Code Section 280G In the event that the severance and other benefits provided for in this Agreement or otherwise payable to the Employee (i) constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and (ii) but for this Section 3(b), would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, then the Employee’s benefits under Section 2 of this Agreement shall be either:
(i) delivered in full, or
(ii) delivered as to such lesser extent which would result in no portion of such severance and other benefits being subject to excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code, whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local income taxes and the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code, results in the receipt by the Employee on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of severance benefits, notwithstanding that all or some portion of such severance benefits may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code. Unless the Company and the Employee otherwise agree in writing, any determination required under this Section 3(b) shall be made in writing by the Company’s independent public accountants immediately prior to the Change of Control (the “Accountants”), whose determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the Employee and the Company for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 3(b), the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Employee shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section 3(b). The Company shall bear all costs the Accountants may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 3(b).
Section 280G Notwithstanding anything in this Award Agreement to the contrary and regardless of whether this Award Agreement has otherwise expired or terminated, unless otherwise provided in your Employment Agreement, in the event that any payments, distributions, benefits or entitlements of any type payable to you (“CIC Benefits”) (i) constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this paragraph would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then your CIC Benefits shall be reduced to such lesser amount (the “Reduced Amount”) that would result in no portion of such benefits being subject to the Excise Tax; provided that such amounts shall not be so reduced if the Company determines, based on the advice of Golden Parachute Tax Solutions LLC, or such other nationally recognized certified public accounting firm as may be designated by the Company (the “Accounting Firm”), that without such reduction you would be entitled to receive and retain, on a net after tax basis (including, without limitation, any excise taxes payable under Section 4999 of the Code), an amount that is greater than the amount, on a net after tax basis, that you would be entitled to retain upon receipt of the Reduced Amount. Unless the Company and you otherwise agree in writing, any determination required under this Section 17 shall be made in writing in good faith by the Accounting Firm. In the event of a reduction of benefits hereunder, benefits shall be reduced by first reducing or eliminating the portion of the CIC Benefits that are payable under this Award Agreement and then by reducing or eliminating the portion of the CIC Benefits that are payable in cash and then by reducing or eliminating the non-cash portion of the CIC Benefits, in each case, in reverse order beginning with payments or benefits which are to be paid the furthest in the future. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 17, the Accounting Firm may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of the Code, and other applicable legal authority. The Company and you shall furnish to the Accounting Firm such information and documents as the Accounting Firm may reasonably require in order to make a determination under this Section 17, and the Company shall bear the cost of all fees the Accounting Firm charges in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 17. In connection with making determinations under this Section 17, the Accounting Firm shall take into account the value of any reasonable compensation for services to be rendered by you before or after the Change of Control, including any non-competition provisions that may apply to you and the Company shall cooperate in the valuation of any such services, including any non-competition provisions.
Section 280G of the Code Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, if the Executive would receive (i) any payment, deemed payment or other benefit as a result of the operation of Section 8 or 9 hereof that, together with any other payment, deemed payment or other benefit the Executive may receive under any other plan, program, policy or arrangement (collectively with the payments under Section 8 and 9 hereof, the “Covered Payments”), would constitute an “excess parachute payment” under section 280G of the Code that would be or become subject to the tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed under Section 4999 of the Code or any similar tax that may hereafter be imposed, and (ii) a greater net after-tax benefit by limiting the Covered Payments so that the portion thereof that are parachute payments do not exceed the maximum amount of such parachute payments that could be paid to the Employee without Employee’s being subject to any Excise Tax (the “Safe Harbor Amount”), then the Covered Payments to the Executive shall be reduced (but not below zero) so that the aggregate amount of parachute payments that the Executive receives does not exceed the Safe Harbor Amount. In the event that the Executive receives reduced payments and benefits hereunder, such payments and benefits shall be reduced in connection with the application of the Safe Harbor Amount in the following manner: first, the Executive’s Severance Payment shall be reduced, followed by, to the extent necessary and in order, (i) the Target Cash Bonus; (ii) any the continuation of medical benefits, (iii) the Unvested RSU Bonus Shares and (iv) the Accrued Obligations. For purposes of determining whether any of the Covered Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax, such Covered Payments will be treated as “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and all “parachute payments” in excess of the “base amount” (as defined under Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code) shall be treated as subject to the Excise Tax, unless, and except to the extent that, in the good faith judgment of a public accounting firm appointed by the Company prior to the Change in Control or tax counsel selected by such accounting firm (the “Accountants”), the Company has a reasonable basis to conclude that such Covered Payments (in whole or in part) either do not constitute “parachute payments” or represent reasonable compensation for personal services actually rendered (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4)(B) of the Code) in excess of the allocable portion of the “base amount,” or such “parachute payments” are otherwise not subject to such Excise Tax, and the value of any non-cash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Accountants in accordance with the principles of Section 280G of the Code.
