The Scotts Company LLC Executive Retirement Plan (Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2011)
This agreement outlines The Scotts Company LLC Executive Retirement Plan, which allows eligible executives to defer portions of their salary and bonuses for retirement purposes. The plan supplements existing retirement benefits and is managed by a designated administrative committee. It specifies eligibility, account management, distribution methods, and conditions for participation, including rules for deferral elections and beneficiary designations. The plan is unfunded, subject to IRS Code Section 409A, and can be amended or terminated by the company. It applies to current and future participants as of January 1, 2011.
EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
As Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2011
I. NAME AND PURPOSE | 1 | |||
II. DEFINITIONS | 1 | |||
III. PARTICIPANTS | 6 | |||
IV. ACCOUNTS | 6 | |||
V. METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION OF DEFERRED COMPENSATION | 12 | |||
VI. ACCRUALS UNDER OTHER BENEFIT PLANS | 15 | |||
VII. PARTICIPANTS RIGHTS | 16 | |||
VIII. NON-ALIENABILITY AND NONTRANSFERABILITY | 16 | |||
IX. ADMINISTRATION AND STANDARD OF REVIEW | 16 | |||
X. CLAIMS PROCEDURE | 17 | |||
XI. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION | 18 | |||
XII. GENERAL PROVISIONS | 19 | |||
XIII. UNFUNDED STATUS OF THE PLAN | 20 |
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EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
As Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2011
I. | Name and Purpose |
II. | Definitions |
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(a) | Board Composition. Individuals who, as of July 1, 2008, constitute the Board (the Incumbent Board) cease, within a 12-month period, for any reason (other than death) to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to such date whose appointment, election, or nomination for election by the Corporations shareholders, was endorsed by at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board; or |
(b) | Stock Acquisition. (A) One or more acquisitions, by any individual, entity or group (within the meanings of Treasury Regulation Sections 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v)(B) and (vi)(D)) (a Person), of 30% or more of the then outstanding voting securities of the Corporation (the Outstanding Voting Securities), during any 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by that Person; or (B) an acquisition that results in ownership by a Person of either (y) shares representing more than 50% of the total fair market value of the Corporations then outstanding stock (the Outstanding |
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(c) | Business Combination. Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Corporation (a Business Combination), in each case, that results in either a change in ownership contemplated in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (b) above or a change in the Incumbent Board contemplated by paragraph (a) above; or |
(d) | Sale or Disposition of Assets. One or more Persons acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such Persons) assets from the Corporation that have a total gross fair market value equal to more than 40% of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Corporation (without regard to liabilities of the Corporation or associated with such assets) immediately before such acquisition or acquisitions; provided that such sale or disposition is not to: |
(i) | a shareholder of the Corporation (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange for or with respect to the Corporations Outstanding Stock; |
(ii) | an entity, 50% or more of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation; |
(iii) | a Person that owns, directly or indirectly, 50% or more of the total value or voting power of the Corporations Outstanding Stock; or |
(iv) | an entity, at least 50% of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by a Person described in paragraph (d)(iii) above. |
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(a) | the maximum recognizable annual compensation under Code Section 401(a)(17) the Pay Cap; | ||
(b) | the maximum annual additions under Code Section 415(c) the 415 Limit; | ||
(c) | the deferral limit under Code Section 402(g) the Deferral Limit; and | ||
(d) | the limits on contributions for highly compensated employees under Code Sections 401(k)(3) the ADP Test and 401(m)(2) the ACP Test. |
III. | Participants |
IV. | Accounts |
A. | Establishment of Accounts. The recordkeeper will establish an Account for each Participant. A Participants Account shall consist of an Incentive Deferral Account (effective January 1, 2009; previously a Deferred Executive Management Incentive Pay Account), a Deferred Compensation Account, a Matching Account, a Retirement Account (with respect to Employer allocations under Section IV.D.(1) for Plan Years ended prior to January 1, 2011), a Transitional Contributions Account and a Retention Award Account. |
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B. | Election of Participant to Defer Incentive Pay. |
