in whatever manner and extent it chooses to such person or persons as it selects. Employee Benefits Committee will notify the Company and the Trustee of the authority conferred upon such person or persons. | ||
The Employee Benefits Committee may delegate to others certain aspects of the management and operational responsibilities of the Plan, including the employment of advisors and the delegation of ministerial duties to qualified individuals. | ||
8.3 | Expenses | |
All expenses and costs incurred in connection with the administration and operation of the Plan shall be borne by the Company. | ||
8.4 | Indemnity of Employee Benefits Committee | |
The Company indemnifies and holds harmless the members of the Employee Benefits Committee, and each of the members individually, from and against any and all loss resulting from liability to which the Employee Benefits Committee, or the members of the Employee Benefits Committee, may be subjected by reason of any act or conduct (except willful misconduct, fraud or gross negligence) in their official capacities in the administration of the Trust, Plan or both, including all expenses reasonably incurred in their defense, in case the Company fails to provide such defense. |
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8.5 | Claims and Appeals Procedures |
(a) | The claims and appeals procedures under the Plan shall be administered in accordance with written guidelines which may be revised in the discretion of the Employee Benefits Committee from time to time; provided, however, that any such guidelines shall be substantially in accordance with the claims and appeals procedures described herein (as this Plan may be amended from time to time). A claim (as that term is used in this Section) occurs when a Participant or Beneficiary either (i) makes an application for a benefit under the Plan, or (ii) disputes a determination by the Employee Benefits Committee (or a person authorized by the Employee Benefits Committee) of the amount of any benefit or the resolution of any matter affecting a benefit under the Plan. A claim or appeal may be filed by an authorized representative of the Participant or Beneficiary who is the claimant. | ||
(b) | Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, a Participant or Beneficiary shall not have a right to submit a dispute with respect to a benefit under this Plan more than 3 years after the date the individual has knowledge of all material facts that are the subject of the dispute. | ||
(c) | Claims for benefits under the Plan shall be filed with the corporate benefits office on forms provided for that purpose. Each claim will be decided by one or more persons who are authorized by the Employee Benefits Committee and are referred to in this Section as the Claims Administrator. The Claims Administrator will give the claimant written notice of the disposition of a claim within 90 days after the claim has been filed, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, in which case such notice of disposition shall be given within 180 days after the application has been filed. If notice of disposition is not given, the claim is deemed to be denied. | ||
(d) | If a claim is denied in whole or in part, the Claims Administrator shall give the claimant a written explanation stating the reasons for the denial, citing pertinent provisions of the Plan, the manner in which the claim denial can be appealed to the Employee Benefits Committee and, in the event of an appeal, the further information which the claimant may submit or request in connection with the appeal and the claimants eventual rights to pursue other remedies under ERISA. | ||
(e) | A claimant wishing a review of a denied claim may submit an appeal in writing in a manner acceptable to the Employee Benefits Committee. The deadline for submitting any such appeal shall be 60 days after receipt of the written notification of the denial of the claim, as described above. Within 60 days following the receipt of the notice of appeal, the Employee Benefits Committee will give the claimant either (i) a written notice of the decision of the reviewer, or (ii) if special circumstances require an extension of time for review, a notice of a 60 day extension of the review period. In the latter case, the notice of the decision of the reviewer shall be delivered to the claimant by the Employee Benefits Committee within 120 days after the application has been filed. Members of the |
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Employee Benefits Committee who vote on the decision on appeal shall not include any person who decided the initial claim, but a person who decided the initial claim may participate in the discussion of the appeal with the voting members of the Employee Benefits Committee. | |||
(f) | The Plan hereby delegates full and complete discretion to the Claims Administrator and the Employee Benefits Committee: |
(i) | to make findings of fact pertaining to a claim or appeal; | ||
(ii) | to interpret the Plan as applied to the facts; and | ||
(iii) | to decide all aspects of the claim or appeal. |
The decision by the Employee Benefits Committee shall be the final and conclusive administrative review proceeding under the Plan. |
8.6 | Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies | |
If claimants continue to dispute the benefit denial, then claimants may assert a legal or equitable action for benefits, subject to the terms of this section. No legal or equitable action for benefits under the Plan shall be brought unless and until the claimant has: |
(a) | submitted a written application for benefits; | ||
(b) | been notified that the application is denied; | ||
(c) | filed a written request for a review of the application in accordance with Section 8.4; and | ||
(d) | been notified in writing that the Employee Benefits Committee has affirmed the denial of the application; provided, however, that an action may be brought after the Company or the Employee Benefits Committee has failed to act on the claim within the time prescribed in Section 8.4, above. |
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9.1 | Amending the Plan | ||
The Company, by action of the Board of Directors or its duly authorized delegate, may amend this Plan at any time; provided, however, that such amendment shall not adversely affect any rights to amounts that Participants have accrued hereunder as of the date of such amendment, unless such amendment is required under applicable law. | |||
9.2 | Plan Termination | ||
The Company may terminate the Plan at any time in whole or in part. |
(a) | Except for such modifications, limitations or restrictions as may otherwise be required to avoid current income taxation or other adverse tax consequences as a result of changes to the tax laws and regulations applicable to the Plan, no such plan amendment or plan termination authorized by the Company shall adversely affect the benefits accrued to date under the Plan or otherwise reduce the then outstanding balances credited to Accounts or otherwise adversely affect the distribution provisions in effect for those Accounts. Termination of the Plan shall not serve to reduce the amount credited to a(n) Account(s) at the time of termination. | ||
(b) | If the Plan is terminated, benefits accrued through the date of Plan termination shall be paid in such manner and at such time as they would have been paid if the Plan had not terminated, except to the extent acceleration of payment of benefits is permitted by Section 409A of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. |
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10.1 | Severability | ||
If any of the provisions of this Plan shall be held invalid, the remainder of the Plan shall not be affected thereby. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan, if any provision of the Plan or an interpretation of any provisions of the Plan shall be inconsistent with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder, the Plan provision shall be applied in a manner such that the provision shall be read as consistent with Code Section 409A and the regulations thereunder to the extent such application avoids application of Code Section 409A(a)(1) causing the early taxation of the Participant. | |||
10.2 | Unsecured Interest | ||
No Participant or Beneficiary shall have any rights with respect to any portion of the Company contributions made on his or her behalf or any benefits under the Plan except as a general, unsecured creditor of the Company. The Plan constitutes a mere promise by the Company to make future benefits payments pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Deferred Compensation credited to a Participants Account is not held in escrow and is not secured by any specific assets of the Company or in which the Company has an interest. The Company may make such arrangements as it desires to provide for the payment of benefits under the Plan. The Company may, but is not required to, establish a Trust to hold contributions and any earnings from investment of the contributions. In order to satisfy its Plan obligations, the Company may, but is not required to, make, or cause the trustee of the Trust to make, actual investments. | |||
10.3 | Payments to the Account Trust | ||
In the event a Trust or Trusts are established by the Company for purposes of this Plan, amounts credited to Participant Accounts under the Plan shall be contributed in like amount by the Company directly to the trustee of the Trust on or about the date as of which such amounts are credited to Participant Accounts. Any Trust or Trusts established by the Company for purposes of this Plan and the taxation of the assets held in any such Trust on behalf of Participants shall be subject to the requirements of Code Section 409A(b) including (i) the transfers of assets for the benefit of covered employees (as defined in Code Section 409A(b)(3)(D)(ii)) when the Companys defined benefit pension plan is in a restricted period, and (ii) the restriction of assets in connection with a change in the Companys financial health. | |||
In the event a Trust or Trusts are not established by the Company for purposes of this Plan, amounts shall nevertheless be credited to Participant Accounts as stated in the terms of the Plan. | |||
10.4 | Not an Employment Agreement | ||
Nothing contained herein will confer upon any Participant the right to be retained in the |
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service of the Company, nor will it interfere with the right of the Company to discharge with or without cause the Participant at any time. |
10.5 | No Assignment or Anticipation of Benefits |
(a) | No Assignment | ||
Except as provided in the following paragraph, no Participant Account under the Plan shall be subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, charge, execution, attachment, garnishment, or any other legal process, and any attempt to do so shall be void. | |||
