FORM OF
FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
OF ALLEN PARISH
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
(adopted effective January 1, 1996)
FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
OF ALLEN PARISH
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
This Employee Stock Ownership Plan, executed on the ____ day of
_____________, 1996, by First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Allen
Parish, a federally-chartered stock savings bank (the "Bank"),
W I T N E S S E T H T H A T
WHEREAS, the board of directors of the Bank has resolved to adopt an
employee stock ownership plan for eligible employees in accordance with the
terms and conditions presented to the directors;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Bank hereby adopts the following Plan setting forth the
terms and conditions pertaining to contributions by the Employer and the payment
of benefits to Participants and Beneficiaries.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Bank has adopted this Plan and caused this
instrument to be executed by its duly authorized officers as of the above date.
ATTEST:
______________________________ By: _____________________________
Secretary President
C 0 N T E N T S
PAGE NO.
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Section 1. Plan Identity............................................. 1
1.1 Name...................................................... 1
1.2 Purpose................................................... 1
1.3 Effective Date............................................ 1
1.4 Fiscal Period............................................. 1
1.5 Single Plan for All Employers............................. 1
1.6 Interpretation of Provisions.............................. 1
Section 2. Definitions............................................... 1
Section 3. Eligibility for Participation............................. 8
3.1 Initial Eligibility....................................... 8
3.2 Definition of Eligibility Year............................ 8
3.3 Terminated Employees...................................... 8
3.4 Certain Employees Ineligible.............................. 8
3.5 Participation and Reparticipation......................... 9
3.6 Omission of Eligible Employee............................. 9
3.7 Inclusion of Ineligible Employee.......................... 9
Section 4. Employer Contributions and Credits........................ 9
4.1 Discretionary Contributions............................... 9
4.2 Contributions for Stock Obligations....................... 9
4.3 Definitions Related to Contributions...................... 10
4.4 Conditions as to Contributions............................ 10
4.5 Transfers................................................. 11
Section 5. Limitations on Contributions
and Allocations.................................... 11
5.1 Limitation on Annual Additions............................ 11
5.2 Coordinated Limitation With Other Plans................... 12
5.3 Effect of Limitations..................................... 13
5.4 Limitations as to Certain Participants.................... 13
Section 6. Trust Fund and Its Investment............................. 14
6.1 Creation of Trust Fund.................................... 14
6.2 Stock Fund and Investment Fund............................ 14
6.3 Acquisition of Stock...................................... 14
(i)
PAGE NO.
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6.4 Participants' Option to Diversify......................... 15
Section 7. Voting Rights and Dividends on Stock...................... 16
7.1 Voting and Tendering of Stock............................. 16
7.2 Dividends on Stock........................................ 16
Section 8. Adjustments to Accounts................................... 17
8.1 Adjustments for Transactions.............................. 17
8.2 Valuation of Investment Fund.............................. 17
8.3 Adjustments for Investment Experience..................... 17
Section 9. Vesting of Participants' Interests........................ 17
9.1 Deferred Vesting in Accounts.............................. 17
9.2 Computation of Vesting Years.............................. 18
9.3 Full Vesting Upon Certain Events.......................... 18
9.4 Full Vesting Upon Plan Termination........................ 19
9.5 Forfeiture, Repayment, and Restoral....................... 19
9.6 Accounting for Forfeitures................................ 19
9.7 Vesting and Nonforfeitability............................. 20
Section 10. Payment of Benefits....................................... 20
10.1 Benefits for Participants................................. 20
10.2 Time for Distribution..................................... 20
10.3 Marital Status............................................ 21
10.4 Delay in Benefit Determination............................ 22
10.5 Accounting for Benefit Payments........................... 22
10.6 Options to Receive and Sell Stock......................... 22
10.7 Restrictions on Disposition of Stock...................... 23
10.8 Continuing Loan Provisions; Creation of Projections and
Rights............................................. 23
10.9 Direct Rollover of Eligible Distribution.................. 23
Section 11. Rules Governing Benefit Claims and Review of Appeals...... 24
11.1 Claim for Benefits........................................ 24
11.2 Notification by Committee................................. 24
11.3 Claims Review Procedure................................... 24
Section 12. The Committee and Its Functions........................... 25
(ii)
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12.1 Authority of Committee.................................... 25
12.2 Identity of Committee..................................... 25
12.3 Duties of Committee....................................... 25
12.4 Valuation of Stock........................................ 26
12.5 Compliance with ERISA..................................... 26
12.6 Action by Committee....................................... 26
12.7 Execution of Documents.................................... 26
12.8 Adoption of Rules......................................... 26
12.9 Responsibilities to Participants.......................... 26
12.10 Alternative Payees in Event of Incapacity................. 26
12.11 Indemnification by Employers.............................. 27
12.12 Nonparticipation by Interested Member..................... 27
Section 13. Adoption, Amendment or Termination of the Plan............ 27
13.1 Adoption of Plan by Other Employers....................... 27
13.2 Adoption of Plan by Successor............................. 27
13.3 Plan Adoption Subject to Qualification.................... 27
13.4 Right to Amend or Terminate............................... 28
Section 14. Miscellaneous Provisions.................................. 28
14.1 Plan Creates No Employment Rights......................... 28
14.2 Nonassignability of Benefits.............................. 28
14.3 Limit of Employer Liability............................... 29
14.4 Treatment of Expenses..................................... 29
14.5 Number and Gender......................................... 29
14.6 Nondiversion of Assets.................................... 29
14.7 Separability of Provisions................................ 29
14.8 Service of Process........................................ 29
14.9 Governing State Law....................................... 29
14.10 Employer Contributions Conditioned on Deductibility....... 29
14.11 Unclaimed Accounts........................................ 29
14.12 Qualified Domestic Relations Order........................ 30
Section 15. Top-Heavy Provisions...................................... 30
15.1 Top-Heavy Plan............................................ 30
15.2 Super Top-Heavy Plan...................................... 31
15.3 Definitions............................................... 31
15.4 Top-Heavy Rules of Application............................ 32
15.5 Top-Heavy Ratio........................................... 33
15.6 Minimum Contributions..................................... 34
15.7 Minimum Vesting........................................... 34
(iii)
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15.8 Top Heavy Provisions Control in Top-Heavy Plan............ 34
(iv)
FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION
OF ALLEN PARISH
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
SECTION 1. PLAN IDENTITY.
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1.1 NAME. The name of this Plan is "First Federal Savings and Loan
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Association of Allen Parish Employee Stock Ownership Plan."
1.2 PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to describe the terms and
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conditions under which contributions made pursuant to the Plan will be credited
and paid to the Participants and their Beneficiaries.
1.3 EFFECTIVE DATE. The Effective Date of this Plan is January 1,
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1996.
1.4 FISCAL PERIOD. This Plan shall be operated on the basis of a
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January1 to December 31 fiscal year for the purpose of keeping the Plan's books
and records and distributing or filing any reports or returns required by law.
1.5 SINGLE PLAN FOR ALL EMPLOYERS. This Plan shall be treated as a
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single plan with respect to all participating Employers for the purpose of
crediting contributions and forfeitures and distributing benefits, determining
whether there has been any termination of Service, and applying the limitations
set forth in Section 5.
1.6 INTERPRETATION OF PROVISIONS. The Employers intend this Plan and
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the Trust to be a qualified stock bonus plan under Section 401(a) of the Code
and an employee stock ownership plan within the meaning of Section 407(d)(6) of
ERISA and Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code. The Plan is intended to have its
assets invested primarily in qualifying employer securities of one or more
Employers within the meaning of Section 407(d)(3) of ERISA, and to satisfy any
requirement under ERISA or the Code applicable to such a plan.
Accordingly, the Plan and Trust Agreement shall be interpreted and
applied in a manner consistent with this intent and shall be administered at all
times and in all respects in a nondiscriminatory manner.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS.
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The following capitalized words and phrases shall have the meanings
specified when used in this Plan and in the Trust Agreement, unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise:
"ACCOUNT" means a Participant's interest in the assets accumulated under
this Plan as expressed in terms of a separate account balance which is
periodically adjusted to reflect his Employer's contributions, the Plan's
investment experience, and distributions and forfeitures.
"ACTIVE PARTICIPANT" means any Employee who has satisfied the
eligibility requirements of Section 3 and who qualifies as an Active Participant
for a particular Plan Year under Section 4.3.
"BANK" means First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Allen Parish,
and any entity which succeeds to the business of First Federal Savings and Loan
Association of Allen Parish, and adopts this Plan as its own pursuant to Section
14.2.
"BENEFICIARY" means the person or persons who are designated by a
Participant to receive benefits payable under the Plan on the Participant's
death. In the absence of any designation or if all the designated Beneficiaries
shall die before the Participant dies or shall die before all benefits have been
paid, the Participant's Beneficiary shall be his surviving spouse, if any, or
his estate if he is not survived by a spouse. The Committee may rely upon the
advice of the Participant's executor or administrator as to the identity of the
Participant's spouse.
"BREAK IN SERVICE" means any Vesting Year in which an Employee has 500 or
fewer Hours of Service. Solely for this purpose, an Employee shall be
considered employed for his normal hours of paid employment during a Recognized
Absence (said employee shall not be credited with more than 501 Hours of Service
to avoid a Break in Service), unless he does not resume his Service at the end
of the Recognized Absence. Further, if an Employee is absent for any period
beginning on or after January 1, 1985, (i) by reason of the Employee's
pregnancy, (ii) by reason of the birth of the Employee's child, (iii) by reason
of the placement of a child with the Employee in connection with the Employee's
adoption of the child, or (iv) for purposes of caring for such child for a
period beginning immediately after such birth or placement, the Employee shall
be credited with the Hours of Service which would normally have been credited
but for such absence, up to a maximum of 501 Hours of Service.
"CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
"COMMITTEE" means the committee responsible for the administration of this
Plan in accordance with Section 12.
"COMPANY" means First Allen Parish Bancorp, Inc., the Delaware stock
holding company of Bank.
"DISABILITY" means only a disability which renders the Participant totally
unable, as a result of bodily or mental disease or injury, to perform any duties
for an Employer for which he is reasonably fitted, which disability is expected
to be permanent or of long and indefinite duration. However, this term shall
not include any disability directly or indirectly resulting from or related to
habitual drunkenness or addiction to narcotics, a criminal act or attempt,
service in the armed forces of any country, an act of war, declared or
undeclared, any injury or disease occurring while compensation to the
Participant is suspended, or any injury which is intentionally self-inflicted.
Further, this term shall apply only if (i) the Participant is sufficiently
disabled to qualify for the payment of disability benefits under the federal
Social Security Act or Veterans Disability Act, or (ii) the Participant's
disability is certified by a physician selected by the Committee. Unless the
Participant is sufficiently disabled to qualify for disability benefits under
the federal Social Security Act or Veterans Disability Act, the Committee may
require the Participant to be appropriately examined from time to time by one or
more physicians chosen by the Committee, and no Participant who refuses to be
examined shall be treated as having a Disability. In any event, the Committee's
good faith decision as to whether a Participant's Service has been terminated by
Disability shall be final and conclusive.
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"EARLY RETIREMENT" means retirement on or after a Participant's attainment
of age 55 and the completion of twenty years of Service for an Employer. If the
participant separates from Service before satisfying the age requirement, but
has satisfied the Service requirement, the Participant will be entitled to elect
early retirement upon satisfaction of the age requirement.
"EFFECTIVE DATE" means January 1, 1996.
"EMPLOYEE" means any individual who is or has been employed or self-
employed by an Employer. "Employee" also means an individual employed by a
leasing organization who, pursuant to an agreement between an Employer and the
leasing organization, has performed services for the Employer and any related
persons (within the meaning of Section 414(n)(6) of the Code) on a substantially
full-time basis for more than one year, if such services are of a type
historically performed by employees in the Employer's business field. However,
such a "leased employee" shall not be considered an Employee if (i) he
participates in a money purchase pension plan sponsored by the leasing
organization which provides for immediate participation, immediate full vesting,
and an annual contribution of at least 10 percent of the Employee's Total
Compensation, and (ii) leased employees do not constitute more than 20 percent
of the Employer's total work force (including leased employees, but excluding
Highly Paid Employees and any other employees who have not performed services
for the Employer on a substantially full-time basis for at least one year).
"EMPLOYER" means the Bank or any affiliate within the purview of section
414(b), (c) or (m) and 415(h) of the Code, any other corporation, partnership,
or proprietorship which adopts this Plan with the Bank's consent pursuant to
Section 13.1, and any entity which succeeds to the business of any Employer and
adopts the Plan pursuant to Section 13.2.
"ENTRY DATE" means the Effective Date of the Plan and each January 1 of
each Plan Year thereafter.
"ERISA" means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-
406, as amended).
