Exhibit 10.1
KEY EXECUTIVE SEVERANCE PLAN OF
PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE GROUP INCORPORATED
Amended effective November 18, 2024
ARTICLE I
PURPOSE OF THE PLAN
The Plan was amended effective June 16, 2014 to (i) add a new schedule of eligible Participants, Schedule C Participants, (ii) to provide that there will be no additions to Schedule B Participants, (iii) to provide that other than a current Schedule B Participant, an Eligible Employee newly hired or promoted into a position reflected on Schedule B as of June 16, 2014, shall become a Schedule A Participant, and (iv) to update the Schedule A Participant list, the Schedule B Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective July 14, 2014, to update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective February 17, 2015, to update the Schedule A Participant list, the Schedule B Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective November 18, 2015, to update the Schedule A Participant list, the Schedule B Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list, and to include the language to comply with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s whistleblower protections.
The Plan was amended effective December 15, 2015, to update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective July 19, 2016, to update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list. The Plan was amended to comply with the
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Defense of Trade Secrets Act regarding the confidentiality provision. Finally, the Plan was amended to clarify that if an Eligible Employee is newly hired or promoted into a position reflected on Schedule B as of June 16, 2014, such Eligible Employee shall become a Schedule A Participant.
The Plan was amended effective November 14, 2016, to (i) revise the definition of Cause, (ii) align the severance benefits in Article IV, (iii) align the Change in Control benefits in Article V, (iv) update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list, and (v) to make administrative clarifications. The Plan is intended to comply in operation and form with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”). The timing and form of payment of benefits provided under the Plan will be deemed to be automatically modified, and a Participant’s rights under the Plan will be limited so as to conform to any requirements under Section 409A of the Code.
The Plan was amended effective February 20, 2017, to update the Schedule A Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective April 17, 2017, to update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective July 18, 2017 (unless otherwise noted) to update the Schedule A Participant list, the Schedule B Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective November 20, 2017, to update the Schedule A Participant list, the Schedule B Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective July 16, 2018, to update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C Participant list and to make administrative clarifications.
The Plan was amended effective November 19, 2018, to update the Schedule A Participant list.
The Plan was amended effective February 18, 2019, to update the Schedule A Participant list and the Schedule C list, and to make administrative changes.
The Plan was amended effective April 15, 2019, to (i) remove the Participant lists (Schedules A – C) from the Plan, and (ii) provide that the Participant lists will be maintained by the Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Chief Human Resources Officer & Chief Diversity Officer.
The Plan was amended effective July 1, 2019, to provide that the definition of “Retirement Plan” includes Pension Plan of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated II and to make administrative clarifications.
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The Plan was amended effective June 30, 2021 to (i) provide that a Selectline Participant or a Benefits 2000 Participant can elect coverage under the Retiree Medical Plan upon the expiration of COBRA continuation coverage, (ii) add Appendix A which provides benefits for Eligible Employees that are involuntarily terminated as a result of the Strategic Alternatives Review transaction(s), and (iii) provide that a Benefits 2000 Participant shall vest in their Company contributions under the Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated Postretirement Supplemental Health Benefits Plan upon termination from employment.
The Plan was amended as of July 18, 2022: (i) to provide the severance benefits effective September 1, 2022, to the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (and effective January 1, 2023, the Chair of the Board, President and CEO) shall receive in the event a termination without cause, (ii) to revise the method to calculate the cutback of Parachute Payments to avoid an excise tax exposure, and (iii) for administrative clarifications.
The Plan was amended effective April 16, 2024 to: (i) update eligibility language and clarify the situations where employees are eligible and not eligible for benefits, (ii) provide that employees are eligible for severance benefits under a voluntary Exit Incentive Program (“EIP”) under specified circumstances, (iii) remove references to the ER&T Plan, (iv) clarify that Participants may elect retiree dental coverage upon the expiration of subsidized COBRA coverage, (v) remove Appendix A as it self-expired, and (vi) make administrative clarifications.
The Plan is being amended effective November 18, 2024 to: (i) update the positions eligible for inclusion on Schedule A to include designated Section 16 Officer positions, except for an officer currently on Schedule B; and (ii) rename “Class” to “Schedule” to align with referenced terms of Schedule.
This amended and restated Plan document supersedes and replaces all prior Plan documents and applies to any termination of employment that occurs on or after the Effective Date.
ARTICLE II
DEFINITIONS
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Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred by virtue of the consummation of any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions.
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Cause, or (iii) the date on which the Participant terminates employment for Good Reason or without Good Reason, including Retirement and Disability.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, for purposes of the Plan, the termination of a Participant’s employment with an Employer shall not be deemed to be for Good Reason unless such termination is affected in accordance with the following procedures. The Participant shall give the Employer a written notice (“Notice of Termination for Good Reason”) of the termination, setting forth in reasonable detail
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the specific acts or omissions of the Employer that constitute Good Reason and the specific provision(s) of the Plan on which the Participant relies. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, a Notice of Termination for Good Reason by the Participant must be made within 60 days after the Participant first has actual knowledge of the act or omission (or the last in a series of acts or omissions) that the Participant alleges to constitute Good Reason, and the Employer shall have 30 days from the receipt of such Notice of Termination for Good Reason to cure the conduct cited therein. A termination of employment by the Participant for Good Reason shall be effective on the final day of such 30-day cure period unless prior to such time the Employer has cured the specific conduct asserted by the Participant to constitute Good Reason to the reasonable satisfaction of the Participant.
For purposes of the Plan, a Participant’s determination that an act or failure to act constitutes Good Reason shall be presumed to be valid unless such determination is decided to be unreasonable by the Committee or its delegate pursuant to Article IX.
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If a Participant is absent from employment due to military leave, sick leave or any other bona fide leave of absence authorized by the Company or an Affiliate and there is a reasonable expectation that the Participant will return to perform services for the Company or an Affiliate, a Separation from Service will not occur until the later of: (i) the first date immediately following the date that is six months after the date that the Participant was first absent from employment; or (ii) the date the Participant no longer retains a right to reemployment, to the extent the Participant retains a right to reemployment with the Company or any Affiliates under applicable law or by contract. If a Participant fails to return to work upon the expiration of any military leave, sick leave or other bona fide leave of absence where such leave is for less than six months, the Separation from Service shall occur as of the date of the expiration of such leave, unless a greater period is provided for under applicable law.
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ARTICLE III
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
ARTICLE IV
SEVERANCE BENEFITS IN GENERAL
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be treated as an eligible termination of employment under the Plan, the termination must constitute a Separation from Service.
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Employer, line or unit or business, or business function within which their position is located; and
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For purposes of this Section 4.5, calendar year shall mean 365 days.
Annual incentive awards with respect to the calendar year in which a Participant’s Date of Termination occurs will be paid at the same time as awards for such calendar year are paid to active employees of the Employer.
(a) Health for Selectline Participants.
Such coverage shall commence no earlier than the Selectline Participant’s Date of Termination. The Selectline Participant shall be charged the full cost of coverage under the Retiree Medical Plan/ Retiree Dental Plan.
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coverage under the Retiree Medical Plan/Retiree Dental Plan, timely elects continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), the Employer shall pay the same portion of the cost of medical and/or dental coverage that it paid immediately prior to the Selectline Participant’s Date of Termination for active employees during the one-year period following the Selectline Participant’s Date of Termination. During the one-year period, the Participant shall pay the difference between the total cost of medical and/or dental coverage and the Employer’s portion of the cost. After the expiration of the one-year period, the Selectline Participant shall be charged the COBRA rate for medical and/or dental coverage for the remainder of the COBRA period. If the Participant does not timely elect COBRA medical and/or dental coverage, the Participant shall not be entitled to the benefit under this Subsection (iii). During the entire COBRA period, the Selectline Participant shall be responsible for the full cost of COBRA vision and hearing coverage, as applicable. If a Selectline Participant timely elects COBRA continuation coverage in lieu of coverage under the Retiree Medical Plan/ Retiree Dental Plan, they may, upon the expiration of COBRA continuation coverage, elect medical coverage under the Retiree Medical Plan/ Retiree Dental Plan provided that they meet the eligibility for such coverage at time of termination.
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provided that they meet the eligibility for such coverage at time of termination.
ARTICLE V
SEVERANCE BENEFITS AFTER A CHANGE IN CONTROL
If a Participant enters into a VSA with an Employer, such Participant shall not be eligible for benefits under the Plan.
in each case to the extent not theretofore paid (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (i) and (ii) shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”); and
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Unless otherwise limited by applicable law or by a third-party vendor contract, for two years after the Date of Termination in the case of a Schedule A Participant, three years after the Date of Termination in the case of a Schedule B Participant, or in the case of a Schedule C Participant, eighteen months after the Date of Termination (or for any Participant such longer period as may be provided by the terms of the appropriate plan, program, practice or policy), the Company shall continue benefits (other than medical and dental benefits) to the Participant and/or the Participant’s family at least equal to those which would have been provided to them in accordance with the welfare plans, programs, practices and policies maintained by the Company if the Participant’s employment had not been terminated or, if more favorable to the Participant, as in effect generally at any time thereafter with respect to other peer executives of the Employer and their families.
