Equity Plans Executive shall be entitled to participate in any equity or other employee benefit plan that is generally available to senior executive officers, as distinguished from general management, of the Company. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, Executive’s participation in and benefits under any such plan shall be on the terms and subject to the conditions specified in the governing document of the particular plan.
Company Plans Section 1.11(a)................ 6 Company................................Preamble....................... 1
Option Plans There is no share option plan or similar plan to acquire any additional shares or units or other equity interests, as the case may be, of IEM or securities convertible or exercisable into or exchangeable for, or which otherwise confer on the holder thereof any right to acquire, any such additional shares or units or equity interests, as the case may be.
Benefit Plans (i) Section 3.2(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list of each material Company Benefit Plan. A “Company Benefit Plan” is a Benefit Plan (x) maintained, entered into or contributed to by Company or any of its Subsidiaries under which any present or former employee, director, independent contractor or consultant of Company or any of its Subsidiaries has any present or future right to benefits or (y) under which Company or any of its Subsidiaries could reasonably be expected to have any present or future liability. No Company Benefit Plan is subject to Section 302 or Title IV of ERISA of section 412 of the Code. No Company Benefit Plan is a multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA or a multiple employer welfare arrangement as defined in Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(ii) With respect to each material Company Benefit Plan, Company has made available to Parent a current, accurate and complete copy thereof, and, to the extent applicable: (A) any related trust agreement or other funding instrument; (B) the most recent determination letter, if applicable; (C) any summary plan description and summaries of material modifications; and (D) the most recent year’s Form 5500 and attached schedules and audited financial statements. Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on Company, each Company Benefit Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and the plan as currently in effect has received a favorable determination letter to that effect from the Internal Revenue Service and Company is not aware of any reason why any such determination letter should be revoked or not be reissued. Each Company Benefit Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and with the requirements prescribed by any and all statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including ERISA and the Code, which are applicable to such Company Benefit Plan with such exceptions as would not be reasonable expected to have a material adverse effect on Company. No events have occurred with respect to any Company Benefit Plan that could result in payment or assessment by or against Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate (as defined in paragraph (v) below) of any excise taxes under Sections 4972, 4975, 4976, 4977, 4979, 4980B, 4980D, 4980E or 5000 of the Code with such exceptions as would not be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on Company.
(iii) With respect to the Company Benefit Plans, individually and in the aggregate, no event has occurred and there exists no condition or set of circumstances in connection with which Company or any of its Subsidiaries could be subject to any liability that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on Company under ERISA, the Code or any other applicable law.
(iv) There is no contract, plan or arrangement (whether or not written) covering any employee or former employee of Company or any of its Subsidiaries that, individually or collectively, could give rise to the payment of any amount that would not be deductible pursuant to the terms of Section 280G or 162(m) of the Code, as a result of the transactions contemplated hereby alone or together with any other event.
(v) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (A) no liability under Title IV or section 302 of ERISA has been incurred by Company, or by any trade or business, whether or not incorporated, that together with Company would be deemed a “single employer” within the meaning of section 4001(b) of ERISA (a “Company ERISA Affiliate”), that has not been satisfied in full, and (B) no condition exists that presents a risk to Company or any Company ERISA Affiliate of incurring any such liability.
(vi) There is no current or projected liability in respect of post-employment or post-retirement health or medical or life insurance benefits for retired, former or current employees of Company or its Subsidiaries, except as required to avoid excise tax under Section 4980B of the Code.
(vii) All contributions and payments due under each Company Benefit Plan, determined in accordance with prior funding and accrual practices, as adjusted to include proportional accruals for the period ending on the Effective Time, will be discharged and paid on or prior to the Effective Time except to the extent accrued as a liability in accordance with ordinary Company practice.
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.
Other Plans No amounts of income received by the Optionee pursuant to this Grant Agreement shall be considered compensation for purposes of any pension or retirement plan, insurance plan or any other employee benefit plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, unless otherwise expressly provided in such plan.
Employees and Employee Benefit Plans (a) The Company Employee Plans that the Company has made available to Parent are true and correct copies of such Company Employee Plans. For each material Company Employee Plan, the Company will, within ten (10) Business Days of this Agreement, make available to Parent a copy of such plan (or a description, if such plan is not written) and all amendments thereto, together with a copy of (if applicable) (i) each trust, insurance or other funding arrangement, (ii) each summary plan description and summary of material modifications, (iii) the most recently filed IRS Forms 5500, (iv) the most recent favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS, (v) the most recently prepared actuarial reports and financial statements in connection with each such Company Employee Plan, and (vi) all material documents and correspondence relating thereto received from or provided to any Governmental Authority during the past year.
(b) The Company will provide to Parent a list, within ten (10) Business Days of the date of this Agreement, containing with respect to each Key Employee: (i) name, (ii) date of hire, (iii) position, (iv) employment location, (v) base salary or wage rate, (vi) the current incentive opportunities of such employee and (vii) the legal entity that employs such employee.
(c) Neither the Company nor any of its ERISA Affiliates (nor any predecessor of any such entity) sponsors, maintains, administers or contributes to (or has any obligation to contribute to), or in the past six years has, sponsored, maintained, administered or contributed to (or had any obligation to contribute to), any plan subject to Title IV of ERISA, including any multiemployer plan, as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA.
(d) Each Company Employee Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code has received a favorable determination or opinion letter from the IRS or has applied to the IRS for such a letter within the applicable remedial amendment period or such period has not expired and, to the knowledge of the Company, no circumstances exist that would reasonably be expected to result in any such letter being revoked or not being reissued or a penalty under the IRS Closing Agreement Program if discovered during an IRS audit or investigation. Each trust created under any such Company Employee Plan is exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Code and has been so exempt since its creation.
(e) Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, since January 1, 2017, each Company Employee Plan has been maintained in compliance with its terms and all Applicable Law. Except as has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, no Proceeding (other than routine claims for benefits and including an audit) is pending against or involves or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened against or reasonably expected to involve, any Company Employee Plan before any court or arbitrator or any Governmental Authority. To the knowledge of the Company, since January 1, 2017, no events have occurred with respect to any Company Employee Plan that would reasonably be expected to result in the assessment of any excise taxes or penalties against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, except for events that have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(f) With respect to each director, officer, employee or independent contractor (including each former director, officer, employee or independent contractor) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, the consummation of the Transactions will not, either alone or together with any other event: (i) entitle any such individual to any payment or benefit, including any bonus, retention, severance, retirement or job security payment or benefit, (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting or trigger any payment or funding (through a grantor trust or otherwise) of compensation or benefits under, or materially increase the amount payable or trigger any other obligation under, any Company Employee Plan or (iii) limit or restrict the right of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or, after the Closing, Parent to merge, amend or terminate any Company Employee Plan.
(g) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any current or projected liability for, and no Company Employee Plan provides or promises, any post-employment or post-retirement medical, dental, disability, hospitalization, life or similar benefits (whether insured or self-insured) to any director, officer, employee or individual independent contractor (including any former director, officer, employee or individual independent contractor) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than coverage mandated by Applicable Law).
(h) There has been no amendment to, written interpretation of or announcement (whether or not written) by the Company or any of its Affiliates relating to, or making a change in employee participation or coverage under, any Company Employee Plan that would materially increase the expense of maintaining such plan above the level of expense incurred in respect thereof for the fiscal year ended on the Company Balance Sheet Date, except as required in order to comply with Applicable Law.
(i) Without limiting the generality of Section 4.22(e), no amount paid or payable (whether in cash, in property, or in the form of benefits) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Transactions (either solely as a result thereof or as a result of such transactions in conjunction with any other event) will be an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has any obligation to gross-up, indemnify or otherwise reimburse any current or former Company Service Provider for any tax incurred by such individual.
(j) Except as would not be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect, each Company Employee Plan, and any award thereunder, that is or forms part of a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code has been timely amended (if applicable) to comply and has been operated in compliance with, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in practice and operation with, all applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(k) With respect to any Company Employee Plan covered by Subtitle B, Part 4 of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, no non-exempt prohibited transaction has occurred that has caused or would reasonably be expected to cause the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to incur any material liability under ERISA or the Code.
(l) Each Company Employee Plan that is an International Plan (i) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and Applicable Law, (ii) if intended to qualify for special tax treatment, meets all the requirements for such treatment, and (iii) if required, to any extent, to be funded, book-reserved or secured by an insurance policy, is fully funded, book-reserved or secured by an insurance policy, as applicable, based on reasonable actuarial assumptions in accordance with applicable accounting principles, in each case, except as would not be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Company Material Adverse Effect.
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.
Meal Plans Residents living in Residence Facility are required to purchase a College meal plan. Information regarding the meal plan options can be found at xxx.xxx.xxx/xxxxxxx.
Company Stock Plans (a) Each option to purchase Company Common Stock (“Company Stock Options”) granted under any stock option plans or other equity-related plans of the Company (the “Company Stock Plans”), whether vested or unvested, that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become fully vested and be cancelled as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (without regard to the exercise price of such Company Stock Option) in exchange for the right to receive at the Effective Time, in accordance with this Section 2.9, a lump sum cash payment in the amount of the Option Consideration (as defined below), if any, with respect to such Company Stock Option.
(b) Each holder of a Company Stock Option shall receive from the Purchaser or the Parent, in respect and in consideration of each Company Stock Option so cancelled, promptly following the Effective Time (but in any event not later than 10 Business Days), an amount (net of applicable taxes) equal to the product of (i) the excess, if any, of (A) the Merger Consideration per share of Company Common Stock over (B) the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Stock Option, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Stock Option (whether or not then vested or exercisable), without any interest thereon (the “Option Consideration”). In the event that the exercise price of any Company Stock Option is equal to or greater than the Merger Consideration, such Company Stock Option shall be cancelled, without any consideration being payable in respect thereof, and have no further force or effect.
(c) As soon as practicable following the execution of this Agreement, the Company shall mail to each Person who is a holder of Company Stock Options a letter describing the treatment of and payment for such Company Stock Options pursuant to this Section 2.9 and providing instructions for use in obtaining payment for such Company Stock Options, which letter shall be subject to the Parent’s prior review and comment. The Parent shall at all times from and after the Effective Time maintain sufficient liquid funds to satisfy its obligations to holders of Company Stock Options pursuant to this Section 2.9.
(d) Each Restricted Share granted pursuant to the Company Stock Plans outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall become fully vested and free of any vesting or other lapse restrictions immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(e) If the Effective Time occurs on or before the “Exercise Date” relating to the applicable “Plan Period” in effect as of the date of this Agreement (as such terms are defined in the Company ESPP) and there are “Options” (as defined in the Company ESPP) then outstanding with respect to such Plan Period, the Company Board shall, prior to such Effective Time, take such actions as are necessary to provide that all outstanding Options shall be cancelled as of the Closing Date, provided that notice of such cancellation shall be given to each holder of an Option, and to the extent that such holder does not elect to withdraw his or her participation in the Company ESPP prior to the Effective Time, then such Option shall be deemed to have been exercised in full on the Closing Date based on payroll deductions then credited to his or her account as of a date determined by the Company Board, which date shall not be less than ten (10) days preceding the Closing Date. The Company Board shall terminate the Company ESPP prior to the Effective Time. No new “Plan Period” shall commence after the date of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, “Company ESPP” means the Company’s Restated 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(f) As of the Effective Time, the Company Stock Plans shall terminate and all rights under any provision of any other plan, program or arrangement providing for the issuance or grant of any other interest in respect of the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company shall be cancelled.