"HIGHLY PAID EMPLOYEE" for any Plan Year means an Employee who, during
either of that or the immediately preceding Plan Year, (i) owned more than five
percent of the outstanding equity interest or the outstanding voting interest in
any Employer, (ii) had Total Compensation exceeding $75,000 (as adjusted
pursuant to section 415(d) of the Code), (iii) had Total Compensation exceeding
$50,000 (as adjusted pursuant to section 415(d) of the Code) and was among the
most highly compensated one-fifth of all Employees, or (iv) was at any time an
officer of an Employer and had Total Compensation exceeding $45,000 (or 50
percent of the currently applicable dollar limit under Section 415(b)(1)(A) of
the Code). For this purpose:
(a) "Total Compensation" shall include any amount which is excludable
from the Employee's gross income for tax purposes pursuant to Sections 125,
402(a)(8), 402(h)(1)(B), or 403(b) of the Code.
(b) The number of Employees in "the most highly compensated one-fifth
of all Employees" shall be determined by taking into account all
individuals working for all related Employer entities described in the
definition of "Service", but excluding any individual who has not completed
six months of Service, who normally works fewer than 17-1/2 hours per week
or in fewer than six months per year, who has not reached age 21, whose
employment is covered
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by a collective bargaining agreement, or who is a nonresident alien who
receives no earned income from United States sources.
(c) The number of individuals counted as "officers" shall not be more
than the lesser of (i) 50 individuals and (ii) the greater of 3 individuals
or 10 percent of the total number of Employees. If no officer earns more
than $45,000 (or the adjusted limit), then the highest paid officer shall
be a Highly Paid Employee.
(d) A former employee shall be treated as a highly compensated
employee if such employee was a highly paid employee when such employee
separated from service, or if such employee was a highly paid employee at
any time after attaining age 55.
"HOURS OF SERVICE" means hours to be credited to an Employee under the
following rules:
(a) Each hour for which an Employee is paid or is entitled to be paid
for services to an Employer is an Hour of Service.
(b) Each hour for which an Employee is directly or indirectly paid or
is entitled to be paid for a period of vacation, holidays, illness,
disability, lay-off, jury duty, temporary military duty, or leave of
absence is an Hour of Service. However, except as otherwise specifically
provided, no more than 501 Hours of Service shall be credited for any
single continuous period which an Employee performs no duties. No more than
501 hours of service will be credited under this paragraph for any single
continuous period (whether or not such period occurs in a single
computation period). Further, no Hours of Service shall be credited on
account of payments made solely under a plan maintained to comply with
worker's compensation, unemployment compensation, or disability insurance
laws, or to reimburse an Employee for medical expenses.
(c) Each hour for which back pay (ignoring any mitigation of damages)
is either awarded or agreed to by an Employer is an Hour of Service.
However, no more than 501 Hours of Service shall be credited for any single
continuous period during which an Employee would not have performed any
duties. The same hours of service will not be credited both under paragraph
(a) or (b) as the case may be, and under this paragraph (c). These hours
will be credited to the employee for the computation period or periods to
which the award or agreement pertains rather than the computation period in
which the award agreement or payment is made.
(d) Hours of Service shall be credited in any one period only under
one of the foregoing paragraphs (a), (b) and (c); an Employee may not get
double credit for the same period.
(e) If an Employer finds it impractical to count the actual Hours of
Service for any class or group of non-hourly Employees, each Employee in
that class or group shall be credited with 45 Hours of Service for each
weekly pay period in which he has at least one Hour of Service. However, an
Employee shall be credited only for his normal working hours during a paid
absence.
(f) Hours of Service to be credited on account of a payment to an
Employee (including back pay) shall be recorded in the period of Service
for which the payment was made.
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If the period overlaps two or more Plan Years, the Hours of Service credit
shall be allocated in proportion to the respective portions of the period
included in the several Plan Years. However, in the case of periods of 31
days or less, the Administrator may apply a uniform policy of crediting the
Hours of Service to either the first Plan Year or the second.
(g) In all respects an Employee's Hours of Service shall be counted
as required by Section 2530.200b-2(b) and (c) of the Department of Labor's
regulations under Title I of ERISA.
"INVESTMENT FUND" means that portion of the Trust Fund consisting of assets
other than Stock.
"NORMAL RETIREMENT" means retirement on or after a Participant's 65th
birthday.
"PARTICIPANT" means any Employee who is participating in the Plan, or who
has previously participated in the Plan and still has a balance credited to his
Account.
"PLAN YEAR" means the twelve month period commencing January 1 and ending
December 31, and each succeeding 12 consecutive month period.
"RECOGNIZED ABSENCE" means a period for which --
(a) an Employer grants an Employee a leave of absence for a limited
period, but only if an Employer grants such leave on a nondiscriminatory
basis; or
(b) an Employee is temporarily laid off by an Employer because of a
change in business conditions; or
(c) an Employee is on active military duty, but only to the extent
that his employment rights are protected by the Military Selective Service
Act of 1967 (38 U.S.C. Sec. 2021).
"ROLL OVER ACCOUNT" means the separate account established to hold a
Participant's roll-over contributions and direct transfers.
"SERVICE" means an Employee's period(s) of employment or self-employment
with an Employer, excluding for initial eligibility purposes any period in which
the individual was a nonresident alien and did not receive from an Employer any
earned income which constituted income from sources within the United States.
An Employee's Service shall include any service which constitutes service with a
predecessor employer within the meaning of Section 414(a) of the Code. An
Employee's Service shall also include any service with an entity which is not an
Employer, but only either (i) for a period after 1975 in which the other entity
is a member of a controlled group of corporations or is under common control
with other trades and businesses within the meaning of Section 414(b) or 414(c)
of the Code, and a member of the controlled group or one of the trades and
businesses is an Employer, (ii) for a period after 1979 in which the other
entity is a member of an affiliated service group within the meaning of Section
414(m) of the Code, and a member of the affiliated service group is an Employer,
or (iii) all employers aggregated with the Employer under Section 414(o) of the
Code (but not until the Proposed Regulations under Section 414(o) become
effective).
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"SPOUSE" means the individual, if any, to whom a Participant is lawfully
married on the date benefit payments to the Participant are to begin, or on the
date of the Participant's death, if earlier. A former spouse shall be treated
as the Spouse or surviving spouse to the extent provided under a qualified
domestic relations order as described in section 414(p) of the Code.
"STOCK" means shares of the Company's voting common stock or preferred
stock meeting the requirements of Section 409(e)(3) of the Code issued by an
Employer which is a member of the same controlled group of corporations within
the meaning of Code Section 414(b).
"STOCK FUND" means that portion of the Trust Fund consisting of Stock.
"STOCK OBLIGATION" means an indebtedness arising from any extension of
credit to the Plan or the Trust which satisfies the requirements set forth in
Section 6.3 and which was obtained for any or all of the following purposes:
(i) to acquire qualifying employer securities as defined in
Treasury Regulations (S) 54,4975012l
(ii) to repay such Stock Obligation; or
(iii) to repay a prior exempt loan.
"TOTAL COMPENSATION" (a) shall mean:
(i) A Participant's wages, salaries, fees for
professional services and other amounts received (without
regard to whether an amount is paid in cash) for personal
services actually rendered in the course of employment with the
Employer while a Participant in the Plan, (including, but not
limited to, commissions paid to salesmen, compensation for
services on the basis of a percentage of profits, commissions
on insurance premiums, tips, bonuses, severance payments and
amounts paid as a result of termination, and any deferred
compensation contributions made to this or any other Section
401(k) Plan on behalf of the Participants), taxable fringe
benefits, reimbursements and expense allowances under a
nonaccountable plan (as described in Section 1.62-2(c) of the
Treasury Regulations).
(ii) Amounts described in sections 104(a)(3),
105(a), and 105(h), but only to the extent that these amounts
are includable in the gross income of the employee.
(iii) Amounts paid or reimbursed by the employer for
moving expenses incurred by an employee, but only to the extent
that at the time of payment it is reasonable to believe that
these amounts are not deductible by the employee under section
217.
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(iv) The value of a non-qualified stock option
granted to an employee by the employer, but only to the extent
that the value of the option is includable in the gross income
of the employee for the taxable year in which granted.
(v) The amount includable in the gross income of an
employee upon making the election described in section 83(b).
(b) The term "Total Compensation" does not include items such as:
(i) Contributions made by the Employer to a Plan of
deferred compensation to the extent that before the application
of Section 415 limitations to the Plan, the contributions are
not includable in the gross income of the Employee for the
taxable year in which contributed, except for deferred
compensation contributions made by the Employer to a Section
401(k) Plan on behalf of the Participant. However, for purposes
of computing Code Section 415 annual additions, deferred
compensation contributions made by the Employer to a Section
401(k) Plan on behalf of a Participant shall be deducted from
Total Compensation. In addition, Employer contributions made on
behalf of an Employee to a simplified employee pension plan
described in Code Section 408(k) are not considered as
compensation for the taxable year in which contributed to the
extent such contributions are deductible by the Employee under
Code Section 219(b)(7). Additionally, any distributions from a
Plan of deferred compensation are not considered as
compensation for Code Section 415 purposes, regardless of
whether such amounts are includable in the gross income of the
Employee when distributed. However, any amounts received by an
Employee pursuant to an unfunded non-qualified Plan may be
considered as compensation for Code Section 415 purposes in the
year such amounts are includable in the gross income of the
Employee.
(ii) Amounts realized from the exercise of a non-
qualified stock option, or when restricted stock (or property)
held by an Employee either becomes freely transferable or is no
longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture.
(iii) Amounts realized from the sale, exchange or
other disposition of stock acquired under a qualified stock
option.
(iv) Other amounts which receive special tax
benefits, such as premiums for group term life insurance (but
only to the extent that the premiums are not includable in the
gross income of the Employee), or contributions made by the
Employer (whether or not under a salary reduction agreement)
towards the purchase of an annuity contract described in Code
Section 403(b) (whether or not the contributions are excludable
from the gross income of the Employee).
(c) For Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1993, Total
Compensation in excess of $150,000 (as indexed) shall be disregarded for
all Participants. For purposes of this sub-section, the $150,000 limit
shall be referred to as the "applicable limit" for the Plan Year in
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question. Such amount shall be adjusted in such manner as permitted under
Code Section 401(a)(17)(B), effective for the Plan Year which begins within
the applicable calendar year. For purposes of the applicable limit, Total
Compensation shall be prorated over short plan years. In determining the
Total Compensation of a Participant for purposes of the applicable limit,
the rules of Code Section 414(q)(6) shall apply, except as set forth in
Section 4.3 hereof. If as a result of the application of such rules, the
adjusted applicable limit is exceeded, then the limitation shall be
prorated among the affected individuals in proportion to each such
individual's Total Compensation, as determined under this Section prior to
the application of this limitation.
"TRUST" OR "TRUST FUND" means the trust fund created under this Plan.
"TRUST AGREEMENT" means the agreement between the Bank and the Trustee
concerning the Trust Fund. If any assets of the Trust Fund are held in a
co-mingled trust fund with assets of other qualified retirement plans, "Trust
Agreement" shall be deemed to include the trust agreement governing that
co-mingled trust fund. With respect to the allocation of investment
responsibility for the assets of the Trust Fund, the provisions of Article II of
the Trust Agreement are incorporated herein by reference.
"TRUSTEE" means one or more corporate persons or individuals selected from
time to time by the Bank to serve as trustee or co-trustees of the Trust Fund.
"UNALLOCATED STOCK FUND" means that portion of the Stock Fund consisting of
the Plan's holding of stock which have been acquired in exchange for one or more
Stock obligations and which have not yet been allocated to the Participant's
Accounts in accordance with Section 4.2
"VALUATION DATE" means the last day of the Plan Year and each other date as
of which the committee shall determine the investment experience of the
Investment Fund and adjust the Participants' accounts accordingly.
"VALUATION PERIOD" means the period following a Valuation Date and ending
with the next Valuation Date.
"VESTING YEAR" means a unit of Service credited to a Participant pursuant
to Section 9.2 for purposes of determining his vested interest in his Account.
SECTION 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR PARTICIPATION.
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3.1 INITIAL ELIGIBILITY. An Employee shall enter the Plan as of the
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last Entry Date preceding the later of the following dates:
(a) the last day of the Employee's first Eligibility Year, and
(b) the Employee's 21st birthday. However, if an Employee is not in
active Service with an Employer on the date he would otherwise first enter
the Plan, his entry shall be deferred until the next day he is in Service.
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3.2 DEFINITION OF ELIGIBILITY YEAR. An "Eligibility Year" means an
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applicable eligibility period (as defined below) in which the Employee has
completed 1,000 Hours of Service for the Employer. For this purpose:
(a) an Employee's first "eligibility period" is the 12-consecutive
month period beginning on the first day on which he has an Hour of Service,
and
(b) his subsequent eligibility periods will be 12-consecutive month
periods beginning on each January 1 after that first day of Service.
3.3 TERMINATED EMPLOYEES. No Employee shall have any interest or rights
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under this Plan if he is never in active Service with an Employer on or after
the Effective Date.
3.4 CERTAIN EMPLOYEES INELIGIBLE. No Employee shall participate in the
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Plan while his Service is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between
an Employer and the Employee's collective bargaining representative if (i)
retirement benefits have been the subject of good faith bargaining between the
Employer and the representative and (ii) the collective bargaining agreement
does not provide for the Employee's participation in the Plan. No Employee
shall participate in the Plan while he is actually employed by a leasing
organization rather than an Employer.
3.5 PARTICIPATION AND REPARTICIPATION. Subject to the satisfaction of
---------------------------------
the foregoing requirements, an Employee shall participate in the Plan during
each period of his Service from the date on which he first becomes eligible
until his termination. For this purpose, an Employee returning within five years
of his or her termination who previously satisfied the initial eligibility
requirements or returning after 5 consecutive one year Breaks in Service with a
vested account balance in the Plan shall re-enter the Plan as of the date of his
return to Service with an Employer.
3.6 OMISSION OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE. If, in any Plan Year, any Employee
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who should be included as a Participant in the Plan is erroneously omitted and
discovery of such omission is not make until after a contribution by his
Employer for the year has been made, the Employer shall make a subsequent
contribution with respect to the omitted Employee in the amount which the said
Employer would have contributed shall be made regardless of whether or not it is
deductible in whole or in part in any taxable year under applicable provisions
of the Code.
3.7 INCLUSION OF INELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE. If, in any Plan Year, any person
--------------------------------
who should not have been included as a Participant in the Plan is erroneously
included and discovery of such incorrect inclusion is not made until after a
contribution for the year has been made, the Employer shall not be entitled to
recover the contribution made with respect to the ineligible person regardless
of whether or not a deduction is allowable with respect to the ineligible person
shall constitute a Forfeiture for the Plan Year in which the discovery is made.
SECTION 4. CONTRIBUTIONS AND CREDITS.
-------------------------
4.1 DISCRETIONARY CONTRIBUTIONS. The Employer shall from time to time
---------------------------
contribute, with respect to a Plan Year, such amounts as it may determine from
time to time. The Employer shall have no obligation to contribute any amount
under this Plan except as so determined in its sole discretion. The
-9-
Employer's contributions and available forfeitures for a Plan Year shall be
credited as of the last day of the year to the Accounts of the Active
Participants in proportion to their amounts of Cash Compensation.
4.2 CONTRIBUTIONS FOR STOCK OBLIGATIONS. If the Trustee, upon
-----------------------------------
instructions from the Committee, incurs any Stock Obligation upon the purchase
of Stock, the Employer may contribute for each Plan Year an amount sufficient to
cover all payments of principal and interest as they come due under the terms of
the Stock Obligation. If there is more than one Stock Obligation, the Employer
shall designate the one to which any contribution is to be applied. Investment
earnings realized on Employer contributions and any dividends paid by the
Employer on Stock held in the Unallocated Stock Account, which earnings and
dividends shall be applied to the Stock Obligation related to that Stock.
In each Plan Year in which Employer contributions, earnings on
contributions, or dividends on unallocated Stock are used as payments under a
Stock Obligation, a certain number of shares of the Stock acquired with that
Stock Obligation which is then held in the Unallocated Stock Fund shall be
released for allocation among the Participants. The number of shares released
shall bear the same ratio to the total number of those shares then held in the
Unallocated Stock Fund (prior to the release) as (i) the principal and interest
payments made on the Stock Obligation in the current Plan Year bears to (ii)
the sum of (i) above, and the remaining principal and interest payments required
---
(or projected to be required on the basis of the interest rate in effect at the
end of the Plan Year) to satisfy the Stock Obligation.
At the direction of the Committee, the current and projected payments of
interest under a Stock Obligation may be ignored in calculating the number of
shares to be released in each year if (i) the Stock Obligation provides for
annual payments of principal and interest at a cumulative rate that is not less
rapid at any time than level annual payments of such amounts for 10 years, (ii)
the interest included in any payment is ignored only to the extent that it would
be determined to be interest under standard loan amortization tables, and (iii)
the term of the Stock Obligation, by reason of renewal, extension, or
refinancing, has not exceeded 10 years from the original acquisition of the
Stock.
For these purposes, each Stock Obligation, the Stock purchased with it, and
any dividends on such Stock, shall be considered separately. The Stock released
from the Unallocated Stock Fund in any Plan Year shall be credited as of the
last day of the year to the Accounts of the Active Participants in proportion to
their amounts of Cash Compensation.
4.3 DEFINITIONS RELATED TO CONTRIBUTIONS. For the purposes of this Plan,
------------------------------------
the following terms have the meanings specified:
"ACTIVE PARTICIPANT" means a Participant who has satisfied the eligibility
requirements under Section 3 and who has at least 1000 Hours of Service during
the current Plan Year. However, a Participant shall not qualify as an Active
Participant unless (i) he is in active Service with an Employer as of the last
day of the Plan Year, or (ii) he is on a Recognized Absence as of that date, or
(iii) his Service terminated during the Plan Year by reason of Disability,
death, Early or Normal Retirement.
"CASH COMPENSATION" A Participant's Cash Compensation shall include base
salary and bonuses received by the Participant during the Plan Year, and shall
also include amounts contributed under a salary reduction agreement pursuant to
Section 401(k) or Section 125 of the Code.
-10-
In the event a Plan Year is a period of less than 12 months for any reason,
then Cash Compensation for the short period shall not exceed the pro rata
portion of this limit created by multiplying a fraction which is the number of
months in the short period divided by twelve times the annual compensation
limit.
In determining the Cash Compensation of a Participant for purposes of this
limitation, the rules of Code Section 414(q)(6) shall apply, except in applying
such rules, the term "family" shall include only the spouse of the Participant
and any lineal descendants of the Participant who have not attained age 19 years
before the close of the year. If as a result of the application of such rules
the adjusted $150,000 limitation is exceeded, then the limitation shall be
prorated among the affected individuals in proportion to each individual's
compensation, as determined under this Section prior to the application of this
limitation.
4.4 CONDITIONS AS TO CONTRIBUTIONS. Employers' contributions shall in all
------------------------------
events be subject to the limitations set forth in Section 5. Contributions may
be made in the form of cash, or securities and other property to the extent
permissible under ERISA, including Stock, and shall be held by the Trustee in
accordance with the Trust Agreement. In addition to the provisions of Section
13.3 for the return of an Employer's contributions in connection with a failure
of the Plan to qualify initially under the Code, any amount contributed by an
Employer due to a good faith mistake of fact, or based upon a good faith but
erroneous determination of its deductibility under Section 404 of the Code,
shall be returned to the Employer within one year after the date on which the
contribution was originally made, or within one year after its nondeductibility
has been finally determined. However, the amount to be returned shall be
reduced to take account of any adverse investment experience within the Trust
Fund in order that the balance credited to each Participant's Account is not
less that it would have been if the contribution had never been made.
4.5 TRANSFERS. This plan shall accept direct and indirect transfers,
---------
including roll-over contributions from other tax-qualified plans, provided,
however, that this Plan shall not accept any direct or indirect transfers from
any other retirement plan that is tax-qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code
and which is subject to the survivor annuity requirements of section 401(a)(11)
and section 417 of the Code.
SECTION 5. LIMITATIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS AND ALLOCATIONS.
--------------------------------------------
5.1 LIMITATION ON ANNUAL ADDITIONS. Notwithstanding anything herein to
------------------------------
the contrary, allocation of Employer contributions for any Plan Year shall be
subject to the following:
5.1-1 If allocation of Employer contributions in accordance with
Section 4.1 will result in an allocation of more than one-third the total
contributions for a Plan Year to the accounts of Highly Paid Employees,
then allocation of such amount shall be adjusted so that such excess will
not occur.
5.1-2 After adjustment, if any, required by the preceding
paragraph, the annual additions during any Plan Year to any Participant's
Account under this and any other defined contribution plans maintained by
the Employer or an affiliate (within the purview of Section 414(b), (c) and
(m) and Section 415(h) of the Code, which affiliate shall be deemed the
Employer for this purpose) shall not exceed the lesser of $30,000 (or such
other dollar amount which results
-11-
from cost-of-living adjustments under Section 415(d) of the Code) or "25
percent of the Participant's Total Compensation for such limitation year."
In the event that annual additions exceed the aforesaid limitations, they
shall be reduced in the following priority:
(i) If the Participant is covered by the Plan at the end of
the Plan Year, any excess amount at the end of the Plan Year that
cannot be allocated to the Participant's account shall be used to
reduce the employer contribution for such Participant in the next
limitation year and any succeeding limitation years if necessary.
(ii) If the Participant is not covered by the Plan at the end
of the Plan Year, the excess amount will be held unallocated in a
suspense account. The suspense account will be applied to reduce
future employer contributions for all remaining Participants in the
next limitation year and each succeeding limitation year if necessary.
(iii) If a suspense account is in existence at any time during a
limitation year, it will not participate in any allocation of
investment gains and losses. All amounts held in suspense accounts
must be allocated to Participant's accounts before any contributions
may be made to the Plan for the limitation year.
(iv) If a suspense account exists at the time of plan
termination, amounts held in the suspense account that cannot be
allocated shall revert to the Employer.
5.1-3 For purposes of this Section 5.1 and the following Section 5.2,
the "annual addition" to a Participant's accounts means the sum of (I)
employer contributions, (ii) employee contributions, if any, and (iii)
forfeitures. Annual additions to a defined contribution plan also include
amounts allocated, after March 31, 1984, to an individual medical account,
as defined in Section 415(l)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, which is part
of a pension or annuity plan maintained by the Employer, amounts derived
from contributions paid or accrued after December 31, 1985, in taxable
years ending after such date, which are attributable to post-retirement
medical benefits allocated to the separate account of a Key Employee under
a welfare benefit fund, as defined in Section 419A(d) of the Internal
Revenue Code, maintained by the Employer. For these purposes, annual
additions to a defined contribution plan shall not include the allocation
of the excess amounts remaining in the Unallocated Stock Fund subsequent to
a sale of stock from such fund in accordance with a transaction described
in Section 8.1 of the Plan. The $30,000 limitations referred to shall, for
each limitation year ending after 1988, be automatically adjusted to the
new dollar limitations determined by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
for the calendar year beginning in that limitation year.
5.1-4 Notwithstanding the foregoing, if no more than one-third of the
Employer Contributions to the Plan for a year which are deductible under
Section 404(a)(9) of the Code are allocated to Highly Paid Employees
(within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Internal Revenue Code), the
limitations imposed herein shall not apply to:
(i) forfeitures of employer securities (within the meaning of
Section 409 of the Code) under the Plan if such securities were
acquired with the proceeds of a loan described in Section 404(a)(9)(A)
of the Code), or
-12-
(ii) Employer Contributions to the Plan which are deductible
under Section 404(a)(9)(B) and charged against a Participant's
account.
5.1-5 If the Employer contributes amounts, on behalf of Employees
covered by this Plan, to other "defined contribution plans" as defined in
Section 3(34) of ERISA, the limitation on annual additions provided in this
Section shall be applied to annual additions in the aggregate to this Plan
and to such other plans. Reduction of annual additions, where required,
shall be accomplished first by reductions under such other plan pursuant to
the directions of the named Fiduciary for administration of such other
plans or under priorities, if any, established under the terms of such
other plans and then by allocating any remaining excess for this Plan in
the manner and priority set out above with respect to this Plan."
5.1-6 A limitation year shall mean each 12 consecutive month period
beginning each January 1.
5.2 COORDINATED LIMITATION WITH OTHER PLANS. Aside from the limitation
---------------------------------------
prescribed by Section 5.1 with respect to the annual addition to a Participant's
accounts for any single limitation year, if a Participant has ever participated
in one or more defined benefit plans maintained by an Employer or an affiliate,
then the accrued benefit shall be limited so that the sum of his defined defined
plan fraction and his defined contribution plan fraction does not exceed one.
For this purpose:
5.2-1 A Participant's defined contribution plan fraction with respect
to a Plan Year shall be a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is the sum
of the annual additions to his accounts through the current year, and (ii)
the denominator of which is the sum of the lesser of the following amounts
-A- and -B- determined for the current limitation year and each prior
limitation year of Service with an Employer: -A- is 1.25 times the dollar
limit in effect for the year under Section 415(c)(1)(A) of the Code, or 1.0
times such dollar limitation if the Plan is top-heavy, and -B- is 35
percent of the Participant's Total Compensation for such year. Further, if
the Participant participated in any related defined contribution plan in
any years beginning before 1976, any-excess of the sum of the actual annual
additions to the Participant's accounts for those years over the maximum
annual additions which could have been made in accordance with Section 5.1
shall be ignored, and voluntary contributions by the Participant during
those years shall be taken into account as to each such year only to the
extent that his average annual voluntary contribution in those years
exceeded 10 percent of his average annual Total Compensation in those
years.
5.2-2 A Participant's defined benefit plan fraction with respect to a
limitation year shall be a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is his
projected annual benefit payable at normal retirement under the Employers'
defined benefit plans, and (ii) the denominator of which is the lesser of
(a) 1.25 times $90,000, or 1.0 times such dollar limitation if the Plan is
top-heavy, and (b) 1.4 times the Participant's average Total Compensation
during his highest-paid three consecutive limitation years.