(1) | An Eligible Employee may, at the discretion of the Committee, and on such terms and conditions as it may specify, elect to have a percentage of any Performance Award that may be awarded to him or her by the Employer for, as applicable, (i) a Plan Year or (ii) a fiscal year ending in the following Plan Year, allocated to his or her Incentive Deferral Account and paid on a deferred basis pursuant to the terms of the Plan. To make an election with respect to a Performance Award, an Eligible Employee must advise the Employer of his or her election in writing or by filing an election electronically, using procedures prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee. Such elections must be made on or before the date prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee, which shall be no later than December 31 of the calendar year preceding, as applicable, (i) the Plan Year to which the Performance Award relates or (ii) the Plan Year in which the fiscal year to which the Performance Award relates ends. In no event may a deferral election be made with respect to any portion of a Performance Award that is readily ascertainable, i.e., both calculable and substantially certain to be paid at the time of the election. Further, for such election to be effective, an Eligible Employee must have provided services for the Employer continuously from the beginning of the applicable performance period. Finally, deferral elections made with respect to Performance Awards that become payable as a result of death or Disability, or in the event of a Change of Control, without regard to the satisfaction of the applicable performance criteria, do not constitute performance-based compensation and shall not be effective unless made by December 31 of the calendar year preceding the beginning of the calendar or fiscal year to which such award relates. |
(2) | An Eligible Employee may, at the discretion of the Committee, and on such terms and conditions as it may specify, elect to have a percentage of any bonus (other than a Performance Award) allocated to his or her Incentive Deferral Account and paid on a deferred basis pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Eligible Employee must advise the Employer of his or her election, in writing or by filing an election electronically using procedures prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee, on or before the date prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee, which shall be no later than the date described in (a), (b) or (c) below: |
(a) | Except as provided in (b) and (c) below, the last date for filing a Bonus Deferral Election shall be December 31 of the calendar year prior to the beginning of the Plan Year or fiscal year in which any services related to the bonus will be performed. |
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(b) | This clause (b) applies to a bonus that would be exempt from Code Section 409A as a short term deferral (absent an election to defer the bonus). The last date for filing a Bonus Deferral Election with respect to a bonus described in the preceding sentence shall be the date that is 12 months before the date that the Eligible Employees right to receive the bonus becomes nonforfeitable (the Vesting Date), but only if the Bonus Deferral Election provides for a distribution of the bonus and related Adjustments (i) on a specified date that is at least five years after the Vesting Date or (ii) on the later of the date on which Separation from Service occurs or a specified date that is at least five years after the Vesting Date. The preceding sentence notwithstanding, a bonus deferred under this clause (b) and the related Adjustments shall be payable upon a Change of Control if the Eligible Employee is an affected Participant (as described in Section V.G. of the Plan). |
(c) | This clause (c) applies to a bonus if the right to receive the bonus payment is forfeitable unless the Eligible Employee continues to provide services to an Employer for a period of at least 12 months after the date that the bonus opportunity is awarded to the Eligible Employee (the Award Date). The last date for filing a Bonus Deferral Election with respect to a bonus described in the preceding sentence shall be the date that is both (i) not more than 29 days after the Award Date and (ii) at least 12 months before the Vesting Date. Notwithstanding the two preceding sentences, if the bonus becomes payable as a result of death or Disability or a Change of Control, the Bonus Deferral Election shall not be effective unless it was filed on or before the date prescribed in clause (a) above. |
(3) | Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, prior to calendar years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, or fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2008, as applicable, for the Plan Year in which an Employee first becomes a Participant in the Plan, an Eligible Employee may complete an Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election at any time within 30 days following the date on which he or she first became a Participant in the Plan or any plan which is required to be aggregated with the Plan under Treasury Regulation Section 409A-1(c)(2). Such Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election shall apply only to Executive Management Incentive Pay paid for services performed by the Eligible Employee after the date on which the Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election is received by the recordkeeper. Notwithstanding any contrary Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election made by an Eligible Employee, such Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election shall apply to no more than an amount equal to the total Executive Management Incentive Pay for the performance period multiplied by the ratio of the number of days remaining in the performance period after such Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election over the total number of days in the performance period. |
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(4) | If an Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Election, a Performance Award Deferral Election or a Bonus Deferral Election is submitted to the recordkeeper in accordance with this Section IV.B., the Employer will credit to the Participants Deferred Executive Management Incentive Pay Account or Incentive Deferral Account, as applicable, the amount of any timely deferral determined in accordance with this Section IV.B. All such deferral elections (other than elections under Section IV.B.(3)) become irrevocable no later than December 31 of the calendar year in which such deferral elections are made. |
