Longevity Increments 11.6.1 Each regular classified employee shall receive a two-range increase (5%) upon completion of five (5) years of satisfactory and continuous service. This increase will become effective at the beginning of the sixth year.
11.6.2 Each regular classified employee shall receive an additional two-range increase (5%) upon completion of ten (10) years of satisfactory and continuous service. This increase will become effective at the beginning of the eleventh year.
11.6.3 Each regular classified employee shall receive an additional two-range increase (5%) upon completion of fifteen (15) years of satisfactory and continuous service. This in-crease will become effective at the beginning of the sixteenth year.
Salary Increments The Employer may grant an increment for meritorious service after an Employee has served for a period of twelve (12) months following the day established in Article 25.07 or twelve (12) months following the date of a change in his rate of compensation as established in Articles 25.04, 25.05, or 25.06.
Annual Increments
12.1 Employees will proceed to the maximum of their salary range by annual increments, after 12 months’ continuous service at each increment point, unless there is an adverse report on the Employee's performance or conduct which recommends the non-payment of an annual increment.
12.2 The following process will apply where a report on an Employee’s performance or conduct recommends the non-payment of an annual increment:
(a) The Employee will be shown the report prior to completing 12 months’ continuous service since their last incremental advance;
(b) The Employee will be provided with an opportunity to comment in writing;
(c) The Employee’s comments will be considered immediately by the Employer and a decision made as to whether to approve the payment of the increment or withhold payment for a specific period; and
(d) Where the increment is withheld, the Employer before the expiry of the specified period will complete a further report and the above provisions will apply.
12.3 The non-payment of an increment will not change the normal anniversary date of any further increment payments.
12.4 For the purposes of this clause "continuous service", except where an increment is payable according to age, will not include any period:
(a) exceeding 14 calendar days during which an Employee is absent on Leave Without Pay. In the case of leave without pay which exceeds 14 calendar days the entire period of such Leave Without Pay is excised in full;
(b) which exceeds six (6) months in one continuous period during which an Employee is absent on workers' compensation. Provided that only that portion of such continuous absence which exceeds six (6) months will not count as "continuous service"; and
(c) which exceeds three (3) months in one (1) continuous period during which an Employee is absent on Personal Leave without pay. Provided that only that portion of such continuous absence which exceeds three (3) months will not count as "continuous service".
Termination, Reduction and Increase of Commitments (a) Unless previously terminated, (i) the Term Loan Commitments shall terminate at 5:00 p.m., Houston, Texas time, on the Effective Date and (ii) the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Revolving Maturity Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Commitments of any Class; provided that (i) each reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Revolving Loans in accordance with Section 2.10, the sum of the Revolving Exposures would exceed the total Revolving Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section, at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Commitments of any Class shall be made ratably among the Lenders in accordance with their respective Commitments of such Class.
(d) At any time prior to the expiration of the Revolving Availability Period, and so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred which is continuing, the Borrower may elect to increase the aggregate of the Revolving Commitments to an amount not exceeding the Maximum Accordion Amount minus any reductions in the Revolving Commitments pursuant to Section2.07(b) hereof, provided that (i) no Lender shall be required to increase its Revolving Commitment unless it shall have expressly agreed to such increase in writing (but otherwise, no notice to or consent by any Lender shall be required, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in Section 9.02 hereof), (ii) the addition of new Lenders shall be subject to the terms and provisions of Section 9.04 hereof as if such new Lenders were acquiring an interest in the Loans by assignment from an existing Lenders (to the extent applicable, i.e. required approvals, minimum amounts and the like), (iii) the Borrower shall execute and deliver such additional or replacement Notes and such other documentation (including evidence of proper authorization) as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent, any new Lender or any Lender which is increasing its Revolving Commitment, (iv) no Lender shall have any right to decrease its Revolving Commitment as a result of such increase of the aggregate amount of the Revolving Commitments, (v) the Administrative Agent shall have no obligation to arrange, find or locate any Lender or new bank or financial institution to participate in any unsubscribed portion of such increase in the aggregate committed amount of the Revolving Commitments, and (vi) such option to increase the Revolving Commitments may only be exercised once. The Borrower shall be required to pay (or to reimburse each applicable Lender for) any breakage costs incurred by any Lender in connection with the need to reallocate existing Loans among the Lenders following any increase in the Revolving Commitments pursuant to this provision. Except as may otherwise be agreed by the Borrower and any applicable Lender, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any upfront or other fees or expenses to any existing Lenders, new Lenders or the Administrative Agent with respect to any such increase in Revolving Commitments.
