Forfeiture of Awards The Restricted Stock Units granted hereunder (and gains earned or accrued in connection therewith) shall be subject to such generally applicable policies as to forfeiture and recoupment (including, without limitation, upon the occurrence of material financial or accounting errors, financial or other misconduct or Competitive Activity) as may be adopted by the Administrator or the Board from time to time and communicated to the Employee or as required by applicable law, and are otherwise subject to forfeiture or disgorgement of profits as provided by the Plan.
Reporting Subawards and Executive Compensation a. Reporting of first-tier subawards.
Forfeiture of Restricted Stock Units i. If the Participant’s employment is terminated by reason of the Retirement of the Participant before October 1, <Year_of_Grant>, then the Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited immediately and all rights of the Participant to such Units shall terminate immediately without further obligation on the part of the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company.
ii. If the Participant’s employment is terminated for any reason other than Retirement, Disability, or death, any Restricted Stock Units that are subject to a Restriction Period shall be forfeited immediately without further obligation on the part of the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company, and all rights of the Participant with respect to such Restricted Stock Units shall terminate. If the Participant is granted a leave of absence before the expiration of the Restriction Period, the Participant shall not forfeit any rights with respect to any Restricted Stock Units subject to the Restriction Period, except for Dividend Equivalent Payments as provided in Section 4 of this Agreement, unless the Participant’s employment with the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company terminates at any time during or at the end of the leave of absence and before the expiration of the Restriction Period, at which time all rights of the Participant with respect to such Restricted Stock Units shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company.
iii. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if the Participant’s employment is terminated by reason of the Retirement or Disability of the Participant, and the Participant Engages in Competing Employment within a period of two years following Retirement or Disability, and before the expiration of the Restriction Period, then any Restricted Stock Units subject to a Restriction Period shall be forfeited immediately and all rights of the Participant to such Units shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Corporation or any Subsidiary Company. A Participant “Engages in Competing Employment” if the Participant works for or provides services for any Competitor, on the Participant’s own behalf or on behalf of others, including, but not limited to, as a consultant, independent contractor, director, owner, officer, partner, joint venturer, or employee. For this purpose, a “Competitor” is any entity in the same line of business as the Corporation in North American markets in which the Corporation competes, including, but not limited to, any North American Class I rail carrier, any other rail carrier competing with the Corporation (including without limitation a holding or other company that controls or operates or is otherwise affiliated with any rail carrier competing with the Corporation), and any other provider of transportation services competing with Corporation, including motor and water carriers. Moreover, notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited immediately and all rights of the Participant to such Units shall terminate if:
A. the Participant’s employment is terminated by reason of the Retirement or Disability of the Participant before the expiration of the Restriction Period, and
B. it is determined that the Participant engaged in any of the following:
1. the Participant engaged in an act of fraud, embezzlement, or theft in connection with the Participant’s duties or in the course of the Participant’s employment with the Corporation or Subsidiary Company; or
2. the Participant disclosed confidential information in violation of a confidentiality agreement with the Corporation or a Subsidiary Company, or otherwise in violation of the law. A determination under this paragraph shall be made by the Committee with respect to a participant who was, at any time, employed at the level of Vice President or above, and this determination shall be made by the Vice President Human Resources with respect to all other participants, and in either situation upon consultation with the Corporation’s chief legal officer. Participant understands that nothing in this Agreement (1) prohibits or impedes Participant from reporting possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity (including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Congress, and any agency Inspector General), from making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal law or regulation, or from receiving a monetary award from the SEC related to participation in an SEC investigation or proceeding, or (2) requires Participant to obtain prior authorization of the Corporation to make any such reports or disclosures or to notify the Corporation of such reports or disclosures.
Forfeiture of RSUs If you (a) breach any restrictive covenant (which, for the avoidance of doubt, includes any non-compete, non-solicit, non-disparagement or confidentiality provisions) contained in any arrangements with the Company (including your Employment Agreement and the confidentiality covenant contained in Section 10(c) hereof) to which you are subject or (b) engage in fraud or willful misconduct that contributes materially to any financial restatement or material loss to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, your rights with respect to the RSUs shall immediately terminate, and you shall be entitled to no further payments or benefits with respect thereto and, if the RSUs are vested and/or settled, the Company may require you to forfeit or remit to the Company any amount payable, or the after-tax net amount paid or received by you, in respect of any RSUs; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall make such demand that you forfeit or remit any such amount no later than six months after learning of the conduct described in this Section 4 and (ii) in cases where cure is possible, you shall first be provided a 15-day cure period to cease, and to cure, such conduct.