C. | Election of Participant to Defer Compensation. |
(1) | Each Eligible Employee may, on such terms and conditions as the Committee may specify, elect to have a percentage of his or her Base Salary attributable to Compensation in excess of the Pay Cap, for all pay periods commencing with the pay period in which the Participants RSP Compensation first exceeds the Pay Cap, deferred and allocated to his or her Deferred Compensation Account and paid pursuant to the terms of the Plan. To exercise such election for any Plan Year, on or before the date prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee (which shall be no later than December 31 of the calendar year preceding the Plan Year in which the services relating to such Base Salary are performed), the Eligible Employee must advise the Employer of his or her election in writing or by filing an election electronically using procedures prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee. Such Base Salary Deferral Election shall apply only to Base Salary earned by and payable to the Participant after the date on which the Base Salary Deferral Election is received by the recordkeeper. |
(2) | Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, for the Plan Year in which an employee first becomes an Eligible Employee, such Eligible Employee may complete a Base Salary Deferral Election at any time within 30 days following the date on which he or she became an Eligible Employee. Such Base Salary Deferral Election shall apply only to Base Salary attributable to Compensation in excess of the Pay Cap earned by and payable to the Eligible Employee after the date on which the Base Salary Deferral Election is received by the recordkeeper. Such election shall apply for all pay periods commencing with the pay period in which the Participants RSP Compensation first exceeds the Pay Cap. |
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(3) | If a Base Salary Deferral Election is submitted to the recordkeeper in accordance with this Section IV.C., the Employer will allocate to the Participants Deferred Compensation Account the amount of Base Salary determined in accordance with this Section IV.C. All Base Salary Deferral Elections made under Section IV.C.(1) become irrevocable no later than December 31 of the calendar year preceding the Plan Year to which a Participants Base Salary Deferral Election relates. All Base Salary Deferral Elections made under Section IV.C.(2) become irrevocable as of the end of the applicable 30 day period. |
D. | Employer Contributions. |
(1) | Retirement Contribution. For each applicable pay period ending prior to January 1, 2011, the Employer will allocate to each Eligible Employees Retirement Account an amount equal to the Retirement Contribution (as defined in the Qualified Plan) he or she would have received under the Qualified Plan with respect to his or her compensation (as defined in the Qualified Plan, but without regard to the Pay Cap), minus the Retirement Contribution actually allocated under the Qualified Plan. No Retirement Contributions will be allocated to Participants Accounts for Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 2011. |
(2) | Matching Contributions. |
(a) | For Plan Years ending prior to January 1, 2011, the Employer shall credit matching contributions to the Matching Account of each Participant who elects to defer Compensation (as defined for such Plan Year) in accordance with Section IV.C. For each pay period, the amount of such matching contribution credits will be equal to the matching contributions that would have been made under the Qualified Plan for the applicable plan year (assuming the Statutory Limits were inapplicable) based on deferrals under Section IV.C. of this Plan and the Compensation on which such deferrals are based. |
(b) | Effective for Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 2011, as soon as practicable after the end of each Plan Year, the Employers shall make a matching contribution with respect to each Participant who has made or caused to be made Base Salary and Performance Award deferrals under the Plan for such Plan Year of the Participants Compensation in excess of the Pay Cap. Such matching contributions shall equal 150% of the first 4% of a Participants Compensation deferred to the Plan in excess of the Pay Cap plus 50% of the next 2% of a Participants Compensation deferred to the Plan in excess of the Pay Cap. Matching contributions shall not exceed 7% of a Participants Compensation in excess of the Pay Cap. Further, a Participant whose RSP Compensation does not exceed the Pay Cap for the applicable Plan Year shall receive a matching contribution on any Performance Award deferred for such Plan Year equal to 150% of the first 4% of such deferral plus 50% of the next 2% of such deferral. Matching contributions shall be allocated to a Participants Matching Account. |
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(3) | Transitional Contributions. No Transitional Contributions (as defined in the Qualified Plan) shall be made to any Participants Account for any Plan Year beginning on or after January 1, 2003. |
(4) | Retention Awards. The Employer shall allocate an amount equal to the Participants Retention Award, if any, to the Participants Retention Award Account. |
(5) | Calendar Year Performance Awards. Any calendar year Performance Award deferred for the 2010 award cycle shall be treated as a 2010 deferral for purposes of the Plan. Calendar year Performance Awards deferred for 2011 and future calendar year award cycles shall be taken into account in the Plan Year in which any non-deferred portion of such Performance Award would be paid. |
E. | Investment Funds. The Investment Committee may change or discontinue the Investment Funds used as investment benchmarks under the Plan, other than the Company Stock Fund, for the measure of appreciation or depreciation of previously credited amounts. |