Extended Term Loans (a) The Borrower may at any time and from time to time request that all or a portion of the Term Loans under any Facility (an “Existing Term Loan Facility”) be converted to extend the scheduled maturity date(s) of any payment of principal with respect to all or a portion of any principal amount of such Term Loans (any such Term Loans which have been so converted, “Extended Term Loans”) and to provide for other terms consistent with this Section 2.16. In order to establish any Extended Term Loans, the Borrower shall provide a notice to the Administrative Agent (who shall provide a copy of such notice to each of the Lenders under the applicable Existing Term Loan Facility) (an “Extension Request”) setting forth the proposed terms of the Extended Term Loans to be established which shall be identical to the Class of Term Loans from which such Extended Term Loans are to be converted except that:
(i) all or any of the scheduled amortization payments of principal of the Extended Term Loans may be delayed to later dates than the scheduled amortization payments of principal of the Class of Term Loans being converted to the extent provided in the applicable Term Loan Extension Amendment;
(ii) the interest margins with respect to the Extended Term Loans may be different than the interest margins for the Class of Term Loans being converted and upfront fees may be paid to the Extending Term Lenders, in each case, to the extent provided in the applicable Term Loan Extension Amendment;
(iii) the Term Loan Extension Amendment may provide for other covenants and terms that apply solely to any period after the latest final maturity of all Classes of Term Loans and Revolving Commitments in effect on the effective date of the Term Loan Extension Amendment immediately prior to the establishment of such Extended Term Loans; and
(iv) no Extended Term Loans may be optionally prepaid prior to the date on which the Term Loans under the Class from which they were converted are repaid in full unless such optional prepayment is accompanied by a pro rata optional prepayment of the Term Loans under such Class that were not converted. Any Extended Term Loans converted pursuant to any Extension Request shall be designated a Class of Extended Term Loans for all purposes of this Agreement; provided that any Extended Term Loans converted may, to the extent provided in the applicable Term Loan Extension Amendment, be designated as an increase in any previously established Class of Extended Term Loans.
(b) The Borrower shall provide the applicable Extension Request to all Lenders of such Class that is subject to the Extension Request at least five (5) Business Days prior to the date on which Lenders under such Class being converted are requested to respond. No Lender shall have any obligation to agree to have any of its Term Loans of such class converted into Extended Term Loans pursuant to any Extension Request. Any Lender (an “Extending Term Lender”) wishing to have all or a portion of its Term Loans under such Class being converted into Extended Term Loans shall notify the Administrative Agent (an “Extension Election”) on or prior to the date specified in such Extension Request of the amount of its Term Loans of such Class which it has elected to request be converted into Extended Term Loans (subject to any minimum denomination requirements reasonably imposed by the Administrative Agent). In the event that the aggregate amount of Term Loans under such Class being converted exceeds the amount of Extended Term Loans requested pursuant to the Extension Request, Term Loans subject to Extension Elections shall be converted to Extended Term Loans on a pro rata basis based on the amount of Term Loans included in each such Extension Election.
(c) Extended Term Loans shall be established pursuant to an amendment (a “Term Loan Extension Amendment”) to this Agreement among the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Extending Term Lender providing an Extended Term Loan thereunder which shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in paragraph (a) above (but which shall not require the consent of any other Lender). Each Term Loan Extension Amendment shall be binding on the Lenders, the Loan Parties and the other parties hereto. In connection with any Term Loan Extension Amendment, the Loan Parties and the Collateral Agent shall enter into such amendments to the Collateral Documents as may be reasonably requested by the Collateral Agent (which shall not require any consent from any Lender) in order to ensure that the Extended Term Loans are provided with the benefit of the applicable Collateral Documents and shall deliver such other documents, certificates and opinions of counsel in connection therewith as may be requested by the Collateral Agent.
