BEN FRANKLIN FINANCIAL, INC.
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
Effective as of January 1, 1998
BEN FRANKLIN FINANCIAL, INC.
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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PREAMBLE ................................................................... 1
ARTICLE I DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONSTRUCTION ............................. 2
1.1 Definitions ......................................................... 2
(a) Account ......................................................... 2
(b) Act ............................................................. 2
(c) Administrator ................................................... 2
(d) Annual Additions ................................................ 2
(e) Authorized Leave of Absence ..................................... 2
(f) Beneficiary ..................................................... 3
(g) Board of Directors .............................................. 3
(h) Break ........................................................... 3
(i) Code ............................................................ 3
(j) Compensation .................................................... 3
(k) Date of Hire .................................................... 3
(l) Disability ...................................................... 3
(m) Disability Retirement Date ...................................... 4
(n) Early Retirement Date ........................................... 4
(o) Effective Date .................................................. 4
(p) Eligibility Period .............................................. 4
(q) Employee ........................................................ 4
(r) Employee Stock Ownership Account ................................ 4
(s) Employee Stock Ownership Contribution ........................... 4
(t) Employee Stock Ownership Suspense Account ....................... 4
(u) Employer ........................................................ 4
(v) Employer Securities ............................................. 4
(w) Entry Date ...................................................... 5
(x) Exempt Loan ..................................................... 5
(y) Exempt Loan Suspense Account .................................... 5
(z) Financed Shares ................................................. 5
(aa) Former Participant .............................................. 5
(bb) Fund ............................................................ 5
(cc) Hour of Service ................................................. 5
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(dd) Investment Adjustments .......................................... 6
(ee) Limitation Year ................................................. 6
(ff) Normal Retirement Date .......................................... 6
(gg) Participant ..................................................... 6
(hh) Plan ............................................................ 6
(ii) Plan Year ....................................................... 6
(jj) Qualified Domestic Relations Order .............................. 7
(kk) Related Employer ................................................ 7
(ll) Retirement ...................................................... 7
(mm) Service ......................................................... 7
(nn) Sponsor ......................................................... 7
(oo) Trust Agreement ................................................. 7
(pp) Trustee ......................................................... 7
(qq) Valuation Date .................................................. 7
(rr) Year of Eligibility Service ..................................... 7
(ss) Year of Vesting Service ......................................... 8
1.2 Plurals and Gender .................................................. 8
1.3 Incorporation of Trust Agreement .................................... 8
1.4 Headings ............................................................ 8
1.5 Severability ........................................................ 8
1.6 References to Governmental Regulations .............................. 8
1.7 Notices ............................................................. 8
1.8 Evidence ............................................................ 8
1.9 Action by Employer .................................................. 9
ARTICLE II PARTICIATION ................................................... 10
2.1 Commencement of Participation ....................................... 10
2.2 Termination of Participation ........................................ 10
2.3 Resumption of Participation ......................................... 10
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2.4 Determination of Eligibility ........................................ 11
2.5 Restricted Participation ............................................ 11
ARTICLE III CREDITED SERVICE ............................................... 12
3.1 Service Counted for Eligibility Purposes ............................ 12
3.2 Service Counted for Vesting Purposes ................................ 12
3.3 Credit for Pre-Break Service ........................................ 12
3.4 Service Credit During Authorized Leaves ............................. 12
3.5 Service Credit During Maternity or Paternity Leave .................. 13
3.6 Ineligible Employees ................................................ 13
ARTICLE IV CONTRIBUTIONS ................................................... 14
4.1 Employee Stock Ownership Contribution ............................... 14
4.2 Time and Manner of Employee Stock Ownership Contribution ............ 14
4.3 Records of Contributions ............................................ 15
4.4 Erroneous Contributions ............................................. 15
ARTICLE V ACCOUNTS, ALLOCATIONS AND INVESTMENTS ............................ 17
5.1 Establishment of Separate Participant Accounts ...................... 17
5.2 Establishment of Suspense Accounts .................................. 18
5.3 Allocation of Earnings, Losses and Expenses ......................... 18
5.4 Allocation of Forfeitures ........................................... 18
5.5 Allocation of Employee Stock Ownership Contribution ................. 18
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5.6 Limitation on Annual Additions ...................................... 19
5.7 Erroneous Allocations ............................................... 22
5.8 Value of Participant's Account ...................................... 22
5.9 Investment of Account Balances ...................................... 22
ARTICLE VI RETIREMENT, DEATH AND DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY ................ 23
6.1 Normal Retirement ................................................... 23
6.2 Early Retirement .................................................... 23