Code Section 409A (a) It is intended that any amounts payable under this Agreement and the Company’s and Executive’s exercise of authority or discretion hereunder shall comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the treasury regulations relating thereto so as not to subject Executive to the payment of interest and tax penalty which may be imposed under Section 409A. In furtherance of this interest, anything to the contrary herein notwithstanding, no amounts shall be payable to Executive before such time as such payment fully complies with the provisions of Section 409A and, to the extent that any regulations or other guidance issued under Section 409A after the date of this Agreement would result in Executive being subject to payment of interest and tax penalty under Section 409A, the parties agree to amend this Agreement in order to bring this Agreement into compliance with Section 409A.
(b) With regard to any provision herein that provides for reimbursement of expenses or in-kind benefits, except as permitted by Section 409A, (i) all such reimbursements shall be made within a commercially reasonable time after presentation of appropriate documentation but in no event later than the end of the year immediately following the year in which Executive incurs such reimbursement expenses, (ii) no such reimbursements or in-kind benefits will affect any other costs or expenses eligible for reimbursement, or any other in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other year and (iii) no such reimbursements or in-kind benefits are subject to liquidation or exchange for another payment or benefit.
(c) Without limiting the discretion of either the Company or the Executive to terminate the Executive’s employment hereunder for any reason (or no reason), solely for purposes of compliance with 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 any amounts or benefits upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a separation from service (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h) (applying the 20% default post-separation limit thereunder)) as an employee and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination” or “termination of employment” shall mean separation from service as an employee and such payments shall thereupon be made at or following such separation from service as an employee as provided hereunder.
Parachute Payment If any payment or benefit the Executive would receive pursuant to this Agreement (each, a “Payment”) would: (i) constitute a “Parachute Payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); and (ii) but for this sentence, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then such Payment shall be reduced to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall be equal to the largest portion of the Payment (including all of it) which, after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local income and employment taxes (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), and the Excise Tax, if applicable, results in the Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of the Payment, whether or not all or some portion of the Payment is subject to the Excise Tax. If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting Parachute Payments is necessary so that the Payment equals the Reduced Amount, reduction shall occur in the following order unless the Executive elects in writing a different order (provided, however, that such election shall be subject to Company approval if made on or after the effective date of the event that triggers the Payment): reduction of cash payments; cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock awards; reduction of employee benefits. In the event that acceleration of vesting of stock award compensation is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant of the Executive’s stock awards unless the Executive elects in writing a different order for cancellation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Executive may not elect the order in which the reduction in the Executive’s payments or benefits will occur if such election would cause any such amounts to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code such that the Executive would incur the additional twenty percent (20%) tax under Section 409A of the Code (the “409A Tax”). In addition, if a different order of reduction is required to avoid the 409A Tax, that order shall apply. The accounting firm then engaged by the Company for general audit purposes shall perform the foregoing calculations. The Company shall bear all expenses with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required to be made hereunder. The accounting firm engaged to make the determinations hereunder shall provide its calculations, together with detailed supporting documentation, to the Executive and the Company within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which the Executive’s right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the Executive or the Company) or such other time as requested by the Executive or the Company. If the accounting firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable with respect to a Payment, either before or after the application of the Reduced Amount, it shall furnish the Executive and the Company with an opinion reasonably acceptable to the Executive that no Excise Tax will be imposed with respect to such Payment. Any good faith determinations of the accounting firm made hereunder shall be final, binding and conclusive upon the Executive and the Company.
