9.6 No Alienation. No right or interest of a Participant in any Award may be pledged, encumbered, or hypothecated to or in favor of any party other than the Company or an affiliate of the Company, or shall be subject to any lien, obligation, or liability of such Participant to any other party other than the Company or an affiliate of the Company. No Award shall be assignable or transferable, either voluntarily or involuntarily, by a Participant, including as between spouses or pursuant to a domestic relations order in connection with a dissolution of marriage, or by operation of law, except pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution.
9.7 Section 409A. This Plan may be amended at any time, without the consent of any party, to avoid the application of Section 409A of the Code in a particular circumstance or that is necessary or desirable to satisfy any of the requirements under Section 409A of the Code, but the Company shall not be under any obligation to make any such amendment. Nothing in the Plan shall provide a basis for any person to take action against the Company or any Subsidiary or affiliate based on matters covered by Section 409A of the Code, including the tax treatment of any amount paid or Award made under the Plan, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or affiliates shall under any circumstances have any liability to any Participant or any other party for any taxes, penalties or interest due on amounts paid or payable under the Plan, including taxes, penalties or interest imposed under Section 409A of the Code.
9.8 Forfeiture and Recoupment. All Awards shall be subject to forfeiture and/or repayment to the Company to the extent and in the manner required (a) to comply with any requirements imposed under applicable laws, rules, and/or regulations, and (b) under the terms of any policy, guideline or Board committee charter adopted by the Company as may be amended from time to time for reasons related to fraud prevention, governance, avoidance of monetary or reputational damage to the Company and its affiliates or similar considerations, whether or not such policy or guideline was in place at the time of grant of an Award (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated into the Plan without the consent of Participant).
9.9. Participants Outside the United States. Awards may be granted to employees who are foreign nationals or residents or employed outside the United States, or both, on such terms and conditions different from those applicable to Awards to employees who are not foreign nationals or residents or who are employed in the United States as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable in order to recognize differences in local law, regulations or tax policy. If any provision of the Plan is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or as to any person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law outside the United States where an employee is based, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the sole determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or Award, and the remainder of the Plan shall remain in full force and effect.
9.10 Severability. If any provision of the Plan is held invalid or unenforceable, the invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan, and the Plan shall be enforced and construed as if such provision had not been included.
9.11 Unfunded Plan. The Plan is intended to constitute an unfunded plan for incentive compensation. Prior to the payment of any Award, nothing contained herein shall give any Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company. No amounts awarded or accrued under the Plan shall be funded, set aside, subject to interest
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