Retiree Medical Benefits If Executive is or would become fifty-five (55) or older and Executive's age and service equal sixty-five (65) and Executive has at least five (5) years of service with the Company within two (2) years of Change in Control, Executive is eligible for retiree medical benefits (as such are determined immediately prior to Change in Control). Executive is eligible to commence receiving such retiree medical benefits based on the terms and conditions of the applicable plans in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control.
Retiree Medical (i) The Executive shall be entitled to receive retiree medical benefits during the Executive’s lifetime in accordance with the eligibility requirements, terms and conditions, and plan offerings for access to retiree medical benefits provided generally to full-time employees of the Company. The Executive may cover the individual who is the Executive’s spouse as of the date of the Executive’s termination of employment (the “Spouse”) and/or the individuals who are the Executive’s dependent children as of the date of the Executive’s termination of employment (the “Dependents”), to the extent eligible at the time of the Executive’s retirement, according to the terms and conditions of the Company’s retiree medical benefit plan. The cost of such benefits for the Executive, the Executive’s Spouse and eligible Dependents, will be 100% of the premiums and will be reimbursed by the Company on an annual basis up to the date the Executive reaches Medicare eligibility due to age, at which point such reimbursement will cease. Such reimbursement shall be made in accordance with the Company’s reimbursement practices, and in all events no later than December 31 of the year following the year in which the premiums were incurred, and in accordance with the other requirements of Code Section 409A and Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv) (or any similar or successor provisions). Depending on the plan, all or a portion of the reimbursement may be taxable. Such benefits shall include prescription drug coverage, but not dental or vision benefits unless included in the medical plan.
(ii) Upon reaching Medicare eligibility due to age, Medicare shall become the primary payor of medical/prescription benefits for the Executive, the Executive’s Spouse or eligible Dependents as applicable, and the reimbursement of premiums for such coverage by the Company shall cease.
(iii) The Company reserves the right to modify, suspend or discontinue any and all retiree medical plans, practices, policies and programs at any time without recourse by the Executive, so long as the Company takes such action generally with respect to other similarly situated officers; provided that, if the Company terminates retiree access to medical and/or prescription benefits generally for retirees, the Executive shall be entitled to an annual reimbursement from the Company upon proof of continued coverage for comparable medical and/or prescription coverage under an individual policy or other group policy, subject to a maximum total reimbursement of one and one-half (1½) times the applicable premium of the plan in effect at the time retiree access is terminated at the applicable coverage level, and subject to maximum annual inflation adjustment thereafter of five percent (5%).
(iv) Upon the death of the Executive, a surviving Spouse will continue eligibility and reimbursement as described above. Surviving Dependent children will not receive premium reimbursement beyond the COBRA continuation period. For all other COBRA qualifying events other than the death of the Executive, reimbursement will cease upon commencement of the COBRA continuation period.
Qualified Plans With respect to each Employee Benefit Plan intended to qualify under Code Section 401(a) or 403(a) (i) the Internal Revenue Service has issued a favorable determination letter, true and correct copies of which have been furnished to Medical Manager, that such plans are qualified and exempt from federal income taxes; (ii) no such determination letter has been revoked nor has revocation been threatened, nor has any amendment or other action or omission occurred with respect to any such plan since the date of its most recent determination letter or application therefor in any respect which would adversely affect its qualification or materially increase its costs; (iii) no such plan has been amended in a manner that would require security to be provided in accordance with Section 401(a)(29) of the Code; (iv) no reportable event (within the meaning of Section 4043 of ERISA) has occurred, other than one for which the 30-day notice requirement has been waived; (v) as of the Effective Date, the present value of all liabilities that would be "benefit liabilities" under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA if benefits described in Code Section 411(d)(6)(B) were included will not exceed the then current fair market value of the assets of such plan (determined using the actuarial assumptions used for the most recent actuarial valuation for such plan); (vi) all contributions to, and payments from and with respect to such plans, which may have been required to be made in accordance with such plans and, when applicable, Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 of the Code, have been timely made; and (vii) all such contributions to the plans, and all payments under the plans (except those to be made from a trust qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code) and all payments with respect to the plans (including, without limitation, PBGC (as defined below) and insurance premiums) for any period ending before the Closing Date that are not yet, but will be, required to be made are properly accrued and reflected on the Current Balance Sheet.