Parachute Payment Limitation If any payment or benefit (including payments and benefits pursuant to this Agreement) Executive would receive in connection with a Change in Control from the Company or otherwise (“Payment”) would (i) constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and (ii) but for this paragraph, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then the Company shall cause to be determined, before any amounts of the Payment are paid to Executive, which of the following two alternative forms of payment shall be paid to Executive: (A) payment in full of the entire amount of the Payment (a “Full Payment”), or (B) payment of only a part of the Payment so that Executive receives the largest payment possible without the imposition of the Excise Tax (a “Reduced Payment”). A Full Payment shall be made in the event that the amount received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis is greater than what would be received by the Executive on a net after-tax basis if the Reduced Payment were made, otherwise a Reduced Payment shall be made. If a Reduced Payment is made, (i) the Payment shall be paid only to the extent permitted under the Reduced Payment alternative, and Executive shall have no rights to any additional payments and/or benefits constituting the Payment, and (ii) reduction in payments and/or benefits shall occur in the following order: (A) reduction of cash payments; (B) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (C) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (D) reduction of other benefits paid to Executive. In the event that acceleration of compensation from Executive’s equity awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall be canceled in the reverse order of the date of grant.
Code Section 409A Compliance Each payment under this Agreement shall be considered a separate payment for purposes of 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 any amount or benefit upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A (“Section 409A”) and, for purposes of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean “separation from service.” Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if the Executive is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A) on the date of the Executive’s separation from service, then any payments or benefits that otherwise would be payable under this Agreement within the first six months following the Executive’s separation from service (the “409A Suspension Period”), shall instead be paid in a lump sum within fourteen (14) days after the end of the sixth month period following the Executive’s separation from service, or Executive’s death, if sooner, but only to the extent that such payments or benefits provide for the “deferral of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A, after application of the exemptions provided in Sections 1.409A-1(b)(4) and 1.409A-1(b)(9)(ii)-(v) thereof. After the 409A Suspension Period, the Executive will receive any remaining payments and benefits due pursuant to this Agreement in accordance with its terms (as if there had not been any suspension beforehand). To the extent that severance payments or benefits under this Agreement are conditioned on the execution of a release by Executive, Executive shall forfeit all rights to such payments and benefits unless such release is signed and delivered to the Company within the time required by this Agreement. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specified a payment period with respect to a number of days, the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company. The Company will cooperate with the Executive in making any amendments to this Agreement that the Executive reasonably requests to avoid the imposition of taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code provided that such changes do not provide the Executive with additional benefits (other than de minimus benefits) under this Agreement.
Section 280G Matters If the benefits described in Section 2 herein, as applicable, (the "Severance Payment") would otherwise constitute a parachute payment under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and but for this Section would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the "Excise Tax"), Executive shall either: (i) pay the Excise Tax, or (ii) have the benefits reduced to such lesser extent as would result in no portion of such benefits being subject to the Excise Tax, whichever of the foregoing amounts, taking into account the applicable federal, state and local income taxes and the Excise Tax, results in the receipt by Executive on an after-tax basis, of the greatest amount of benefits, notwithstanding that all or some portion of such benefits may be taxable under Section 4999 of the Code. Unless the Company and Executive otherwise agree in writing, any determination required under this Section 5 will be made in writing by a national "Big Four" accounting firm selected by the Company or such other person or entity to which the parties mutually agree (the "Accountants"), whose determination will be conclusive and binding upon Executive and the Company for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 5, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Executive shall furnish to the Accountants such information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to make a determination under this Section. The Company shall bear all costs the Accountants may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 5. Any reduction in payments and/or benefits required by this Section 5 shall occur in the following order: (1) reduction of cash payments; (2) reduction of vesting acceleration of equity awards; and (3) reduction of other benefits paid to Executive. In the event that acceleration of vesting of equity awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall be cancelled in the reverse order of the date of grant for Executive's equity awards.
Parachute Payments (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, in the event that it shall be determined that any payment or distribution to or for the benefit of Executive, whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise (a “Payment”) would be nondeductible by the Company for Federal income tax purposes because of Section 280G of the Code, the Company shall reduce the aggregate present value of the Payments under this Agreement to the Reduced Amount (as defined below) if, and only if, reducing the Payments under this Agreement will provide Executive with a greater net after-tax amount than would be the case if no such reduction was made, taking into account the applicable federal, state, local and foreign income, employment and other taxes, including the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code. If a reduction in the Payments is necessary, such reduction shall occur in the following order: (1) reduction of cash payments; (2) cancellation of accelerated vesting of equity awards other than stock options; (3) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and (4) reduction of other benefits paid to Executive. Within any such category of payments and benefits (that is, clauses (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this Section 6.9(a)), a reduction shall occur first with respect to amounts that are not “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and then with respect to amounts that are. The “Reduced Amount” shall be an amount expressed in present value that maximizes the aggregate present value of Payments under this Agreement without causing any Payment to be nondeductible by the Company because of Section 280G of the Code.
