7.5. Death Prior to Full Distribution. If, at the death of the Participant, any payment to the Participant was due or otherwise distributable but not actually paid, the amount of such payment shall be included in the Account or Accounts which are payable to the Beneficiary (and shall not be paid to the Participant’s estate).
7.6. Facility of Payment. In case of the legal disability, including minority, of a Participant or Beneficiary eligible to receive distribution of a benefit payable under the terms of the Plan by a Participating Employer, such benefit shall be paid by the Participating Employer, if the Company shall be advised of the existence of such condition:
| (a) | to the duly appointed guardian, conservator or other legal representative of such Participant or Beneficiary, or |
| (b) | to a person or institution entrusted with the care or maintenance of the incompetent or disabled Participant or Beneficiary, provided such person or institution has satisfied the Company that the payment will be used for the best interest and assist in the care of such Participant or Beneficiary, and provided further, that no prior claim for said payment has been made by a duly appointed guardian, conservator or other legal representative of such Participant or Beneficiary. |
Any payment made in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section shall constitute a complete discharge of any liability or obligation of the Participating Employer and the Company therefor.
ARTICLE 8
NONTRANSFERABILITY
8.1. Anti-Alienation of Benefits. Any amount which may be credited to an Account or Accounts of a Participant under the Plan, and any rights or privileges pertaining thereto, may not be anticipated, alienated, sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, encumbered, or subjected to any charge or legal process; and no interest or right to receive an amount may be taken, either voluntarily or involuntarily, for the satisfaction of the debts of, or other obligations or claims against, such person or entity, including claims for alimony, support, separate maintenance and claims in bankruptcy proceedings.
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8.2. Incompetent Participants. If any person who may be eligible to receive a payment under the Plan has a legal disability, payment shall be made to the person designated as provided in Section 7.7.
8.3. Designated Beneficiary. In the event of a Participant’s death prior to the payment of all or a portion of any amount which may be payable with respect to the Participant under the Plan, the payment of any amount payable on behalf of the Participant under the Plan shall be made to the Participant’s Beneficiary designated on a form, which form shall be accepted and approved by the Plan Administration Committee as provided in Section 7.4. If no such Beneficiary has been designated, payment shall be made as required under Section 7.4.
ARTICLE 9
WITHHOLDING
9.1. Determination of Tax Withholding. The Participating Employer or the Company shall have the authority, duty and power to determine, withhold and report the amount of any applicable employment taxes and any applicable federal, state, or local taxes as required under applicable law, and if required by law, the Participant’s share of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, and any other employment taxes.
9.2. Withholding. The amounts payable pursuant to the Plan shall be reduced by the amount of any federal, state or local taxes required by law to be withheld by the Participating Employer or the Company under applicable aw with respect to such payments and, if required by law, the Participant’s share of Federal Insurance Contributions Act (“FICA”) taxes, and any other employment taxes.
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ARTICLE 10
CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION
10.1. Claims Procedures. The Company shall be responsible for reviewing and claims for payment under the terms of this Plan. The procedures for filing claims for payments under the Plan are described below. For claims procedures purposes, the “Claims Manager” shall be the Company.
| (a) | Claims Forms. It is the intent of the Company that benefits payable under the Plan shall be payable without the Participant having to complete or submit any claims forms. However, a Participant who believes he or she is entitled to a payment under the Plan may submit a claim for payments in writing to the Company. Any claim for payments under the Plan must be made by the Participant or his or her beneficiary in writing and state the claimant’s name and the nature of benefits payable under the Plan on a form acceptable to the Company. If for any reason a claim for payments under the Plan is denied by the Company, the Claims Manager shall deliver to the claimant a written explanation setting forth the specific reasons for the denial, specific references to the pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based, a description of any additional material or information necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary, and information on the procedures to be followed by the claimant in obtaining a review of his or her claim, all written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant. For this purpose: |
| (1) | the claimant’s claim shall be deemed to be filed when presented orally or in writing to the Claims Manager; |
| (2) | the Claims Manager’s explanation shall be in writing delivered to the claimant within 90 days of the date the claim is filed. |
| (b) | Review. The claimant shall have 60 days following his or her receipt of the denial of the claim to file with the Claims Manager a written request for review of the denial. For such review, the claimant or the claimant’s representative may review pertinent documents and submit written issues and comments. |
| (c) | Decision on Review. The Claims Manager shall decide the issue on review and furnish the claimant with a copy within 60 days of receipt of the claimant’s request for review of the claimant’s claim. The decision on review shall be in writing and shall include specific reasons for the decision, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, as well as specific references to the pertinent provisions in the Plan on which the decision is based. If a copy of the decision is not so furnished to the claimant within such 60 days, the claim shall be deemed denied on review. In no event may a claimant commence legal action for benefits the claimant believes are due the claimant until the claimant has exhausted all of the remedies and procedures afforded the claimant by this Section 10.1. |
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| (d) | Disability Claims. Any review of an appeal of a determination with respect to the Participant’s Disability must meet the following standards: the review does not afford deference to the initial adverse determination; the review is conducted by an appropriate person who is neither the party who made the initial adverse benefit determination that is the subject of the appeal nor a subordinate of such party; the review provides for the appropriate person to consult with health care professionals with appropriate training and experience in the field of medicine involved in the medical judgment in deciding the appeal of an adverse benefit determination that is based in whole or in part on a medical judgment; and the review provides for the identification of the medical or vocational experts whose advice was obtained in connection with the claimant’s adverse benefit determination, without regard to whether the advice was relied upon in making the determination. Furthermore, the 90 day period described in these procedures shall be reduced to 45 days in the case of a claim of the Participant’s Disability. The 45 day period may be extended by 30 days if the Claims Manager determines the extension is necessary to circumstances outside the control of the Plan, and the claimant is notified prior to the end of the 45 day period. If prior to the end of the 30 day extension period, the Claims Manager determines that additional time is necessary, the period may be extended for a second 30 day period, provided the claimant is notified prior to the end of the first 30 day extension period and such notice specifies the circumstances requiring the extension and the date as of which the Plan expects to render a decision. The 60 day period described in these procedures shall be reduced to 45 days with respect to the appeal of the denial of the Participant’s claim of Disability. The 45 day period may be extended by an additional 45 days if the Claims Manager determines the extension is necessary to circumstances outside the control of the Plan, and the claimant is notified prior to the end of the initial 45 day period. |
| (e) | General Rules. No inquiry or question shall be deemed to be a claim or a request for a review of a denied claim unless made in accordance with the claims procedure. The Claims Manager may require that any claim for benefits and any request for a review of a denied claim be filed on forms to be furnished by the Claims Manager upon request. The Claims Manager may, in its discretion, hold one or more hearings on a claim or a request for a review of a denied claim. Claimants may be represented by a lawyer or other representative at their own expense, but the Claims Manager reserves the right to require the claimant to furnish written authorization. A claimant’s representative shall be entitled to copies of all notices given to the claimant. |
| (f) | Deadline to File Claim. To be considered timely under the Plan’s claim and review procedure, a claim must be filed with the Company within 1 year after the claimant knew or reasonably should have known of the principal facts upon which the claim is based. |
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| (g) | Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies. The exhaustion of the claim and review procedure is mandatory for resolving every claim and dispute arising under this Plan. As to such claims and disputes: |
| (1) | no claimant shall be permitted to commence any legal action to recover Plan benefits or to enforce or clarify rights under the Plan under ERISA §§502 or 510 or under any other provision of law, whether or not statutory, until the claim and review procedure set forth herein have been exhausted in their entirety; and |
| (2) | in any such legal action all explicit and all implicit determinations by the Company (including, but not limited to, determinations as to whether the claim, or a request for a review of a denied claim, was timely filed) shall be afforded the maximum deference permitted by law. |
| (h) | Deadline to File Legal Action. No legal action to recover Plan benefits or to enforce or clarify rights under the Plan under ERISA §§502 or 510 or under any other provision of law, whether or not statutory, may be brought by any claimant on any matter pertaining to this Plan unless the legal action is commenced in the proper forum before the earlier of: |
| (1) | 30 months after the claimant knew or reasonably should have known of the principal facts on which the claim is based, or |
| (2) | 6 months after the claimant has exhausted the claim and review procedure. |
| (i) | Knowledge of Facts by Participant Imputed to Beneficiary. Knowledge of all facts that a Participant knew or reasonably should have known shall be imputed to every claimant who is or claims to be a beneficiary of the Participant or otherwise claims to derive an entitlement by reference to the Participant for the purpose of applying the previously specified periods. |
10.2. Participant’s Address. Each Participant shall keep the Company informed of his or her current address and the current address of his or her beneficiary. The Company shall not be obligated to search for any person. If the location of a Participant is not made known to the Company within 3 years after the date on which payment of the Participant’s benefits payable under the Plan may be made, payment may be made as though the Participant had died at the end of the three-year period. If, within 1 additional year after such three-year period has elapsed, or, within 3 years after the actual death of a Participant, the Company is unable to locate any designated beneficiary of the Participant, then neither the Company nor any other Participating Employer shall have any further obligation to pay any benefit under the Plan to or on behalf of such Participant or designated beneficiary and such benefit shall be irrevocably forfeited.
