Rule 14d-10 Matters All amounts payable to holders of Shares and other securities of the Company (the “Covered Securityholders”) pursuant to the Company Plans and the Company Benefit Agreements (collectively, the “Arrangements”) (i) are being paid or granted as compensation for past services performed, future services to be performed or future services to be refrained from performing by the Covered Securityholders (and matters incidental thereto) and (ii) are not calculated based on the number of Shares tendered or to be tendered into the Offer by the applicable Covered Securityholder. The Company Board has determined that each member of the Compensation Committee of the Company Board (the “Compensation Committee”) is an “Independent Director” in accordance with the requirements of Rule 14d-10(d)(2) under the Exchange Act. The Compensation Committee (A) at a meeting duly called and held at which all members of the Compensation Committee were present, duly and unanimously adopted resolutions approving as an “employment compensation, severance or other employee benefit arrangement” within the meaning of Rule 14d-10(d)(1) under the Exchange Act (an “Employment Compensation Arrangement”) (1) each Company Stock Plan, (2) the treatment of the Company Stock Options and Restricted Stock in accordance with the terms set forth in this Agreement, the applicable Company Stock Plan and any applicable Company Plans and Company Benefit Agreements, (3) the terms of Section 3.2(b) of this Agreement and (4) each other Company Plan and Company Benefit Agreement, which resolutions have not been rescinded, modified or withdrawn in any way, and (B) has taken all other actions necessary to satisfy the requirements of the non-exclusive safe harbor under Rule 14d-10(d)(2) under the Exchange Act with respect to the foregoing arrangements.
Compliance with IRC Section 409A This Agreement is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and will be interpreted accordingly. References under this Agreement to the Employee’s termination of employment shall be deemed to refer to the date upon which the Employee has experienced a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) if at the time of the Employee’s separation from service with the Company or any of its affiliates the Employee is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A of the Code (and any related regulations or other pronouncements thereunder) and the deferral of the commencement of any payments or benefits otherwise payable hereunder or payable under any other compensatory arrangement between the Employee and the Company or any of its affiliates as a result of such separation from service is necessary in order to prevent any accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, then the Company will defer the commencement of the payment of any such payments or benefits hereunder (without any reduction in such payments or benefits ultimately paid or provided to the Employee) until the date that is six months following the Employee’s separation from service (or the earliest date as is permitted under Section 409A of the Code), at which point all payments deferred pursuant to this Section 24 shall be paid to the Employee in a lump sum and (ii) if any other payments of money or other benefits due to the Employee hereunder could cause the application of an accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A of the Code, such payments or other benefits shall be deferred if deferral will make such payment or other benefits compliant under Section 409A of the Code, or otherwise such payment or other benefits shall be restructured, to the extent possible, in a manner that does not cause such an accelerated or additional tax. To the extent any reimbursements or in-kind benefits due to the Employee under this Agreement constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code, any such reimbursements or in-kind benefits shall be paid to the Employee in a manner consistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Employee shall notify the Company if he believes that any provision of this Agreement (or of any award of compensation, including equity compensation, or benefits) would cause the Employee to incur any additional tax under Code Section 409A and, if the Company concurs with such belief after good faith review or the Company independently makes such determination, then the Company shall use reasonable efforts to reform such provision to comply with Code Section 409A through good faith modifications to the minimum extent reasonably appropriate to conform with Code Section 409A. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each payment made under this Agreement shall be designated as a “separate payment” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
IRC Section 409A This Agreement is intended to comply with Section 409A (as defined in Section 23 of this Agreement) and any ambiguous provisions will be construed in a manner that is compliant with the application of Section 409A. If (a) the Indemnitee is a “specified employee” (as such term is defined by the Company in accordance with Section 409A) and (b) any payment payable upon “separation from service” (as such term is defined by the Company in accordance with Section 409A) under this Agreement is subject to Section 409A and is required to be delayed under Section 409A because the Indemnitee is a specified employee, that payment shall be payable on the earlier of (i) the first business day that is six months after the Indemnitee’s “separation from service”; (ii) the date of the Indemnitee’s death; or (iii) the date that otherwise complies with the requirements of Section 409A. This Section 25 shall be applied by accumulating all payments that otherwise would have been paid within six months of the Indemnitee’s separation from service and paying such accumulated amounts on the earliest business day which complies with the requirements of Section 409A. For purposes of Section 409A, each payment or amount due under this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment, and the Indemnitee’s entitlement to a series of payments under this Agreement is to be treated as an entitlement to a series of separate payments.
Compliance with Code Section 409A The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Agreement comply with or are exempt from Section 409A of the Code and this Agreement shall be interpreted and construed in a manner that establishes an exemption from (or compliance with) the requirements of Code Section 409A. Any terms of this Agreement that are undefined or ambiguous shall be interpreted in a manner that complies with Code Section 409A to the extent necessary to comply with Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) if, on the date of termination, the Executive is a “specified employee” as defined in Section 409A of the Code, and the deferral of the commencement of any payments or benefits otherwise payable hereunder as a result of such termination of employment is necessary in order to prevent any accelerated or additional tax under Code Section 409A, then the Company will defer the commencement of the payment of any such payments or benefits hereunder (without any reduction in such payments or benefits ultimately paid or provided to the Executive) until the date that is the first business day of the seventh month following the date of termination (or the earliest date as is permitted under Code Section 409A), and (ii) if any other payments of money or other benefits due to the Executive hereunder could cause the application of an accelerated or additional tax under Code Section 409A, such payments or other benefits shall be deferred if deferral will make such payment or other benefits compliant under Code Section 409A. In the event that payments under this Agreement are deferred pursuant to this Section in order to prevent any accelerated tax or additional tax under Code Section 409A, then such payments shall be paid at the time specified under this Section without any interest thereon. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, to the extent required by Code Section 409A, a termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean separation from service. Each payment made under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment and the right to a series of installment payments under this Agreement is to be treated as a right to a series of separate payments.
Code Section 280G This Section 12 applies if either the Executive or the Company is subject to the Code. The benefits that the Executive may be entitled to receive under this Agreement and other benefits that the Executive is entitled to receive under other plans, agreements and arrangements (which, together with the benefits provided under this Agreement, are referred to as “Payments”), may constitute Parachute Payments that are subject to Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. As provided in this Section 12, the Parachute Payments will be reduced if, and only to the extent that, a reduction will allow the Executive to receive a greater Net After Tax Amount than the Executive would receive absent a reduction. The Accounting Firm will first determine the amount of any Parachute Payments that are payable to the Executive. The Accounting Firm also will determine the Net After Tax Amount attributable to the Executive’s total Parachute Payments. The Accounting Firm will next determine the largest amount of Payments that may be made to the Executive without subjecting the Executive to tax under Section 4999 of the Code (the “Capped Payments”). Thereafter, the Accounting Firm will determine the Net After Tax Amount attributable to the Capped Payments. The Executive will receive the total Parachute Payments or the Capped Payments, whichever provides the Executive with the higher Net After Tax Amount. If the Executive will receive the Capped Payments, the total Parachute Payments will be adjusted by first reducing the amount of any benefits under this Agreement or any other plan, agreement or arrangement that are not subject to Section 409A of the Code (with the source of the reduction to be directed by the Participant) and then by reducing the amount of any benefits under this Agreement or any other plan, agreement or arrangement that are subject to Section 409A of the Code (with the source of the reduction to be directed by the Participant). The Accounting Firm will notify the Executive and the Company if it determines that the Parachute Payments must be reduced to the Capped Payments and will send the Executive and the Company a copy of its detailed calculations supporting that determination. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code at the time that the Accounting Firm makes its determinations under this Section 12, it is possible that amounts will have been paid or distributed to the Executive that should not have been paid or distributed under this Section 12 (“Overpayments”), or that additional amounts should be paid or distributed to the Executive under this Section 12 (“Underpayments”). If the Accounting Firm determines, based on either the assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against the Company or the Executive, which assertion the Accounting Firm believes has a high probability of success or controlling precedent or substantial authority, that an Overpayment has been made, the Executive must repay to the Company, without interest; provided, however, that no loan will be deemed to have been made except to the extent permitted by applicable law and no amount will be payable by the Executive to the Company unless, and then only to the extent that, the deemed loan and payment would either reduce the amount on which the Executive is subject to tax under Section 4999 of the Code or generate a refund of tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code. If the Accounting Firm determines, based upon controlling precedent or substantial authority, that an Underpayment has occurred, the Accounting Firm will notify the Executive and the Company of that determination and the amount of that Underpayment will be paid to the Executive promptly by the Company.
Compliance with Section 409A Any payments or benefits provided under this Agreement that constitute “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and other guidance thereunder and any state law of similar effect (collectively “Section 409A”) shall not commence in connection with the Employee’s termination of employment unless the Employee has also incurred a “separation from service,” as such term is defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (without regard to any permissible alternative definition thereunder) (“Separation from Service”). It is intended that each installment of the payments and benefits provided for in this Agreement is a separate “payment” for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(i). For the avoidance of doubt, it is intended that payments of the amounts set forth in this Agreement satisfy, to the greatest extent possible, the exemptions from the application of Section 409A provided under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(4), 1.409A-1(b)(5) and 1.409A-1(b)(9). However, if the Employer determines that the payments and benefits provided under this Agreement constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and the Employee is, on the date of the Employee’s Separation from Service, a “specified employee” of the Employer or any successor entity thereto, as such term is defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, then, solely to the extent necessary to avoid the incurrence of the adverse personal tax consequences under Section 409A, the timing of any such payments or benefits shall be delayed as follows: on the earlier to occur of (i) the date that is six (6) months and one (1) day after the Employee’s Separation from Service or (ii) the date of the Employee’s death (such earlier date, the “Delayed Initial Payment Date”), the Employer shall (A) pay to the Employee a lump sum amount equal to the sum of the payments that the Employee would otherwise have received through the Delayed Initial Payment Date if the commencement of the payment of the payments had not been so delayed pursuant to this Section 9.2 and (B) commence paying the balance of the payments in accordance with the applicable payment schedules set forth in this Agreement. If the Employer determines that any payments or benefits provided under this Agreement constitute “deferred compensation” under Section 409A and the Release could become effective in the calendar year following the calendar year in which the Employee’s Separation from Service occurs, the Release will not be deemed effective any earlier than the Release Deadline for purposes of determining the timing of payment of any such payments or benefits.
Application of Section 280G For purposes of determining whether any of the Covered Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amount of such Excise Tax,
Taxes; Section 409A All forms of compensation paid to you by the Company, including any payments made pursuant to this Agreement, are subject to reduction (or payment by you, to the extent that additional amounts are required) to reflect applicable deductions, withholdings, and payroll taxes. You agree that the Company does not have a duty to design its compensation policies in a manner that minimizes your tax liabilities, and you will not make any claim against the Company related to tax liabilities arising from your compensation. The payments and benefits under this Agreement are intended, and will be construed, to be exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Section 409A); provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or interpreted to transfer any liability for any tax (including a tax or penalty due as a result of a failure to comply with Section 409A) from you to the Company or to any other entity or person. Any payment to you under this Agreement that is subject to Section 409A and that is contingent on a termination of employment is contingent on a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A. If, upon separation from service, you are a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A, any payment under this Agreement that is subject to Section 409A and triggered by a separation from service that would otherwise be paid within six months after your separation from service will instead be paid in the seventh month following your separation from service or, if earlier, upon your death (to the extent required by Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i)). Payments pursuant to this Agreement (or referenced in this Agreement), and each installment thereof, are intended to constitute separate payments for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the regulations under Section 409A. To the extent any nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A payable to you could be paid in more than one taxable year depending upon you completing certain employment-related actions, then any such payments will commence or occur in the latest such taxable year to the extent required to avoid the adverse consequences of Section 409A. Any taxable reimbursement due under the terms of this Agreement shall be paid no later than December 31 of the year after the year in which the expense is incurred, and all taxable reimbursements and in-kind benefits shall be provided in accordance with Section 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv) of the regulations under Section 409A. The parties agree that if necessary to avoid non-compliance with Section 409A, they will cooperate in good faith to modify the terms of this Agreement or any applicable equity award; provided, that such modification shall endeavor to maintain the economic intent of this Agreement or any such equity award.
Exemption from Liability Under Section 16(b) Home and Cascade agree that, in order to most effectively compensate and retain Home Insiders, both prior to and after the Effective Time, it is desirable that Home Insiders not be subject to a risk of liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in connection with the conversion of shares of Home Common Stock into shares of Cascade Common Stock in the Merger, and for that compensatory and retentive purposes agree to the provisions of this Section 6.7. Assuming Home delivers to Cascade in a reasonably timely fashion prior to the Effective Time accurate information regarding those officers and directors of Home subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act (the “Home Insiders”), the Board of Directors of Cascade and of Home, or a committee of non-employee directors thereof (as such term is defined for purposes of Rule 16b-3(d) under the Exchange Act), shall reasonably promptly thereafter, and in any event prior to the Effective Time, take all such steps as may be required to cause any dispositions of Home Common Stock and Restricted Shares by the Home Insiders, and any acquisitions of Cascade Common Stock, or the stock issued pursuant to Section 1.4, by any Home Insiders who, immediately following the Merger, will be officers or directors of the Surviving Company subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, in each case pursuant to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to be exempt from liability pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Tax Treatment; Section 409A The Participant shall be responsible for all taxes with respect to the Restricted Stock Units. Notwithstanding the forgoing or any provision of the Plan or this Agreement:
