(c) Request for Review. Within sixty (60) days after the receipt by the Claimant of the written opinion described above, the Claimant may request in writing that the Plan Administrator review its determination. The Claimant or his duly authorized representative may, but need not, review the pertinent documents and submit issues and comments in writing for consideration by the Plan Administrator. If the Claimant does not request a review of the initial determination within such sixty (60) day period, the Claimant shall be barred and estopped from challenging the determination.
(d) Review of Decision. Within sixty (60) days after the Plan Administrator’s receipt of a request for review, it will review the initial determination. After considering all materials presented by the Claimant, the Plan Administrator will render a written opinion, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the Claimant, setting forth the specific reasons for the decision and containing specific references to the pertinent provisions of this Agreement on which the decision is based. If special circumstances require that the sixty (60) day time period be extended, the Plan Administrator will so notify the Claimant and will render the decision as soon as possible, but no later than one hundred twenty (120) days after receipt of the request for review.
11.4. Designation of Benefit. Each Participant may designate a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries (which Beneficiary may be an entity other than a natural person) to receive any payments which may be made following the Participant’s death. Such designation may be changed or canceled at any time without the consent of any such Beneficiary. Any such designation, change or cancellation must be made in a form approved by the Plan Administrator and shall not be effective until received by the Plan Administrator, or its designee. If no Beneficiary has been named, or the designated Beneficiary or Beneficiaries shall have predeceased the Participant, the Beneficiary shall be the Participant’s estate. If a Participant designates more than one Beneficiary, the interests of such Beneficiaries shall be paid in equal shares, unless the Participant has specifically designated otherwise.
11.5. Limitation of Participant’s Right. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed as conferring upon any Participant any right to continue in Service or to continue to serve as a Trustee, nor shall it interfere with the rights of the Company to terminate the employment of any Participant and/or to take any personnel action affecting any Participant without regard to the effect which such action may have upon such Participant as a recipient or prospective recipient
of benefits under the Plan. Any amounts payable hereunder shall not be deemed salary or other compensation to a Participant for the purposes of computing benefits to which the Participant may be entitled under any other arrangement established by the Employer for the benefit of its employees.
11.6. No Limitation on Company Actions. Nothing contained in the Plan shall be construed to prevent the Company from taking any action which is deemed by it to be appropriate or in its best interest. No Participant, Beneficiary, or other person shall have any claim against the Company as a result of such action.
11.7. Obligations to Company. If a Participant becomes entitled to a distribution of benefits under the Plan, and if at such time the Participant has outstanding any debt, obligation, or other liability representing an amount owing to the Employer, then the Employer may offset such amount owed to it against the amount of benefits otherwise distributable. Such determination shall be made by the Plan Administrator.
11.8. Nonalienation of Benefits. Except as expressly provided herein, no Participant or Beneficiary shall have the power or right to transfer (otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution), alienate, or otherwise encumber the Participant’s or Beneficiary’s interest under the Plan. The Company’s obligations under this Plan are not assignable or transferable, except to (a) any corporation or partnership which acquires all or substantially all of the Company’s assets or (b) any corporation or partnership into which the Company may be merged or consolidated. A Participant’s or Beneficiary’s interest under the Plan is not assignable or transferable pursuant to a domestic relations order. The provisions of the Plan shall inure to the benefit of each Participant and the Participant’s Beneficiaries, heirs, executors, administrators or successors in interest.
11.9. Protective Provisions. Each Participant shall cooperate with the Company by furnishing any and all information requested by the Company in order to facilitate the payment of benefits hereunder, taking such physical examinations as the Company may deem necessary and taking such other relevant action as may be requested by the Company. If a Participant refuses to cooperate, the Company shall have no further obligation to the Participant under the Plan, other than payment to such Participant of the then current balance of the Participant’s Distribution Option Accounts in accordance with his prior elections.
11.10. Taxes. The Company may make such provisions and take such action as it may deem appropriate for the withholding of any taxes which the Company is required by any law or regulation of any governmental authority, whether Federal, state or local, to withhold in connection with any benefits under the Plan, including, but not limited to, the withholding of appropriate sums from any amount otherwise payable to the Participant (or his Beneficiary). Each Participant, however, shall be responsible for the payment of all individual tax liabilities relating to any such benefits.
11.11. Unfunded Status of Plan. The Plan is an “unfunded” plan for tax and Employee Retirement Income Security Act purposes. This means that the value of a Participant’s Distribution Option Accounts is based on the value assigned to a hypothetical bookkeeping account, which is invested in hypothetical shares of investments funds available under the Plan. As the nature of the investment fund which forms the “index” or “meter” for the
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valuation of the bookkeeping account changes, the valuation of the bookkeeping account changes as well. The amount owed to a Participant is based on the value assigned to the bookkeeping account. Brandywine Realty Trust may decide to use a “rabbi trust” to anticipate its potential Plan liabilities, and it may attempt to have Plan investments mirror the hypothetical investments deemed credited to the bookkeeping accounts. However, the liability to pay the benefits is Brandywine Realty Trusts’, and the assets of the rabbi trust are potentially available to satisfy the claims of non-participant creditors of Brandywine Realty Trust.
11.12. Severability. If any provision of this Plan is held unenforceable, the remainder of the Plan shall continue in full force and effect without regard to such unenforceable provision and shall be applied as though the unenforceable provision were not contained in the Plan.
11.13. Governing Law. The Plan shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without reference to the principles of conflict of laws.
11.14. Headings. Headings are inserted in this Plan for convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in the construction of the provisions of the Plan.
11.15. Gender, Singular and Plural. All pronouns and any variations thereof shall be deemed to refer to the masculine, feminine, or neuter, as the identity of the person or persons may require. As the context may require, the singular may read as the plural and the plural as the singular.
11.16. Notice. Any notice or filing required or permitted to be given to the Plan Administrator under the Plan shall be sufficient if in writing and hand delivered, or sent by registered or certified mail, to Brandywine Realty Trust, 401 Plymouth Road, Suite 500, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462, Attention: Chief Accounting Officer, or to such other entity as the Plan Administrator may designate from time to time. Such notice shall be deemed given as to the date of delivery, or, if delivery is made by mail, as of the date shown on the postmark on the receipt for registration or certification.
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APPENDIX A
Participating Companies as of January 1, 2005:
Brandywine Realty Services Corporation
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