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10.3. Conflict of Interest. If any individual to whom authority has been delegated or redelegated hereunder shall also be a Participant in this Plan, such Participant shall have no authority with respect to any matter specifically affecting such Participant’s individual interest hereunder or the interest of a person superior to him or her in the Company or Participating Employer (as distinguished from the interests of all Participants and their beneficiaries or a broad class of Participants and beneficiaries), all such authority being reserved exclusively to other individuals as the case may be, to the exclusion of such Participant, and such Participant shall act only in such Participant’s individual capacity in connection with any such matter.
10.4. Service of Process. In the absence of any designation to the contrary by the Company, the General Counsel of the Company is designated as the appropriate and exclusive agent for the receipt of service of process directed to the Plan in any legal proceeding, including arbitration, involving the Plan.
10.5. Errors in Computations. The Company and any Participating Employer shall not be liable or responsible for any error in the computation of any Account or the determination of any benefit payable to or with respect to any Participant resulting from any misstatement of fact made by the Participant or by or on behalf of any survivor to whom such benefit shall be payable, directly or indirectly, to the Company and any Participating Employer and used in determining the benefit. The Company and any Participating Employer shall not be obligated or required to increase the benefit payable to or with respect to such Participant which, on discovery of the misstatement, is found to be understated as a result of such misstatement of the Participant. However, the benefit of any Participant which is overstated by reason of any such misstatement or any other reason shall be reduced to the amount appropriate in view of the truth (and to recover any prior overpayment).
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ARTICLE 11
ALLOCATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND FIDUCIARY FUNCTIONS
11.1. Role of the Company. The Company is the sponsor of the plan, but does not act as named fiduciary of the Plan. The named fiduciary of the Plan shall be as set forth in Section 11.3 below.
11.2. Role of the Board and Compensation Committee. The Board of Directors, or the Compensation Committee, acting on behalf of the Company solely in its capacity as sponsor of, and not in a fiduciary capacity with respect to, the Plan, shall have only the following duties and responsibilities:
| (a) | To amend or terminate the Plan, pursuant to Article 13; |
| (b) | To determine the amount of the Employer’s Matching and/or Discretionary Contribution annually, pursuant to Sections 4.2 and 4.3; and |
| (c) | To approve the merger or spin-off of the Plan or any portion of the Plan, as provided in Section 2. |
11.3. Role of the Plan Administration Committee. The Plan Administration Committee shall have the authority, responsibilities and full discretion to serve on behalf of the Company in the administration of the Plan. The Company’s Vice President of Human Resources shall serve as Chairperson of the Plan Administration Committee, and shall be responsible for the appointment of Committee members. The Plan Administration Committee shall adopt a charter, setting forth the structure and operating procedures for the Plan Administrator. The charter shall also specify the functions, authority and discretion retained by the Committee and the functions, authority and discretion delegated to others in accordance with the Plan and the charter.
