shall be treated as follows effective immediately prior to the Change in Control: (A) in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant shall have the ability to exercise such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, including any portion of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right not previously exercisable, (B) in the case of any Award the vesting of which is in whole or in part subject to performance criteria or an Incentive Bonus, all conditions to the grant, issuance, retention, vesting or transferability of, or any other restrictions applicable to, such Award shall immediately lapse and the Participant shall have the right to receive a payment based on target level achievement or actual performance through a date determined by the Committee, as determined by the Committee, and (C) in the case of outstanding Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units (other than those referenced in subsection (B)), all conditions to the grant, issuance, retention, vesting or transferability of, or any other restrictions applicable to, such Award shall immediately lapse. In no event shall any action be taken pursuant to this Section 15(c) that would change the payment or settlement date of an Award in a manner that would result in the imposition of any additional taxes or penalties pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15 to the contrary, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may provide for the cancellation and cash settlement of all outstanding Awards upon such Change in Control.
(e) The Company shall notify Participants holding Awards subject to any adjustments pursuant to this Section 15 of such adjustment, but (whether or not notice is given) such adjustment shall be effective and binding for all purposes of the Plan.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 15 to the contrary, an adjustment to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right under this Section 15 shall be made in a manner that will not result in the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right under Section 409A of the Code.
Each Award may not be sold, transferred for value, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and each Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable only by the Participant during his or her lifetime. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) outstanding Options may be exercised following the Participant’s death by the Participant’s beneficiaries or as permitted by the Committee and (b) a Participant may transfer or assign an Award as a gift to an entity wholly owned by such Participant (an “Assignee Entity”), provided that such Assignee Entity shall be entitled to exercise assigned Options and Stock Appreciation Rights only during the lifetime of the assigning Participant (or following the assigning Participant’s death, by the Participant’s beneficiaries or as otherwise permitted by the Committee) and provided further that such Assignee Entity shall not further sell, pledge, transfer, assign or otherwise alienate or hypothecate such Award.
17. | Compliance with Laws and Regulations |
(a) This Plan, the grant, issuance, vesting, exercise and settlement of Awards hereunder, and the obligation of the Company to sell, issue or deliver shares of Common Stock under such Awards, shall be subject to all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, stock exchange rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental
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