(e)Certain Vesting Requirements. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan (outside of thisSection 3(e)) to the contrary, awards granted under this Plan shall vest no earlier than after a minimumone-year vesting period orone-year performance period, as applicable;provided,however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, an aggregate of up to 5% of the Common Shares available for awards under this Plan as provided for inSection 3 of this Plan, as may be adjusted underSection 12 of this Plan, may be used for awards that do not at grant comply with such minimum vesting provisions. Nothing in thisSection 3(e) or otherwise in this Plan, however, shall preclude the Committee, in is sole discretion, from (i) providing for continued vesting or accelerated vesting for any award under the Plan upon certain events, including in connection with or following a Participant’s death, disability, or termination of service or a Change in Control, or (ii) exercising its authority underSection 18(c) at any time following the grant of an award.
4.Option Rights. The Committee may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting to Participants of Option Rights. Each such grant may utilize any or all of the authorizations, and will be subject to all of the requirements, contained in the following provisions:
(a) Each grant will specify the number of Common Shares to which it pertains subject to the limitations set forth inSection 3 of this Plan.
(b) Each grant will specify an Option Price per Common Share, which Option Price (except with respect to awards underSection 22 of this Plan) may not be less than the fair market value of the Common Shares on the Date of Grant.
(c) Each grant will specify whether the Option Price will be payable (i) in cash, by check acceptable to the Company or by wire transfer of immediately available funds, (ii) by the actual or constructive transfer to the Company of Common Shares owned by the Optionee having a value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price, (iii) subject to any conditions or limitations established by the Committee, by the withholding of Common Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of an Option Right pursuant to a “net exercise” arrangement (it being understood that, solely for purposes of determining the number of treasury shares held by the Company, the Common Shares so withheld will not be treated as issued and acquired by the Company upon such exercise), (iv) by a combination of such methods of payment, or (v) by such other methods as may be approved by the Committee.
(d) To the extent permitted by law, any grant may provide for deferred payment of the Option Price from the proceeds of sale through a bank or broker on a date satisfactory to the Company of some or all of the Common Shares to which such exercise relates.
(e) Each grant will specify the period or periods of continuous service by the Optionee with the Company or any Subsidiary, if any, that is necessary before any Option Rights or installments thereof will vest.
(f) Any grant of Option Rights may specify Management Objectives regarding the vesting of such rights.
(g) Option Rights granted under this Plan may be (i) options, including Incentive Stock Options, that are intended to qualify under particular provisions of the Code, (ii) options that are not intended to so qualify, or (iii) combinations of the foregoing. Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Participants who meet the definition of “employees” under Section 3401(c) of the Code.
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