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| (a) | General Responsibilities. The Plan Administration Committee shall not have the authority to delegate the said role of Plan Administrator. However, the Plan Administration Committee may delegate and allocate fiduciary responsibilities for the administration of the Plan and may delegate specified administrative functions, discretion or authority as it deems appropriate, by written contract, direction letter or written instrument of delegation to the Benefit Administrator, trustee, a third-party special-purpose Administrator, legal counsel, a professional consultant or advisor, or to designated employees of the Company; provided, however, that, in each case in which the Plan Administration Committee delegates a fiduciary function or appoints a service provider for a Plan, the Plan Administration Committee shall retain the authority and responsibility to oversee the adequacy of the performance of the third-party or employee to whom it has delegated any administrative discretion, function or duty for the Plan. |
| (b) | Authority to Recommend Plan Amendments. |
| (1) | The Plan Administration Committee shall have the authority, on behalf of the Company, to recommend to the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors, any amendment to the Plan that the Plan Administration Committee considers advisable for consideration by the Compensation Committee, and for approval by the Board. The Plan Administration Committee will carry out this primary duty, and its associated responsibilities, in accordance with the terms of the Plan as may be amended by the Board from time to time, and in accordance with applicable law. |
| (2) | The Plan Administration Committee shall have the duty, on behalf of the Company and the Participants in the Plan, to bring to the attention of the Compensation Committee and the Board of Directors any amendment to the Plan that the Plan Administration Committee considers to be legally required, or advisable for the administration of the Plan, for consideration by the Compensation Committee and for approval by the Board. |
| (c) | Review of Appeals from Denied Claims. The Plan Administration Committee shall have the authority and responsibility to review and resolve any appeal of a denied, or partially denied, benefit claim of a Participant or Beneficiary under the Plan in accordance with Section 10.1. In reviewing appeals, the Plan Administration Committee shall have full discretion: |
| (1) | to make findings of fact pertaining to a claim or appeal; |
| (2) | to interpret the terms of the Plan and apply such interpretations to the facts; and |
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| (3) | to decide all issues which it determines are presented by the claim or appeal, whether any such issue is expressly raised by the claimant or not. |
| (d) | Specific Responsibilities. Without limiting the general responsibilities of the Plan Administrator and named fiduciary set forth above, the Plan Administration Committee shall have the following specific authority, responsibility and discretion: |
| (1) | authority to amend its charter; |
| (2) | authority and discretion to adopt and amend one or more of the following: |
| (A) | the Plan Administration Policies, and benefit policy objectives, for the Plan; |
| (B) | the Ethics and Conflicts of Interest Policies for members, other fiduciaries and service providers; |
| (C) | document retention policies pertaining to the Plan, and policies prohibiting document tampering; and to review and comment upon policies prohibiting retaliation against any employee who identifies a potential compliance issue (a “whistleblower”), as such policies apply to Plan compliance; |
| (3) | authority to delegate to the Director – Compensation and Benefits of the Company, and/or other employees, the performance of various Plan administration duties, including the authority and responsibility to issue direction letters to the Benefit Administrator and Trustee, subject to the responsibility to periodically review the performance of such duties; |
| (4) | authority to approve the appointment and/or replacement of the Benefit Administrator and the terms of any contractual agreements and amendments governing the Benefit Administrator and to monitor the performance of its duties; |
| (5) | authority to appoint and retain professional advisors, consultants and legal counsel and the terms of any contractual agreements and amendments thereto governing any of the foregoing; |
| (6) | authority and responsibility to maintain the respective Plan documents in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, and the authority to delegate to legal counsel the duty to advise and assist; |
| (7) | authority and responsibility to conduct compliance reviews, the frequency and scope of which as may be provided in the Plan Administration Policies; |
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| (8) | authority and responsibility to review the results of any audit and to ensure that any government filings required for the Plan are accurately prepared and filed in a timely manner; |
| (9) | authority and responsibility to prepare and distribute in a timely manner the respective Plan communications; |
| (10) | responsibility to periodically monitor Plan utilization and to review the alignment of Plan design with the Employer’s business goals for the Plan; |
| (11) | responsibility to report annually to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, by means of a presentation by the Chairperson; and |
| (12) | authority and responsibility to conduct a periodic governance self-assessment of the structure and processes of the Plan Administration Committee, its composition of members, and its charter. |
The Plan Administration Committee shall have the aforementioned powers to the maximum extent permitted by law. All findings, decisions and determinations made by the Plan Administration Committee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be final and binding upon all parties and shall not be subject to de novo review if challenged in court.
11.4. Role of the Benefit Administrator. The Benefit Administrator is the contractual service provider to the Plan appointed by the Plan Administration Committee to assist the Plan Administration Committee in the administration of the Plan as provided in this Article 11 and the Plan Investment Committee in the designation of the Measurement Funds as provided in Article 5. The Benefit Administrator’s duties shall be stated in contractual agreements with the Plan Administration Committee, including, for example, serving as: recordkeeper for participant accounts in the Plan; Claims Administrator in accordance with Section 10.1; manager of the call center and websites that support the Plan; provider of administrative forms, notices and communications to participants; provider of investment education; provider of documents disclosing the terms and performance of the Measurement Funds; and provider of quarterly performance reports for the Measurement Funds and participation data to the Plan Administration Committee and Plan Investment Committee. The Benefit Administrator shall perform such services in accordance with the terms of the Plan and any policies established by the Plan Administration Committee and the Plan Investment Committee.
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11.5. Role of the Plan Investment Committee. The Plan Investment Committee shall have the authority, responsibilities and full discretion to carry out the functions set forth in Article 5. The Vice President of Human Resources of the Company shall serve as Chairperson of the Plan Investment Committee, and shall be responsible for the appointment of Committee members. The Plan Investment Committee shall adopt a charter, setting forth the structure and operating procedures for the Committee. The charter shall also specify the functions, authority and discretion retained by the Committee and the functions, authority and discretion delegated to others in accordance with the Plan and the charter.
| (a) | General Responsibilities. The Plan Investment Committee shall monitor the investment of assets in the Trust. However, the Plan Investment Committee may delegate and allocate such responsibilities for the investment of Plan assets (other than the duties of Trustee) and may delegate specified investment authority, responsibility and discretion as it deems appropriate, by written contract, direction letter or written instrument of delegation to the Benefit Administrator, Trustee, a third-party special-purpose Administrator, legal counsel, a professional consultant or advisor, or to designated employees of the Company; provided, however, that, in each case in which the Plan Investment Committee delegates a fiduciary function or appoints a service provider, the Plan Investment Committee shall retain the authority and responsibility to oversee the adequacy of the performance of the third-party or employee to whom it has delegated any investment authority, responsibility and discretion. |
| (b) | Maintaining the Plan’s Investment Policy. The Plan Investment Committee shall have the authority and responsibility to develop, maintain and update an investment policy, monitor on a regular basis the investment performance and any material developments affecting each Measurement Fund, and furthermore to periodically monitor the allocation of participant investments among the funds. |
| (c) | Authority to Retain or Change Measurement Funds. The Plan Investment Committee shall have the authority and responsibility to periodically review the appropriateness of the Plan’s Measurement Funds as a whole and to approve, without further review or approval by any other decision maker, any one or more additions, deletions or replacements of funds offered to Participants. This authority and responsibility shall be exercised in accordance with investment policy. A decision by the Plan Investment Committee to add, delete or replace an investment fund will not constitute a Plan amendment and is not, therefore, subject to review or approval by the Board of Directors or any of its Committees, but notice of any such decision shall be communicated to the Plan Administration Committee prior to the effective date to facilitate the preparation of appropriate communications to Participants. |
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| (d) | Specific Responsibilities. Without limiting the general responsibilities set forth above, the Plan Investment Committee shall have the following specific authority, responsibility and discretion: |
| (1) | authority to amend its charter; |
| (2) | authority and discretion to adopt and amend an investment policy for the selection, performance review monitoring and oversight of the funds offered by the Plan; |
| (3) | authority and discretion to adopt and amend one or more policies pertaining to such topics as: |
| (A) | compliance with ERISA §404(c); |
| (B) | offerings of investment education or investment advice to Plan Participants; |
| (C) | rules and procedures relating to Participant allocations to Measurement Fund direction and transfers, and the permitted frequency of allocations, among the Measurement Funds offered by the Plan; |
| (D) | allocation of Plan expenses between the Company, the Trust and individual Participant accounts; |
| (E) | allocation of authority and responsibility for proxy voting of any shares held in connection with this Plan other than mutual funds, and |
| (F) | ethics and conflicts of interest policies for Plan Investment Committee members; |
| (4) | authority to approve the appointment and/or replacement any one or more Trustees and custodians and the terms of any contractual agreements and amendments with either of them, and to monitor the performance of the duties delegated to each; |
| (5) | authority to delegate to the Director – Compensation and Benefits of the Employer the performance of various authority and discretion regarding the Measurement Funds, including the authority and responsibility to issue direction letters to any person; |
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| (6) | authority to appoint, monitor and remove professional advisors, consultants, legal counsel, providers of investment education, investment advice and investment management services to participants in the Plan, and the terms of any contractual agreements and amendments governing any of the foregoing; |
| (7) | authority and responsibility to routinely distribute to Participants, and to make available on any Participant’s request, the various forms of information about Measurement Funds and any other communications pertaining to the investment education or the allocation among Measurement Funds, as the Plan Investment Committee determine is appropriate; |
| (8) | responsibility to ensure that the Participants are complying with any applicable requirements of any policy of the Plan Investment Committee, fund prospectus, or regulation, pertaining to the frequency of trading of fund investments; and |
| (9) | responsibility to report annually to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, by means of a presentation by the Chairperson; and |
| (10) | authority and responsibility to conduct a periodic governance self-assessment of the structure and processes of the Plan Investment Committee, its composition of members, and its charter. |
The Plan Investment Committee shall have the aforementioned powers to the maximum extent permitted by law. All findings, decisions and determinations made by the Plan Investment Committee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be final and binding upon all parties and shall not be subject to de novo review if challenged in court.
11.6. Compensation. No member of the Plan Administration or Plan Investment Committees shall receive any compensation from the Trust for services provided.
11.7. Indemnity. The Company shall, to the greatest extent permitted by ERISA and applicable state law, indemnify each member of the Plan Administration and Plan Investment Committees, and any other employee of the Company, including any officer, who in the performance of his or her duties as an employee exercises any discretion or control over the administration of the Plan or its assets against any and all claims, loss, damages, expenses (including counsel fees approved by the respective Committee), and liability (including any amounts paid in settlement with the respective Committee’s approval) arising from any loss or damage or depreciation which may result in connection with the execution of the respective Committee’s duties or the exercise of the respective Committee’s discretion or from any other action or failure to act hereunder.
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11.8. Powers Denied. No action of the Plan Administration Committee or Plan Investment Committee shall:
| (a) | alter the amount of contributions otherwise payable to the Plan; |
| (b) | cause the Plan to fail to qualify under Code §409A or as a rabbi trust; |
| (c) | increase the duties or liabilities of the Trustee without its written consent; or |
| (d) | cause contributions to, or the assets of the Trust Fund to ever revert to or be used or enjoyed by the Employer, except as provided in this Plan or in the Trust instrument. |
ARTICLE 12
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
12.1. No Employment Rights. Neither the Plan nor any action taken under the Plan shall be construed as providing any Participant any right to be retained in the service or employ of any Participating Employer.
12.2. Participants Should Consult Advisors. Neither the Company or any Participating Employer, nor their respective directors, officers, employees or agents makes any representation or warranty with respect to the federal, state or other tax, financial, estate planning, or the securities or other legal implications of participation in the Plan. Participants should consult with their own tax, financial and legal advisors with respect to their participation in the Plan.
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12.3. Unfunded and Unsecured. The Plan shall at all times be considered entirely unfunded both for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and no provision shall at any time be made with respect to segregating assets of the Company or any Participating Employer for payment of any amounts under the Plan. Any funds invested under the Plan shall continue for all purposes to be part of the respective general assets of the Company or any Participating Employer and available to general creditors in the event of a bankruptcy (involvement in a pending proceeding under the Federal Bankruptcy ) or insolvency (inability to pay debts as they mature) of the Company or a Participating Employer. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee and the applicable Participants of such bankruptcy or insolvency. No Participant or any other person shall have any interests in any particular assets of the Company or any Participating Employer by reason of the right to receive a benefit under the Plan and to the extent the Participant or any other person acquires a right to receive benefits under the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of any general unsecured creditor. The Plan constitutes a mere promise by the Company and any other Participating Employer for the payment of benefits payable under the Plan to the Participants in the future. Nothing contained in the Plan shall constitute a guaranty by any Participating Employer or any other person or entity that any funds in any trust or the assets of the Company or any Participating Employer will be sufficient to pay any benefit under the Plan. Furthermore, no Participant shall have any right to a benefit under the Plan except in accordance with the terms of the Plan.