(d) This Section 2.16 shall supersede any provisions in Section 2.13 or 10.01 to the contrary.
Additional Term Loans Subject only to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions expressly set forth in Section 4 of the Eleventh Amendment, each 2014-1 Additional Term Lender agrees to make a loan in Dollars (the “2014-1 Additional Term Loans”) to the Borrower on the Eleventh Amendment Effective Date in the aggregate principal amount of such Lender’s 2014-1 Additional Term Commitment. No amount of a 2014-1 Additional Term Loan which is repaid or prepaid by the Borrower may be reborrowed hereunder. The 2014-1 Additional Term Loans shall be denominated in Dollars, shall be maintained as and/or converted into Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Loans or a combination thereof, provided, that all 2014-1 Additional Term Loans made by the 2014-1 Additional Term Lenders pursuant to the same Borrowing shall, unless otherwise specifically provided herein, consist entirely of 2014-1 Additional Term Loans of the same Type. The proceeds of the 2014-1 Additional Term Loans made on the Eleventh Amendment Effective Date shall be placed into escrow with the Eleventh Amendment Escrow Agent on the terms set forth in the Eleventh Amendment Escrow Agreement. Subject only to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in (x) Section 5.5 or (y) Section 5.2 and Section 5.6, as applicable, and the additional conditions expressly set forth in the Eleventh Amendment Escrow Agreement, the 2014-1 Additional Term Loans shall be released from escrow on the Eleventh Amendment Release Date. If the 2014-1 Additional Term Loans Termination Date occurs, the proceeds of the 2014-1 Additional Term Loans shall be released from escrow on the conditions set forth in the Eleventh Amendment Escrow Agreement and refunded and repaid in full (together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon) to the 2014-1 Additional Term Lenders on the 2014-1 Additional Term Loan Maturity Date in accordance with the Eleventh Amendment Escrow Agreement.
Benefit Increases Benefit payments may be increased as provided in Section 2.1.3.
Termination and Reduction of Revolving Commitments (a) Unless previously terminated, the Revolving Commitments shall terminate on the Maturity Date.
(b) The Borrower may at any time terminate, or from time to time reduce, the Revolving Commitments; provided that (i) each partial reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be in an amount that is an integral multiple of $1,000,000 and not less than $5,000,000 and (ii) the Borrower shall not terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments if, after giving effect to any concurrent prepayment of the Loans in accordance with Section 2.08, the sum of the Aggregate Total Exposure would exceed the total Commitments.
(c) The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent of any election to terminate or reduce the Revolving Commitments under paragraph (b) of this Section at least three Business Days prior to the effective date of such termination or reduction, specifying such election and the effective date thereof. Promptly following receipt of any notice, the Administrative Agent shall advise the Lenders of the contents thereof. Each notice delivered by the Borrower pursuant to this Section shall be irrevocable; provided that a notice of termination of the Revolving Commitments delivered by the Borrower may state that such notice is conditioned upon the effectiveness of other credit facilities or another transaction, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied. Any termination or reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be permanent. Each reduction of the Revolving Commitments shall be applied to the Lenders in accordance with their respective Applicable Percentages.
(d) If, after giving effect to any reduction of the Revolving Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Revolving Commitments, such Letter of Credit Sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess.
