THE PROVIDENCE SERVICE CORPORATION INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION - OFFICERS

EX-10.1 2 dex101.htm FORM OF STOCK OPTION AGREEMENTS Form of Stock Option Agreements

Exhibit 10.1

THE PROVIDENCE SERVICE CORPORATION

INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION - OFFICERS

 

To:   

 

Date of Grant:   

 

You are hereby granted an option, effective as of the date hereof, to purchase          shares of common stock, $.001 (“Common Stock”), of The Providence Service Corporation, a corporation (the “Company”), at a price of $          per share pursuant to the Company’s 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”).

This option shall terminate and is not exercisable after ten years from the date of its grant (the “Scheduled Termination Date”), except if terminated earlier as hereafter provided.

Your option may first be exercised on and after                      from the date of grant, but not before that time. On and after                      and prior to                      from the date of grant, your option may be exercised for up to                      of the total number of shares subject to the option minus the number of shares previously purchased by exercise of the option (as adjusted for any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, transfer of assets, reorganization, conversion or what the Administrator deems in its sole discretion to be similar circumstances). Each succeeding                      thereafter your option may be exercised for up to an additional                      of the total number of shares subject to the option minus the number of shares previously purchased by exercise of the option (as adjusted for any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, transfer of assets, reorganization, conversion or what the Administrator deems in its sole discretion to be similar circumstances). Thus, this option is fully exercisable on and after                      after the date of grant, except if terminated earlier as provided herein.

You may exercise your option by giving written notice to the Secretary of the Company on forms supplied by the Company at its then principal executive office, accompanied by payment of the option price for the total number of shares you specify that you wish to purchase. The payment may be in any of the following forms: (a) cash, which may be evidenced by a check and includes cash received from a stock brokerage firm in a so-called “cashless exercise”; (b) (unless prohibited by the Administrator) certificates representing shares of Common Stock of the Company, which will be valued by the Secretary of the Company at the fair market value per share of the Company’s Common Stock (as determined in accordance with the Plan) on the date of delivery of such certificates to the Company, accompanied by an assignment of the stock to the Company; or (c) (unless prohibited by the Administrator) any combination of cash and Common Stock of the Company valued as provided in clause (b). The use of the so-called “attestation procedure”) to exercise a stock option may be permitted by the Administrator. Any assignment of stock shall be in a form and substance satisfactory to the Secretary of the Company, including guarantees of signature(s) and payment of all transfer taxes if the Secretary deems such guarantees necessary or desirable.

Your option will, to the extent not previously exercised by you, terminate three months after the date on which your employment by the Company or a Company subsidiary corporation is terminated (whether such termination be voluntary or involuntary) other than by reason of Disability (as defined in the Plan) or death, in which case your option will terminate one year from the date of termination of employment due to Disability or death (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date). After the date your employment is terminated, as aforesaid, you may exercise this option only for the number of shares which you had a right to purchase and did not purchase on the date your employment terminated. Provided you are willing to continue your employment for the Company or a successor after a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) at the same compensation you enjoyed immediately

 

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prior to such Change in Control, if your employment is involuntarily terminated without cause after a Change in Control, you may exercise this option for the number of shares you would have had a right to purchase on the date of the Change of Control, to the extent not previously exercised by you, and for a period of three years after the Change in Control notwithstanding the termination of your employment (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date); provided, however, in the event of termination, other than involuntary termination without cause, following a Change in Control, you may exercise this option for the number of shares you would have a right to purchase on the date of the Change in Control, to the extent not previously exercised by you, for a period of three months after the date on which your employment by the Company or a Company subsidiary is terminated. If you are employed by a Company subsidiary corporation, your employment shall be deemed to have terminated on the date your employer ceases to be a Company subsidiary corporation, unless you are on that date transferred to the Company or another Company subsidiary corporation. Your employment shall not be deemed to have terminated if you are transferred from the Company to a Company subsidiary corporation, or vice versa, or from one Company subsidiary corporation to another Company subsidiary corporation.