| (a) | Establishment of Trust. To fulfill the obligations to the Participants and their beneficiaries under the Plan, a Trust may be established by a trust agreement with a third party, the Trustee, to which cash or other property may be contributed, including securities issued by the Company, to provide for the benefit payments under the Plan. The Trustee for such Trust will have the duty to hold such property or to invest the Trust assets and funds in accordance with the terms of such Trust. All rights associated with the assets of such Trust will be exercised by the Trustee of the Trust or the person designated by such Trustee, and will in no event be exercisable by or rest with Participants or their beneficiaries. Such Trust shall provide that in the event of the insolvency of the employer that established such Trust, the Trustee shall hold the assets for the benefit of the general creditors of the employer. |
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| (b) | Contribution Upon Change in Control. If as of the close of business on the date of a Change in Control, the aggregate value of the Participant Accounts exceeds the value of the assets held in a Trust established under subsection (a), then within 30 days of such Change in Control, each Participating Employer shall have the obligation for providing to such Trust assets having a value at least equal to the amount of such excess. |
12.4. Plan Provisions. Except when otherwise required by the context, any singular terminology shall include the plural.
12.5. Severability. If a provision of the Plan shall be held to be illegal or invalid, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of the Plan and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included.
12.6. Applicable Law. To the extent not preempted by the laws of the United States, the laws of the State of Minnesota shall apply with respect to the Plan.
ARTICLE 13
AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION
13.1. Amendment of the Plan. The Board of Directors reserves the power to alter, amend or wholly revise the Plan at any time and from time to time and the interest of each Participant is subject to the powers so reserved; provided, however, that no amendment made subsequent to a Change in Control shall be effective to the extent that it would have a materially adverse impact on a Participant’s reasonably expected economic benefit attributable to compensation deferred by the Participant prior to the Change in Control. The Board of Directors reserves the right to amend the Plan at any time to comply with Code §409A, Treas. Reg. §1.409A and other applicable guidance under Code §409A or for any other purpose, provided that such amendment will not result in taxation to any Participant under Code §409A.
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13.2. Procedure for Amendment. An amendment shall be authorized by the Board of Directors and shall be stated in an instrument in writing signed in the name of the Company by a person or persons authorized by the Board of Directors. After the instrument has been so executed, the Plan shall be deemed to have been amended in the manner therein set forth, and all parties interested herein shall be bound thereby. No amendment to the Plan may alter, impair, or reduce the benefits credited to any Accounts prior to the effective date of such amendment without the written consent of any affected Participant.
13.3. Termination. The Board of Directors of the Company may, but is not required to, terminate and liquidate the Plan which includes the distribution of all Plan Accounts under the following circumstances:
| (a) | Dissolution/Bankruptcy. The Board of Directors may terminate and liquidate the Plan within 12 months following a dissolution taxable under Code §331 or with approval of a Bankruptcy court under 11 U.S.C. §503(b)(1)(A), provided that the Plan Accounts are paid to the Participants and is included in the Participants’ gross income in the latest of (or, if earlier, the Taxable Year in which the amount is actually or constructively received): |
| (1) | the calendar year in which the plan termination and liquidation occurs; or |
| (2) | the first calendar year in which the payment is administratively practicable. |
| (b) | Change in Control. The Board of Directors may terminate and liquidate the Plan by irrevocable action taken within the 30 days preceding or the 12 months following a Change in Control, provided the Company distributes all Plan Accounts (and must distribute the accounts under any Aggregated Plans which plan the Company also must terminate and liquidate as to each Participant who has experienced the Change in Control) within 12 months following the date of Company’s irrevocable action to terminate and liquidate the Plan and Aggregated Plans. Where the Change in Control results from an asset purchase transaction, the “Company” with discretion to terminate and liquidate the Plan is the entity that is primarily liable after the transaction to pay the Participant’s Plan Accounts. |
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| (c) | Other. The Board of Directors may terminate the Plan for any other reason in the Company’s discretion provided that: |
| (1) | the termination and liquidation does not occur proximate to a downturn in the Company’s financial health; |
| (2) | the Company also terminates all Aggregated Plans in which any Participant also is a participant; |
| (3) | the Plan makes no payments in the 12 months following the date of the Company’s irrevocable action to terminate and liquidate the Plan other than payments the Plan would have made irrespective of Plan termination; |
| (4) | the Plan makes all payments within 24 months following the date of the Company’s irrevocable action to terminate and liquidate the Plan; and |
| (5) | the Company within 3 years following the date of Company’s irrevocable action to terminate and liquidate the Plan does not adopt a new plan covering any Participant that would be an Aggregated Plan. |
ST. JUDE MEDICAL, INC. |
|
/s/ Pamela S. Krop |
By: | Pamela S. Krop |
| |
Title: | Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
| |
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