Extensions of Term Loans and Revolving Credit Commitments (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, pursuant to one or more offers (each, an “Extension Offer”) made from time to time by the Borrower to all Lenders of any Class of Term Loans or any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments, in each case on a pro rata basis (based on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the respective Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments of the applicable Class) and on the same terms to each such Lender, the Borrower is hereby permitted to consummate from time to time transactions with individual Lenders that accept the terms contained in such Extension Offers to extend the maturity date of each such Lender’s Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments of the applicable Class and otherwise modify the terms of such Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to the terms of the relevant Extension Offer (including, without limitation, by increasing the interest rate or fees payable in respect of such Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings), modifying the amortization schedule in respect of such Lender’s Term Loans and/or modifying any prepayment premium or call protection in respect of such Lender’s Term Loans) (each, an “Extension,” and each group of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments, as applicable, in each case as so extended, as well as the original Term Loans and the original Revolving Credit Commitments (in each case not so extended), being a separate Class of Term Loans from the Class of Term Loans from which they were converted, and any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (as defined below) shall constitute a separate Class of Revolving Credit Commitments from the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments from which they were converted, it being understood that an Extension may be in the form of an increase in the amount of any outstanding Class of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments otherwise satisfying the criteria set forth below), so long as the following terms are satisfied:
(i) except as to interest rates, fees and final maturity (which shall be determined by the Borrower and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Revolving Credit Lender that agrees to an extension with respect to such Revolving Credit Commitment extended pursuant to an Extension (an “Extended Revolving Credit Commitment”), and the related outstandings, shall be a Revolving Credit Commitment (or related outstandings, as the case may be) with the same terms as the original Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings); provided that at no time shall there be Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder (including Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and any original Revolving Credit Commitments) which have more than three different maturity dates,
(ii) except as to interest rates, fees, amortization, final maturity date, premium, required prepayment dates and participation in prepayments (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), be determined by the Borrower and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), the Term Loans of any Term Lender that agrees to an extension with respect to such Term Loans extended pursuant to any Extension (“Extended Term Loans”) shall have the same terms as the Class of Term Loans subject to such Extension Offer,
(iii) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Extended Term Loans shall be no shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Term Loans extended thereby, and the maturity of any Extended Term Loans shall not be shorter than the maturity of the Term Loans extended thereby,
(iv) any Extended Term Loans may participate (x) on a pro rata basis, greater than pro rata or a less than pro rata basis in any voluntary repayments or prepayments hereunder and (y) on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not greater than a pro rata basis) in any mandatory repayments or prepayments hereunder, in each case as specified in the respective Extension Offer,
(v) if the aggregate principal amount of the Class of Term Loans (calculated on the face amount thereof) or Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, in respect of which Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, shall have accepted the relevant Extension Offer shall exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class, as the case may be, offered to be extended by the Borrower pursuant to such Extension Offer, then the Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class, as the case may be, of such Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, shall be extended ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts (but not to exceed actual holdings of record) with respect to which such Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, have accepted such Extension Offer,
(vi) all documentation in respect of such Extension shall be consistent with the foregoing, and
(vii) any applicable Minimum Extension Condition shall be satisfied unless waived by the Borrower and no Lender shall be obligated to extend its Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments unless it so agrees.
(b) With respect to all Extensions consummated by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.15, (i) such Extensions shall not constitute voluntary or mandatory payments or prepayments for purposes of Section 2.05 and (ii) no Extension Offer is required to be in any minimum amount or any minimum increment, provided that the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “Minimum Extension Condition”) to consummating any such Extension that a minimum amount (to be determined and specified in the relevant Extension Offer in the Borrower’s sole discretion and may be waived by the Borrower) of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments (as applicable) of any or all applicable Classes be tendered. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.15 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, payment of any interest, fees or premium in respect of any Extended Term Loans and/or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments on the such terms as may be set forth in the relevant Extension Offer) and hereby waive the requirements of any provision of this Agreement (including, without limitation, Sections 2.05, 2.12 and 2.13) or any other Loan Document that may otherwise prohibit any such Extension or any other transaction contemplated by this Section 2.15.