Forfeiture; Recovery of Compensation (a) The Administrator may cancel, rescind, withhold or otherwise limit or restrict the Stock Option at any time if the Optionee is not in compliance with all applicable provisions of this Agreement and the Plan.
(b) By accepting the Stock Option, the Optionee expressly acknowledges and agrees that his or her rights, and those of any permitted transferee of the Stock Option, under the Stock Option, including to any Stock acquired under the Stock Option or proceeds from the disposition thereof, are subject to Section 6(a)(5) of the Plan (including any successor provision). Nothing in the preceding sentence shall be construed as limiting the general application of Section 8 of this Agreement.
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.
Equity Grants The Employee shall be granted as soon as practicable on or after the Effective Date, a stock option to purchase 734,900 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Option”) (which option shall be issued as an incentive stock option to the maximum extent allowed under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Code”)) pursuant to the Company’s 2011 Employee, Director and Consultant Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Option shall be granted with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. Twenty-Five percent (25%) of the Option shall be vested one year from the Effective Date and the remaining portion of such Option shall vest in equal monthly installments over a thirty-six (36) month period commencing on the first day of the month one year following the Effective Date, subject to continued employment by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in connection with a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan) or if a termination of the Employee occurs within two (2) months prior thereto, then the vesting of all equity then owned by the Employee shall accelerate with respect to one hundred percent (100%) of the unvested shares. In lieu of the Option at the request of the Employee, the Company shall issue restricted common stock. Restricted common stock will be issued at par value. If the equity to be issued is restricted common stock and not stock options, the number of shares of restricted common stock to be issued shall be calculated by determining the black scholes value of the grant as if it had been issued solely as stock options and dividing such number by the then current fair market value of the Company’s common stock so as to provide no additional benefit to the Employee for the non-payment of the exercise price. The Employee acknowledges and agrees that effective as of the date of the grant of the equity as set forth in the preceding paragraph, option agreement No. SP-0040 granted by the Company to the Employee as of April 30, 2011 shall be terminated and of no further force and effect. The Company acknowledges that any other options previously granted to the Employee that vest based upon the Employee providing consulting services to the Company shall continue to vest upon its terms as long as the Employee is providing services as a director, consultant or employee of the Company and that the definition of “cause” applicable to all such option agreements shall be the definition set forth herein and not as set forth in the 2008 Stock Incentive Plan.
Forfeiture of Award Section 4.1 If, at any time during the Award Recipient’s tenure as a director of the Company or within 18 months after termination of such tenure, the Award Recipient engages in any activity in competition with any activity of CenturyTel or its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), or inimical, contrary or harmful to the interests of the Company, including but not limited to: (a) conduct relating to the Award Recipient’s service on the Board for which either criminal or civil penalties against the Award Recipient may be sought, (b) conduct or activity that results in removal of the Award Recipient from the Board for cause, (c) violation of the Company’s policies, including, without limitation, the Company’s xxxxxxx xxxxxxx policy or corporate compliance program, (d) accepting employment after the date hereof with, acquiring a 5% or more equity or participation interest in, serving as a consultant, advisor, director or agent of, directly or indirectly soliciting or recruiting any officer of the Company who was employed at any time during the Award Recipient’s service on the Board, or otherwise assisting in any other capacity or manner any company or enterprise that is directly or indirectly in competition with or acting against the interests of the Company or any of its lines of business (a “competitor”), except for (A) any employment, investment, service, assistance or other activity that is undertaken at the request or with the written permission of the CenturyTel Board of Directors or (B) any assistance of a competitor that is provided in the ordinary course of the Award Recipient engaging in his or her principal occupation in the good faith and reasonable belief that such assistance will neither harm the Company’s interests in any substantial manner or violate any of the Award Recipient’s duties or responsibilities under the Company’s policies or applicable law, (e) disclosing or misusing any confidential information or material concerning the Company, (f) engaging in, promoting, assisting or otherwise participating in a hostile takeover attempt of the Company or any other transaction or proxy contest that could reasonably be expected to result in a Change of Control (as defined in the Plan) not approved by the CenturyTel Board of Directors or (g) making any statement or disclosing any information to any customers, suppliers, lessors, lessees, licensors, licensees, regulators, employees or others with whom the Company engages in business that is defamatory or derogatory with respect to the business, operations, technology, management, or other employees of the Company, or taking any other action that could reasonably be expected to injure the Company in its business relationships with any of the foregoing parties or result in any other detrimental effect on the Company, then (i) all unvested shares of Restricted Stock granted hereunder shall automatically terminate and be forfeited effective on the date on which the Award Recipient first engages in such activity and (ii) all shares of Common Stock acquired by the Award Recipient upon vesting of the Restricted Stock hereunder after the date that precedes by one year the date on which the Award Recipient’s tenure as a director of the Company terminated or the date the Award Recipient first engaged in such activity if no such termination occurs (or other securities into which such shares have been converted or exchanged) shall be returned to the Company or, if no longer held by the Award Recipient, the Award Recipient shall return to the Company, without interest, all cash, securities or other assets received by the Award Recipient upon the sale or transfer of such stock or securities.