If you die while employed by the Company or a Company subsidiary corporation, your executor or administrator, as the case may be, may, at any time within one year after the date of your death (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date), exercise the option as to any shares which you had a right to purchase and did not purchase during your lifetime. If your employment with the Company or a Company parent or subsidiary corporation is terminated by reason of your Disability, you or your legal guardian or custodian may at any time within one year after the date of such termination (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date), exercise the option as to any shares which you had a right to purchase and did not purchase prior to such termination. Your executor, administrator, guardian or custodian must present proof of his authority satisfactory to the Company prior to being allowed to exercise this option.

In the event of any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, transfer of assets, reorganization, conversion or what the Administrator deems in its sole discretion to be similar circumstances, the number and kind of shares subject to this option and the option price of such shares shall be appropriately adjusted in a manner to be determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator, whose decision shall be final, binding and conclusive in the absence of clear and convincing evidence of bad faith.

In the event of a liquidation or proposed liquidation of the Company, including (but not limited to) a transfer of assets followed by a liquidation of the Company, or in the event of a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) or proposed Change in Control, the Administrator shall have the right to require you to exercise this option upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to you. If at the time such written notice is given this option is not otherwise exercisable, the written notice will set forth your right to exercise this option even though it is not otherwise exercisable. In the event this option is not exercised by you within the thirty (30) day period set forth in such written notice, this option shall terminate on the last day of such thirty (30) day period, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this option.

This option is not transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your lifetime only by you, including, for this purpose, your legal guardian or custodian in the event of Disability. Until the option price has been paid in full pursuant to due exercise of this option and the purchased shares are delivered to you, you do not have any rights as a shareholder of the Company. The Company reserves the right not to deliver to you the shares purchased by virtue of the exercise of this option during any period of time in which the Company deems, in its sole discretion, that such delivery would violate a federal, state, local or securities exchange rule, regulation or law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this option is not exercisable until all the following events occur and during the following periods of time:

(a) Until the Plan pursuant to which this option is granted is approved by the shareholders of the Company in the manner required by any applicable provision of the Code (as defined in the Plan) and the regulations thereunder and any applicable securities exchange or listing rule or agreement;

 

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(b) Until this option and the optioned shares are approved, registered and listed with such federal, state, local and foreign regulatory bodies or agencies and securities exchanges as the Company may deem necessary or desirable, or the Company deems such option or optioned shares to be exempted therefrom;

(c) During any period of time in which the Company deems that the exercisability of this option, the offer to sell the shares optioned hereunder, or the sale thereof, may violate a federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation, or any applicable securities exchange or listing rule or agreement, or may cause the Company to be legally obligated to issue or sell more shares than the Company is legally entitled to issue or sell;

(d) Until you have paid or made suitable arrangements to pay (which may include payment through the surrender of Common Stock, unless prohibited by the Administrator) (i) all federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding required by the Company in connection with the option exercise and (ii) the employee’s portion of other federal, state, local and foreign payroll and other taxes due in connection with the option exercise; or

The following two paragraphs shall be applicable if, on the date of exercise of this option, no registration statement and current prospectus under the Securities Act of 1933 covers the Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to such exercise, and shall continue to be applicable for so long as such registration has not occurred and such current prospectus is not available:

(a) The optionee hereby agrees, warrants and represents that he will acquire the Common Stock to be issued hereunder for his own account for investment purposes only, and not with a view to, or in connection with, any resale or other distribution of any of such shares, except as hereafter permitted. The optionee further agrees that he will not at any time make any offer, sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of such Common Stock to be issued hereunder without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under any applicable state securities laws or an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company to the effect that the proposed transaction will be exempt from such registration. The optionee shall execute such instruments, representations, acknowledgments and agreements as the Company may, in its sole discretion, deem advisable to avoid any violation of federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation, or any securities exchange rule or listing agreement.

(b) The certificates for Common Stock to be issued to the optionee hereunder shall bear the following legend:

“The shares represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under applicable state securities laws. The shares have been acquired for investment and may not be offered, sold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under any applicable state securities laws or an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company that the proposed transaction will be exempt from such registration.”

The foregoing legend shall be removed upon registration of the legended shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under any applicable state laws or upon receipt of any opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company that said registration is no longer required.

The sole purpose of the agreements, warranties, representations and legend set forth in the two immediately preceding paragraphs is to prevent violations of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any applicable state securities laws.

It is the intention of the Company and you that this option shall, if possible, be an “Incentive Stock Option” as that term is used in Section 422(b) of the Code and the regulations thereunder. In the event this option is in any way inconsistent with the legal requirements of the Code or the regulations thereunder for an “Incentive Stock Option,” this option shall be deemed automatically amended as of the date hereof to conform to such legal requirements, if such conformity may be achieved by amendment. To the extent that the number of shares subject to this option which are exercisable for the first time exceed the $100,000 limitation contained in Section 422(d) of the Code, this option will not be considered an Incentive Stock Option.

Further, nothing herein guarantees you employment for any specified period of time. You recognize that, for instance, you may terminate your employment or the Company or any of its Affiliates may terminate your employment prior to the date on which your option becomes vested or exercisable.

 

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You understand and agree that the existence of this option will not affect in any way the right or power of the Company or its shareholders to make or authorize any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations, or other changes in the Company’s capital structure or its business, or any merger or consolidation of the Company, or any issuance of bonds, debentures, preferred or other stocks with preference ahead of or convertible into, or otherwise affecting the common shares or the rights thereof, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

Any notice you give to the Company must be in writing and either hand-delivered or mailed to the office of the General Counsel of the Company. If mailed, it should be addressed to the General Counsel of the Company at its then main headquarters. Any notice given to you will be addressed to you at your address as reflected on the personnel records of the Company. You and the Company may change the address for notice by like notice to the other. Notice will be deemed to have been duly delivered when hand-delivered or, if mailed, on the day such notice is postmarked.

Any dispute or disagreement between you and the Company with respect to any portion of this option (excluding Attachment A hereto) or its validity, construction, meaning, performance or your rights hereunder shall be settled by arbitration, at a location designated by the Company, in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association or its successor, as amended from time to time. However, prior to submission to arbitration you will attempt to resolve any disputes or disagreements with the Company over this option amicably and informally, in good faith, for a period not to exceed two weeks. Thereafter, the dispute or disagreement will be submitted to arbitration. At any time prior to a decision from the arbitrator(s) being rendered, you and the Company may resolve the dispute by settlement. You and the Company shall equally share the costs charged by the American Arbitration Association or its successor, but you and the Company shall otherwise be solely responsible for your own respective counsel fees and expenses. The decision of the arbitrator(s) shall be made in writing, setting forth the award, the reasons for the decision and award and shall be binding and conclusive on you and the Company. Further, neither you nor the Company shall appeal any such award. Judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction may be entered upon the award and may be enforced as such in accordance with the provisions of the award.

This option shall be subject to the terms of the Plan in effect on the date this option is granted, which terms are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this option and the terms of the Plan in effect on the date of this option, the terms of the Plan shall govern. This option constitutes the entire understanding between the Company and you with respect to the subject matter hereof and no amendment, supplement or waiver of this option, in whole or in part, shall be binding upon the Company unless in writing and signed by the President of the Company. This option and the performances of the parties hereunder shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Please sign the copy of this option and return it to the Company’s Secretary, thereby indicating your understanding of and agreement with its terms and conditions.

 

THE PROVIDENCE SERVICE CORPORATION
By:  

 

Title:  

 

 

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I hereby acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Plan. I hereby represent that I have read and understood the terms and conditions of the Plan and of this option. I hereby signify my understanding of, and my agreement with, the terms and conditions of the Plan and of this option. I agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator concerning any questions arising under the Plan with respect to this option. I accept this option in full satisfaction of any previous written or verbal promise made to me by the Company or any of its Affiliates with respect to option or stock grants.

 

Date:                           

 

      Signature of Optionee
     

 

      Print Name

 

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THE PROVIDENCE SERVICE CORPORATION

NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION – OFFICERS

 

To:   

 

Date of Grant:   

 

You are hereby granted an option, effective as of the date hereof, to purchase          shares of common stock, $.001 par value (“Common Stock”), of The Providence Service Corporation, a corporation (the “Company”), at a price of $         per share pursuant to the Company’s 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”).

This option shall terminate and is not exercisable after ten years from the date of its grant (the “Scheduled Termination Date”), except if terminated earlier as hereafter provided.

Your option may first be exercised on and after                      from the date of grant, but not before that time. On and after                      and prior to                      from the date of grant, your option may be exercised for up to                      of the total number of shares subject to the option minus the number of shares previously purchased by exercise of the option (as adjusted for any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, transfer of assets, reorganization, conversion or what the Administrator deems in its sole discretion to be similar circumstances). Each succeeding                      thereafter your option may be exercised for up to an additional                      of the total number of shares subject to the option minus the number of shares previously purchased by exercise of the option (as adjusted for any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, transfer of assets, reorganization, conversion or what the Administrator deems in its sole discretion to be similar circumstances). Thus, this option is fully exercisable on and after                      after the date of grant, except if terminated earlier as provided herein.

You may exercise your option by giving written notice to the Secretary of the Company on forms supplied by the Company at its then principal executive office, accompanied by payment of the option price for the total number of shares you specify that you wish to purchase. The payment may be in any of the following forms: (a) cash, which may be evidenced by a check and includes cash received from a stock brokerage firm in a so-called “cashless exercise”; (b) (unless prohibited by the Administrator) certificates representing shares of Common Stock of the Company, which will be valued by the Secretary of the Company at the fair market value per share of the Company’s Common Stock (as determined in accordance with the Plan) on the date of delivery of such certificates to the Company, accompanied by an assignment of the stock to the Company; or (c) (unless prohibited by the Administrator) any combination of cash and Common Stock of the Company valued as provided in clause (b). The use of the so-called “attestation procedure” to exercise a stock option may be permitted by the Administrator. Any assignment of stock shall be in a form and substance satisfactory to the Secretary of the Company, including guarantees of signature(s) and payment of all transfer taxes if the Secretary deems such guarantees necessary or desirable.

 

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Your option will, to the extent not previously exercised by you, terminate three months after the date on which your employment by the Company or a Company subsidiary corporation is terminated (whether such termination be voluntary or involuntary) other than by reason of Disability (as defined in the Plan) or death, in which case your option will terminate one year from the date of termination of employment due to Disability or death (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date). After the date your employment is terminated, as aforesaid, you may exercise this option only for the number of shares which you had a right to purchase and did not purchase on the date your employment terminated. Provided you are willing to continue your employment for the Company or a successor after a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) at the same compensation you enjoyed immediately prior to such Change in Control, if your employment is involuntarily terminated without cause after a Change in Control, you may exercise this option for the number of shares you would have had a right to purchase on the date of the Change of Control, to the extent not previously exercised by you, and for a period of three years after the Change in Control notwithstanding the termination of your employment (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date); provided, however, in the event of termination, other than involuntary termination without cause, following a Change in Control, you may exercise this option for the number of shares you would have a right to purchase on the date of the Change in Control, to the extent not previously exercised by you, for a period of three months after the date on which your employment by the Company or a Company subsidiary is terminated. If you are employed by a Company subsidiary corporation, your employment shall be deemed to have terminated on the date your employer ceases to be a Company subsidiary corporation, unless you are on that date transferred to the Company or another Company subsidiary corporation. Your employment shall not be deemed to have terminated if you are transferred from the Company to a Company subsidiary corporation, or vice versa, or from one Company subsidiary corporation to another Company subsidiary corporation.

If you die while employed by the Company or a Company subsidiary corporation, your executor or administrator, as the case may be, may, at any time within one year after the date of your death (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date), exercise the option as to any shares which you had a right to purchase and did not purchase during your lifetime. If your employment with the Company or a Company parent or subsidiary corporation is terminated by reason of your Disability, you or your legal guardian or custodian may at any time within one year after the date of such termination (but in no event later than the Scheduled Termination Date), exercise the option as to any shares which you had a right to purchase and did not purchase prior to such termination. Your executor, administrator, guardian or custodian must present proof of his authority satisfactory to the Company prior to being allowed to exercise this option.

In the event of any change in the outstanding shares of the Common Stock of the Company by reason of a stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, transfer of assets, reorganization, conversion or what the Administrator deems in its sole discretion to be similar circumstances, the number and kind of shares subject to this option and the option price of such shares shall be appropriately adjusted in a manner to be determined in the sole discretion of the Administrator, whose decision shall be final, binding and conclusive in the absence of clear and convincing evidence of bad faith.

In the event of a liquidation or proposed liquidation of the Company, including (but not limited to) a transfer of assets followed by a liquidation of the Company, or in the event of a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) or proposed Change in Control, the Administrator shall have the right to require you to exercise this option upon thirty (30) days prior written notice to you. If at the time such written notice is given this option is not otherwise exercisable, the written notice will set forth your right to exercise this option even though it is not otherwise exercisable. In the event this option is not exercised by you within the thirty (30) day period set forth in such written notice, this option shall terminate on the last day of such thirty (30) day period, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this option.

 

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This option is not transferable otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and is exercisable during your lifetime only by you, including, for this purpose, your legal guardian or custodian in the event of Disability. Until the option price has been paid in full pursuant to due exercise of this option and the purchased shares are delivered to you, you do not have any rights as a shareholder of the Company. The Company reserves the right not to deliver to you the shares purchased by virtue of the exercise of this option during any period of time in which the Company deems, in its sole discretion, that such delivery would violate a federal, state, local or securities exchange rule, regulation or law.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, this option is not exercisable until all the following events occur and during the following periods of time:

(a) Until the Plan pursuant to which this option is granted is approved by the shareholders of the Company in the manner required by any applicable provision of the Code (as defined in the Plan) and the regulations thereunder and any applicable securities exchange or listing rule or agreement;

(b) Until this option and the optioned shares are approved, registered and listed with such federal, state, local and foreign regulatory bodies or agencies and securities exchanges as the Company may deem necessary or desirable, or the Company deems such option or optioned shares to be exempted therefrom;

(c) During any period of time in which the Company deems that the exercisability of this option, the offer to sell the shares optioned hereunder, or the sale thereof, may violate a federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation, or any applicable securities exchange or listing rule or agreement, or may cause the Company to be legally obligated to issue or sell more shares than the Company is legally entitled to issue or sell;

(d) Until you have paid or made suitable arrangements to pay (which may include payment through the surrender of Common Stock, unless prohibited by the Administrator) (i) all federal, state, local and foreign tax withholding required by the Company in connection with the option exercise and (ii) the employee’s portion of other federal, state, local and foreign payroll and other taxes due in connection with the option exercise; or

The following two paragraphs shall be applicable if, on the date of exercise of this option, no registration statement and current prospectus under the Securities Act of 1933 covers the Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to such exercise, and shall continue to be applicable for so long as such registration has not occurred and such current prospectus is not available:

(a) The optionee hereby agrees, warrants and represents that he will acquire the Common Stock to be issued hereunder for his own account for investment purposes only, and not with a view to, or in connection with, any resale or other distribution of any of such shares, except as hereafter permitted. The optionee further agrees that he will not at any time make any offer, sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition of such Common Stock to be issued hereunder without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under any applicable state securities laws or an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company to the effect that the proposed transaction will be exempt from such registration. The optionee shall execute such instruments, representations, acknowledgments and agreements as the Company may, in its sole discretion, deem advisable to avoid any violation of federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation, or any securities exchange rule or listing agreement.

(b) The certificates for Common Stock to be issued to the optionee hereunder shall bear the following legend:

“The shares represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under applicable state securities laws. The shares have been acquired for investment and may not be offered, sold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of without an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under any applicable state securities laws or an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company that the proposed transaction will be exempt from such registration.”

 

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The foregoing legend shall be removed upon registration of the legended shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and under any applicable state laws or upon receipt of any opinion of counsel acceptable to the Company that said registration is no longer required.

The sole purpose of the agreements, warranties, representations and legend set forth in the two immediately preceding paragraphs is to prevent violations of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any applicable state securities laws.

It is the intention of the Company and you that this option shall not be an “Incentive Stock Option” as that term is used in Section 422(b) of the Code and the regulations thereunder.

Further, nothing herein guarantees you employment for any specified period of time. You recognize that, for instance, you may terminate your employment or the Company or any of its Affiliates may terminate your employment prior to the date on which your option becomes vested or exercisable.

You understand and agree that the existence of this option will not affect in any way the right or power of the Company or its shareholders to make or authorize any or all adjustments, recapitalizations, reorganizations, or other changes in the Company’s capital structure or its business, or any merger or consolidation of the Company, or any issuance of bonds, debentures, preferred or other stocks with preference ahead of or convertible into, or otherwise affecting the common shares or the rights thereof, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

Any notice you give to the Company must be in writing and either hand-delivered or mailed to the office of the General Counsel of the Company. If mailed, it should be addressed to the General Counsel of the Company at its then main headquarters. Any notice given to you will be addressed to you at your address as reflected on the personnel records of the Company. You and the Company may change the address for notice by like notice to the other. Notice will be deemed to have been duly delivered when hand-delivered or, if mailed, on the day such notice is postmarked.

Any dispute or disagreement between you and the Company with respect to any portion of this option or its validity, construction, meaning, performance or your rights hereunder shall be settled by arbitration, at a location designated by the Company, in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association or its successor, as amended from time to time. However, prior to submission to arbitration you will attempt to resolve any disputes or disagreements with the Company over this option amicably and informally, in good faith, for a period not to exceed two weeks. Thereafter, the dispute or disagreement will be submitted to arbitration. At any time prior to a decision from the arbitrator(s) being rendered, you and the Company may resolve the dispute by settlement. You and the Company shall equally share the costs charged by the American Arbitration Association or its successor, but you and the Company shall otherwise be solely responsible for your own respective counsel fees and expenses. The decision of the arbitrator(s) shall be made in writing, setting forth the award, the reasons for the decision and award and shall be binding and conclusive on you and the Company. Further, neither you nor the Company shall appeal any such award. Judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction may be entered upon the award and may be enforced as such in accordance with the provisions of the award.

This option shall be subject to the terms of the Plan in effect on the date this option is granted, which terms are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this option and the terms of the Plan in effect on the date of this option, the terms of the Plan shall govern. This

 

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option constitutes the entire understanding between the Company and you with respect to the subject matter hereof and no amendment, supplement or waiver of this option, in whole or in part, shall be binding upon the Company unless in writing and signed by the President of the Company. This option and the performances of the parties hereunder shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.

Please sign the copy of this option and return it to the Company’s Secretary, thereby indicating your understanding of and agreement with its terms and conditions.

 

THE PROVIDENCE SERVICE CORPORATION
By:  

 

Title:  

 

 

10


ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I hereby acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Plan. I hereby represent that I have read and understood the terms and conditions of the Plan and of this option. I hereby signify my understanding of, and my agreement with, the terms and conditions of the Plan and of this option. I agree to accept as binding, conclusive, and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator concerning any questions arising under the Plan with respect to this option. I accept this option in full satisfaction of any previous written or verbal promise made to me by the Company or any of its Affiliates with respect to option or stock grants.

 

Date:                           
     

 

      Signature of Optionee
     

 

      Print Name

 

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