The award fund for each Plan Year shall be determined by the Committee. If, for any Plan Year, the total amount of the awards under the Plan is less than the award fund, the difference shall not be carried forward or made available for awards in subsequent years.
Individual awards to be made for each Plan Year, if any, shall be determined by the Committee in its sole, non-reviewable discretion. In making its determinations, the Committee may take into consideration the recommendations of outside consultants, advisors, and/or Company management.
The amount of each award shall be paid in cash, or in the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Company common stock, after the close of the Plan Year for which the award is made, but by no later than March 15 of the calendar year after the close of the Plan Year. The Committee may determine whether any awards may be deferred and if so which participants are eligible to defer awards and the terms of such deferrals.
VIII. | TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT |
If a participant’s employment with the Company terminates for any reason prior to the last day of the Plan Year, all of the participant’s rights to an any award for the Plan Year shall be immediately forfeited. However, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay a pro-rated award or special payment in in lieu of an award under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a participant’s employment is terminated for cause, the participant shall in all cases forfeit any award not already paid.
IX. | DEDUCTIONS FROM AWARDS; RECOUPMENT |
The Company will deduct from each award amounts required to be withheld for applicable taxes. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company may also deduct any amounts the participant owes the Company for any reason.
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, any incentive award payment earned, paid or payable hereunder shall be and is subject to such reconciliation, reduction and recoupment as may be required or permitted pursuant to any law, government regulation, stock exchange listing requirement, or any policy adopted by the Company.
No employee or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted an award under this Plan. A participant may not assign or transfer any awards under this Plan.
Neither the action of the Company in establishing the Plan nor any action taken by it or by the Committee under the provisions hereof, nor any provision of the Plan, shall be construed as giving any employee the right to be retained in the employ of the Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates.
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