(b) All determinations to be made under this Section 6.9 shall be made at the Company’s expense by a firm of certified public accountants of national standing selected by the Company (the “Accounting Firm”) which may be the firm regularly auditing the financial statements of the Company. The Company and Executive shall furnish to the Accounting Firm such information and documents as the Accounting Firm may reasonably require in order to make a determination under this Section. To the extent requested by Executive, the Company shall cooperate with Executive in good faith in valuing, and the Accounting Firm shall value, services to be provided by Executive (including refraining from performing services pursuant to a covenant not to compete) before, on or after the date of the transaction which cause the application of Section 280G of the Code such that payments in respect of such services may be considered to be “reasonable compensation” within the meaning of the regulations under Section 280G of the Code. In making its determinations hereunder, the Accounting Firm shall apply reasonable, good faith interpretations regarding the applicability of Section 280G and Section 4999, along with any other applicable portions of the Code or other tax laws. The Accounting Firm shall make all determinations required to be made under this Section and shall provide detailed supporting calculations to the Company and Executive within 30 days after the Termination Date or such earlier time as is requested by the Company, and provide an opinion to Executive that he or she has substantial authority not to report any excise tax on his or her Federal income tax return with respect to any Payments. Any such determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and Executive. Subject to Sections 6.1(c) and 6.9, within five business days thereafter, the Company shall pay to or distribute to or for the benefit of Executive such amounts as are then due to Executive under this Agreement.
(c) As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 280G of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm or the Company hereunder, it is possible that Payments, as the case may be, will have been made by the Company which should not have been made (“Overpayment”) or that additional Payments, as the case may be, which will not have been made by the Company could have been made (“Underpayment”), in each case, consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event that the Accounting Firm, based upon the assertion of a deficiency by the Internal Revenue Service against Executive which the Accounting Firm believes has a high probability of success determines that an Overpayment has been made, promptly on notice and demand Executive shall repay to the Company any such Overpayment paid or distributed by the Company to or for the benefit of Executive together with interest at the applicable Federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code; provided, however, that no such amount shall be payable by Executive to the Company if and to the extent such payment would not either reduce the amount on which Executive is subject to tax under Section 1 and Section 4999 of the Code or generate a refund of such taxes. In the event that the Accounting Firm, based upon controlling precedent or other substantial authority, determines that an Underpayment has occurred, any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the benefit of Executive together with interest at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code.
280G Notwithstanding anything set forth herein to the contrary, if any payment or benefit Executive would receive from the Company pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise (“Payment”) would constitute a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code and, but for this Section 24, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then such Payment shall equal the Revised Amount which may under clause (a) in the following sentence be a lesser amount than the full Payment. The “Revised Amount” shall be either (a) or (b) whichever amount, after taking into account all applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis, of the greater amount of the Payment notwithstanding that all or some portion of the payment may be subject to the Excise Tax and where: (a) is the largest portion of the Payment that would result in no portion of the Payment being subject to the Excise Tax and (b) is the full, unreduced, total Payment. If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting “parachute payments” is necessary so that the Payment is reduced to the amount in clause (a) above, unless to the extent permitted by Code Section 280G and 409A Executive designates another order, the reduction shall occur in the following order: (A) cash payments shall be reduced first and in reverse chronological order such that the cash payment owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering such excise tax will be the first cash payment to be reduced; (B) accelerated vesting of equity awards shall be cancelled/reduced next and in the reverse order of the date of grant for such equity awards (i.e., the vesting of the most recently granted stock awards will be reduced first), with full-value awards reversed before any stock option or stock appreciation rights are reduced; and (C) employee benefits shall be reduced last and in reverse chronological order such that the benefit owed on the latest date following the occurrence of the event triggering such excise tax will be the first benefit to be reduced. Except as set forth in the next sentence, all determinations to be made under this Section 24 shall be made by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm immediately prior to the event giving rise to the Payment (or if such firm cannot make such determination, an independent accounting firm selected by the Company (and reasonably acceptable to Executive)), which accounting firm shall provide its determinations and any supporting calculations and documentation to the Company and Executive promptly after the change in ownership or effective control of the Company or ownership of a substantial portion of the Company’s assets (within the meaning of Code Section 280G). In making its determination, the accounting firm shall take into account (if applicable) the value of Executive’s non-competition covenant set forth in Section 9 of this Agreement. The costs and expenses of the accounting firm and, if a valuation firm is required by the accounting firm to perform its calculations, such valuation firm shall be borne by the Company.
