Financial Hardship (a) A Financial Hardship distribution may only be made on account of an immediate and heavy financial need of the Participant, and where the distribution is necessary to satisfy the immediate and heavy financial need. A Financial Hardship distribution will only be considered as necessary to satisfy an immediate and heavy financial need of the Participant if the distribution is not in excess of the amount of the immediate and heavy financial need (including amounts necessary to pay any federal, state or local income taxes or penalties reasonably anticipated to result from the distribution);
(b) Financial Hardship shall be determined in accordance with Code Section 403(b), and the regulations thereunder, and the Employer’s or Custodian’s hardship policy and procedures, if applicable. The following are the only financial needs considered immediate and heavy:
(1) expenses incurred (or necessary to obtain) for medical care that would be deductible under Code Section 213(d), determined without regard to the limitations in Code Section 213(a) (relating to the applicable percentage of adjusted gross income and the recipients of the medical care) provided that, if the recipient of the medical care is not listed in Code Section 213(a), the recipient is a primary beneficiary under the Plan (as that term is defined in Treas. Reg. 1 401(k)-1(d)(3)(ii)(C);
(2) costs directly related to the purchase (excluding mortgage payments) of a principal residence for the Participant;
(3) payment of tuition and related educational fees for the next twelve (12) months of post-secondary education for the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, children or dependents, or the Participant’s primary beneficiary;
(4) payment necessary to prevent the eviction of the Participant from, or a foreclosure on the mortgage of, the Participant’s principal residence;
(5) payments for funeral or burial expenses for the Participant’s deceased parent, spouse, child or dependent, or the Participant’s primary beneficiary;
(6) expenses to repair damage to the Participant’s principal residence that would qualify for a casualty loss deduction under Code Section 165 (determined without regard to whether the loss exceeds ten percent (10%) of adjusted gross income; and
(7) expenses and losses, including loss of income, incurred by the Participant on account of a disaster declared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provided that the Participant’s principal residence or principal place of employment at the time of the disaster was located in an area designated by FEMA for individual assistance with respect to the disaster.
Forfeiture of Benefits This Agreement is subject to termination by Company at any time and without stated cause prior to the date the Executive attains age 65, or such earlier date as the Executive and Company may mutually agree (the “Vesting Date”). In the event Company shall terminate this Agreement prior to the Vesting Date, Executive shall forfeit all rights to receive any payment provided for herein. Likewise, in the event Executive’s employment is terminated prior to his Vesting Date, either voluntarily or involuntarily, for reasons other than his death, Executive shall forfeit all rights to receive any payment provided for herein. Executive acknowledges and agrees that, prior to the earlier of his death or Vesting Date, nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring upon Executive any vested benefits or any vested rights to receive any payment provided for herein.
Timing of Release of Claims Whenever in this Agreement a payment or benefit is conditioned on the Executive’s execution and non-revocation of a release of claims, such as the separation agreement referenced in Section 11(a) hereof, such release must be executed and all revocation periods shall have expired within 60 days after the Date of Termination; failing which such payment or benefit shall be forfeited. If such payment or benefit constitutes Non-Exempt Deferred Compensation, then, subject to subsection (c) above, such payment or benefit (including any installment payments) that would have otherwise been payable during such 60-day period shall be accumulated and paid on the 60th day after the Date of Termination provided such release shall have been executed and such revocation periods shall have expired. If such payment or benefit is exempt from Section 409A of the Code, the Company may elect to make or commence payment at any time during such 60-day period.
Severance Benefit (a) If the employment of the Employee with the Company is terminated by the Company for any reason other than Cause (as defined below) or if the Employee terminates his or her employment with the Company for Good Reason (as defined below), the Company shall pay the Employee, from the date of termination, in addition to any payments to which the Employee is entitled under the Company’s severance pay plan, twelve (12) months of base salary at the Employee’s annual base salary level in effect at the time of such termination or immediately prior to the salary reduction that serves as the basis for termination for Good Reason. Employee will also be entitled to payment of an amount of cash equal to $20,000. The aggregate base salary and other cash amount payable shall be paid by the Company to the Employee in one lump sum on the first day following the six (6) month anniversary of the date of the Employee’s termination. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “termination” when used in the context of a condition to, or timing of, payment hereunder shall be interpreted to mean a “separation from service” as that term is used in Section 409A of the Code.
