Agreement to Continue in Force Both Parties shall adhere fully to the terms of this Agreement during the period of bona fide collective bargaining.
WELFARE BENEFITS Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for a period of twelve (12) months following the date of Involuntary Termination (and an additional twelve (12) months if the Executive provides consulting services under Section 14(f) hereof), the Executive and his dependents shall be provided with life, disability, accident and group medical benefits which are substantially similar to those provided to the Executive and his dependents immediately prior to the date of Involuntary Termination or the Change in Control Date, whichever is more favorable to the Executive. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the continuing benefits described in the preceding sentence shall be provided on substantially the same terms and conditions and at the same cost to the Executive as in effect immediately prior to the date of Involuntary Termination or the Change in Control Date, whichever is more favorable to the Executive. Such benefits shall be provided in a manner that complies with Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(a)(5). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Sempra Energy determines in its sole discretion that the portion of the foregoing continuing benefits that constitute group medical benefits cannot be provided without potentially violating applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act) or that the provision of such group medical benefits under this Agreement would subject Sempra Energy or any of its Affiliates to a material tax or penalty, (i) the Executive shall be provided, in lieu thereof, with a taxable monthly payment in an amount equal to the monthly premium that the Executive would be required to pay to continue the Executive’s and his covered dependents’ group medical benefit coverages under COBRA as then in effect (which amount shall be based on the premiums for the first month of COBRA coverage) or (ii) Sempra Energy shall have the authority to amend the Agreement to the limited extent reasonably necessary to avoid such violation of law or tax or penalty and shall use all reasonable efforts to provide the Executive with a comparable benefit that does not violate applicable law or subject Sempra Energy or any of its Affiliates to such tax or penalty.