5.3 EFFECT OF LIMITATIONS. The Committee shall take whatever action may
---------------------
be necessary from time to time to assure compliance with the limitations set
forth in Section 5.1 and 5.2. Specifically, the Committee shall see that each
Employer restrict its contributions for any Plan Year to an amount which, taking
into account the amount of available forfeitures, may be completely allocated to
the Participants
-13-
consistent with those limitations. Where the limitations would otherwise be
exceeded by any Participant, further allocations to the Participant shall be
curtailed to the extent necessary to satisfy the limitations. Where an excessive
amount is contributed on account of a mistake as to one or more Participants'
compensation, or there is an amount of forfeitures which may not be credited in
the Plan Year in which it becomes available, the amount shall be corrected in
accordance with Section 5.1-2 of the Plan.
5.4 LIMITATIONS AS TO CERTAIN PARTICIPANTS. Aside from the limitations
--------------------------------------
set forth in Section 5.1 and 5.2, if the Plan acquires any Stock in a
transaction as to which a selling shareholder or the estate of a deceased
shareholder is claiming the benefit of Section 1042 of the Code, the Committee
shall see that none of such Stock, and no other assets in lieu of such Stock,
are allocated to the Accounts of certain Participants in order to comply with
Section 409(n) of the Code.
This restriction shall apply at all times to a Participant who owns (taking
into account the attribution rules under Section 318(a) of the Code, without
regard to the exception for employee plan trusts in Section 318(a)(2)(B)(i) more
than 25 percent of any class of stock of a corporation which issued the Stock
acquired by the Plan, or another corporation within the same controlled group,
as defined in Section 409(l)(4) of the Code (any such class of stock hereafter
called a "Related Class"). For this purpose, a Participant who owns more than
25 percent of any Related Class at any time within the one year preceding the
Plan's purchase of the Stock shall be subject to the restriction as to all
allocations of the Stock, but any other Participant shall be subject to the
restriction only as to allocations which occur at a time when he owns more than
25 percent of any Related Class.
Further, this restriction shall apply to the selling shareholder claiming
the benefit of Section 1042 and any other Participant who is related to such a
shareholder within the meaning of Section 267(b) of the Code, during the period
beginning on the date of sale and ending on the later of (1) the date that is
ten years after the date of sale, or (2) the date of the plan allocation
attributable to the final payment of acquisition indebtedness incurred in
connection with the sale.
This restriction shall not apply to any Participant who is a lineal
descendant of a selling shareholder if the aggregate amounts allocated under the
Plan for the benefit of all such descendants do not exceed five percent of the
Stock acquired from the shareholder.
SECTION 6. TRUST FUND AND ITS INVESTMENT.
-----------------------------
6.1 CREATION OF TRUST FUND. All amounts received under the Plan from
----------------------
Employers and investments shall be held as the Trust Fund pursuant to the terms
of this Plan and of the Trust Agreement between the Bank and the Trustee. The
benefits described in this Plan shall be payable only from the assets of the
Trust Fund, and none of the Bank, any other Employer, its board of directors or
trustees, its stockholders, its officers, its employees, the Committee, and the
Trustee shall be liable for payment of any benefit under this Plan except from
the Trust Fund.
6.2 STOCK FUND AND INVESTMENT FUND. The Trust Fund held by the Trustee
------------------------------
shall be divided into the Stock Fund, consisting entirely of Stock, and the
Investment Fund, consisting of all assets of the Trust other than Stock. The
Trustee shall have no investment responsibility for the Stock Fund, but shall
accept any Employer contributions made in the form of Stock, and shall acquire,
sell, exchange, distribute, and otherwise deal with and dispose of Stock in
accordance with the instructions of the Committee. The Trustee shall have full
responsibility for the investment of the Investment Fund, except
-14-
to the extent such responsibility may be delegated from time to time to one or
more investment managers pursuant to Section 2.2 of the Trust Agreement.
6.3 ACQUISITION OF STOCK. From time to time the Committee may, in its
--------------------
sole discretion, direct the Trustee to acquire Stock from the issuing Employer
or from shareholders, including shareholders who are or have been Employees,
Participants, or fiduciaries with respect to the Plan. The Trustee shall pay
for such Stock no more than its fair market value, which shall be determined
conclusively by the Committee pursuant to Section 12.4. The Committee may direct
the Trustee to finance the acquisition of Stock by incurring or assuming
indebtedness to the seller or another party which indebtedness shall be called a
"Stock Obligation". The term "Stock Obligation" shall refer to a loan made to
the Plan by a disqualified person within the meaning of Section 4975(e)(2) of
the Code, or a loan to the Plan which is guaranteed by a disqualified person. A
Stock Obligation includes a direct loan of cash, a purchase-money transaction,
and an assumption of an obligation of a tax-qualified employee stock ownership
plan under Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code ("ESOP"). For these purposes, the
term "guarantee" shall include an unsecured guarantee and the use of assets of a
disqualified person as collateral for a loan, even though the use of assets may
not be a guarantee under applicable state law. An amendment of a Stock
Obligation in order to qualify as an "exempt loan" is not a refinancing of the
Stock Obligation or the making of another Stock Obligation. The term "exempt
loan" refers to a loan that satisfies the provisions of this paragraph. A "non-
exempt loan" fails to satisfy this paragraph. Any Stock Obligation shall be
subject to the following conditions and limitations:
6.3-1 A Stock Obligation shall be for a specific term, shall not be
payable on demand except in the event of default, and shall bear a
reasonable rate of interest.
6.3-2 A Stock Obligation may, but need not, be secured by a
collateral pledge of either the Stock acquired in exchange for the Stock
Obligation, or the Stock previously pledged in connection with a prior
Stock Obligation which is being repaid with the proceeds of the current
Stock Obligation. No other assets of the Plan and Trust may be used as
collateral for a Stock Obligation, and no creditor under a Stock Obligation
shall have any right or recourse to any Plan and Trust assets other than
Stock remaining subject to a collateral pledge.
6.3-3 Any pledge of Stock to secure a Stock Obligation must provide
for the release of pledged Stock in connection with payments on the Stock
obligations in the ratio prescribed in Section 4.2.
6.3-4 Repayments of principal and interest on any Stock Obligation
shall be made by the Trustee only from Employer cash contributions
designated for such payments, from earnings on such contributions, and from
cash dividends received on Stock, in the last case, however, subject to the
further requirements of Section 7.2.
6.3-5 In the event of default of a Stock Obligation, the value of
plan assets transferred in satisfaction of the Stock Obligation must not
exceed the amount of the default. If the lender is a disqualified person
within the meaning of Section 4975 of the Code, a Stock Obligation must
provide for a transfer of plan assets upon default only upon and to the
extent of the failure of the plan to meet the payment schedule of said
Stock Obligation. For purposes of this paragraph, the making of a guarantee
does not make a person a lender."
-15-
6.4 PARTICIPANTS' OPTION TO DIVERSIFY. The Committee shall provide
---------------------------------
for a procedure under which each Participant may, during the qualified election
period, elect to "diversify" a portion of the Employer Stock allocated to his
Account, as provided in Section 401(a)(28)(B) of the Code. An election to
diversity must be made on the prescribed form and filed with the Committee
within the period specified herein. For each of the first five (5) Plan years
in the qualified election period, the Participant may elect to diversify an
amount which does not exceed 25% of the number of shares allocated to his
Account since the inception of the Plan, less all shares with respect to which
an election under this Section has already been made. For the last year of the
qualified election period, the Participant may elect to have up to 50 percent of
the value of his Account committed to other investments, less all shares with
respect to which an election under this Section has already been made. The term
"qualified election period" shall mean the six (6) Plan Year period beginning
with the first Plan Year in which a Participant has both attained age 55 and
completed 10 years of participation in the Plan. A Participant's election to
diversify his Account may be made within each year of the qualified election
period and shall continue for the 90-day period immediately following the last
day of each year in the qualified election period. Once a Participant makes such
election, the Plan must complete diversification in accordance with such
election within 90 days after the end of the period during which the election
could be made for the Plan Year. In the discretion of the Committee, the Plan
may satisfy the diversification requirement by any of the following methods:
6.4-1 The Plan may distribute all or part of the amount subject to
the diversification election.
6.4-2 The Plan may offer the Participant at least three other
distinct investment options, if available under the Plan. The other
investment options shall satisfy the requirements of Regulations under
Section 404(c) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA").
6.4-3 The Plan may transfer the portion of the Participant's Account
subject to the diversification election to another qualified defined
contribution plan of the Employer that offers at least three investment
options satisfying the requirements of the Regulations under Section 404(c)
of ERISA.
SECTION 7. VOTING RIGHTS AND DIVIDENDS ON STOCK.
------------------------------------
7.1 VOTING AND TENDERING OF STOCK. The Trustee generally shall vote all
-----------------------------
shares of Stock held under the Plan in accordance with the written instructions
of the Committee. However, if any Employer has registration-type class of
securities within the meaning of Section 409(e)(4) of the Code, or if a matter
submitted to the holders of the Stock involves a merger, consolidation,
recapitalization, reclassification, liquidation, dissolution, or sale of
substantially all assets of an entity, then (i) the shares of Stock which have
been allocated to Participants' Accounts shall be voted by the Trustee in
accordance with the Participants' written instructions, and (ii) the Trustee
shall vote any unallocated Stock and allocated Stock for which it has received
no voting instructions in the same proportions as it votes the allocated Stock
for which it has received instructions from Participants; provided, however,
that if an exempt loan, as defined in Section 4975(d) of the Code, is
outstanding and the Plan is in default on such exempt loan, as default is
defined in the loan documents, then to the extent that such loan documents
require the lender to exercise voting rights with respect to the unallocated
shares, the loan documents will prevail. In the event no shares of Stock have
been allocated to Participants' Accounts at the time Stock
-16-
is to be voted and any exempt loan which may be outstanding is not in default,
each Participant shall be deemed to have one share of Stock allocated to his or
her account for the sole purpose of providing the Trustee with voting
instructions.
Notwithstanding any provision hereunder to the contrary, all unallocated
shares of Stock must be voted by the Trustee in a manner determined by the
Trustee to be for the exclusive benefit of the Participants and Beneficiaries.
Whenever such voting rights are to be exercised, the Employers shall provide the
Trustee, in a timely manner, with the same notices and other materials as are
provided to other holders of the Stock, which the Trustee shall distribute to
the Participants. The Participants shall be provided with adequate opportunity
to deliver their instructions to the Trustee regarding the voting of Stock
allocated to their Accounts. The instructions of the Participants' with respect
to the voting of allocated shares hereunder shall be confidential.
7.1-1 In the event of a tender offer, Stock shall be tendered by the
Trustee in the same manner as set forth above with respect to the voting of
Stock. Notwithstanding any provision hereunder to the contrary, Stock must
be tendered by the Trustee in a manner determined by the Trustee to be for
the exclusive benefit of the Participants and Beneficiaries.
7.2 DIVIDENDS ON STOCK. Dividends on Stock which are received by the
------------------
Trustee in the form of additional Stock shall be retained in the Stock Fund, and
shall be allocated among the Participant's Accounts and the Unallocated Stock
Fund in accordance with their holdings of the Stock on which the dividends have
been paid. Dividends on Stock credited to Participants' Accounts which are
received by the Trustee in the form of cash shall, at the direction of the
Employer paying the dividends, either (i) be credited to the Accounts in
accordance with Section 8.3 and invested as part of the Investment Fund, (ii) be
distributed immediately to the Participants in proportion with the Participants'
Account balance (iii) be distributed to the Participants within 90 days of the
close of the Plan Year in which paid in proportion with the Participants'
Account balance or (iv) be used to make payments on an exempt loan. If dividends
allocated to a participant's account are used to repay an exempt loan, stock
with a fair market value equal to the dividends so used must be allocated to
such Participant's Account in lieu of the dividends. Dividends on Stock held in
the Unallocated Stock Fund which are received by the Trustee in the form of cash
shall be applied as soon as practicable to payments of principal and interest
under the Stock Obligation incurred with the purchase of the Stock.
SECTION 8. ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOUNTS.
-----------------------
8.1 ADJUSTMENTS FOR TRANSACTIONS. An Employer contribution pursuant to
----------------------------
Section 4.1 shall be credited to the Participants' Accounts as of the last day
of the Plan Year for which it is contributed. Stock released from the
Unallocated Stock Fund upon the Trust's repayment of a Stock Obligation pursuant
to Section 4.2 shall be credited to the Participants' Accounts as of the last
day of the Plan Year in which the repayment occurred. Any excess amounts
remaining from the use of proceeds of a sale of Stock from the Unallocated Stock
Fund to repay a Stock Obligation shall be allocated as of the last day of the
Plan Year in which the repayment occurred among the Participants' Accounts in
proportion to the opening balance in each Account. Any benefit which is paid to
a Participant or Beneficiary pursuant to Section 10 shall be charged to the
Participant's Account as of the first day of the Valuation Period in which it is
paid. Any forfeiture or restoral shall be charged or credited to the
Participant's Account as of the first day of the Valuation Period in which the
forfeiture or restoral occurs pursuant to Section 9.6.
-17-
8.2 VALUATION OF INVESTMENT FUND. As of each Valuation Date, the
----------------------------
Trustee shall prepare a balance sheet of the Investment Fund, recording each
asset (including any contribution receivable from an Employer) and liability at
its fair market value. Any liability with respect to short positions or options
and any item of accrued income or expense and unrealized appreciation or
depreciation shall be included; provided, however, that such an item may be
estimated or excluded if it is not readily ascertainable unless estimating or
excluding it would result in a material distortion. The Committee shall then
determine the net gain or loss of the Investment Fund since the preceding
Valuation Date, which shall mean the entire income of the Investment Fund,
including realized and unrealized capital gains and losses, net of any expenses
to be charged to the general Investment Fund and excluding any contributions by
the Employer. The determination of gain or loss shall be consistent with the
balance sheets of the Investment Fund for the current and preceding Valuation
Dates.
8.3 ADJUSTMENTS FOR INVESTMENT EXPERIENCE. Any net gain or loss of the
-------------------------------------
Investment Fund during a Valuation Period, as determined pursuant to Section
8.2, shall be allocated as of the last day of the Valuation Period among the
Participants' Accounts in proportion to the opening balance in each Account, as
adjusted for benefit payments and forfeitures during the Valuation Period,
without regard to whatever Stock may be credited to an Account.
SECTION 9. VESTING OF PARTICIPANTS' INTERESTS.
----------------------------------
9.1 DEFERRED VESTING IN ACCOUNTS. A Participant's vested interest in his
----------------------------
Account shall be based on his Vesting Years in accordance with the following
Table, subject to the balance of this Section 9:
Vesting Percentage of
Years Interest Vested
------- ---------------
Fewer than 5 0%
5 or more 100%
9.2 COMPUTATION OF VESTING YEARS. For purposes of this Plan, a "Vesting
----------------------------
Year" means generally a calendar year in which an Employee has at least 1,000
Hours of Service, beginning with the first Plan Year in which the Employee has
completed an Hour of Service with the Employer, and including Service with other
employers as provided in the definition of "Service". Notwithstanding the above,
an Employee who was employed with First Federal Savings and Loan Association of
Allen Parish a Louisiana-chartered mutual savings bank (the "Mutual Bank") which
is the predecessor to the Bank, shall receive credit for vesting purposes for
each calendar year of employment with the Mutual Bank in which such Employee
completed 1,000 Hours of Service, not to exceed 5 years of credit for vesting
purpose (such years shall also be referred to as "Vesting Years"). However, a
Participant's Vesting Years shall be computed subject to the following
conditions and qualifications:
9.2-1 A Participant's Vesting Years shall not include any Service
prior to the date on which an Employee attains age 18.
9.2-2 A Participant's vested interest in his Account accumulated
before five (5) consecutive Breaks in Service shall be determined without
regard to any Service after such five consecutive Breaks in Service.
Further, if a Participant has five (5) consecutive Breaks in Service before
his interest in his Account has become vested to some extent, pre-Break
years of Service
-18-
shall not be required to be taken into account for purposes of determining
his post-Break vested percentage.
9.2-3 In the case of a participant who has 5 or more consecutive 1-
year Breaks in Service, the participant's pre-break service will count in
vesting of the employer-derived post-break accrued benefit only if either:
(i) such Participant has any nonforfeitable interest in the accrued
benefit attributable to employer contributions at the time of
separation from service, or
(ii) upon returning to service the number of consecutive 1-year
Breaks in Service is less than the number of years of service.
9.2-4 Unless otherwise specifically excluded, a Participant's
Vesting Years shall include any period of active military duty to the
extent required by the Military Selective Service Act of 1967 (38 U.S.C.
Section 2021).
9.3 FULL VESTING UPON CERTAIN EVENTS.
--------------------------------
9.3-1 Notwithstanding Section 9.1, a Participant's interest in his
Account shall fully vest on the Participant's Normal Retirement. The
Participant's interest shall also fully vest in the event that his Service is
terminated by Early Retirement, Disability or by death.
9.3-2 The Participant's interest in his Account shall also fully vest
in the event of a "Change in Control" of the Bank, or the Company. For these
purposes, "Change in Control" shall mean an event of a nature that; (i) would be
required to be reported in response to Item 1a of the current report on Form 8-
K, as in effect on the date hereof, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act'); or (ii) results in a
Change in Control of the Bank or the Company within the meaning of the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, and applicable rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder as in effect at the time of the Change in Control
(collectively, the BHCA"); or (iii) without limitation such a Change in Control
shall be deemed to have occurred at such time as (a) any "Person' (as the term
is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly
or indirectly, of securities of the Bank or the Company representing 25% or more
of the Bank's or the Company's outstanding securities except for any securities
of the Bank purchased by the Company in connection with the conversion of the
Bank to the stock form and any securities purchased by the Bank's employee stock
ownership plan and trust; or (b) individuals who constitute the Board on the
date hereof (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least
a majority thereof, provided, however, that this sub-section (b) shall not apply
if the Incumbent Board is replaced by the appointment by a Federal banking
agency of a conservator or receiver for the Bank and, provided further that any
person becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors comprising the
Incumbent Board or whose nomination for election by the Company's stockholders
was approved by the same Nominating Committee serving under an Incumbent Board,
shall be, for purposes of this clause (b), considered as though he were a member
of the Incumbent Board; or (c) a plan of reorganization, merger, consolidation,
sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Bank or the Company; or (d) a
proxy statement soliciting proxies from stockholders of the Company, by someone
other than the current management of the Company, seeking stockholder approval
of a plan of
-19-
reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company or Bank or similar
transaction with one or more corporations as a result of which the outstanding
shares of the class of securities then subject to such plan or transaction are
exchanged for or converted into cash or property or securities not issued by the
Bank or the Company shall be distributed and the requisite number of proxies
approving such plan of reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company or
Bank are received and voted in favor of such transactions; or (e) a tender offer
is made for 25% or more of the outstanding securities of the Bank or Company and
shareholders owning beneficially or of record 25% or more of the outstanding
securities of the Bank or Company have tendered or offered to sell their shares
pursuant to such tender offer and such tendered shares have been accepted by the
tender offeror.
9.4 FULL VESTING UPON PLAN TERMINATION. Notwithstanding Section 9.1, a
----------------------------------
Participant's interest in his Account shall fully vest if he is in active
Service upon termination of this Plan or upon the permanent and complete
discontinuance of contributions by his Employer. In the event of a partial
termination, the interest of each affected Participant who is in Service shall
fully vest with respect to that part of the Plan which is terminated.
9.5 FORFEITURE, REPAYMENT, AND RESTORAL. If a Participant's Service
-----------------------------------
terminates before his interest in his Account is fully vested, that portion
which has not vested shall be forfeited if he either (i) receives a distribution
of his entire vested interest pursuant to Section 10.1, or (ii) incurs a Break
In Service. If a Participant's Service terminates prior to having any portion
of his Account become vested, such Participant shall be deemed to have a
received a distribution of his vested interest as of the Valuation Date next
following his termination of Service.
If a Participant who has received his entire vested interest returns to
Service before he has five consecutive Breaks in Service, he may repay to the
Trustee an amount equal to the distribution. The Participant may repay such
amount at any time within five years after he has returned to Service. The
amount shall be credited to his account as of the last day of the Plan Year in
which it is repaid; an additional amount equal to that portion of his Account
which was previously forfeited shall be restored to his Account at the same time
from other Employees' forfeitures and, if such forfeitures are insufficient,
from a special contribution by his Employer for that year. A Participant who
was deemed to have received a distribution of his vested interest in the Plan
shall have his account restored as of the last day of the Plan Year after he
performs an Hour of Service.
9.6 ACCOUNTING FOR FORFEITURES. If a portion of a Participant's account
--------------------------
is forfeited, Stock allocated to said Participant's account shall be forfeited
only after other assets are forfeited. If interests in more than one class of
Stock have been allocated to a Participant's account, the Participant must be
treated as forfeiting the same proportion of each class of Stock. A forfeiture
shall be charged to the Participant's Account as of the first day of the first
Valuation Period in which the forfeiture becomes certain pursuant to Section
9.5. Except as otherwise provided in that Section, a forfeiture shall be added
to the contributions of the terminated Participant's Employer which are to be
credited to other Participants pursuant to Section 4.1 as of the last day of the
Plan Year in which the forfeiture becomes certain.
9.7 VESTING AND NONFORFEITABILITY. A Participant's interest in his
-----------------------------
Account which has become vested shall be nonforfeitable for any reason.
-20-
SECTION 10. PAYMENT OF BENEFITS.
-------------------
10.1 BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPANTS. For a Participant whose Service ends
-------------------------
for any reason, distribution will be made to or for the benefit of the
Participant or, in the case of the Participant's death, his Beneficiary, by
either, or a combination of the following methods:
10.1.1 By payment in a lump sum, in accordance with Section 10.2; or
10.1.2 By payment in a series of substantially equal annual
installments over a period not to exceed five (5) years, provided the
maximum period over which the distribution of a Participant's Account may
be made shall be extended by 1 year, up to five (5) additional years, for
each $100,000 (or fraction thereof) by which such Participant's Account
balance exceeds $500,000 (the aforementioned figures are subject to cost-
of-living adjustments prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury pursuant
to Section 409(o)(2) of the Code).
The Participant shall elect the manner in which his vested Account balance
will be distributed to him. If a Participant so desires, he may direct how his
benefits are to be paid to his Beneficiary. If a deceased Participant did not
file a direction with the Committee, the Participant's benefits shall be
distributed to his Beneficiary in a lump sum. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if
the balance credited to his Account exceeds $3,500, his benefits shall not be
paid before the latest of his 65th birthday or the tenth anniversary of the year
in which he commenced participation in the Plan unless he elects an early
payment date in a written election filed with the Committee. A Participant may
modify such an election at any time, provided any new benefit payment date is at
least 30 days after a modified election is delivered to the Committee, subject
to the provisions of Section 10.11 hereof. In all events, a Participant's
benefits shall be paid by April lst of the calendar year in which he reaches age
71-1/2.
10.2 TIME FOR DISTRIBUTION.
---------------------
10.2.1 Distribution of the balance of a Participant's Account
generally shall commence as soon as practicable after the last day of the
Plan Year next following his termination of Service for any reason, but no
later than one year after the close of the Plan Year:
(i) in which the Participant separates from service by
reason of Normal Retirement, Disability, or death; or
(ii) which is the fifth Plan Year following the year in
which the Participant resigns or is dismissed, unless he is
reemployed before such date.
10.2.2 Unless the Participant elects otherwise, the distribution
of the balance of a Participant's Account shall commence not later than the 60th
day after the latest of the close of the plan year in which -
(i) the Participant attains the age of 65;
(ii) occurs the tenth anniversary of the year in which the
Participant commenced participation in the Plan; or
-21-
(iii) the participant terminates his service with the
Employer.
10.2.3 Notwithstanding any other provision in this Section 10.2 to
the contrary, distribution of a Participant's Account shall commence
(whether or not he remains in the employ of the Employer) not later than
the April 1 of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which
the Participant attains age 70 and 1/2 years. A Participant's benefit from
that portion of his Account committed to the Investment Fund shall be
calculated on the basis of the most recent Valuation Date before the date
of payment.
10.2.4 Distribution of a Participant's Account balance after his
death shall comply with the following requirements:
(i) If a Participant dies before his distributions have
commenced, distribution of his Account to his Beneficiary shall
commence not later than one year after the end of the Plan Year in
which the Participant died, however, if the Participant's
Beneficiary is his surviving spouse, distributions may commence on
the date on which the Participant would have attained age 70-1/2. In
either case, distributions shall be completed within five years
after the they commence.
(ii) If the Participant dies after distribution has commenced
pursuant to Section 10.1.2 but before his entire interest in the
Plan has been distributed to him, then the remaining portion of that
interest shall, in accordance with Section 401(a)(9) of the Code, be
distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution
being used under Section 10.1.2 at the date of his death.
(iii) If a married Participant dies before his benefit
payments begin, then unless he has specifically elected otherwise
the Committee shall cause the balance in his Account to be paid to
his Spouse. No election by a married Participant of a different
Beneficiary shall be valid unless the election is accompanied by the
Spouse's written consent, which (i) must acknowledge the effect of
the election, (ii) must explicitly provide either that the
designated Beneficiary may not subsequently be changed by the
Participant without the Spouse's further consent, or that it may be
changed without such consent, and (iii) must be witnessed by the
Committee, its representative, or a notary public. (This requirement
shall not apply if the Participant establishes to the Committee's
satisfaction that the Spouse may not be located.)