(b) | Domestic Relations Orders | ||
The Employee Benefits Committee shall follow ¾ if, when, and to the extent a Participant is receiving a distribution (or series of distributions) of his or her Account under the Plan any judgment, decree or order of a state court (including a court approved property settlement agreement) which: |
(i) | relates to the provision of child support, alimony payments or marital property rights made pursuant to a state domestic relations law (including a community property law), | ||
(ii) | provides an alternate payee with a right to receive all or a stated portion of one or more subsequent distributions which would otherwise then be payable entirely to the Participant or a Beneficiary under the otherwise applicable provisions of this Plan, and | ||
(iii) | satisfies the requirements of the Companys administrative procedures for Domestic Relations Orders. |
10.6 | Taxes | ||
The Company shall be entitled to: (i) deduct from each Participants current compensation or from benefits payable under the Plan, any Federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which the employing company is required to deduct under applicable law; and/or (ii) accelerate payment of a Participants benefit to pay employment tax to the extent permitted by Treasury Regulation 1.409A-3(j)(4)(vi). If the aggregate amount of a Participants current compensation and benefits payable from the Plan is insufficient to meet any then applicable tax withholding obligation and payment of the Participants benefit is not accelerated to fund the employment tax liability, the Participant shall have the obligation to pay such withholding taxes in a manner then determined by the Employee Benefits Committee, or in accordance with an administrative policy approved by the Employee Benefits Committee. | |||
10.7 | State Law | ||
The provisions of the Plan and all rights created thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, to the extent not governed by federal law. |
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10.8 | Legal Actions | ||
The Employee Benefits Committee will be a necessary party to any action or proceeding involving the administration of the Plan. No employee, Participant, former Participant or their Beneficiaries, or any other person having or claiming to have an interest in the Plan will be entitled to any notice or process. Any final judgment that may be entered in any such action or proceeding will be binding and conclusive on all persons having or claiming to have any interest in the Plan. | |||
10.9 | Facility of Payment | ||
In the event any benefit under this Plan is payable to a person who is under legal disability or is in any way incapacitated so as to be unable to manage his or her financial affairs, the Employee Benefits Committee may direct payment of such benefit to a duly appointed guardian, committee or other legal representative of such person, or in the absence of a guardian or legal representative, to a custodian for such person under a Uniform Gifts to Minors Act or relative of such person by blood or marriage, for such persons benefit. Any payment made in good faith pursuant to this provision shall fully discharge the Company and the Plan of any liability to the extent of such payment. | |||
10.10 | Unclaimed Benefits | ||
If the Employee Benefits Committee is unable after any benefit becomes due hereunder to authorize payment because the whereabouts of a Participant or Beneficiary cannot be ascertained, the Committee shall send written notice of such benefit to the Participant or Beneficiary at his or her last known mailing address as shown by the records of the Company. | |||
If the Employee Benefits Committee, by making a reasonably diligent effort, cannot locate the Participant or any Beneficiary under Section 7.1, the amount payable to such Participant or Beneficiary shall be forfeited at such time as the Employee Benefits Committee shall determine in a nondiscriminatory manner (but in all events prior to the time such benefit would otherwise escheat under any applicable laws). The forfeiture shall be applied to reduce future Company Match Contributions. | |||
Should the Participant or Beneficiary subsequently make application for benefits, the amount so forfeited shall be paid to the Participant or Beneficiary. | |||
10.11 | Appendices | ||
Any Appendix to this Plan, as amended from time to time, is incorporated into, and made a part of, the terms and conditions of this Plan. | |||
10.12 | Entire Agreement | ||
The terms of this Plan document and the Participants elections supersede any written or verbal agreements, representations, proposals or plans. Further, the terms of the Plan and the elections cannot be amended or changed by any verbal agreement, representation, proposal or other communication. Section 9.1 entitled Amendment and Section 9.2 |
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entitled Plan Termination sets forth the sole mechanism for amending or changing the terms of the Plan. |
DRESSER-RAND COMPANY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS COMMITTEE | ||||
/s/ Elizabeth C. Powers | ||||
Chairperson of the Employee Benefits Committee | ||||
Attested by: | ||||
/s/ Mark F. Mai | ||||
Corporate Secretary |
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