The Plan Administrator shall be entitled to rely on the records of the Corporation and its subsidiaries in determining any Participant’s entitlement to and the amount of benefits payable under the Plan. Any determination of the Plan Administrator, including interpretations of the Plan and determinations of questions of fact, shall be final and binding on all parties.
(i)set forth the specific reasons for the denial of benefits; (ii)contain specific references to Plan provisions relative to the denial;
(iii)describe any material and information, if any, necessary for the claim for benefits to be allowed, that had been requested, but not received by the Plan Administrator;
(iv)advise the claimant that any appeal of the Plan Administrator’s adverse determination must be made in writing to the Plan Administrator within 60 days after receipt of the initial denial notification, and must set forth the facts upon which the appeal is based; and
(v)advise the claimant of his right to bring a civil action under Section 502(a) of ERISA, following an adverse benefit determination on review.
(ii)review pertinent documents relating to the denial; (iii)submit issues and comments in writing; and
(iv)request, in writing, a hearing with the Plan Administrator; provided that the claimant takes appropriate action within 60 days after receiving notice of denial.
(d)The Plan Administrator shall make its decision with respect to a claim review promptly, but not later than 60 days after receipt of the request. Such 60-day period may be extended for another period of 60 days if the Plan Administrator reviewing the claim finds that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing.
(e)The final decision of the Plan Administrator shall be in writing, (i) give specific reason(s) for the adverse decision, (ii) make specific references to the pertinent Plan provisions on which the decision is based, (iii) include a statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records, and other information relevant to the claimant’s claim for benefits, and (iv) a statement describing any voluntary appeals procedures offered by the Plan and the claimant’s right to obtain information about such procedures, and a statement of the claimant’s right to bring an action under Section 502(a) of ERISA. All interpretations, determinations and decisions of the Plan Administrator in respect of any claim shall be made in its sole discretion based on the applicable Plan documents and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all parties.
14.Miscellaneous.
(a)No Alienation of Benefits. Except insofar as may otherwise be required by law, no amount payable at any time under the Plan shall be subject in any manner to alienation by anticipation, sale, transfer, assignment, bankruptcy, pledge, attachment, charge, or encumbrance of any kind nor in any manner be subject to the debts or liabilities of any person and any attempt to so alienate or subject any such amount, whether presently or thereafter payable, shall be void. If any person shall attempt to, or shall alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge, attach, charge, or otherwise encumber any amount payable under the Plan, or any part thereof, or if by reason of such person’s bankruptcy or other event happening at any such time such amount would be made subject to the person’s debts or liabilities or would otherwise not be enjoyed by that person, then the Corporation, to the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code, if it so elects, may direct that such amount be withheld and that same or any part thereof be paid or applied to or for the benefit of such person, the person’s spouse, children or other dependents, or any of them, in such manner and proportion as the Corporation may deem proper.
(b)No Right or Interest in Corporation’s Assets. Neither the Corporation nor any of its affiliates shall be required to reserve or otherwise set aside funds for the payment of obligations arising under this Plan. The Corporation may, in its sole discretion, establish funds, segregate assets or take such other action as it shall determine necessary or appropriate to secure the payment of its obligations arising under this Plan. This Plan is intended to be unfunded for tax purposes and for purposes of Title I of the ERISA. Nothing contained herein, and no action taken pursuant to the provisions of this Plan shall create or be construed to create a trust of any
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kind, or a fiduciary relationship between the Corporation and any Participant or any other person. To the extent that any person acquires a right to receive payments under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right of an unsecured creditor of the Corporation.
(c)Amendment. The Corporation may amend, modify or terminate the Plan at any time, or from time to time; provided, however, that no change to the Plan shall impair the right of any Participant with respect to amounts then credited to an Account; and further provided that during a Potential Change in Control Period (as defined in Paragraph 14(i) hereof) and from and after the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Plan may not, without the consent of the Participant, be amended in any manner which would adversely affect such Participant’s rights and expectations with respect to Deferral Amounts credited to such Participant’s Account immediately prior to such amendment, unless an amendment is required to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(d)Accounting. Each Participant shall receive periodic statements (not less frequently than annually) setting forth the cumulative Deferral Amounts and Interest Equivalents credited to, and any distributions from, the Participant’s Account.
(e)Facility of Payments. If the Corporation shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due the person or the person’s estate (unless a prior claim therefore has been made by a duly appointed legal representative), may, if the Corporation so elects in its sole discretion, be paid to the person’s spouse, a child, a relative, an institution having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Corporation to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Corporation and the Plan therefore.
(f)Offset. To the maximum extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code and its corresponding regulations, if a Participant becomes entitled to a distribution of benefits under the Plan, and if at such time the Participant has outstanding any debt, obligation, or other liability representing an amount owing to the Corporation or any participating affiliate, then the Corporation may offset such amount owed to the Corporation or the participating affiliate against the amount of benefits otherwise distributable. Such determination shall be made by the Plan Administrator.