6.3 Disability Retirement ............................................... 23
6.4 Death Benefits ...................................................... 23
6.5 Designation of Beneficiary and Manner of Payment .................... 24
ARTICLE VII VESTING AND FORFEITURES ........................................ 25
7.1 Vesting on Death, Disability and Normal Retirement .................. 25
7.2 Vesting on Termination of Participation ............................. 25
7.3 Disposition of Forfeitures .......................................... 25
ARTICLE VIII EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PROVISIONS ........................... 27
8.1 Right to Demand Employer Securities ................................. 27
8.2 Voting Rights ....................................................... 27
8.3 Nondiscrimination in Employee Stock Ownership Contribution .......... 27
8.4 Dividends ........................................................... 28
8.5 Exempt Loans ........................................................ 28
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8.6 Exempt Loan Payments ................................................ 29
8.7 Put Option .......................................................... 31
8.8 Diversification Requirements ........................................ 31
8.9 Independent Appraiser ............................................... 32
8.10 Nonterminable Rights ................................................ 32
ARTICLE IX PAYMENTS AND DISTRIBUTIONS ...................................... 33
9.1 Payments on Termination of Service - In General ..................... 33
9.2 Commencement of Payments ............................................ 33
9.3 Mandatory Commencement of Benefits .................................. 33
9.4 Required Beginning Dates ............................................ 36
9.5 Form of Payment ..................................................... 36
9.6 Payments Upon Termination of Plan ................................... 37
9.7 Distributions Pursuant to Qualified Domestic Relations Orders ....... 37
9.8 Cash-Out Distributions .............................................. 37
9.9 ESOP Distribution Rules ............................................. 38
9.10 Direct Rollover ..................................................... 38
9.11 Waiver of 30-day Notice ............................................. 39
9.12 Re-employed Veterans ................................................ 39
9.13 Share Legend ........................................................ 40
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ARTICLE X PROVISIONS RELATING TO TOP-HEAVY PLANS ........................... 41
10.1 Top-Heavy Rules to Control .......................................... 41
10.2 Top-Heavy Plan Definitions .......................................... 41
10.3 Calculation of Accrued Benefits ..................................... 43
10.4 Determination of Top-Heavy Status ................................... 44
10.5 Determination of Super Top-Heavy Status ............................. 44
10.6 Minimum Contribution ................................................ 45
10.7 Vesting ............................................................. 46
10.8 Maximum Benefit Limitation .......................................... 46
ARTICLE XI ADMINISTRATION .................................................. 47
11.1 Appointment of Administrator ........................................ 47
11.2 Resignation or Removal of Administrator ............................. 47
11.3 Appointment of Successors: Terms of Office, Etc. .................... 47
11.4 Powers and Duties of Administrator .................................. 47
11.5 Action by Administrator ............................................. 49
11.6 Participation by Administrator ...................................... 49
11.7 Agents .............................................................. 49
11.8 Allocation of Duties ................................................ 49
11.9 Delegation of Duties ................................................ 50
11.10 Administrator's Action Conclusive ................................... 50
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11.11 Compensation and Expenses of Administrator .......................... 50
11.12 Records and Reports ................................................. 50
11.13 Reports of Fund Open to Participants ................................ 50
11.14 Named Fiduciary ..................................................... 50
11.15 Information from Employer ........................................... 51
11.16 Reservation of Rights by Employer ................................... 51
11.17 Liability and Indemnification ....................................... 51
11.18 Service as Trustee and Administrator ................................ 51
ARTICLE XII CLAIMS PROCEDURE ............................................... 52
12.1 Notice of Denial .................................................... 52
12.2 Right to Reconsideration ............................................ 52
12.3 Review of Documents ................................................. 52
12.4 Decision by Administrator ........................................... 52
12.5 Notice by Administrator ............................................. 52
ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS, TERMINATION AND MERGER ............................ 54
13.1 Amendments .......................................................... 54
13.2 Consolidation, Merger or Other Transactions of Employer ............. 54
13.3 Consolidation or Merger of Trust .................................... 55
13.4 Bankruptcy or Insolvency of Employer ................................ 55
13.5 Voluntary Termination ............................................... 56
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13.6 Partial Termination of Plan or Permanent Discontinuance
of Contributions ................................................... 56
ARTICLE XIV MISCELLANEOUS .................................................. 57
14.1 No Diversion of Funds ............................................... 57
14.2 Liability Limited ................................................... 57
14.3 Facility of Payment ................................................. 57
14.4 Spendthrift Clause .................................................. 57
14.5 Benefits Limited to Fund ............................................ 58
14.6 Cooperation of Parties .............................................. 58
14.7 Payments Due Missing Persons ........................................ 58
14.8 Governing Law ....................................................... 58
14.9 Nonguarantee of Employment .......................................... 59
14.10 Counsel ............................................................. 59
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BEN FRANKLIN FINANCIAL, INC.
