Determination of Excise Tax Liability Unless the Company and the Executive otherwise agree in writing, the Company will select a professional services firm (the “Firm”) to make all determinations required under this Section 6, which determinations will be conclusive and binding upon the Executive and the Company for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by this Section 6, the Firm 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 will furnish to the Firm such information and documents as the Firm reasonably may request in order to make determinations under this Section 6. The Company will bear the costs and make all payments for the Firm’s services in connection with any calculations contemplated by this Section 6. The Company will have no liability to the Executive for the determinations of the Firm.
Procedures and Presumptions for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification It is the intent of this Agreement to secure for Indemnitee rights of indemnity that are as favorable as may be permitted under the DGCL and public policy of the State of Delaware. Accordingly, the parties agree that the following procedures and presumptions shall apply in the event of any question as to whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement:
(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any failure of Indemnitee to provide such a request to the Company, or to provide such a request in a timely fashion, shall not relieve the Company of any liability that it may have to Indemnitee unless, and to the extent that, such failure actually and materially prejudices the interests of the Company.
(b) Upon the written request by Ixxxxxxxxx for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 6(a) hereof, a determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case by one of the following four methods, which shall be at the election of the Board (i) by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, (ii) by a committee of disinterested directors designated by a majority vote of the disinterested directors, even though less than a quorum, (iii) if there are no disinterested directors or if the disinterested directors so direct, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, or (iv) if so directed by the Board, by the stockholders of the Company. For purposes hereof, disinterested directors are those members of the Board who are not parties to the action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(c) If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 6(c). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board. Indemnitee may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 13 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If a written objection is made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Ixxxxxxxxx of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 6(a) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the courts located in the State of New York or other court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by Indemnitee to the Company’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 6(b) hereof. The Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 6(c), regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed.
(d) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its directors or independent legal counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(e) Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Ixxxxxxxxx’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise (as hereinafter defined), including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(e) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
(f) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 6 to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within 60 days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 60 day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days, if the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time to obtain or evaluate documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6(f) shall not apply if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to Section 6(b) of this Agreement and if (A) within 15 days after receipt by the Company of the request for such determination, the Board or the Disinterested Directors, if appropriate, resolve to submit such determination to the stockholders for their consideration at an annual meeting thereof to be held within 75 days after such receipt and such determination is made thereat, or (B) a special meeting of stockholders is called within 15 days after such receipt for the purpose of making such determination, such meeting is held for such purpose within 60 days after having been so called and such determination is made thereat.
(g) Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any Independent Counsel, member of the Board or stockholder of the Company shall act reasonably and in good faith in making a determination regarding Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification under this Agreement. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(h) The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.
(i) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Ixxxxxxxxx’s conduct was unlawful.
Procedure for Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification (a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. Indemnitee may submit one or more such requests from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. The officer of the Company receiving any such request from Indemnitee shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 10(a) above, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall promptly be made in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, which Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 2-418(e)(2)(ii) of the MGCL, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld; or (ii) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (A) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested Directors or, if such a quorum cannot be obtained, then by a majority vote of a duly authorized committee of the Board of Directors consisting solely of one or more Disinterested Directors, (B) if Independent Counsel has been selected by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 2-418(e)(2)(ii) of the MGCL and approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, by Independent Counsel, in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (C) if so directed by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors, by the stockholders of the Company. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination in the discretion of the Board of Directors or Independent Counsel if retained pursuant to clause (ii)(B) of this Section 10(b). Any Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company shall indemnify and hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(c) The Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel, if one is appointed.
Federal Excise Tax A. Any taxes (including (i) any taxes based on or imposed on, in whole or in part, the Reinsurer's net income or (ii) any excise taxes under Section 4371 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") with respect to the business covered under this Contract) imposed by any governmental entity in respect of amounts paid to the Reinsurer under this Contract will be the responsibility of the Reinsurer and the Company shall have no liability therefor. The Reinsurer will allow the Company to deduct, for the purpose of paying Federal Excise Tax the applicable percentage of any premium payable hereon (as imposed under Section 4371 of the Code) to the extent such premium is subject to such tax. Without limiting the foregoing, the Reinsurer shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Insured against any excise taxes imposed under Section 4371 of the Code with respect to the business covered under this Contract except to the extent any penalties applied or interest arising from the Company's negligence.