Retiree Health Benefits 1. There is currently in effect a retiree health benefit program for retired members of LACERS under LAAC Division 4, Chapter 11. All covered employees who are members of LACERS, regardless of retirement tier, shall contribute to LACERS four percent (4%) of their pre-tax compensation earnable toward vested retiree health benefits as provided by this program. The retiree health benefit available under this program is a vested benefit for all covered employees who make this contribution, including employees enrolled in LACERS Tier 3.
2. With regard to LACERS Tier 1, as provided by LAAC Section 4.1111, the monthly Maximum Medical Plan Premium Subsidy, which represents the Kaiser 2-party non-Medicare Part A and Part B premium, is vested for all members who made the additional contributions authorized by LAAC Section 4.1003(c).
3. Additionally, with regard to Tier 1 members who made the additional contribution authorized by LAAC Section 4.1003(c), the maximum amount of the annual increase authorized in LAAC Section 4.1111(b) is a vested benefit that shall be granted by the LACERS Board.
4. With regard to LACERS Tier 3, the Implementing Ordinance shall provide that all Tier 3 members shall contribute to LACERS four percent (4%) of their pre-tax compensation earnable toward vested retiree health benefits, and shall amend LAAC Division 4, Chapter 11 to provide the same vested benefits to all Tier 3 members as currently are provided to Tier 1 members who make the same four percent (4%) contribution to LACERS under the retiree health benefit program.
5. The entitlement to retiree health benefits under this provision shall be subject to the rules under LAAC Division 4, Chapter 11 in effect as of the effective date of this provision, and the rules that shall be placed into LAAC Division 4, Chapters 10 and 11, with regard to Tier 3, by the Implementing Ordinance.
6. As further provided herein, the amount of employee contributions is subject to bargaining in future MOU negotiations.
7. The vesting schedule for the Maximum Medical Plan Premium Subsidy for employees enrolled in LACERS Tier 1 and LACERS Tier 3 shall be the same.
8. Employees whose Health Service Credit, as defined in LAAC Division 4, Chapter 11, is based on periods of part-time and less than full-time employment, shall receive full, rather than prorated, Health Service Credit for periods of service. The monthly retiree medical subsidy amount to which these employees are entitled shall be prorated based on the extent to which their service credit is prorated due to their less than full time status.
WELFARE PLAN Section 1: The Plan
Section 2: Joint Welfare Board
Special Parental Allowance for Totally Disabled Employees (a) An employee who:
(i) fails to satisfy the eligibility requirement specified in subparagraph 17.05(a)(ii) solely because a concurrent entitlement to benefits under the Disability Insurance (DI) Plan, the Long-term Disability (LTD) Insurance portion of the Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) or via the Government Employees Compensation Act prevents the employee from receiving Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits, and
(ii) has satisfied all of the other eligibility criteria specified in paragraph 17.05(a), other than those specified in sections (A) and (B) of subparagraph 17.05(a)(iii), shall be paid, in respect of each week of benefits under the parental allowance not received for the reason described in subparagraph (i), the difference between ninety-three per cent (93%) of the employee's rate of pay and the gross amount of his or her weekly disability benefit under the DI Plan, the LTD Plan or via the Government Employees Compensation Act.
(b) An employee shall be paid an allowance under this clause and under clause 17.05 for a combined period of no more than the number of weeks during which the employee would have been eligible for parental, paternity or adoption benefits under the Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan, had the employee not been disqualified from Employment Insurance or Québec Parental Insurance Plan benefits for the reasons described in subparagraph (a)(i).
Deferral Pending Change in Control The obligation of the Company to prepay Notes pursuant to the offers required by subparagraph (b) and accepted in accordance with subparagraph (d) of this Section 8.7 is subject to the occurrence of the Change in Control in respect of which such offers and acceptances shall have been made. In the event that such Change in Control does not occur on the Proposed Prepayment Date in respect thereof, the prepayment shall be deferred until and shall be made on the date on which such Change in Control occurs. The Company shall keep each holder of Notes reasonably and timely informed of (i) any such deferral of the date of prepayment, (ii) the date on which such Change in Control and the prepayment are expected to occur, and (iii) any determination by the Company that efforts to effect such Change in Control have ceased or been abandoned (in which case the offers and acceptances made pursuant to this Section 8.7 in respect of such Change in Control shall be deemed rescinded).