F. | Outside Investment Funds. Each Participant shall direct the portion of future credits to, and the existing balance of, the Participants Account that is to be treated as invested in one or more of the Outside Investment Funds. A Participant may change his or her direction among the Outside Investment Funds as of any business day by providing instructions in such manner as may be prescribed by the Benefits Administrative Committee, subject to any applicable restrictions under an Outside Investment Fund. If a Participant does not designate one or more of the Outside Investment Funds, his or her Account will be treated as having been credited to the Investment Fund designated by the Investment Committee from time to time as the default fund under the Qualified Plan. |
G. | Company Stock Fund. Unless the Company Stock Fund is discontinued or frozen as an investment option under the Qualified Plan, a Participant may direct that all or a portion of future credits to the Participants Account be treated as invested in the Company Stock Fund. A Participants direction to have amounts treated as invested in the Company Stock Fund shall be irrevocable as to amounts so treated pursuant to such direction (i.e., amounts treated as invested in the Company Stock Fund cannot subsequently be treated as invested in an Outside Investment Fund). If the Company stock fund is discontinued as an investment option under the Qualified Plan, the Company Stock Fund will be discontinued under this Plan. If the Company stock fund is merely frozen as an investment option under the Qualified Plan, the Company Stock Fund will also be frozen under this Plan. |
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H. | Adjustment of Account Balances and Other Rules. As of each business day, the recordkeeper shall credit or debit the balances in a Participants Accounts with Adjustments that mirror the appreciation or depreciation experienced by the Investment Funds against which such Participants Account is benchmarked. For this purpose, appreciation shall include interest, dividends and other distributions which would have been paid on such Investment Funds. Any such amounts shall be deemed to have been reinvested in the applicable Investment Fund pursuant to procedures approved by the Benefits Administrative Committee. The crediting or debiting of Adjustments shall occur so long as there is a balance in the Participants Account, regardless of whether such Participant has terminated employment with the Employer or has died. The Benefits Administrative Committee may prescribe any reasonable method or procedure regarding accounting for Adjustments. |
I. | FICA. Deferrals and Adjustments shall, to the extent required by law, be taken into account as wages for purposes of the employment taxes imposed by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service. |
V. | Method of Distribution of Deferred Compensation |
A. | Time of Distribution. Amounts credited to a Participants Accounts (other than a Retention Award Account) with respect to which an effective distribution election is or has been made shall be distributed to the Participant upon the earliest to occur of: (a) the Participants Separation from Service, (b) the Participants death, (c) the Participants Disability, or, where applicable, (d) a date certain elected by the Participant. Notwithstanding the preceding, distributions applicable to effective distribution elections made on or before December 30, 2008, will be distributed in accordance with the distribution election, i.e., either upon Separation from Service or the date specified in the distribution election. Effective for calendar years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, or fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2008, as applicable, a Participant shall elect a single time or event of distribution with respect to any Base Salary Deferral Election (other than elections made under Section IV.C.(2) in such calendar year), Performance Award Deferral Election or Bonus Deferral Election made in the same calendar year, and shall deliver such time or event of distribution election to the recordkeeper at the time the deferral elections for the applicable calendar and fiscal years are made. Such election shall also apply to any other credits to a Participants Accounts (other than a Retention Award Account) for such Plan Year. If no time or event of distribution election is made with respect to any such deferral or credit, the portion of the Participants Accounts (other than a Retention Award Account) relating thereto shall be distributed on the Participants Separation from Service for any reason. |
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B. | Form of Distribution. Effective with respect to deferrals or credits pertaining to calendar years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, or fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2008, as applicable, amounts credited to a Participants Account (other than the Retention Award Account) shall be distributed to the Participant either in a single lump sum payment or in substantially equal annual installments over a period of five, 10 or 15 years. Amounts credited to a Participants Retention Award Account shall be distributed in accordance with the written agreement between the Employer and the Participant evidencing the Participants Retention Award. To the extent that an Account is distributed in installment payments, the undisbursed portions of such Account shall continue to be credited with Adjustments in accordance with the applicable provisions of Section IV.H. Effective for calendar years beginning on or after January 1, 2009, or fiscal years beginning on or after October 1, 2008, as applicable, a Participant shall elect one form of distribution with respect to any Base Salary Deferral Election (other than elections made under Section IV.C.(2) in such calendar year), Performance Award Deferral Election or Bonus Deferral Election made in the same calendar year, and shall deliver such form of distribution election to the recordkeeper at the time the deferral elections for the applicable calendar or fiscal years are |