B. In the event of any return of premium becoming due hereunder the Reinsurer shall deduct the applicable percentage from the return premium payable hereon and the Company or its agent should take steps to recover the tax from the United States Government.
Standard of Care; Uncontrollable Events; Limitation of Liability SMC shall use reasonable professional diligence to ensure the accuracy of all services performed under this Agreement, but shall not be liable to the Company for any action taken or omitted by SMC in the absence of bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties. The duties of SMC shall be confined to those expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against SMC hereunder. SMC shall maintain adequate and reliable computer and other equipment necessary or appropriate to carry out its obligations under this Agreement. Upon the Company's reasonable request, SMC shall provide supplemental information concerning the aspects of its disaster recovery and business continuity plan that are relevant to the services provided hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any other provision of this Agreement, SMC assumes no responsibility hereunder, and shall not be liable for, any damage, loss of data, delay or any other loss whatsoever caused by events beyond its reasonable control. Events beyond SMC's reasonable control include, without limitation, force majeure events. Force majeure events include natural disasters, actions or decrees of governmental bodies, and communication lines failures that are not the fault of either party. In the event of force majeure, computer or other equipment failures or other events beyond its reasonable control, SMC shall follow applicable procedures in its disaster recovery and business continuity plan and use all commercially reasonable efforts to minimize any service interruption. SMC shall provide the Company, at such times as the Company may reasonably require, copies of reports rendered by independent public accountants on the internal controls and procedures of SMC relating to the services provided by SMC under this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event shall SMC, its affiliates or any of its or their directors, officers, employees, agents or subcontractors be liable for exemplary, punitive, special, incidental, indirect or consequential damages, or lost profits, each of which is hereby excluded by agreement of the parties regardless of whether such damages were foreseeable or whether either party or any entity has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Mitigation of Harmful Effects To mitigate, to the extent practicable, any harmful effect 8 that is known to CONTRACTOR of a use or disclosure of DHCS PI or PII by CONTRACTOR or its 9 subcontractors in violation of this Personal Information Privacy and Security Contract.
Determination of Entitlement to Indemnification To receive indemnification under this Agreement, the Indemnitee shall submit a written request to the Secretary of the Company. Such request shall include documentation or information that is necessary for such determination and is reasonably available to the Indemnitee. Upon receipt by the Secretary of the Company of a written request by the Indemnitee for indemnification, the entitlement of the Indemnitee to indemnification, to the extent not required pursuant to the terms of Section 6 or Section 8 of this Agreement, shall be determined by the following person or persons who shall be empowered to make such determination (as selected by the Board of Directors, except with respect to Section 9(e) below): (a) the Board of Directors of the Company by a majority vote of Disinterested Directors, whether or not such majority constitutes a quorum; (b) a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of such directors, whether or not such majority constitutes a quorum; (c) if there are no Disinterested Directors, or if the Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Indemnitee; (d) the stockholders of the Company; or (e) in the event that a Change in Control has occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Indemnitee. Such Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors and approved by the Indemnitee, except that in the event that a Change in Control has occurred, Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Indemnitee. Upon failure of the Board of Directors so to select such Independent Counsel or upon failure of the Indemnitee so to approve (or so to select, in the event a Change in Control has occurred), such Independent Counsel shall be selected upon application to a court of competent jurisdiction. The determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be made and, unless a contrary determination is made, such indemnification shall be paid in full by the Company not later than 60 calendar days after receipt by the Secretary of the Company of a written request for indemnification. If the person making such determination shall determine that the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification as to part (but not all) of the application for indemnification, such person shall reasonably prorate such partial indemnification among the claims, issues, or matters at issue at the time of the determination.