(g)Governing Law. The Plan is intended to constitute an unfunded deferred compensation arrangement for a select group of management or highly compensated personnel and all rights thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New York.
(h)Withholding Taxes. The Corporation may make such provisions and take such action as it may deem necessary or appropriate for the withholding of any taxes which the Corporation or one if its affiliates is required by any law or regulation of any governmental authority, whether Federal, state, local or foreign, to withhold in connection with any benefits under the Plan, including, but not limited to, the withholding of appropriate sums from any
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amount otherwise payable to the Participant (or his beneficiary). Each Participant, however, shall be responsible for the payment of all individual tax liabilities relating to any such benefits.
(i)Potential Change in Control Period. A “Potential Change in Control Period” shall commence when: (i) the Corporation enters into an agreement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) the Corporation or any person or group publicly announces an intention to take or to consider taking actions which, if consummated, would result in a Change in Control; (iii) any person or group (other than the Corporation, any subsidiary or any savings, pension or other benefit plan for the benefit of employees of the Corporation or its subsidiaries) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Corporation representing 15% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Corporation or the combined voting power of the Corporation’s then outstanding securities (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such person or group any securities acquired directly from the Corporation or its affiliates); or (iv) the Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of the Plan, a Potential Change in Control Period has commenced. The Potential Change in Control Period shall continue until the earlier of (A) a Change in Control, or (B) the adoption by the Board of a resolution stating that, for purposes of the Plan, the Potential Change in Control Period has expired.
(j)Section 409A. The Plan is intended to comply with the applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code and its corresponding regulations and related guidance with respect to amounts credited to the Non-Grandfathered Accounts of Participants, and shall be administered in accordance with Section 409A of the Code with respect to such Accounts. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, elections to defer compensation into Non-Grandfathered Accounts under the Plan, and distributions of Non-Grandfathered Accounts, may only be made in a manner and upon an event permitted by Section 409A of the Code. To the extent that any provision of the Plan would cause a conflict with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, or would cause the administration of the Plan to fail to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, such provision shall be deemed null and void to the extent permitted by applicable law. Other than a valid Election Form, in no event shall a Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of payment with respect to Non-Grandfathered Accounts. For avoidance of doubt, deferrals under the Plan are maintained on a Plan Year basis.
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SCHEDULE A
Notional Interest Rate
Deferred Incentive Awards (Band 6 and Above)
| | | | Contingent | | |
Year Award Earned | | Vested Rate | | Rate | | Total Rate |
| | | | | | |
| | Treasury bills | | | | Treasury bills |
1975 – 1992 | | + | | N/A | | + |
| | 3%* | | | | 3%* |
1993 – 1997 | | 10% | | N/A | | 10% |
1998 – 2000 | | 8% | | 3% | | 11% |
2001- 2002 | | 7% | | 3% | | 10% |
2003 | | 3% | | 5% | | 8% |
2004** | | 3% | | 5% | | 8% |
2005** | | 8%** | | N/A | | 8%** |
2006 | | 5.8%** | | N/A | | 5.8%** |
2007 | | 5.8%** | | N/A | | 5.8%** |
2008 | | 6.3%** | | N/A | | 6.3%** |
2009 | | 7.2%** | | N/A | | 7.2%** |
*/Three-month Treasury bill average rate for the immediately preceding calendar quarter as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank; rate changes each calendar quarter.
**/For periods on and after January 1, 2006, rate is based on the Corporation’s 15-year borrowing rate and is subject to change annually.
Deferred Incentive Awards (Band 5 and Below)
| | | | Contingent | | |
Year Award Earned | | Vested Rate | | Rate | | Total Rate |
| | | | | | |
| | Treasury bills | | | | Treasury bills |
1975 – 1997 | | + | | N/A | | + |
| | 3%* | | | | 3%* |
1998 - 2002 | | 6% | | 3% | | 9% |
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2003 | | 3% | | 5% | | 8% |
2004** | | 3% | | 5% | | 8%** |
2005** | | 8%** | | N/A | | 8%** |
2006 | | 5.8%** | | N/A | | 5.8%** |
2007 | | 5.8%** | | N/A | | 5.8%** |
2008 | | 6.3%** | | N/A | | 6.3%** |
2009 | | 7.2%** | | N/A | | 7.2%** |
*/Three-month Treasury bill average rate for the immediately preceding calendar quarter as reported by the Federal Reserve Bank; rate changes each calendar quarter.
**/For periods on and after January 1, 2006, rate is based on the Corporation’s 15-year borrowing rate and is subject to change annually.
Deferred Salary (Band 6 and Above)
| | | | Contingent | | |
Year Salary Earned | | Vested Rate | | Rate | | Total Rate |
1994 – 1998 | | 10% | | N/A | | 10% |
1999 – 2001 | | 8% | | 3% | | 11% |
2002 - 2002 | | 7% | | 3% | | 10% |
2003 | | 3% | | 5% | | 8% |
2004 | | 3% | | 5% | | 8% |
2005** | | 3% | | 5% | | 8% |
**/For periods on and after January 1, 2006, rate is subject to change.
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