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C. | Death Benefit. If a Participant dies (either before or after payment of benefits have commenced under this Section V), his or her Account shall be paid to the Beneficiary designated by the Participant. If there is no designated Beneficiary or no designated Beneficiary surviving at a Participants death, payment of the Participants Account shall be made to the Participants estate in a single lump sum payment within 90 days after the Participants death. In the event of a Participants death after distribution of his or her Account has begun, to the extent that there is a surviving Beneficiary, payment of such Account shall continue in the form of distribution in effect prior to the Participants death. If a Participant dies prior to the commencement of distribution of his or her Account, his or her Beneficiary, if any, shall receive distribution of such Account in the form of distribution previously elected by the Participant. If a Beneficiary begins to receive any payment pursuant to this Section V.C., but dies prior to the time that all amounts have been distributed, any remaining amount shall be paid in a single lump sum payment to the estate of the Beneficiary. |
D. | Taxes. In the event any taxes are required by law to be withheld or paid from any payments made pursuant to the Plan, the recordkeeper shall deduct such amounts from such payments and shall transmit or cause to be transmitted the withheld amounts to the appropriate taxing authority. |
E. | Foreseeable Emergency Distributions. Prior to the date a Participants Account becomes payable, the Benefits Administrative Committee, in its sole discretion, may elect to distribute all or a portion of such Account in the event such Participant requests a distribution due to an Unforeseeable Emergency, as described under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(3). Any distribution under this Section V.E. shall comply with the Unforeseeable Emergency requirements of Code Section 409A and the regulations promulgated thereunder, which are incorporated herein by reference. Any distribution on account of an Unforeseeable Emergency shall not exceed the amount required to satisfy the Unforeseeable Emergency, plus amounts necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a result of such |
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F. | Small Benefit Distribution. This subsection shall apply to the distribution of a Participants Accounts commencing on or after January 1, 2009. If the value of the Participants Accounts (and all other nonqualified deferred compensation plan benefits required to be combined with the Plan under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-(1)(c)(2)) is not greater than the applicable dollar amount under Code Section 402(g)(1)(B) at the time of distribution, then such benefit shall be paid in the form of a single lump sum notwithstanding any contrary Plan provision. Any such distribution is subject, if applicable, to the delay in payment rule relating to Separation from Service events, as set forth in Section V.A. of the Plan. |
G. | Distributions in the Event of a Change of Control. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, an affected Participant shall receive all amounts due the Participant hereunder in a lump sum as soon as practicable after a Change of Control, and in all events within 30 days thereof. For purposes of this Section V.G., an affected Participant is any Participant who is or was providing services: (i) to a corporation at the time of a Change of Control relating to such corporation; (ii) to a corporation which is liable for payments to the extent of the services provided to such corporation by the Participant or for which there is a bona fide business purpose for such corporation to be liable for such payments (other than avoidance of Federal income tax); or (iii) to a corporation which is a majority shareholder of a corporation identified in Section V.G.(i) or (ii) or any corporation in a chain of corporations in which each corporation is a majority shareholder of another corporation in the chain, ending in a corporation identified in Section V.G.(i) or (ii). This Section V.G. shall not apply to a Participants Retention Award Account. |
VI. | Accruals under Other Benefit Plans |
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VII. | Participants Rights |
VIII. | Non-alienability and Nontransferability |
IX. | Administration and Standard of Review |
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X. | Claims Procedure |
A. | Filing Claims. Any Participant or Beneficiary entitled to benefits under the Plan may file a claim for benefits with the Benefits Administrative Committee (or its designee). |
B. | Notification to Claimant. If a claim is wholly or partially denied, the Benefits Administrative Committee (or its designee) will furnish written or electronic (in accordance with Department of Labor Regulations Section 2520.104b-1(c)) notification of the decision to the claimant within 90 days of receipt of the claim in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant. Such notification shall contain the following information: |
(1) | the specific reason or reasons for the denial; |
(2) | specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions upon which the denial is based; |
(3) | a description of any additional material or information necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary; and |
(4) | a description of the Plans claims review procedures describing the steps to be taken and the applicable time limits to submit claims for review, including a statement of the claimants right to bring a civil action under ERISA section 502(a) following an adverse benefit determination on review. |