(b) Employee will also be entitled to twelve (12) months of health benefits continuation if terminated under circumstances described in subpart (a) above. To the extent any such benefits cannot be provided to the Employee on a non-taxable basis and the provision thereof would cause any part of the benefits to be subject to additional taxes and interest under Section 409A of the Code, then the provision of such benefits shall be deferred to the earliest date upon which such benefits can be provided without being subject to such additional taxes and interest.
(c) Solely for purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall include:
i. the conviction of a felony, a crime of moral turpitude or fraud or having committed fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement in connection with the performance of his duties hereunder,
ii. willful and repeated failures to substantially perform his assigned duties; or
iii. a violation of any provision of this Agreement or express significant policies of the Company.
(d) Solely for purposes of this Agreement, termination for “Good Reason” shall mean termination of employment by the Employee within ninety (90) days after:
Denial of Benefits Subject to prior notification and consultation, a Party may deny the benefits of this Chapter to: (a) investors of the other Party where the investment is being made by a enterprise that is owned or controlled by persons of a third State and the enterprise has no substantive business activities in the territory of the other Party; or (b) investors of the other Party where the investment is being made by a enterprise that is owned or controlled by persons of the denying Party.
Separation Benefits If this Agreement is terminated either by the Company without Cause in accordance with Section 6(c) (including the Company’s non-renewal of this Agreement) or by Employee resigning his employment for Good Reason in accordance with Section 6(d), the Company shall have no further obligation to Employee under this Agreement, except the Company shall provide the Accrued Obligations to Employee in accordance with Section 7(a) plus the following payments and benefits (collectively, the “Separation Benefits”) to Employee: (i) an amount equal to one times the sum of the Base Salary in effect immediately before the Termination Date plus the Annual Bonus received by Employee for the fiscal year preceding the Termination Date (or if Employee was employed for less than one full fiscal year prior to the Termination Date, the Annual Bonus for purposes of this Section 7 shall be the Annual Bonus payable during the current fiscal year at the target amount provided above) (together, the “Separation Pay”); and (ii) during the six-month period commencing on the Termination Date that Employee is eligible to elect and elects to continue coverage for himself and his eligible dependents under the Company’s group heath insurance plan pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), or similar state law, the Company shall reimburse Employee on a monthly basis for the difference between the amount Employee pays to effect and continue such coverage under COBRA and the employee contribution amount that active employees of the Company pay for the same or similar coverage; provided, however, that Employee shall notify the Company in writing within five days after he becomes eligible after the Termination Date for group health insurance coverage, if any, through subsequent employment or otherwise and the Company shall have no further reimbursement obligation after Employee becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage due to subsequent employment or otherwise. The Separation Pay shall be paid to Employee in a lump sum within 60 days of the Termination Date; provided, however, that no Separation Pay shall be paid to Employee unless the Company receives, on or within 55 days after the Termination Date, an executed and fully effective copy of the Release (as defined below). Any COBRA reimbursements due under this Section shall be made by the last day of the month following the month in which the applicable premiums were paid by Employee. For the avoidance of doubt, Employee shall not be entitled to the Separation Benefits if this Agreement is terminated (i) due to Employee’s death; (ii) by the Company due to Employee’s Inability to Perform; (iii) by the Company for Cause; (iv) by Employee without Good Reason; or (v) by non-renewal by Employee in accordance with Sections 4(b) and 6(f).
Form and Timing of Severance Benefits The Severance Benefits described in Sections 3.3(a), 3.3(b), and 3.3
Description of Severance Benefits In the event Executive becomes entitled under Sections 2.1 and 2.2 herein to receive Severance Benefits, the Company shall pay to Executive and provide him or her with the following benefits:
(a) A lump sum payment of accrued and unpaid Base Salary, any annual bonus award earned by Executive for a fiscal year of the Company that ended prior to Executive’s Effective Date of Termination that has not yet been paid, unused vacation or paid time off, and other accrued benefits through the Effective Date of Termination (together, the “Accrued Obligations”), paid on the same basis as paid upon any voluntary termination of employment. Such lump sum amount shall be paid in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll procedures.