Welfare Plans Effective as of the Closing Date, Purchaser shall provide group health, life insurance, long term disability and other welfare and fringe benefit plan coverage and benefits (for the purposes of this Section 6.8, “Purchaser’s Health, Welfare and Fringe Benefit Plans”) for Newsprint Employees and Apache Employees who are offered and accept employment with Purchaser as of the Closing Date and who otherwise qualify for such coverage or benefits. In the case of Hourly Newsprint Employees and Hourly Apache Employees, such coverage or benefits shall provide substantially comparable coverage and benefits in the aggregate as Seller’s health, life insurance, welfare and fringe benefit plans provide (for the purposes of this Section 6.8, “Seller’s Health, Welfare and Fringe Benefit Plans”) and otherwise comply with the relevant Collective Bargaining Agreements and in part shall provide for Purchaser’s assumption and continuation of Seller’s Health, Welfare and Fringe Benefit Plans covering Hourly Newsprint Employees and Hourly Apache Employees. In the case of Salaried Employees, Purchaser shall offer substantially comparable coverage and benefits in the aggregate as provided under Seller’s Health, Welfare and Fringe Benefit Plans, except for including retiree health and retiree life insurance. Purchaser may assume and continue any or all of Seller’s Health, Welfare and Fringe Benefit Plans, except for Seller’s health and dental benefits for Salaried Employees, coverage under which shall be provided to Retained Employees and Hired Employees in accordance with the terms of the Transitional Services Agreement. A Newsprint Employee’s or Apache Employee’s last continuous period of service with Seller or Apache shall be counted as if it had been service for Purchaser in determining eligibility for the coverage and benefits set forth in this Section 6.8. Attached as Schedule 6.8 is a list of the last continuous period of service of Newsprint Employees and Apache Employees as of the date set forth on Schedule 6.8. If Purchaser assumes and continues one or more of Seller’s Health, Welfare and Fringe Benefit Plans, the parties shall enter into the Welfare Benefit Plans Assignment and Assumption Agreement in this regard.
Employee Matters; Benefit Plans (a) Subject to applicable Legal Requirements, the employment of each of the Company’s employees is terminable by the Company at will. The Company is not a party to, nor is currently negotiating in connection with entering into, any collective bargaining agreement or other Contract with a labor organization or work council representing any of its employees and there are no labor organizations representing, purporting to represent or, to the knowledge of the Company, seeking to represent any employees of the Company. Since January 1, 2019, there has not been any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, material labor dispute or any union organizing activity, or any threat thereof, in each case, involving any of the Company’s employees. There is not now pending, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no Person has threatened in writing to commence, any such strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, material labor dispute or union organizing activity or any similar activity or dispute.
(b) Since January 1, 2019, there has been no material Legal Proceeding pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing relating to the employment or engagement of any Company Associate. Since January 1, 2019, the Company has complied with all applicable Legal Requirements related to employment, including employment practices, payment of wages and hours of work, leaves of absence, plant closing notification, privacy rights, labor dispute, workplace safety, retaliation, immigration, and discrimination matters, except any lack of compliance which has not had and would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(c) Section 3.16(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a complete and accurate list of each Employee Plan. The Company has either delivered or made available to Parent or Parent’s Representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement with respect to each Employee Plan, accurate and complete copies of the following, as relevant: (i) all plan documents and all amendments thereto, and all related trust, insurance or other funding documents, and all amendments thereto; (ii) the most recent determination letter or opinion letter received from the IRS; (iii) for the three most recent plan years, (A) the annual actuarial or other valuation reports, (B) the IRS Form 5500 and all schedules thereto and (C) audited financial statements; (iv) the most recent summary plan descriptions and any material modifications thereto; (v) the most recent nondiscrimination tests required to be performed under the Code; and (vi) any material non-routine communications with any Governmental Body regarding any Employee Plan.