C. | Review Procedure. A claimant or his or her authorized representative may, with respect to any denied claim: |
(1) | request a full and fair review upon a written application filed within 60 days after receipt by the claimant of written or electronic notification of the denial of his or her claim; |
(2) | submit written comments, documents, records and other information relating to the claim for benefits; and |
(3) | upon request, and free of charge, be provided reasonable access to and copies of documents and records and other information relevant to the claim for benefits. |
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D. | Decision on Review. The Benefits Administrative Committee (or its designee) will render a decision upon review no later than 60 days after receipt of the request for review. If special circumstances (such as the need to hold a hearing on any matter pertaining to the denied claim) warrant additional time, the decision will be rendered as soon as possible, but not later than 120 days after receipt of the request for review. Written notice specifying the circumstances requiring an extension will be furnished to the claimant prior to the commencement of the extension. The decision on review will be in writing and will include specific reasons for the decision, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, as well as specific references to the pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the decision is based. If the decision on review is not furnished to the claimant within the time limits prescribed above, the claim will be deemed denied on review. |
XI. | Amendment and Termination |
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XII. | General Provisions |
A. | Controlling Law. Except to the extent superseded by federal law, the laws of the State of Ohio shall be controlling in all matters relating to the Plan, including construction and performance hereof. |
B. | Captions. The captions of Sections and paragraphs of the Plan are for convenience of reference only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of its provisions. |
C. | Facility of Payment. Any amounts payable hereunder to any person who is under legal disability or who, in the judgment of the Benefits Administrative Committee, is unable to properly manage his or her financial affairs, may be paid to the legal representative of such person or may be applied for the benefit of such person in any manner which the Benefits Administrative Committee may select. Any such payment shall be deemed to be payment for such persons Account and shall be a complete discharge of all liability of the Employer with respect to the amount so paid. |
D. | Administrative Expenses. All expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Employer and no part thereof shall be charged against any Participants Account or any amounts distributable hereunder. |
E. | Severability. Any provision of the Plan prohibited by the law of any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition, without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof. |
F. | Personal Liability. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, no member of the Benefits Administrative Committee, and no officer, employee or agent of the Employer, shall have any liability to any person, firm or corporation based on or arising out of the Plan, except in the case of willful misconduct or fraud. |
G. | Amendment to Qualified Plan or Changes to Employer Contributions and Participant Deferrals under Qualified Plan. Notwithstanding any contrary provision in this Plan, with respect to any change or addition to, any deletion from or any modification of (collectively, an Amendment) the underlying Qualified Plan or change in the Company or Participant contributions and/or deferrals under the Qualified Plan during any Plan Year (collectively, a Contribution Change), where such Amendment or Contribution Change causes the Plan to be non-compliant with Code Section 409A and the regulations promulgated thereunder (including, but not limited to, Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(a)(9)) or accelerates the payment of the Participants Account or delays such payment, resulting in a subsequent deferral of compensation, such Amendment and/or Contribution Change shall be disregarded with respect to Employer contributions, Participant deferrals, Participants Accounts, Compensation, Executive Management Incentive Pay Deferral Elections, Performance Award Deferral Elections or Bonus Deferral Elections under or credited pursuant to the Plan or to any form or time of payment applicable to Plan benefits to the extent that the same either may cause the Plan to be or is itself non-compliant with Code Section 409A or the regulations promulgated thereunder. |
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H. | Right to Offset. If the Benefits Administrative Committee determines that a Participant is, for any reason, indebted to the Company or its Affiliates, the Benefits Administrative Committee and the Company may offset such indebtedness, including any interest accruing thereon, against distributions otherwise due under the Plan provided that: |
(1) | such debt is incurred in the ordinary course of the service relationship between the Participant and the Company; |
(2) | in any taxable year of the Company, the entire amount of reduction does not exceed $5,000; and |
(3) | the reduction is made at the same time and in the same amount as the debt otherwise would have been due and collected from the Participant. |
XIII. | Unfunded Status of the Plan |
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THE SCOTTS COMPANY LLC | ||||
By: | /s/ Denise Stump | |||
Name: | Denise S. Stump | |||
Title: | Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources | |||