Exhibit 10.22
CBRE Deferred Compensation Plan
As Amended and Restated
January 1, 2019
IMPORTANT NOTE
This document has not been approved by the Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service or any other governmental entity. An adopting Employer must determine whether the Plan is subject to the Federal securities laws and the securities laws of the various states. An adopting Employer may not rely on this document to ensure any particular tax consequences or to ensure that the Plan is “unfunded and maintained primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation to a select group of management or highly compensated employees” under Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, with respect to the Employer’s particular situation. Fidelity Employer Services Company, its affiliates and employees cannot provide you with legal advice in connection with the execution of this document. This document should be reviewed by the Employer’s attorney prior to execution.
November 2018
1.1 |
Plan |
1.2 |
Effective Dates |
1.3 |
Amounts Not Subject to Code Section 409A |
2.1 |
Account |
2.2 |
Administrator |
2.3 |
Adoption Agreement |
2.4 |
Beneficiary |
2.5 |
Board or Board of Directors |
2.6 |
Bonus |
2.7 |
Change in Control |
2.8 |
Code |
2.9 |
Compensation |
2.10 |
Director |
2.11 |
Disability |
2.12 |
Eligible Employee |
2.13 |
Employer |
2.14 |
ERISA |
2.15 |
Identification Date |
2.16 |
Key Employee |
2.17 |
Participant |
2.18 |
Plan |
2.19 |
Plan Sponsor |
2.20 |
Plan Year |
2.21 |
Related Employer |
2.22 |
Retirement |
2.23 |
Separation from Service |
2.24 |
Unforeseeable Emergency |
2.25 |
Valuation Date |
2.26 |
Years of Service |
3.1 |
Participation |
3.2 |
Termination of Participation |
i
Article 4 – Participant elections
4.1 |
Deferral Agreement |
4.2 |
Amount of Deferral |
4.3 |
Timing of Election to Defer |
4.4 |
Election of Payment Schedule and Form of Payment |
Article 5 – employer contributions
5.1 |
Matching Contributions |
5.2 |
Other Contributions |
Article 6 – accounts and credits
6.1 |
Establishment of Account |
6.2 |
Credits to Account |
Article 7 – Investment of Contributions
7.1 |
Investment Options |
7.2 |
Adjustment of Accounts |
8.1 |
Vesting |
8.2 |
Death |
8.3 |
Disability |
Article 9 – Distribution of Benefits
9.1 |
Amount of Benefits |
9.2 |
Method and Timing of Distributions |
9.3 |
Unforeseeable Emergency |
9.4 |
Payment Election Overrides |
9.5 |
Cashouts of Amounts Not Exceeding Stated Limit |
9.6 |
Required Delay in Payment to Key Employees |
9.7 |
Change in Control |
9.8 |
Permissible Delays in Payment |
9.9 |
Permitted Acceleration of Payment |
ii
Article 10 – Amendment and Termination
10.1 |
Amendment by Plan Sponsor |
10.2 |
Plan Termination Following Change in Control or Corporate Dissolution |
10.3 |
Other Plan Terminations |
11.1 |
Establishment of Trust |
11.2 |
Rabbi Trust |
11.3 |
Investment of Trust Funds |
Article 12 – Plan Administration
12.1 |
Powers and Responsibilities of the Administrator |
12.2 |
Claims and Review Procedures |
12.3 |
Plan Administrative Costs |
13.1 |
Unsecured General Creditor of the Employer |
13.2 |
Employer’s Liability |
13.3 |
Limitation of Rights |
13.4 |
Anti-Assignment |
13.5 |
Facility of Payment |
13.6 |
Notices |
13.7 |
Tax Withholding |
13.8 |
Indemnification |
13.9 |
Successors |
13.10 |
Disclaimer |
13.11 |
Governing Law |
iii
The Plan is intended to be a “plan which is unfunded and is maintained by an employer primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees” within the meaning of Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3) and 401(a)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or an “excess benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(36) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or a combination of both. The Plan is further intended to conform with the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A and the final regulations issued thereunder and shall be interpreted, implemented and administered in a manner consistent therewith.
Preamble‑1
1.1 |
Plan. The Plan will be referred to by the name specified in the Adoption Agreement. |
1.2 |
Effective Dates. |
|
(a) |
Original Effective Date. The Original Effective Date is the date as of which the Plan was initially adopted. |
|
(b) |
Amendment Effective Date. The Amendment Effective Date is the date specified in the Adoption Agreement as of which the Plan is amended and restated. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein or in the Adoption Agreement, the Plan shall apply to amounts deferred and benefit payments made on or after the Amendment Effective Date. |
|
(c) |
Special Effective Date. A Special Effective Date may apply to any given provision if so specified in Appendix A of the Adoption Agreement. A Special Effective Date will control over the Original Effective Date or Amendment Effective Date, whichever is applicable, with respect to such provision of the Plan. |
1.3 |
Amounts Not Subject to Code Section 409A. |
Except as otherwise indicated by the Plan Sponsor in Section 1.01 of the Adoption Agreement, amounts deferred before January 1, 2005 that are earned and vested on December 31, 2004 will be separately accounted for and administered in accordance with the terms of the Plan as in effect on December 31, 2004.
1‑1
Pronouns used in the Plan are in the masculine gender but include the feminine gender unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Wherever used herein, the following terms have the meanings set forth below, unless a different meaning is clearly required by the context:
2.1 |
“Account” means an account established for the purpose of recording amounts credited on behalf of a Participant and any income, expenses, gains, losses or distributions included thereon. The Account shall be a bookkeeping entry only and shall be utilized solely as a device for the measurement and determination of the amounts to be paid to a Participant or to the Participant’s Beneficiary pursuant to the Plan. |
2.2 |
“Administrator” means the person or persons designated by the Plan Sponsor in Section 1.05 of the Adoption Agreement to be responsible for the administration of the Plan. If no Administrator is designated in the Adoption Agreement, the Administrator is the Plan Sponsor. |
2.3 |
“Adoption Agreement” means the agreement adopted by the Plan Sponsor that establishes the Plan. |
2.4 |
“Beneficiary” means the persons, trusts, estates or other entities entitled under Section 8.2 to receive benefits under the Plan upon the death of a Participant. |
2.5 |
“Board” or “Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Plan Sponsor. |
2.6 |
“Bonus” means an amount of incentive remuneration payable by the Employer to a Participant. |
2.7 |
“Change in Control” means the occurrence of an event involving the Plan Sponsor that is described in Section 9.7. |
2.8 |
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. |
2.9 |
“Compensation” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01 of the Adoption Agreement. |
2.10 |
“Director” means a non-employee member of the Board who has been designated by the Employer as eligible to participate in the Plan. |
2‑1
2.12 |
“Eligible Employee” means an employee of the Employer who satisfies the requirements in Section 2.01 of the Adoption Agreement. |
2.13 |
“Employer” means the Plan Sponsor and any other entity which is authorized by the Plan Sponsor to participate in and, in fact, does adopt the Plan. |
2.14 |
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. |
2.15 |
“Identification Date” means the date as of which Key Employees are determined which is specified in Section 1.06 of the Adoption Agreement. |
2.16 |
“Key Employee” means an employee who satisfies the conditions set forth in Section 9.6. |
2.17 |
“Participant” means an Eligible Employee or Director who commences participation in the Plan in accordance with Article 3. |
2.18 |
“Plan” means the unfunded plan of deferred compensation set forth herein, including the Adoption Agreement and any trust agreement, as adopted by the Plan Sponsor and as amended from time to time. |
2.19 |
“Plan Sponsor” means the entity identified in Section 1.03 of the Adoption Agreement or any successor by merger, consolidation or otherwise. |
2.20 |
“Plan Year” means the period identified in Section 1.02 of the Adoption Agreement. |
2.21 |
“Related Employer” means the Employer and (a) any corporation that is a member of a controlled group of corporations as defined in Code Section 414(b) that includes the Employer and (b) any trade or business that is under common control as defined in Code Section 414(c) that includes the Employer. |
2‑2
Whether a termination of employment has occurred is based on whether the facts and circumstances indicate that the Related Employer and the Participant reasonably anticipated that no further services would be performed after a certain date or that the level of bona fide services the Participant would perform after such date (whether as an employee or as an independent contractor) would permanently decrease to no more than 20 percent of the average level of bona fide services performed (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) over the immediately preceding 36 month period (or the full period of services to the Related Employer if the employee has been providing services to the Related Employer for less than 36 months).
An independent contractor is considered to have experienced a Separation from Service with the Related Employer upon the expiration of the contract (or, in the case of more than one contract, all contracts) under which services are performed for the Related Employer if the expiration constitutes a good-faith and complete termination of the contractual relationship.
If a Participant provides services as both an employee and an independent contractor of the Related Employer, the Participant must separate from service both as an employee and as an independent contractor to be treated as having incurred a Separation from Service. If a Participant ceases providing services as an independent contractor and begins providing services as an employee, or ceases providing services as an employee and begins providing services as an independent contractor, the Participant will not be considered to have experienced a Separation from Service until the Participant has ceased providing services in both capacities.
2‑3
If a Participant provides services both as an employee and as a member of the board of directors of a corporate Related Employer (or an analogous position with respect to a noncorporate Related Employer), the services provided as a director are not taken into account in determining whether the Participant has incurred a Separation from Service as an employee for purposes of a nonqualified deferred compensation plan in which the Participant participates as an employee that is not aggregated under Code Section 409A with any plan in which the Participant participates as a director.
If a Participant provides services both as an employee and as a member of the board of directors of a corporate related Employer (or an analogous position with respect to a noncorporate Related Employer), the services provided as an employee are not taken into account in determining whether the Participant has experienced a Separation from Service as a director for purposes of a nonqualified deferred compensation plan in which the Participant participates as a director that is not aggregated under Code Section 409A with any plan in which the Participant participates as an employee.
All determinations of whether a Separation from Service has occurred will be made in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A and the final regulations thereunder.
2.24 |
“Unforeseeable Emergency” means a severe financial hardship of the Participant resulting from an illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, the Participant’s Beneficiary, or the Participant’s dependent (as defined in Code Section 152, without regard to Code section 152(b)(1), (b)(2) and (d)(1)(B); loss of the Participant’s property due to casualty; or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant. |
2.25 |
“Valuation Date” means each business day of the Plan Year that the New York Stock Exchange is open. |
2.26 |
“Years of Service” means each one year period for which the Participant receives service credit in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.01(d) of the Adoption Agreement. |
2‑4
3.1 |
Participation. The Participants in the Plan shall be those Directors and employees of the Employer who satisfy the requirements of Section 2.01 of the Adoption Agreement. |
3.2 |
Termination of Participation. The Administrator may terminate a Participant’s participation in the Plan in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A. If the Employer terminates a Participant’s participation before the Participant experiences a Separation from Service the Participant’s vested Accounts shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Article 9. |
3‑1
ARTICLE 4 – PARTICIPANT ELECTIONS
4.1 |
Deferral Agreement. If permitted by the Plan Sponsor in accordance with Section 4.01 of the Adoption Agreement, each Eligible Employee and Director may elect to defer his Compensation within the meaning of Section 3.01 of the Adoption Agreement by executing in writing or electronically, a deferral agreement in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Administrator and the provisions of this Article 4. |
A new deferral agreement must be timely executed for each Plan Year during which the Eligible Employee or Director desires to defer Compensation. An Eligible Employee or Director who does not timely execute a deferral agreement shall be deemed to have elected zero deferrals of Compensation for such Plan Year.
A deferral agreement may be changed or revoked during the period specified by the Administrator. Except as provided in Section 9.3 or in Section 4.01(c) of the Adoption Agreement, a deferral agreement becomes irrevocable at the close of the specified period.
4.2 |
Amount of Deferral. An Eligible Employee or Director may elect to defer Compensation in any amount permitted by Section 4.01(a) of the Adoption Agreement. |
4.3 |
Timing of Election to Defer. Each Eligible Employee or Director who desires to defer Compensation otherwise payable during a Plan Year must execute a deferral agreement within the period preceding the Plan Year specified by the Administrator. Each Eligible Employee who desires to defer Compensation that is a Bonus must execute a deferral agreement within the period preceding the Plan Year during which the Bonus is earned that is specified by the Administrator, except that if the Bonus can be treated as performance based compensation as described in Code Section 409A(a)(4)(B)(iii), the deferral agreement may be executed within the period specified by the Administrator, which period, in no event, shall end after the date which is six months prior to the end of the period during which the Bonus is earned, provided the Participant has performed services continuously from the later of the beginning of the performance period or the date the performance criteria are established through the date the Participant executed the deferral agreement and provided further that the compensation has not yet become ‘readily ascertainable’ within the meaning of Reg. Sec 1.409A-2(a)(8). In addition, if the Compensation qualifies as ‘fiscal year compensation’ within the meaning of Reg. Sec. 1.409A-2(a)(6), the deferral agreement may be made not later than the end of the Employer’s taxable year immediately preceding the first taxable year of the Employer in which any services are performed for which such Compensation is payable. |
4‑1
Except as otherwise provided below, an employee who is classified or designated as an Eligible Employee during a Plan Year or a Director who is designated as eligible to participate during a Plan Year may elect to defer Compensation otherwise payable during the remainder of such Plan Year in accordance with the rules of this Section 4.3 by executing a deferral agreement within the thirty (30) day period beginning on the date the employee is classified or designated as an Eligible Employee or the date the Director is designated as eligible, whichever is applicable, if permitted by Section 4.01(b)(ii) of the Adoption Agreement. If Compensation is based on a specified performance period that begins before the Eligible Employee or Director executes his deferral agreement, the election will be deemed to apply to the portion of such Compensation equal to the total amount of Compensation for the performance period multiplied by the ratio of the number of days remaining in the performance period after the election becomes irrevocable and effective over the total number of days in the performance period. The rules of this paragraph shall not apply unless the Eligible Employee or Director can be treated as initially eligible in accordance with Reg. Sec. 1.409A-2(a)(7).
4.4 |
Election of Payment Schedule and Form of Payment. |
All elections of a payment schedule and a form of payment will be made in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Administrator and the provisions of this Section 4.4.
|
(a) |
If the Plan Sponsor has elected to permit annual distribution elections in accordance with Section 6.01(h) of the Adoption Agreement the following rules apply. At the time an Eligible Employee or Director completes a deferral agreement, the Eligible Employee or Director must elect a distribution event (which includes a specified time) and a form of payment for the Compensation subject to the deferral agreement from among the options the Plan Sponsor has made available for this purpose and which are specified in 6.01(b) of the Adoption Agreement. Prior to the time required by Reg. Sec. 1.409A-2, the Eligible Employee or Director shall elect a distribution event (which includes a specified time) and a form of payment for any Employer contributions that may be credited to the Participant’s Account during the Plan Year. If an Eligible Employee or Director fails to elect a distribution event, he shall be deemed to have elected Separation from Service as the distribution event. If he fails to elect a form of payment, he shall be deemed to have elected a lump sum form of payment. |
4‑2
4‑3
ARTICLE 5 – EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS
5.1 |
Matching Contributions. If elected by the Plan Sponsor in Section 5.01(a) of the Adoption Agreement, the Employer will credit the Participant’s Account with a matching contribution determined in accordance with the formula specified in Section 5.01(a) of the Adoption Agreement. The matching contribution will be treated as allocated to the Participant’s Account at the time specified in Section 5.01(a)(iii) of the Adoption Agreement. |
5.2 |
Other Contributions. If elected by the Plan Sponsor in Section 5.01(b) of the Adoption Agreement, the Employer will credit the Participant’s Account with a contribution determined in accordance with the formula or method specified in Section 5.01(b) of the Adoption Agreement. The contribution will be treated as allocated to the Participant’s Account at the time specified in Section 5.01(b)(iii) of the Adoption Agreement. |
5‑1
ARTICLE 6 – ACCOUNTS AND CREDITS
6.1 |
Establishment of Account. For accounting and computational purposes only, the Administrator will establish and maintain an Account on behalf of each Participant which will reflect the credits made pursuant to Section 6.2, distributions or withdrawals, along with the earnings, expenses, gains and losses allocated thereto, attributable to the hypothetical investments made with the amounts in the Account as provided in Article 7. The Administrator will establish and maintain such other records and accounts, as it decides in its discretion to be reasonably required or appropriate to discharge its duties under the Plan. |
6.2 |
Credits to Account. A Participant’s Account will be credited for each Plan Year with the amount of his elective deferrals under Section 4.1 at the time the amount subject to the deferral election would otherwise have been payable to the Participant (or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter) and the amount of Employer contributions treated as allocated on his behalf under Article 5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to Section 12.1(a), the Administrator may make and enforce such rules and procedures related to the credits and adjustments to the Accounts it deems necessary or proper for the efficient administration of the Plan. |
6‑1
ARTICLE 7 – INVESTMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS
7.1 |
Investment Options. The amount credited to each Account shall be treated as invested in the investment options designated for this purpose by the Administrator. |
7.2 |
Adjustment of Accounts. The amount credited to each Account shall be adjusted for hypothetical investment earnings, expenses, gains or losses in an amount equal to the earnings, expenses, gains or losses attributable to the investment options selected by the party designated in Section 9.01 of the Adoption Agreement from among the investment options provided in Section 7.1. If permitted by Section 9.01 of the Adoption Agreement, a Participant (or the Participant’s Beneficiary after the death of the Participant) may, in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Administrator, select the investments from among the options provided in Section 7.1 to be used for the purpose of calculating future hypothetical investment adjustments to the Account or to future credits to the Account under Section 6.2 effective as of the Valuation Date (or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter) coincident with or next following notice to the Administrator. Each Account shall be adjusted as of each Valuation Date or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter to reflect: (a) the hypothetical earnings, expenses, gains and losses described above; (b) amounts credited pursuant to Section 6.2; and (c) distributions or withdrawals. In addition, each Account may be adjusted for its allocable share of the hypothetical costs and expenses associated with the maintenance of the hypothetical investments provided in Section 7.1. Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to Section 12.1(a), the Administrator may make and enforce such rules and procedures related to the credits and adjustments to the Accounts as it deems necessary and proper for the efficient administration of the Plan. |
7.1 |
7‑1
8.1 |
Vesting. A Participant, at all times, has a 100% nonforfeitable interest in the amounts credited to his Account attributable to his elective deferrals made in accordance with Section 4.1. |
A Participant’s right to the amounts credited to his Account attributable to Employer contributions made in accordance with Article 5 shall be determined in accordance with the relevant schedule and provisions in Section 7.01 of the Adoption Agreement. Upon a Separation from Service and after application of the provisions of Section 7.01 of the Adoption Agreement, the Participant shall forfeit the nonvested portion of his Account.
8.2 |
Death. The Plan Sponsor may elect to accelerate vesting upon the death of the Participant in accordance with Section 7.01(c) of the Adoption Agreement and/or to accelerate distributions upon Death in accordance with Section 6.01(b) or Section 6.01(d) of the Adoption Agreement. If the Plan Sponsor does not elect to accelerate distributions upon death in accordance with Section 6.01(b) or Section 6.01(d) of the Adoption Agreement, the vested amount credited to the Participant’s Account will be paid in accordance with the provisions of Article 9. |
A Participant may designate a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries, or change any prior designation of Beneficiary or Beneficiaries in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Administrator.
A copy of the death notice or other sufficient documentation must be filed with and approved by the Administrator. If upon the death of the Participant there is, in the opinion of the Administrator, no designated Beneficiary for part or all of the Participant’s vested Account, such amount will be paid to his estate (such estate shall be deemed to be the Beneficiary for purposes of the Plan) in accordance with the provisions of Article 9.
8.3 |
Disability. If the Plan Sponsor has elected to accelerate vesting upon the occurrence of a Disability in accordance with Section 7.01(c) of the Adoption Agreement and/or to permit distributions upon Disability in accordance with Section 6.01(b) or Section 6.01(d) of the Adoption Agreement, the determination of whether a Participant has incurred a Disability shall be made by the Administrator in its sole discretion in a manner consistent with the requirements of Code Section 409A. |
8‑1
ARTICLE 9 – DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS
9.1 |
Amount of Benefits. The vested amount credited to a Participant’s Account as determined under Articles 6, 7 and 8 shall determine and constitute the basis for the value of benefits payable to the Participant under the Plan. |
9.2 |
Method and Timing of Distributions. Except as otherwise provided in this Article 9, distributions under the Plan shall be made in accordance with the elections made or deemed made by the Participant under Article 4. Subject to the provisions of Section 9.6 requiring a six month delay for certain distributions to Key Employees, distributions following a payment event shall commence at the time specified in Section 6.01(a) of the Adoption Agreement. If permitted by Section 6.01(g) of the Adoption Agreement, a Participant may elect, at least twelve months before a scheduled distribution event, to delay the payment date for a minimum period of sixty months from the originally scheduled date of payment, provided the election does not take effect for at least twelve months from the date on which the election is made. The distribution election change must be made in accordance with procedures and rules established by the Administrator. The Participant may, at the same time the date of payment is deferred, change the form of payment but such change in the form of payment may not effect an acceleration of payment in violation of Code Section 409A or the provisions of Reg. Sec. 1.409A-2(b). For purposes of this Section 9.2, a series of installment payments is always treated as a single payment and not as a series of separate payments. |
9‑1
9.4 |
Payment Election Overrides. If the Plan Sponsor has elected one or more payment election overrides in accordance with Section 6.01(d) of the Adoption Agreement, the following provisions apply. Upon the occurrence of the first event selected by the Plan Sponsor, the remaining vested amount credited to the Participant’s Account shall be paid in the form designated to the Participant or his Beneficiary regardless of whether the Participant had made different elections of time and /or form of payment or whether the Participant was receiving installment payments at the time of the event. |
9‑2
9.6 |
Required Delay in Payment to Key Employees. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 9.6, a distribution made on account of Separation from Service (or Retirement, if applicable) to a Participant who is a Key Employee as of the date of his Separation from Service (or Retirement, if applicable) shall not be made before the date which is six months after the Separation from Service (or Retirement, if applicable). |
|
(a) |
A Participant is treated as a Key Employee if (i) he is employed by a Related Employer any of whose stock is publicly traded on an established securities market, and (ii) he satisfies the requirements of Code Section 416(i)(1)(A)(i), (ii) or (iii), determined without regard to Code Section 416(i)(5), at any time during the twelve month period ending on the Identification Date. |
|
(b) |
A Participant who is a Key Employee on an Identification Date shall be treated as a Key Employee for purposes of the six month delay in distributions for the twelve month period beginning on the first day of a month no later than the fourth month following the Identification Date. The Identification Date and the effective date of the delay in distributions shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.06 of the Adoption Agreement. |
|
(c) |