10.3 MARITAL STATUS. The Committee shall from time to time take whatever
--------------
steps it deems appropriate to keep informed of each Participant's marital
status. Each Employer shall provide the Committee with the most reliable
information in the Employer's possession regarding its Participants' marital
status, and the Committee may, in its discretion, require a notarized affidavit
from any Participant as to his marital status. The Committee, the Plan, the
Trustee, and the Employers shall be fully protected and discharged from any
liability to the extent of any benefit payments made as a result of the
Committee's good faith and reasonable reliance upon information obtained from a
Participant and his Employer as to his marital status.
10.4 DELAY IN BENEFIT DETERMINATION. If the Committee is unable to
------------------------------
determine the benefits payable to a Participant or Beneficiary on or before the
latest date prescribed for payment pursuant to
-22-
Section 10.1 or 10.2, the benefits shall in any event be paid within 60 days
after they can first be determined, with whatever makeup payments may be
appropriate in view of the delay.
10.5 ACCOUNTING FOR BENEFIT PAYMENTS. Any benefit payment shall be
-------------------------------
charged to the Participant's Account as of the first day of the Valuation Period
in which the payment is made.
10.6 OPTIONS TO RECEIVE AND SELL STOCK. Unless ownership of virtually
---------------------------------
all Stock is restricted to active Employees and qualified retirement plans for
the benefit of Employees pursuant to the certificates of incorporation or by-
laws of the Employers issuing Stock, a terminated Participant or the Beneficiary
of a deceased Participant may instruct the Committee to distribute the
Participant's entire vested interest in his Account in the form of Stock. In
that event, the Committee shall apply the Participant's vested interest in the
Investment Fund to purchase sufficient Stock from the Stock Fund or from any
owner of stock to make the required distribution. In all other cases, the
Participant's vested interest in the Stock Fund shall be distributed in shares
of Stock, and his vested interest in the Investment Fund shall be distributed in
cash.
Any Participant who receives Stock pursuant to Section 10.1, and any person
who has received Stock from the Plan or from such a Participant by reason of the
Participant's death or incompetency, by reason of divorce or separation from the
Participant, or by reason of a rollover contribution described in Section
402(a)(5) of the Code, shall have the right to require the Employer which issued
the Stock to purchase the Stock for its current fair market value (hereinafter
referred to as the "put right"). The put right shall be exercisable by written
notice to the Committee during the first 60 days after the Stock is distributed
by the Plan, and, if not exercised in that period, during the first 60 days in
the following Plan Year after the Committee has communicated to the Participant
its determination as to the Stock's current fair market value. However, the put
right shall not apply to the extent that the Stock, at the time the put right
would otherwise be exercisable, may be sold on an established market in
accordance with federal and state securities laws and regulations. Similarly,
the put option shall not apply with respect to the portion of a Participant's
account which the employee elected to have reinvested under Code Section
401(a)(28)(B). If the put right is exercised, the Trustee may, if so directed
by the Committee in its sole discretion, assume the Employer's rights and
obligations with respect to purchasing the Stock. Notwithstanding anything
herein to the contrary, in the case of a plan established by a Bank (as defined
in Code Section 581), the put option shall not apply if prohibited by a federal
or state law and Participants are entitled to elect their benefits be
distributed in cash.
If a Participant elects to receive his distribution in the form of a lump
sum pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the Plan, the Employer or the Trustee, as the
case may be, may elect to pay for the Stock in equal periodic installments, not
less frequently than annually, over a period not longer than five years from the
day after the put right is exercised, with adequate security and interest at a
reasonable rate on the unpaid balance, all such terms to be set forth in a
promissory note delivered to the seller with normal terms as to acceleration
upon any uncured default.
If a Participant elects to receive his distribution in the form of an
installment payment pursuant to Section 10.1.2 of the Plan, the Employer or the
Trustee, as the case may be, shall pay for the Stock distributed in the
installment distribution over a period which shall not exceed 30 days after the
exercise of the put right.
-23-
Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to obligate any Employer to
register any Stock under any federal or state securities law or to create or
maintain a public market to facilitate the transfer or disposition of any Stock.
The put right described herein may only be exercised by a person described in
the second preceding paragraph, and may not be transferred with any Stock to any
other person. As to all Stock purchased by the Plan in exchange for any Stock
Obligation, the put right shall be nonterminable. The put right for Stock
acquired through a Stock Obligation shall continue with respect to such Stock
after the Stock Obligation is repaid or the Plan ceases to be an employee stock
ownership plan.
10.7 RESTRICTIONS ON DISPOSITION OF STOCK. Except in the case of Stock
------------------------------------
which is traded on an established market, a Participant who receives Stock
pursuant to Section 10.1, and any person who has received Stock from the Plan or
from such a Participant by reason of the Participant's death or incompetency, by
reason of divorce or separation from the Participant, or by reason of a rollover
contribution described in Section 402(a)(5) of the Code, shall, prior to any
sale or other transfer of the Stock to any other person, first offer the Stock
to the issuing Employer and to the Plan at the greater of (i) its current fair
market value, or (ii) the purchase price offered in good faith by an independent
third party purchaser. This restriction shall apply to any transfer, whether
voluntary, involuntary, or by operation of law, and whether for consideration or
gratuitous. Either the Employer or the Trustee may accept the offer within 14
days after it is delivered. Any Stock distributed by the Plan shall bear a
conspicuous legend describing the right of first refusal under this Section
10.7, as well as any other restrictions upon the transfer of the Stock imposed
by federal and state securities laws and regulations .
10.8 CONTINUING LOAN PROVISIONS; CREATIONS OF PROTECTIONS AND RIGHTS.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Except as otherwise provided in Sections 10.6 and 10.7 and this Section, no
shares of Employer Stock held or distributed by the Trustee may be subject to a
put, call or other option, or buy-sell arrangement. The provisions of this
Section shall continue to by applicable to such Stock even if the Plan ceases to
be an employee stock ownership plan under Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code.
10.9 DIRECT ROLLOVER OF ELIGIBLE DISTRIBUTION. A Participant or
----------------------------------------
distributee may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the Trustee
or the Committee, to have any portion of an eligible rollover distribution paid
directly to an eligible retirement plan specified by the Participant or
distributee in a direct rollover.
10.9-1 An "eligible rollover" is any distribution that does not
include: any distribution that is one of a series of substantially equal
periodic payments (not less frequently than annually) made for the life (or
life expectancy) of the distributee or the joint lives (or joint life
expectancies) of the Participant and the Participant's Beneficiary, or for
a specified period of ten years or more; any distribution to the extent
such distribution is required under Code Section 401(a)(9); and the portion
of any distribution that is not included in gross income (determined
without regard to the exclusion for net unrealized appreciation with
respect to employer securities).
10.9-2 An "eligible retirement plan" is an individual retirement
account described in Code Section 401(a), an individual retirement annuity
described in Code Section 408(b), an annuity plan described in Code Section
403(a), or a qualified trust described in Code Section 401(a), that accepts
the distributee's eligible rollover distribution. However, in the case of
an
-24-
eligible rollover distribution to the surviving spouse, an eligible
retirement plan is an individual retirement account or individual
retirement annuity.
10.9-3 A "direct rollover" is a payment by the Plan to the eligible
retirement plan specified by the distributee.
10.9-4 The term "distributee" shall refer to a deceased
Participant's spouse or a Participant's former spouse who is the alternate
payee under a qualified domestic relations order, as defined in Code
Section 414(p).
10.10 IN SERVICE DISTRIBUTION OF ROLL-OVER ACCOUNT. Upon the written
--------------------------------------------
election of a Participant delivered to the Committee, all or any portion of the
amounts held in the Participant's Roll-over Account, shall be distributed to the
Participant at any time within 30 days or as soon thereafter as is reasonably
practicable.
10.11 WAIVER OF 30 DAY PERIOD AFTER NOTICE OF DISTRIBUTION. If a
----------------------------------------------------
distribution is one to which Sections 401(a)(11) and 417 of the Code do not
apply, such distribution may commence less than 30 days after the notice
required under Section 4.11(a)-11(c) of the Income Tax Regulations is given,
provided that:
(i) the Trustee or Administrative Committee, as applicable,
clearly informs the Participant that the Participant has a
right to a period of at least 30 days after receiving the
notice to consider the decision of whether or not to elect
a distribution (and, if applicable, a particular option),
and
(ii) the Participant, after receiving the notice, affirmatively
elects a distribution.
SECTION 11. RULES GOVERNING BENEFIT CLAIMS AND REVIEW OF APPEALS.
----------------------------------------------------
11.1 CLAIM FOR BENEFITS. Any Participant or Beneficiary who qualifies
------------------
for the payment of benefits shall file a claim for his benefits with the
Committee on a form provided by the Committee. The claim, including any
election of an alternative benefit form, shall be filed at least 30 days before
the date on which the benefits are to begin. If a Participant or Beneficiary
fails to file a claim by the day before the date on which benefits become
payable, he shall be presumed to have filed a claim for payment for the
Participant's benefits in the standard form prescribed by Sections 10.1 or 10.2
11.2 NOTIFICATION BY COMMITTEE. Within 90 days after receiving a claim
-------------------------
for benefits (or within 180 days, if special circumstances require an extension
of time and written notice of the extension is given to the Participant or
Beneficiary within 90 days after receiving the claim for benefits), the
Committee shall notify the Participant or Beneficiary whether the claim has been
approved or denied. If the Committee denies a claim in any respect, the
Committee shall set forth in a written notice to the Participant or Beneficiary:
(i) each specific reason for the denial;
(ii) specific references to the pertinent Plan provisions on which
the denial is based;
-25-
(iii) a description of any additional material or information which
could be submitted by the Participant or Beneficiary to support his claim,
with an explanation of the relevance of such information; and
(iv) an explanation of the claims review procedures set forth in
Section 11.3.
11.3 CLAIMS REVIEW PROCEDURE. Within 60 days after a Participant or
-----------------------
Beneficiary receives notice from the Committee that his claim for benefits has
been denied in any respect, he may file with the Committee a written notice of
appeal setting forth his reasons for disputing the Committee's determination.
In connection with his appeal the Participant or Beneficiary or his
representative may inspect or purchase copies of pertinent documents and records
to the extent not inconsistent with other Participants' and Beneficiaries'
rights of privacy. Within 60 days after receiving a notice of appeal from a
prior determination (or within 120 days, if special circumstances require an
extension of time and written notice of the extension is given to the
Participant or Beneficiary and his representative within 60 days after receiving
the notice of appeal), the Committee shall furnish to the Participant or
Beneficiary and his representative, if any, a written statement of the
Committee's final decision with respect to his claim, including the reasons for
such decision and the particular Plan provisions upon which it is based.
SECTION 12. THE COMMITTEE AND ITS FUNCTIONS.
-------------------------------
12.1 AUTHORITY OF COMMITTEE. The Committee shall be the "plan
----------------------
administrator" within the meaning of ERISA and shall have exclusive
responsibility and authority to control and manage the operation and
administration of the Plan, including the interpretation and application of its
provisions, except to the extent such responsibility and authority are otherwise
specifically (i) allocated to the Bank, the Employers, or the Trustee under the
Plan and Trust Agreement, (ii) delegated in writing to other persons by the
Bank, the Employers, the Committee, or the Trustee, or (iii) allocated to other
parties by operation of law. The Committee shall have exclusive responsibility
regarding decisions concerning the payment of benefits under the Plan. The
Committee shall have no investment responsibility with respect to the Investment
Fund except to the extent, if any, specifically provided in the Trust Agreement.
In the discharge of its duties, the Committee may employ accountants, actuaries,
legal counsel, and other agents (who also may be employed by an Employer or the
Trustee in the same or some other capacity) and may pay their reasonable
expenses and compensation.
12.2 IDENTITY OF COMMITTEE. The Committee shall consists of three or
---------------------
more individuals selected by the Bank. Any individual, including a director,
trustee, shareholder, officer, or employee of an Employer, shall be eligible to
serve as a member of the Committee. The Bank shall have the power to remove any
individual serving on the Committee at any time without cause upon 10 days
written notice, and any individual may resign from the Committee at any time
upon 10 days written notice to the Bank. The Bank shall notify the Trustee of
any change in membership of the Committee.
12.3 DUTIES OF COMMITTEE. The Committee shall keep whatever records may
-------------------
be necessary to implement the Plan and shall furnish whatever reports may be
required from time to time by the Bank. The Committee shall furnish to the
Trustee whatever information may be necessary to properly administer the Trust.
The Committee shall see to the filing with the appropriate government agencies
of all reports and returns required of the plan Committee under ERISA and other
laws.
-26-
Further, the Committee shall have exclusive responsibility and authority
with respect to the Plan's holdings of Stock and shall direct the Trustee in all
respects regarding the purchase, retention, sale, exchange, and pledge of Stock
and the creation and satisfaction of Stock Obligations. The Committee shall at
all times act consistently with the Bank's long-term intention that the Plan, as
an employee stock ownership plan, be invested primarily in Stock. Subject to
the direction of the Board as to the application of Employer contributions to
Stock Obligations, and subject to the provisions of Sections 6.4 and 10.6 as to
Participants' rights under certain circumstances to have their Accounts invested
in Stock or in assets other than Stock, the Committee shall determine in its
sole discretion the extent to which assets of the Trust shall be used to repay
Stock Obligations, to purchase Stock, or to invest in other assets to be
selected by the Trustee or an investment manager. No provision of the Plan
relating to the allocation or vesting of any interests in the Stock Fund or the
Investment Fund shall restrict the Committee from changing any holdings of the
Trust, whether the changes involve an increase or a decrease in the Stock or
other assets credited to Participants' Accounts. In determining the proper
extent of the Trust's investment in Stock, the Committee shall be authorized to
employ investment counsel, legal counsel, appraisers, and other agents to pay
their reasonable expenses and compensation.
12.4 VALUATION OF STOCK. If the valuation of any Stock is not
------------------
established by reported trading on a generally recognized public market, the
Committee shall have the exclusive authority and responsibility to determine its
value for all purposes under the Plan. Such value shall be determined as of
each Valuation Date, and on any other date as of which the Plan purchases or
sells such Stock. The Committee shall use generally accepted methods of valuing
stock of similar corporations for purposes of arm's length business and
investment transactions, and in this connection the Committee shall obtain, and
shall be protected in relying upon, the valuation of such Stock as determined by
an independent appraiser experienced in preparing valuations of similar
businesses.
12.5 COMPLIANCE WITH ERISA. The Committee shall perform all acts
---------------------
necessary to comply with ERISA. Each individual member or employee of the
Committee shall discharge his duties in good faith and in accordance with the
applicable requirements of ERISA.
12.6 ACTION BY COMMITTEE. All actions of the Committee shall be governed
-------------------
by the affirmative vote of a number of members which is a majority of the total
number of members currently appointed, including vacancies. The members of the
Committee may meet informally and may take any action without meeting as a
group.
12.7 EXECUTION OF DOCUMENTS. Any instrument executed by the Committee
----------------------
shall be signed by any member or employee of the Committee.
12.8 ADOPTION OF RULES. The Committee shall adopt such rules and
-----------------
regulations of uniform applicability as it deems necessary or appropriate for
the proper administration and interpretation of the Plan.
12.9 RESPONSIBILITIES TO PARTICIPANTS. The Committee shall determine
--------------------------------
which Employees qualify to enter the Plan. The Committee shall furnish to each
eligible Employee whatever summary plan descriptions, summary annual reports,
and other notices and information may be required under ERISA. The Committee
also shall determine when a Participant or his Beneficiary qualifies for the
payment of benefits under the Plan. The Committee shall furnish to each such
Participant or Beneficiary whatever information is required under ERISA (or is
otherwise appropriate) to enable the Participant or Beneficiary
-27-
to make whatever elections may be available pursuant to Sections 6 and 10, and
the Committee shall provide for the payment of benefits in the proper form and
amount from the assets of the Trust Fund. The Committee may decide in its sole
discretion to permit modifications of elections and to defer or accelerate
benefits to the extent consistent with applicable law and the best interests of
the individuals concerned.
12.10 ALTERNATIVE PAYEES IN EVENT OF INCAPACITY. If the Committee finds at
-----------------------------------------
any time that an individual qualifying for benefits under this Plan is a minor
or is incompetent, the Committee may direct the benefits to be paid, in the case
of a minor, to his parents, his legal guardian, or a custodian for him under the
Uniform Gifts to Minors Act, or, in the case of an incompetent, to his spouse,
or his legal guardian, the payments to be used for the individual's benefit. The
Committee and the Trustee shall not be obligated to inquire as to the actual use
of the funds by the person receiving them under this Section 12.10, and any such
payment shall completely discharge the obligations of the Plan, the Trustee, the
Committee, and the Employers to the extent of the payment.
12.11 INDEMNIFICATION BY EMPLOYERS. Except as separately agreed in
----------------------------
writing, the Committee, and any member or employee of the Committee, shall be
indemnified and held harmless by the Employer, jointly and severally, to the
fullest extent permitted by law against any and all costs, damages, expenses,
and liabilities reasonably incurred by or imposed upon it or him in connection
with any claim made against it or him or in which it or he may be involved by
reason of its or his being, or having been, the Committee, or a member or
employee of the Committee, to the extent such amounts are not paid by insurance.
12.12 NONPARTICIPATION BY INTERESTED MEMBER. Any member of the
-------------------------------------
Committee who also is a Participant in the Plan shall take no part in any
determination specifically relating to his own participation or benefits, unless
his abstention would leave the Committee incapable of acting on the matter.
SECTION 13. ADOPTION, AMENDMENT, OR TERMINATION OF THE PLAN.
-----------------------------------------------
13.1 ADOPTION OF PLAN BY OTHER EMPLOYERS. With the consent of the Bank,
-----------------------------------
any entity may become a participating Employer under the Plan by (i) taking such
action as shall be necessary to adopt the Plan, (ii) becoming a party to the
Trust Agreement establishing the Trust Fund, and (iii) executing and delivering
such instruments and taking such other action as may be necessary or desirable
to put the Plan into effect with respect to the entity's Employees.
13.2 ADOPTION OF PLAN BY SUCCESSOR. In the event that any Employer shall
-----------------------------
be reorganized by way of merger, consolidation, transfer of assets or otherwise,
so that an entity other than an Employer shall succeed to all or substantially
all of the Employer's business, the successor entity may be substituted for the
Employer under the Plan by adopting the Plan and becoming a party to the Trust
Agreement. Contributions by the Employer shall be automatically suspended from
the effective date of any such reorganization until the date upon which the
substitution of the successor entity for the Employer under the Plan becomes
effective. If, within 90 days following the effective date of any such
reorganization, the successor entity shall not have elected to become a party to
the Plan, or if the Employer shall adopt a plan of complete liquidation other
than in connection with a reorganization, the Plan shall be automatically
terminated with respect to Employees of the Employer as of the close of business
on the
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90th day following the effective date of the reorganization, or as of the close
of business on the date of adoption of a plan of complete liquidation, as the
case may be.
13.3 PLAN ADOPTION SUBJECT TO QUALIFICATION. Notwithstanding any other
--------------------------------------
provision of the Plan, the adoption of the Plan and the execution of the Trust
Agreement are conditioned upon their being determined initially by the Internal
Revenue Service to meet the qualification requirements of Section 401(a) of the
Code, so that the Employers may deduct currently for federal income tax purposes
their contributions to the Trust and so that the Participants may exclude the
contributions from their gross income and recognize income only when they
receive benefits. In the event that this Plan is held by the Internal Revenue
Service not to qualify initially under Section 401(a), the Plan may be amended
retroactively to the earliest date permitted by U.S. Treasury Regulations in
order to secure qualification under Section 401(a). If this Plan is held by
the Internal Revenue Service not to qualify initially under Section 401(a)
either as originally adopted or as amended, each Employer's contributions to the
Trust under this Plan (including any earnings thereon) shall be returned to it
and this Plan shall be terminated. In the event that this Plan is amended after
its initial qualification and the Plan as amended is held by the Internal
Revenue Service not to qualify under Section 401(a), the amendment may be
modified retroactively to the earliest date permitted by U.S. Treasury
Regulations in order to secure approval of the amendment under Section 401(a).
13.4 RIGHT TO AMEND OR TERMINATE. The Bank intends to continue this Plan
---------------------------
as a permanent program. However, each participating Employer separately
reserves the right to suspend, supersede, or terminate the Plan at any time and
for any reason, as it applies to that Employer's Employees, and the Bank
reserves the right to amend, suspend, supersede, merge, consolidate, or
terminate the Plan at any time and for any reason, as it applies to the
Employees of each Employer. No amendment, suspension, supersession, merger,
consolidation, or termination of the Plan shall (i) reduce any Participant's or
Beneficiary's proportionate interest in the Trust Fund, (ii) reduce or restrict,
either directly or indirectly, the benefit provided any Participant prior to the
amendment, or (iii) divert any portion of the Trust Fund to purposes other than
the exclusive benefit of the Participants and their Beneficiaries prior to the
satisfaction of all liabilities under the Plan. Moreover, there shall not be
any transfer of assets to a successor plan or merger or consolidation with
another plan unless, in the event of the termination of the successor plan or
the surviving plan immediately following such transfer, merger, or
consolidation, each participant or beneficiary would be entitled to a benefit
equal to or greater than the benefit he would have been entitled to if the plan
in which he was previously a participant or beneficiary had terminated
immediately prior to such transfer, merger, or consolidation. Following a
termination of this Plan by the Bank, the Trustee shall continue to administer
the Trust and pay benefits in accordance with the Plan as amended from time to
time and the Committee's instructions.
If any amendment changes the vesting schedule, including an automatic
change to or from a top-heavy vesting schedule, any Participant with three (3)
or more Vesting Years may, by filing a written request with the Employer, elect
to have his vested percentage computed under the vesting schedule in effect
prior to the amendment. The election period must begin not later than the later
of sixty (60) days after the amendment is adopted, the amendment becomes
effective, or the Participant is issued written notice of the amendment by the
Employer or the Committee.
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SECTION 14. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS.
------------------------
14.1 PLAN CREATES NO EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS. Nothing in this Plan shall be
---------------------------------
interpreted as giving any Employee the right to be retained as an Employee by an
Employer, or as limiting or affecting the rights of an Employer to control its
Employees or to terminate the Service of any Employee at any time and for any
reason, subject to any applicable employment or collective bargaining
agreements.
14.2 NONASSIGNABILITY OF BENEFITS. No assignment, pledge, or other
----------------------------
anticipation of benefits from the Plan will be permitted or recognized by the
Employer, the Committee, or the Trustee. Moreover, benefits from the Plan shall
not be subject to attachment, garnishment, or other legal process for debts or
liabilities of any Participant or Beneficiary, to the extent permitted by law.
This prohibition on assignment or alienation shall apply to any judgment,
decree, or order (including approval of a property settlement agreement) which
relates to the provision of child support, alimony, or property rights to a
present or former spouse, child or other dependent of a Participant pursuant to
a State domestic relations or community property law, unless the judgment,
decree, or order is determined by the Committee to be a qualified domestic
relations order within the meaning of Section 414(p) of the Code, as more fully
set forth in Section 14.2 hereof.
14.3 LIMIT OF EMPLOYER LIABILITY. The liability of the Employer with
---------------------------
respect to Participants under this Plan shall be limited to making contributions
to the Trust from time to time, in accordance with Section 4.
14.4 TREATMENT OF EXPENSES. All expenses incurred by the Committee and
---------------------
the Trustee in connection with administering this Plan and Trust Fund shall be
paid by the Trustee from the Trust Fund to the extent the expenses have not been
paid or assumed by the Employer or by the Trustee.
14.5 NUMBER AND GENDER. Any use of the singular shall be interpreted to
-----------------
include the plural, and the plural the singular. Any use of the masculine,
feminine, or neuter shall be interpreted to include the masculine, feminine, or
neuter, as the context shall require.
14.6 NONDIVERSION OF ASSETS. Except as provided in Sections 5.3 and
----------------------
13.3, under no circumstances shall any portion of the Trust Fund be diverted to
or used for any purpose other than the exclusive benefit of the Participants and
their Beneficiaries prior to the satisfaction of all liabilities under the Plan.
14.7 SEPARABILITY OF PROVISIONS. If any provision of this Plan is held
--------------------------
to be invalid or unenforceable, the other provisions of the Plan shall not be
affected but shall be applied as if the invalid or unenforceable provision had
not been included in the Plan.
14.8 SERVICE OF PROCESS. The agent for the service of process upon the
------------------
Plan shall be the president of the Bank, or such other person as may be
designated from time to time by the Bank.
14.9 GOVERNING STATE LAW. This Plan shall be interpreted in accordance
-------------------
with the laws of the State of Louisiana to the extent those laws are applicable
under the provisions of ERISA.
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14.10 EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS CONDITIONED ON DEDUCTIBILITY. Employer
---------------------------------------------------
Contributions to the Plan are conditioned on deductibility under Code Section
404. In the event that the Internal Revenue Service shall determine that all or
any portion of an Employer Contribution is not deductible under that Section,
the nondeductible portion shall be returned to the Employer within one year of
the disallowance of the deduction.
14.11 UNCLAIMED ACCOUNTS. Neither the Employer nor the Trustees shall
------------------
be under any obligation to search for, or ascertain the whereabouts of, any
Participant or beneficiary. The Employer or the Trustees, by certified or
registered mail addressed to his last known address of record with the Employer,
shall notify any Participant or beneficiary that he is entitled to a
distribution under this Plan, and the notice shall quote the provisions of this
Section. If the Participant or beneficiary fails to claim his benefits or make
his whereabouts known in writing to the Employer or the Trustees within seven
(7) calendar years after the date of notification, the benefits of the
Participant or beneficiary under the Plan will be disposed of as follows:
(a) If the whereabouts of the Participant is unknown but the
whereabouts of the Participant's beneficiary is known to the Trustees,
distribution will be made to the beneficiary.