Certain Excise Taxes Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if Employee is a “disqualified individual” (as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code), and the payments and benefits provided for in this Agreement, together with any other payments and benefits which Employee has the right to receive from the Company or any of its affiliates, would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code), then the payments and benefits provided for in this Agreement shall be either (a) reduced (but not below zero) so that the present value of such total amounts and benefits received by Employee from the Company or any of its affiliates shall be one dollar ($1.00) less than three times Employee’s “base amount” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code) and so that no portion of such amounts and benefits received by Employee shall be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code or (b) paid in full, whichever produces the better net after-tax position to Employee (taking into account any applicable excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code and any other applicable taxes). The reduction of payments and benefits hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by reducing, first, payments or benefits to be paid in cash hereunder in the order in which such payment or benefit would be paid or provided (beginning with such payment or benefit that would be made last in time and continuing, to the extent necessary, through to such payment or benefit that would be made first in time) and, then, reducing any benefit to be provided in-kind hereunder in a similar order. The determination as to whether any such reduction in the amount of the payments and benefits provided hereunder is necessary shall be made by the Company in good faith. If a reduced payment or benefit is made or provided and through error or otherwise that payment or benefit, when aggregated with other payments and benefits from the Company or any of its affiliates used in determining if a “parachute payment” exists, exceeds one dollar ($1.00) less than three times Employee’s base amount, then Employee shall immediately repay such excess to the Company upon notification that an overpayment has been made. Nothing in this Section 24 shall require the Company to be responsible for, or have any liability or obligation with respect to, Employee’s excise tax liabilities under Section 4999 of the Code.
Excise Tax Limitation (a) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that the payments and benefits provided under this Agreement and benefits provided to, or for the benefit of, Executive under any other Employer plan or agreement (such payments or benefits are collectively referred to as the “Payments”) would be subject to the excise tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), the Payments shall be reduced (but not below zero) if and to the extent necessary so that no Payment to be made or benefit to be provided to Executive shall be subject to the Excise Tax (such reduced amount is hereinafter referred to as the “Limited Payment Amount”). Unless Executive shall have given prior written notice specifying a different order to Employer to effectuate the foregoing, Employer shall reduce or eliminate the Payments, by first reducing or eliminating the portion of the Payments which are not payable in cash and then by reducing or eliminating cash payments, in each case in reverse order beginning with payments or benefits which are to be paid the farthest in time from the Determination (as hereinafter defined). Any notice given by Executive pursuant to the preceding sentence shall take precedence over the provisions of any other plan, arrangement or agreement governing Executive’s rights and entitlements to any benefits or compensation.
(b) The determination of whether the Payments shall be reduced to the Limited Payment Amount pursuant to this Agreement and the amount of such Limited Payment Amount shall be made, at Employer’s expense, by a reputable accounting firm selected by Executive and reasonably acceptable to Employer (the “Accounting Firm”). The Accounting Firm shall provide its determination (the “Determination”), together with detailed supporting calculations and documentation to Employer and Executive within ten (10) days of the date of termination, if applicable, or such other time as specified by mutual agreement of Employer and Executive, and if the Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by Executive with respect to the Payments, it shall furnish Executive with an opinion reasonably acceptable to Executive that no Excise Tax will be imposed with respect to any such Payments. The Determination shall be binding, final and conclusive upon Employer and Executive.
Tax Liability and Withholding 8.1. The Grantee shall be required to pay to the Company, and the Company shall have the right to deduct from any compensation paid to the Grantee pursuant to the Plan, the amount of any required withholding taxes in respect of the Restricted Stock and to take all such other action as the Committee deems necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes. The Committee may permit the Grantee to satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding obligation by any of the following means, or by a combination of such means: (a) tendering a cash payment; (b) authorizing the Company to withhold shares of Common Stock from the shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable to the Grantee as a result of the vesting of the Restricted Stock; provided, however, that no shares of Common Stock shall be withheld with a value exceeding the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law; or (c) delivering to the Company previously owned and unencumbered shares of Common Stock.
8.2. Notwithstanding any action the Company takes with respect to any or all income tax, social insurance, payroll tax, or other tax-related withholding (“Tax-Related Items”), the ultimate liability for all Tax-Related Items is and remains the Grantee’s responsibility and the Company (a) makes no representation or undertakings regarding the treatment of any Tax-Related Items in connection with the grant or vesting of the Restricted Stock or the subsequent sale of any shares; and (b) does not commit to structure the Restricted Stock to reduce or eliminate the Grantee’s liability for Tax-Related Items.