(b) A lump sum amount equal to Executive’s annual bonus award earned as of the Effective Date of Termination, based on target performance (excluding any special bonus payments), except that the bonus will be prorated for the portion of the fiscal year during which Executive was actively employed. This payment will be in lieu of any other payment to be made to Executive under the annual bonus plan for such fiscal year in which Executive is then participating.
(c) A lump sum amount equal to two (2) multiplied by the sum of the following: (i) the higher of: (A) Executive’s Base Salary in effect upon the Effective Date of Termination, or (B) Executive’s Base Salary in effect on the date of the Change in Control; and (ii) the higher of: (A) Executive’s annual target bonus opportunity for the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs, or (B) the average of the actual annual bonuses earned (whether or not deferred) by Executive under the annual bonus plan (excluding any special bonus payments) in which Executive participated in the three (3) fiscal years of the Company preceding the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs. If Executive has less than three (3) years of annual bonus participation preceding the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs, then Executive’s annual target bonus established under the annual bonus plan in which Executive is then participating for the fiscal year of the Company in which Executive’s Effective Date of Termination occurs shall be used for each fiscal year that Executive did not participate in the annual bonus plan, up to a maximum of three (3) years, to calculate the three (3) year average bonus payment.
(i) Upon the consummation of the Change in Control, with respect to Executive’s equity-based long-term incentive awards that are outstanding on the Effective Date, immediate full vesting and lapse of all restrictions on any and all such awards (including but not limited to stock options, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock awards) held by Executive, and any performance conditions applicable to any such awards shall be deemed satisfied at target performance without proration. This provision shall override any conflicting language contained in Executive’s respective award agreements outstanding on the Effective Date and such award agreements are hereby deemed amended.
(ii) Upon the consummation of the Change in Control, with respect to Executive’s equity-based long-term incentive awards that are granted to Executive after the Effective Date, immediate full vesting and lapse of all restrictions on any and all such awards (including but not limited to stock options, stock appreciation rights and restricted stock awards) held by Executive and any performance conditions applicable to any such awards shall be deemed satisfied at target performance without proration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that a Replacement Award (as defined below) is provided to Executive to replace any then outstanding award (“Replaced Award”) in connection with the Change in Control, the Replaced Award held by Executive shall not become immediately vested and nonforfeitable.
Unforeseeable Emergency In the event of a Participant’s Unforeseeable Emergency, such Participant may request an emergency withdrawal from his or her Account. Any such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrator, which approval shall not be granted to the extent that such need may be relieved (i) through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise or (ii) by liquidation of the Participant’s assets (to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause severe financial hardship). A Participant may withdraw all or a portion of his or her Account due to an Unforeseeable Emergency; provided, however, that the withdrawal shall not exceed the amount reasonably needed to satisfy the need created by the Unforeseeable Emergency.
Separation from Employment You will, upon separation from employment with the Company and its subsidiaries for any reason (such as termination, resignation, death or disability) (each, a “Separation”), receive such salary and other benefits as have accrued as of the date and time of Separation, and as may otherwise be required by law, as well as such Salary, bonuses and benefits as may be due and owing under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the forgoing, in the event that the Company determines in good faith that your Separation is not considered a “separation from service” under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h) because (a) you have not separated but have changed status to a part time employee, consultant or independent contractor performing more than 20% of the average level of bona fide services (whether as an employee, consultant or independent contractor) you performed over the immediately preceding 36-month period, or (b) you are continuing employment with another entity that is considered a single entity with the Company (“Employer Group”) under Section 414(b) or (c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), any Severance Benefits to which you may be entitled under other provisions of this Agreement shall begin immediately when your status changes such that the Company determines that you have “separated from service” under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h). For this purpose, service performed as an employee or as an independent contractor is counted, except that service as a member of the board of directors of a member of the Employer Group is not counted unless termination benefits under this Agreement are aggregated for purposes of Section 409A of the Code with benefits under any other Employer Group plan or agreement in which you also participate as a director. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Agreement to the contrary, if you are a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and determined pursuant to procedures adopted by the Company) at the time of your separation from service and if any portion of the payments or benefits to be received by you upon separation from service would be considered deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, amounts that would otherwise be payable pursuant to this Agreement during the six-month period immediately following your separation from service shall instead be paid or made available, with interest at the Wall Street Journal prime rate as of the date of separation from service, on the earlier of (i) the first business day of the seventh month following the date of your separation from service or (ii) your death.