(b) If the whereabouts of the Participant and his beneficiary are
unknown to the Trustees, the plan will forfeit the benefit, provided that
the benefit is subject to a claim for reinstatement if the Participant or
Beneficiary make a claim for the forfeited benefit.
Any payment made pursuant to the power herein conferred upon the Trustees
shall operate as a complete discharge of all obligations of the Trustees, to the
extent of the distributions so made.
14.12 QUALIFIED DOMESTIC RELATIONS ORDER. Section 14.2 shall not apply
----------------------------------
to a "qualified domestic relations order" defined in Code Section 414(p), and
such other domestic relations orders permitted to be so treated by Administrator
under the provisions of the Retirement Equity Act of 1984. Further, to the
extent provided under a "qualified domestic relations order", a former spouse of
a Participant shall be treated as the spouse or surviving spouse for all
purposes under the Plan.
In the case of any domestic relations order received by the Plan:
(a) The Employer or the Plan Committee shall promptly notify the
Participant and any other alternate payee of the receipt of such order and
the Plan's procedures for determining the qualified status of domestic
relations orders, and
(b) Within a reasonable period after receipt of such order, the
Employer or the Plan Committee shall determine whether such order is a
qualified domestic relations order and notify the Participant and each
alternate payee of such determination. The Employer or the Plan Committee
shall establish reasonable procedures to determine the qualified status of
domestic relations orders and to administer distributions under such
qualified orders.
During any period in which the issue of whether a domestic relations order
is a qualified domestic relations order is being determined (by the Employer or
Plan Committee, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or otherwise), the
Employer or the Plan Committee shall segregate in a separate account in the Plan
or in an escrow account the amounts which would have been payable to the
alternate payee
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during such period if the order had been determined to be a qualified domestic
relations order. If within eighteen (18) months the order (or modification
thereof) is determined to be a qualified domestic relations order, the Employer
or the Plan Committee shall pay the segregated amounts (plus any interest
thereon) to the person or persons entitled thereto. If within eighteen (18)
months it is determined that the order is not a qualified domestic relations
order, or the issue as to whether such order is a qualified domestic relations
order is not resolved, then the Employer or the Plan Committee shall pay the
segregated amounts (plus any interest thereon) to the person or persons who
would have been entitled to such amounts if there had been no order. Any
determination that an order is a qualified domestic relations order which is
made after the close of the eighteen (18) month period shall be applied
prospectively only. The term "alternate payee" means any spouse, former spouse,
child or other dependent of a Participant who is recognized by a domestic
relations order as having a right to receive all, or a portion of, the benefit
payable under a Plan with respect to such Participant.
SECTION 15. TOP-HEAVY PROVISIONS.
--------------------
15.1 TOP-HEAVY PLAN. For any Plan Year beginning after December 31,
--------------
1983, this Plan is top-heavy if any of the following conditions exist:
(a) If the top-heavy ratio for this Plan exceeds sixty percent
(60%) and this Plan is not part of any required aggregation group or permissive
aggregation group;
(b) If this Plan is a part of a required aggregation group (but is
not part of a permissive aggregation group) and the aggregate top-heavy ratio
for the group of Plans exceeds sixty percent (60%); or
(c) If this Plan is a part of a required aggregation group and part
of a permissive aggregation group and the aggregate top-heavy ratio for the
permissive aggregation group exceeds sixty percent (60%).
15.2 SUPER TOP-HEAVY PLAN For any Plan Year beginning after December 31,
--------------------
1983, this Plan will be a super top-heavy Plan if any of the following
conditions exist:
(a) If the top-heavy ratio for this Plan exceeds ninety percent
(90%) and this Plan is not part of any required aggregation group or permissive
aggregation group.
(b) If this Plan is a part of a required aggregation group (but is
not part of a permissive aggregation group) and the aggregate top-heavy ratio
for the group of Plans exceeds ninety percent (90%), or
(c) If this Plan is a part of a required aggregation group and part
of a permissive aggregation group and the aggregate top-heavy ratio for the
permissive aggregation group exceeds ninety percent (90%).
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15.3 DEFINITIONS.
-----------
In making this determination, the Committee shall use the following definitions
and principles:
15.3-1 The "Determination Date", with respect to the first Plan
Year of any plan, means the last day of that Plan Year, and with respect to
each subsequent Plan Year, means the last day of the preceding Plan Year.
If any other plan has a Determination Date which differs from this Plan's
Determination Date, the top-heaviness of this Plan shall be determined on
the basis of the other plan's Determination Date falling within the same
calendar years as this Plan's Determination Date.
15.3-2 A "Key Employee", with respect to a Plan Year, means an
Employee who at any time during the five years ending on the top-heavy
Determination Date for the Plan Year has received compensation from an
Employer and has been (i) an officer of the Employer having Total
Compensation greater than 50 percent of the limit then in effect under
Section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Code, (ii) one of the 10 Employees owning the
largest interests in the Employer having Total Compensation greater than
the limit then in effect under Section 415(c)(1)(A), (iii) an owner of more
than five percent of the outstanding equity interest or the outstanding
voting interest in any Employer, or (iv) an owner of more than one percent
of the outstanding equity interest or the outstanding voting interest in an
Employer whose Total Compensation exceeds $150,000. In determining which
individuals are Key Employees, the rules of Section 415(i) of the Code and
Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder shall apply. The Beneficiary of
a Key Employee shall also be considered a Key Employee.
15.3-3 A "Non-key Employee" means an Employee who at any time
during the five years ending on the top-heavy Determination Date for the
Plan Year has received compensation from an Employer and who has never been
a Key Employee, and the Beneficiary of any such Employee.
15.3-4 A "required aggregation group" includes (a) each qualified
Plan of the Employer in which at least one Key Employee participates in the
Plan Year containing the Determination Date and any of the four (4)
preceding Plan Years, and (b) any other qualified Plan of the Employer
which enables a Plan described in (a) to meet the requirements of Code
Sections 401(a)(4) and 410. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a
qualified Plan of the Employer includes a terminated Plan maintained by the
Employer within the five (5) year period ending on the Determination Date.
In the case of a required aggregation group, each Plan in the group will be
considered a top-heavy Plan if the required aggregation group is a top-
heavy group. No Plan in the required aggregation group will be considered
a top-heavy Plan if the required aggregation group is not a top-heavy
group. All Employers aggregated under Code Sections 414(b), (c) or (m) or
(o) (but only after the Code Section 414(o) regulations become effective)
are considered a single Employer.
15.3-5 A "permissive aggregation group" includes the required
aggregation group of Plans plus any other qualified Plan(s) of the Employer
that are not required to be aggregated but which, when considered as a
group with the required aggregation group, satisfy the requirements of Code
Sections 401(a)(4) and 410 and are comparable to the Plans in the required
aggregation
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group. No Plan in the permissive aggregation group will be considered a
top-heavy Plan if the permissive aggregation group is not a top-heavy
group. Only a Plan that is part of the required aggregation group will be
considered a top-heavy Plan if the permissive aggregation group is top-
heavy.
15.4 TOP-HEAVY RULES OF APPLICATION.
------------------------------
For purposes of determining the value of account balances and the
present value of accrued benefits the following provisions shall apply:
15.4-1 The value of account balances and the present value of
accrued benefits will be determined as of the most recent valuation date
that falls within or ends with the twelve (12) month period ending on the
Determination Date.
15.4-2 For purposes of testing whether this Plan is top-heavy, the
present value of an individual's accrued benefits and an individual's
account balances is counted only once each year.
15.4-3 The account balances and accrued benefits of a Participant
who is not presently a Key Employee but who was a Key Employee in a Plan
Year beginning on or after January 1, 1984 will be disregarded.
15.4-4 For years beginning after December 31, 1984, non-deductible
Voluntary Employee Contributions will be taken into account for purposes of
computing the top-heavy ratio. Employer contributions attributable to a
salary reduction or similar arrangement will be taken into account.
15.4-5 When aggregating Plans, the value of account balances and
accrued benefits will be calculated with reference to the Determination
Dates that fall within the same calendar year.
15.4-6 The present value of the accrued benefits or the amount of
the account balances of an Employee shall be increased by the aggregate
distributions made to such Employee from a Plan of the Employer. No
distribution, however, made from the Plan to an individual (other than the
beneficiary of a deceased Employee who was an Employee within the five (5)
year period ending on the Determination Date) who has not been an Employee
at any time during the five (5) year period ending on the Determination
Date shall be taken into account in determining whether the Plan is top-
heavy. Also, any amounts recontributed by an Employee upon becoming a
Participant in the Plan shall no longer be counted as a distribution under
this paragraph.
15.4-7 The present value of the accrued benefits or the amount of
the account balances of an Employee shall be increased by the aggregate
distributions made to such Employee from a terminated Plan of the Employer,
provided that such Plan (if not terminated) would have been required to be
included in the aggregation group.
15.4-8 Accrued benefits and account balances of an individual shall
not be taken into account for purposes of determining the top-heavy ratios
if the individual has performed no services for the Employer during the
five (5) year period ending on the applicable Determination Date.
Compensation for purposes of this subparagraph shall not include any
payments made to
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an individual by the Employer pursuant to a qualified or non-qualified
deferred compensation plan.
15.4-9 The present value of the accrued benefits or the amount of
the account balances of any Employee participating in this Plan shall not
include any rollover contributions or other transfers voluntarily initiated
by the Employee except as described below. If a rollover was received by
this Plan after December 31, 1983, the rollover or transfer voluntarily
initiated by the Employee was received prior to January 1, 1984, then the
rollover or transfer shall be considered as part of the accrued benefit by
the Plan receiving such rollover or transfer. If this Plan transfers or
rolls over funds to another Plan in a transaction voluntarily initiated by
the Employee after December 31, 1983, then this Plan shall count the
distribution for purposes of determining account balances or the present
value of accrued benefits. A transfer incident to a merger or consolidation
of two or more Plans of the Employer (including Plans of related Employers
treated as a single Employer under Code Section 414), or a transfer or
rollover between Plans of the Employer, shall not be considered as
voluntarily initiated by the Employee.
15.5 TOP-HEAVY RATIO.
---------------
If the Employer maintains one (1) or more defined contribution plans
(including any simplified Employee pension plan) and the Employer has never
maintained any defined benefit plans which have covered or could cover a
Participant in this Plan, the top-heavy ratio is a fraction, the numerator of
which is the sum of the account balances of all Key Employees as of the
Determination Date, and the denominator of which is the sum of the account
balances of all Employees as of the Determination Date. Both the numerator and
denominator of the top-heavy ratio shall be increased to reflect any
contribution which is due but unpaid as of the Determination Date.
If the Employer maintains one (1) or more defined contribution plans
(including any simplified Employee pension plan) and the Employer maintains or
has maintained one (1) or more defined benefit plans which have covered or could
cover a Participant in this Plan, the top-heavy ratio is a fraction, the
numerator of which is the sum of account balances under the defined contribution
plans for all Key Employees and the present value of accrued benefits under the
defined benefit plans for all Key Employees, and the denominator of which is the
sum of the account balances under the defined contribution plans for all
Employees and the present value of accrued benefits under the defined benefit
plans for all Employees.
15.6 MINIMUM CONTRIBUTIONS. For any Top-Heavy Year, each Employer shall
---------------------
make a special contribution on behalf of each Participant to the extent that the
total allocations to his Account pursuant to Section 4 is less than the lesser
of:
(i) three percent of his Total Compensation for that year, or
(ii) the highest ratio of such allocation to Total Compensation
received by any Key Employee for that year. For purposes of the special
contribution of this Section 15.2, a Key Employee's Total Compensation
shall include amounts the Key Employee elected to defer under a qualified
401(k) arrangement. Such a special contribution shall be made on behalf of
each Participant who is employed by an Employer on the last day of the Plan
Year, regardless of the number of his Hours of Service, and shall be
allocated to his Account.
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For any Plan Year when (1) the Plan is top-heavy and (2) a Non-key Employee
is a Participant in both this Plan and a defined benefit plan included in the
plan aggregation group which is top heavy, the sum of the Employer contributions
and forfeitures allocated to the Account of each such Non-key Employee shall be
equal to at least five percent (5%) of such Non-key Employee's Total
Compensation for that year.
15.7 MINIMUM VESTING. If a Participant's vested interest in his Account
---------------
is to be determined in a Top-Heavy Year, it shall be based on the following
"top-heavy table":
Vesting Percentage of
Years Interest Vested
------- ---------------
Fewer than 3 years 0%
3 or more 100%
15.8 TOP-HEAVY PROVISIONS CONTROL IN TOP-HEAVY PLAN. In the event this Plan
----------------------------------------------
becomes top-heavy and a conflict arises between the top-heavy provisions herein
set forth and the remaining provisions set forth in this Plan, the top-heavy
provisions shall control.
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