Section 4.2 If the Award Recipient owes any amount to the Company under Section 4.1 above, the Award Recipient acknowledges that the Company may, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, deduct such amount from any amounts the Company owes the Award Recipient from time to time for any reason (including without limitation amounts owed to the Award Recipient as directors fees, reimbursements, retirement payments, or other compensation or benefits). Whether or not the Company elects to make any such set-off in whole or in part, if the Company does not recover by means of set-off the full amount the Award Recipient owes it, the Award Recipient hereby agrees to pay immediately the unpaid balance to the Company.
Section 4.3 The Award Recipient may be released from the Award Recipient’s obligations under Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above only if the CenturyTel Board of Directors determines in its sole discretion that such action is in the best interests of the Company.
Forfeiture of Restricted Stock In addition to the circumstance described in Section 9(a) hereof, any and all shares of Restricted Stock which have not become vested in accordance with Section 3, 4 or 5 hereof shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company upon the termination by the Grantee, the Company or its subsidiaries of the Grantee’s employment for any reason other than those set forth in Section 4 or other than without “Cause” prior to the date on which such shares of Restricted Stock would otherwise vest. All or any portion of the Restricted Stock may be forfeited by the Grantee prior to vesting at his or her sole discretion.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation (a) It is intended that any payment or benefit which is provided pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement which is considered to be deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be paid and provided in a manner, and at such time and form, as complies with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code to avoid the unfavorable tax consequences provided therein for non-compliance.
(b) Neither Company nor Executive shall take any action to accelerate or delay the payment of any monies and/or provision of any benefits in any manner which would not be in compliance with Section 409A of the Code (including any transition or grandfather rules thereunder).
(c) Because Executive is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, any payments to be made or benefits to be delivered in connection with Executive’s “Separation from Service” (as determined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code) that constitute deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall not be made until the earlier of (i) Executive’s death or (ii) six months after Executive’s Separation from Service (the “409A Deferral Period”) as required by Section 409A of the Code. Payments otherwise due to be made in installments or periodically during the 409A Deferral Period (“Delayed Payments”) shall be accumulated and paid in a lump sum as soon as the 409A Deferral Period ends, and the balance of the payment shall be made as otherwise scheduled. Any such benefits subject to the rule may be provided under the 409A Deferral Period at Executive’s expense, with Executive having a right to reimbursement from Company once the 409A Deferral Period ends, and the balance of the benefits shall be provided as otherwise scheduled. Any Delayed Payments shall bear interest at the United States 5-year Treasury Rate plus 2%, which accumulated interest shall be paid to Executive as soon as the 409A Deferral Period ends.
(d) For purposes of this Agreement, all rights to payments and benefits hereunder shall be treated as rights to receive a series of separate payments and benefits to the fullest extent allowed by Section 409A of the Code.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, neither Company nor its subsidiaries or affiliates shall be liable to Executive if any payment or benefit which is to be provided pursuant to this Agreement and which is considered deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code otherwise fails to comply with, or be exempt from, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