(c) No consent of any Lender or the Administrative Agent shall be required to effectuate any Extension, other than (A) the consent of each Lender agreeing to such Extension with respect to one or more of its Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments (or a portion thereof) and (B) with respect to any Extension of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments, the consent of the relevant L/C Issuer (if such L/C Issuer is being requested to issue letters of credit with respect to the Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments). All Extended Term Loans, Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and all obligations in respect thereof shall be Loan Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents that are secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with all other applicable Loan Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents. The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize and direct the Administrative Agent to enter into amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Borrower as may be necessary in order to establish new Classes in respect of Revolving Credit Commitments or Term Loans so extended and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new Classes, in each case on terms consistent with this Section 2.15 (and to the extent any such amendment is consistent with the terms of this Section 2.15 (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to have consented to such amendment, and no such consent of the Administrative Agent shall be necessary to have such amendment become effective).
(d) In connection with any Extension, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days’ (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice thereof, and shall agree to such procedures (including, without limitation, regarding timing, rounding and other adjustments and to ensure reasonable administrative management of the credit facilities hereunder after such Extension), if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.15; provided that, failure to give such notice shall in no way affect the effectiveness of any amendment entered into to effectuate such Extension in accordance with this Section 2.15.
Incremental Term Loans (a) The Borrower shall have the right from time to time during the term of this Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 2.17, to request in writing incremental term loans (the “Incremental Term Loans”) be made under this Agreement by Incremental Term Lenders pursuant to one or more Incremental Term Loan Agreements. Such notice to the Administrative Agent shall set forth the date on which such Incremental Term Loans are requested to be made (which shall not be less than three (3) Business Days nor more than 60 days after the date of such notice (which time periods may be modified or waived at the discretion of the Administrative Agent)) and include the applicable completed Incremental Term Loan Agreement for such Incremental Term Loans as an attachment thereto; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein or in any Incremental Term Loan Agreement, such Incremental Term Loans shall mature on the Maturity Date, shall not require any mandatory prepayments thereof and shall not amortize. In connection with any such request, the consent of the Administrative Agent shall be required (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed), but no consent of any Lender (other than any Lender providing an Incremental Term Loan pursuant to such request) is required to be obtained.
(b) Any such Incremental Term Loans shall be made, at the option of the Borrower, by (x) one or more existing Lenders and/or (y) one or more financial institutions that is not an existing Lender (any such Lender or financial institution referred to in this Section 2.17(b) being called an “Incremental Term Lender”); provided that any such non-existing Lender or financial institution (A) must be an Eligible Assignee, (B) must have an Incremental Term Loan of at least $5,000,000 unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower and (C) must become an Incremental Term Lender under this Agreement by execution and delivery of an Incremental Term Loan Agreement; provided, further, that no Lender shall be required to become an Incremental Term Lender and any Lender or financial institution approached to provide an Incremental Term Loan may elect or decline, in its sole discretion, to provide such Incremental Term Loan.
(c) The Borrower and each Incremental Term Lender that has agreed to provide an Incremental Term Loan pursuant to such request shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Incremental Term Loan Agreement and such other documentation as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably specify to provide for the requested Incremental Term Loans.
(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Incremental Term Loan Agreement shall become effective and no Incremental Term Loans shall be provided under this Section 2.17 unless:
(i) no Default or Event of Default shall exist at the time of the request or at the time of the making of the proposed Incremental Term Loans;
(ii) all conditions precedent for a Borrowing set forth in Section 4.02 have been satisfied;
(iii) the Borrower shall have provided Incremental Term Loan Cash Collateral as required pursuant to Section 6.10 hereof and the Administrative Agent shall have received copies of the Collateral Documents or any amendments thereto that the Administrative Agent shall deem reasonably necessary, signed, to the extent applicable, by each of the parties thereto (or, in the case of any party as to which an executed counterpart shall not have been received, receipt by the Administrative Agent of telegraphic, telecopy, electronic communication or other written confirmation from such party of execution of a counterpart thereof by such party), in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;
(iv) the Administrative Agent shall have received customary legal opinions, resolutions and closing certificates and other documentation as it shall reasonably request, in each case in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and
(v) to the extent requested by any Incremental Term Lender making an Incremental Term Loan, the Borrower shall have executed and delivered Incremental Term Notes in favor of such Incremental Term Lenders evidencing such Incremental Term Loans.