Unless otherwise limited by applicable law or by a third-party vendor contract, the Participant’s eligibility (but not the time of commencement of such benefits) for retiree benefits pursuant to the welfare plans, programs, practices and policies
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maintained by the Company shall be determined as if the Participant had (A) remained employed until two years (in the case of a Schedule A Participant), three years (in the case of a Schedule B Participant), or eighteen months (in the case of a Schedule C Participant) after the Date of Termination, and (B) retired on the last day of such period.
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policy, practice, contract or agreement of the Company (or other Employer), including earned but unpaid stock and similar compensation, but excluding medical or dental benefits if the Participant is eligible for such benefits to be provided by a subsequent employer, and benefits payable under any severance plan or policy.
ARTICLE VI
TIMING OF, LIMITATIONS ON AND ADJUSTMENTS TO PLAN PAYMENTS
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waiver and release) spans two taxable years, in all events the payments will be made in the second taxable year within 30 days following the later of the end of the first taxable year or the date the executed release is received by the Company.
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payable under Articles IV or V is necessary shall be made by the Company’s independent auditor or such other certified public accounting firm as may be jointly designated by the Participant and the Company (the “Accounting Firm”), which shall provide detailed supporting calculations to the Participant and the Company. The determinations of the Accounting Firm shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and the Participant. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company.
ARTICLE VII
RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
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not, without the prior written consent of the Company or as may otherwise be required by law or legal process, communicate or divulge any such Confidential Information to anyone other than the Company and those designated by it, except (a) otherwise publicly available information, (b) as may be necessary to enforce the Participant’s rights under the Plan or as necessary for the Participant to defend against a claim asserted directly or indirectly by the Company or its Affiliates, or (c) as may be compelled by service of a valid subpoena or other legal process (if the Participant is served with a valid subpoena or other legal process, the Participant must so notify the Company within three business days). Furthermore, nothing contained in this Plan violation of law to any Federal, state, or local governmental agency or entity including, but not limited to, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of any law.
Finally, nothing in this Plan prevents a Participant – nor should a Participant be held civilly or criminally liable under any law – if the Participant discloses a trade secret: (a) in confidence to a Federal, State or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; (b) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal or otherwise in confidence; (c) to the Participant’s attorney in connection with a lawsuit or arbitration alleging retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law; or (d) in connection with a lawsuit or arbitration described in the immediately preceding subparagraph (c), provided the Participant: (i) files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and (ii) does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to a court order or an arbitrator’s order.
Unless and until a determination has been made in accordance with Section 7.4 that the Participant has violated this Section 7.1, an asserted violation of the provisions of this Section 7.1 shall not constitute a basis for deferring or withholding any amounts otherwise payable to the Participant under the Plan.
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as an employee, independent contractor, consultant or otherwise, any person who was a managerial or higher level employee of an Employer at any time during the term of the Participant’s employment by the Employer; provided, however, that this provision shall not apply with respect to the solicitation of any person after six months from the date on which such person’s employment by an Employer has terminated.
Nothing in this Plan prohibits the Participant from reporting possible violations of Federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, including but not limited to the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Congress, and any agency Inspector General, or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of Federal law or regulation. The Participant does not need the prior authorization of the Law Department to make any such reports or disclosures, and is not required to notify the Company that such reports or disclosures have been made.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
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ARTICLE IX
ADMINISTRATION
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determine appeals of alleged adverse benefit determinations.
The Committee delegates to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company the responsibility and authority to interpret the terms of the Plan, including the benefits payable thereunder. Furthermore, the Committee delegates to the Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Chief Human Resources Officer & Chief Diversity Officer of the Company the authority to enter into a VSA with a Participant in lieu of providing benefits under the Plan.
ARTICLE X
CLAIMS PROCEDURE
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triggered entitlement to Plan benefits.
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information relevant to the claim; and
ARTICLE XI
GENERAL PROVISIONS
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in the Plan shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, condition or requirement, nor shall any waiver of any such term, condition or requirement at any one time or times be deemed to result in a waiver of such term, condition or requirement at any other time or times.
/s/ Sheila Rostiac 11/18/2024
Signature Date
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