The Plan Sponsor may elect to apply an alternative method to identify Participants who will be treated as Key Employees for purposes of the six month delay in distributions if the method satisfies each of the following requirements. The alternative method is reasonably designed to include all Key Employees, is an objectively determinable standard providing no direct or indirect election to any Participant regarding its application, and results in either all Key Employees or no more than 200 Key Employees being identified in the class as of any date. Use of an alternative method that satisfies the requirements of this Section 9.6(c ) will not be treated as a change in the time and form of payment for purposes of Reg. Sec. 1.409A-2(b). |
9‑3
If a Participant continues to make deferrals in accordance with Article 4 after he has received a distribution due to a Change in Control, the residual amount payable to the Participant shall be paid at the time and in the form specified in the elections he makes in accordance with Article 4 or upon his death or Disability as provided in Article 8.
Whether a Change in Control has occurred will be determined by the Administrator in accordance with the rules and definitions set forth in this Section 9.7. A distribution to the Participant will be treated as occurring upon a Change in Control if the Plan Sponsor terminates the Plan in accordance with Section 10.2 and distributes the Participant’s benefits within twelve months of a Change in Control as provided in Section 10.3.
9‑4
|
(b) |
Stock Ownership. Code Section 318(a) applies for purposes of determining stock ownership. Stock underlying a vested option is considered owned by the individual who owns the vested option (and the stock underlying an unvested option is not considered owned by the individual who holds the unvested option). If, however, a vested option is exercisable for stock that is not substantially vested (as defined by Treasury Regulation Section 1.83-3(b) and (j)) the stock underlying the option is not treated as owned by the individual who holds the option. |
9‑5
9‑6
9‑7
9.8 |
Permissible Delays in Payment. Distributions may be delayed beyond the date payment would otherwise occur in accordance with the provisions of Articles 8 and 9 in any of the following circumstances as long as the Employer treats all payments to similarly situated Participants on a reasonably consistent basis. |
9‑8
|
(b) |
The Employer may also delay payment if it reasonably anticipates that the making of the payment will violate federal securities laws or other applicable laws provided payment is made at the earliest date on which the Employer reasonably anticipates that the making of the payment will not cause such violation. |
|
(c) |
The Employer reserves the right to amend the Plan to provide for a delay in payment upon such other events and conditions as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe in generally applicable guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. |
9.9 |
Permitted Acceleration of Payment. The Employer may permit acceleration of the time or schedule of any payment or amount scheduled to be paid pursuant to a payment under the Plan provided such acceleration would be permitted by the provisions of Reg. Sec. 1.409A-3(j)(4), including the following events: |
|
(a) |
Domestic Relations Order. A payment may be accelerated if such payment is made to an alternate payee pursuant to and following the receipt and qualification of a domestic relations order as defined in Code Section 414(p). |
|
(b) |
Compliance with Ethics Agreements and Legal Requirements. A payment may be accelerated as may be necessary to comply with ethics agreements with the Federal government or as may be reasonably necessary to avoid the violation of Federal, state, local or foreign ethics law or conflicts of laws, in accordance with the requirements of Code Section 409A. |
9‑9
|
(d) |
FICA Tax. A payment may be accelerated to the extent required to pay the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax imposed under Code Sections 3101, 3121(a) and 3121(v)(2) of the Code with respect to compensation deferred under the Plan (the “FICA Amount”). Additionally, a payment may be accelerated to pay the income tax on wages imposed under Code Section 3401 of the Code on the FICA Amount and to pay the additional income tax at source on wages attributable to the pyramiding Code Section 3401 wages and taxes. The total payment under this subsection (d) may not exceed the aggregate of the FICA Amount and the income tax withholding related to the FICA Amount. |
|
(e) |
Section 409A Additional Tax. A payment may be accelerated if the Plan fails to meet the requirements of Code Section 409A; provided that such payment may not exceed the amount required to be included in income as a result of the failure to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A. |
|
(f) |
Offset. A payment may be accelerated in the Employer’s discretion as satisfaction of a debt of the Participant to the Employer, where such debt is incurred in the ordinary course of the service relationship between the Participant and the Employer, the entire amount of the reduction in any of the Employer’s taxable years does not exceed $5,000, and 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. |
|
(g) |
Other Events. A payment may be accelerated in the Administrator’s discretion in connection with such other events and conditions as permitted by Code Section 409A. |
9‑10
ARTICLE 10 – AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
10.1 |
10‑1
11.1 |
Establishment of Trust. The Plan Sponsor may but is not required to establish a trust to hold amounts which the Plan Sponsor may contribute from time to time to correspond to some or all amounts credited to Participants under Section 6.2. In the event that the Plan Sponsor wishes to establish a trust to provide a source of funds for the payment of Plan benefits, any such trust shall be constructed to constitute an unfunded arrangement that does not affect the status of the Plan as an unfunded plan for purposes of Title I of ERISA and the Code. If the Plan Sponsor elects to establish a trust in accordance with Section 10.01 of the Adoption Agreement, the provisions of Sections 11.2 and 11.3 shall become operative. |
11.2 |
Rabbi Trust. Any trust established by the Plan Sponsor shall be between the Plan Sponsor and a trustee pursuant to a separate written agreement under which assets are held, administered and managed, subject to the claims of the Plan Sponsor’s creditors in the event of the Plan Sponsor’s insolvency. The trust is intended to be treated as a rabbi trust in accordance with existing guidance of the Internal Revenue Service, and the establishment of the trust shall not cause the Participant to realize current income on amounts contributed thereto. The Plan Sponsor must notify the trustee in the event of a bankruptcy or insolvency. |
11.3 |
Investment of Trust Funds. Any amounts contributed to the trust by the Plan Sponsor shall be invested by the trustee in accordance with the provisions of the trust and the instructions of the Administrator. Trust investments need not reflect the hypothetical investments selected by Participants under Section 7.1 for the purpose of adjusting Accounts and the earnings or investment results of the trust need not affect the hypothetical investment adjustments to Participant Accounts under the Plan. |
11‑1
ARTICLE 12 – PLAN ADMINISTRATION
12.1 |
Powers and Responsibilities of the Administrator. The Administrator has the full power and the full responsibility to administer the Plan in all of its details, subject, however, to the applicable requirements of ERISA. The Administrator’s powers and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: |
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(a) |
To make and enforce such rules and procedures as it deems necessary or proper for the efficient administration of the Plan; |
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(b) |
To interpret the Plan, its interpretation thereof to be final, except as provided in Section 12.2, on all persons claiming benefits under the Plan; |
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(c) |
To decide all questions concerning the Plan and the eligibility of any person to participate in the Plan; |
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(d) |
To administer the claims and review procedures specified in Section 12.2; |
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(e) |
To compute the amount of benefits which will be payable to any Participant, former Participant or Beneficiary in accordance with the provisions of the Plan; |
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(f) |
To determine the person or persons to whom such benefits will be paid; |
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(g) |
To authorize the payment of benefits; |
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(h) |
To comply with the reporting and disclosure requirements of Part 1 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA; |
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(i) |
To appoint such agents, counsel, accountants, and consultants as may be required to assist in administering the Plan; |
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(j) |
By written instrument, to allocate and delegate its responsibilities, including the formation of an Administrative Committee to administer the Plan. |
12‑1
If any person believes he is being denied any rights or benefits under the Plan, such person may file a claim in writing with the Administrator. If any such claim is wholly or partially denied, the Administrator will notify such person of its decision in writing. Such notification will contain (i) specific reasons for the denial, (ii) specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions, (iii) a description of any additional material or information necessary for such person to perfect such claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary, and (iv) a description of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of the person’s right to bring a civil action following an adverse decision on review. If the claim involves a Disability, the denial must also include the standards that governed the decision, including the basis for disagreeing with any health care professionals, vocational professionals or the Social Security Administration as well as an explanation of the scientific or clinical judgement underlying the denial. Such notification will be given within 90 days (45 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability) after the claim is received by the Administrator. The Administrator may extend the period for providing the notification by 90 days (30 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability, which may be extended an additional 30 days) if special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim and if written notice of such extension and circumstance is given to such person within the initial 90 day period (45 day period in the case of a claim regarding Disability). If such notification is not given within such period, the claim will be considered denied as of the last day of such period and such person may request a review of his claim.
12‑2
Within 60 days (180 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability) after the date on which a person receives a written notification of denial of claim (or, if written notification is not provided, within 60 days (180 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability) of the date denial is considered to have occurred), such person (or his duly authorized representative) may (i) file a written request with the Administrator for a review of his denied claim and of pertinent documents and (ii) submit written issues and comments to the Administrator. The Administrator will notify such person of its decision in writing. Such notification will be written in a manner calculated to be understood by such person and will contain specific reasons for the decision as well as specific references to pertinent Plan provisions. The notification will explain that the person is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to and copies of all pertinent documents and has the right to bring a civil action following an adverse decision on review. The decision on review will be made within 60 days (45 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability). The Administrator may extend the period for making the decision on review by 60 days (45 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability) if special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the request such as an election by the Administrator to hold a hearing, and if written notice of such extension and circumstances is given to such person within the initial 60-day period (45 days in the case of a claim regarding Disability). If the decision on review is not made within such period, the claim will be considered denied.
If the claim is regarding Disability, and the determination of Disability has not been made by the Social Security Administration or the Railroad Retirement Board, the person may, upon written request and free of charge, also receive the identification of medical or vocational experts whose advice was obtained in connection with the denial of a claim regarding Disability, even if the advice was not relied upon.
Before issuing any decision with respect to a claim involving Disability, the Administrator will provide to the person, free of charge, the following information as soon as possible and sufficiently in advance of the date on which the response is required to be provided to the person to allow the person a reasonable opportunity to respond prior to the due date of the response:
12‑3
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• |
Any new or additional evidence considered, relied upon, or generated by the Administrator or other person making the decision; and |
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• |
A new or addition rationale if the decision will be based on that rationale. |
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(c) |
Exhaustion of Claims Procedures and Right to Bring Legal Claim. |
No action at law or equity shall be brought more than one (1) year after the Administrator’s affirmation of a denial of a claim, or, if earlier, more than four (4) years after the facts or events giving rising to the claimant’s allegation(s) or claim(s) first occurred.
12.3 |
Plan Administrative Costs. All reasonable costs and expenses (including legal, accounting, and employee communication fees) incurred by the Administrator in administering the Plan shall be paid by the Plan to the extent not paid by the Employer. |
12‑4
13‑1
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(a) |
Each Indemnitee (as defined in Section 13.8(e)) shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Employer for all actions taken by him and for all failures to take action (regardless of the date of any such action or failure to take action), to the fullest extent permitted by the law of the jurisdiction in which the Employer is incorporated, against all expense, liability, and loss (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, taxes, penalties, and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by the Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (as defined in Subsection (e)). No indemnification pursuant to this Section shall be made, however, in any case where (1) the act or failure to act giving rise to the claim for indemnification is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness or (2) there is a settlement to which the Employer does not consent. |
13‑2
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(c) |
Indemnification pursuant to this Section shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be such and shall inure to the benefit of his heirs, executors, and administrators. The Employer agrees that the undertakings made in this Section shall be binding on its successors or assigns and shall survive the termination, amendment or restatement of the Plan. |
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(d) |
The foregoing right to indemnification shall be in addition to such other rights as the Indemnitee may enjoy as a matter of law or by reason of insurance coverage of any kind and is in addition to and not in lieu of any rights to indemnification to which the Indemnitee may be entitled pursuant to the by-laws of the Employer. |
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(e) |
For the purposes of this Section, the following definitions shall apply: |
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(1) |
“Indemnitee” shall mean each person serving as an Administrator (or any other person who is an employee, director, or officer of the Employer) who was or is a party to, or is threatened to be made a party to, or is otherwise involved in, any Proceeding, by reason of the fact that he is or was performing administrative functions under the Plan. |
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(2) |
“Proceeding” shall mean any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding (including, without limitation, an action, suit, or proceeding by or in the right of the Employer), whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, or through arbitration. |
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13.10 |
Disclaimer. It is the Plan Sponsor’s intention that the Plan comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A. Neither the Plan Sponsor nor the Employer shall have any liability to any Participant should any provision of the Plan fail to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 409A. |
13.11 |
Governing Law. The Plan will be construed, administered and enforced according to the laws of the State specified by the Plan Sponsor in Section 12.01 of the Adoption Agreement. |
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