(d) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has at any time sponsored, maintained, contributed to, or been required to contribute to, or had any liability in respect of, (i) an “employee pension benefit plan” (as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA, Code Section 412 or Section 302 of ERISA, including any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 4001 of ERISA. No Employee Plan is a (i) a “multiple employer plan” as defined in Section 413(c) of the Code, or (ii) a “multiple employer welfare arrangement” within the meaning of Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(e) Each Employee Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has obtained a favorable determination letter (or opinion letter, if applicable) as to its qualified status under the Code. Each Employee Plan is now and has been operated, maintained, and administered in compliance in all material respects with its terms and all applicable Legal Requirements, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code. No non-exempt “prohibited transaction” (within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the code) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Employee Plan.
(f) Except to the extent required under Section 601 et seq. of ERISA or 4980B of the Code (or any other similar state or local Legal Requirement) at the participant’s sole expense, neither the Company nor any Employee Plan has any present or future obligation to provide post-employment welfare benefits to or make any payment to, or with respect to any Company Associate.
(g) Since January 1, 2019, all individuals who perform or have performed services for the Company have been properly classified under applicable law as (i) employees or independent contractors and (ii) for employees, as an “exempt” employee or a “non-exempt” employee (within the meaning of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and applicable state laws), and no such individual has been improperly included or excluded from any Employee Plan, except for misclassifications, non-compliance or exclusions which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and the Company has not received notice of any pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened inquiry or audit from any Governmental Body concerning such classifications.
(h) The Company maintains no obligations to gross-up or reimburse any individual for any tax or related interest or penalties incurred by such individual under Sections 409A or 4999 of the Code.
(i) Each “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” maintained by the Company has been at all times in material documentary and operational compliance with the requirements of Code Section 409A and the guidance provided thereunder.
(j) The consummation of the Transactions (including in combination with other events or circumstances) will not (i) result in any payment or benefit becoming due to any Company Associate or under any Employee Plan, (ii) increase any amount of compensation or benefits otherwise payable to any Company Associate or under any Employee Plan, (iii) result in the acceleration of the time of payment, funding or vesting of any benefits to any current or former employee, contractor or director of the Company or under any Employee Plan, (iv) limit the right to modify, amend or terminate any Employee Plan (except any limitations imposed by applicable Legal Requirements, if any).
(k) The consummation of the Transactions (including in combination with other events or circumstances) will not result in the payment of any amount that could, individually or in combination with any other payment or benefit, constitute an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, result in the payment of an excise tax by any Person under Section 4999 of the Code or any amount that would not be deductible under Section 280G of the Code.
(l) With respect to any Employee Plan, (i) no Legal Proceeding (other than routine claims for benefits in the ordinary course) are pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against any Employee Plan, the assets of any of the trusts under such plans or the plan sponsor or administrator, or against any fiduciary of any Employee Plan with respect to the operation thereof, and (ii) no facts or circumstances exist that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any such Legal Proceeding.
Retirement Plans (a) In connection with the individual retirement accounts, simplified employee pension plans, rollover individual retirement plans, educational IRAs and XXXX individual retirement accounts (“XXX Plans”), 403(b) Plans and money purchase and profit sharing plans (“Qualified Plans”) (collectively, the “Retirement Plans”) within the meaning of Section 408 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) sponsored by a Fund for which contributions of the Fund’s shareholders (the “Participants”) are invested solely in Shares of the Fund, Transfer Agent shall provide the following administrative services:
(i) Establish a record of types and reasons for distributions (i.e., attainment of eligible withdrawal age, disability, death, return of excess contributions, etc.);
(ii) Record method of distribution requested and/or made;
(iii) Receive and process designation of beneficiary forms requests;
(iv) Examine and process requests for direct transfers between custodians/trustees, transfer and pay over to the successor assets in the account and records pertaining thereto as requested;
(v) Prepare any annual reports or returns required to be prepared and/or filed by a custodian of a Retirement Plan, including, but not limited to, an annual fair market value report, Forms 1099R and 5498; and file same with the IRS and provide same to Participant/Beneficiary, as applicable; and
(vi) Perform applicable federal withholding and send Participants/Beneficiaries an annual TEFRA notice regarding required federal tax withholding.
(b) Transfer Agent shall arrange for PFPC Trust Company to serve as custodian for the Retirement Plans sponsored by a Fund.
(c) With respect to the Retirement Plans, Transfer Agent shall provide each Fund with the associated Retirement Plan documents for use by the Fund and Transfer Agent shall be responsible for the maintenance of such documents in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