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN
PREAMBLE
Effective as of January 1, 1998, Ben Franklin Financial, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Sponsor"), has adopted the Ben Franklin Financial,
Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Plan in order to enable Participants to share in
the growth and prosperity of the Sponsor and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ben
Franklin Bank of Illinois, and to provide Participants with an opportunity to
accumulate capital for their future economic security by accumulating funds to
provide retirement, death and disability benefits. The Plan is a stock bonus
plan designed to meet the applicable requirements of Section 409 of the Code and
of an employee stock ownership plan, as defined in Section 4975(e)(7) of the
Code and Section 407(d)(6) of the Act. The employee stock ownership plan is
intended to invest primarily in "qualifying employer securities" as defined in
Section 4975(e)(8) of the Code. The Sponsor intends that the Plan will qualify
under Sections 401(a) and 501(a) of the Code and will comply with the provisions
of the Act. The Plan has been drafted to comply with all applicable provisions
of law, including the Tax Reform Act of 1986, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act of 1986, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, the Technical and
Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988, the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1989, the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, the Small Business Job Protection Act
of 1996, and the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997.
The terms of this Plan shall apply only with respect to Employees of
the Employer on and after January 1, 1998.
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITION OF TERMS AND CONSTRUCTION
1.1 Definitions.
Unless a different meaning is plainly implied by the context, the
following terms as used in this Plan shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Account" shall mean a Participant's or Former Participant's entire
accrued benefit under the Plan, including the balance credited to his Employee
Stock Ownership Account and any other account described in Section 5.1.
(b) "Act" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute, together with the
applicable regulations promulgated thereunder.
(c) "Administrator" shall mean the fiduciary provided for in Article
XI.
(d) "Annual Additions" shall mean, with respect to each Participant,
the sum of those amounts allocated to the Participant's Account under this Plan
and accounts under any other qualified defined contribution plan to which the
Employer or a Related Employer contributes for any Limitation Year, consisting
of the following:
(1) Employer contributions;
(2) Forfeitures; and
(3) Employee contributions (if any).
Annual Additions shall not include any employer contributions which are
used by the Trust to pay interest on an Exempt Loan nor any forfeitures of
Employer Securities purchased with the proceeds of an Exempt Loan, provided that
not more than one-third of the employer contributions are allocated to
Participants who are among the group of employees deemed "highly compensated
employees" within the meaning of Code Section 414(q), as further described in
Section 8.3.
(e) "Authorized Leave of Absence" shall mean an absence from Service
with respect to which the Employee may or may not be entitled to Compensation
and which meets any one of the following requirements:
(1) Service in any of the armed forces of the United States for
up to 36 months, provided that the Employee resumes Service within 90
days after discharge, or such longer period of time during which such
Employee's employment rights are protected by law; or
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(2) Any other absence or leave expressly approved and granted by
the Employer which does not exceed 24 months, provided that the
Employee resumes Service at or before the end of such approved leave
period. In approving such leaves of absence, the Employer shall treat
all Employees on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis.
(f) "Beneficiary" shall mean such legal or natural persons, who may be
designated contingently or successively, as may be designated by the Participant
pursuant to Section 6.5 to receive benefits after the death of the Participant,
or in the absence of a valid designation, such persons specified in Section
6.5(b) to receive benefits after the death of the Participant.
(g) "Board of Directors" shall mean the Board of Directors of the
Sponsor.
(h) "Break" shall mean a Plan Year during which an Employee fails to
complete more than 500 Hours of Service.
(i) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
from time to time, or any successor statute, together with the applicable
regulations promulgated thereunder.
(j) "Compensation" shall mean the amount of remuneration paid to an
Employee by the Employer, after the date on which the Employee becomes a
Participant, for services rendered to the Employer during a Plan Year, including
base salary, bonuses, overtime and commissions, elective deferrals to a cash or
deferred arrangement described in Code Section 401(k), and any amount
contributed on a pre-tax salary reduction basis to a cafeteria plan described in
Section 125 of the Code, but excluding amounts paid by the Employer or accrued
with respect to this Plan or any other qualified or non-qualified unfunded plan
of deferred compensation or other employee welfare plan to which the Employer
contributes, payments for group insurance, medical benefits, reimbursement for
expenses, and other forms of extraordinary pay, and excluding amounts accrued
for a prior Plan Year. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the
annual Compensation of each Participant taken into account under the Plan for
any purpose during any Plan Year shall not exceed $150,000, as adjusted from
time to time in accordance with Section 415(d) of the Code.
(k) "Date of Hire" shall mean the date on which an Employee shall
perform his first Hour of Service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event
that an Employee incurs one or more consecutive Breaks after his initial Date of
Hire which results in the forfeiture of his pre-Break Service pursuant to
Section 3.3, his "Date of Hire" shall thereafter be the date on which he
completes his first Hour of Service after such Break or Breaks.
(l) "Disability" shall mean a physical or mental impairment which
prevents a Participant from performing the duties assigned to him by the
Employer and which either has caused the Social Security Administration to
classify the individual as "disabled" for purposes of Social Security or has
been determined by a qualified physician selected by the Administrator.
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(m) "Disability Retirement Date" shall mean the first day of the month
after which a Participant incurs a Disability.
(n) "Early Retirement Date" shall mean the first day of the month
coincident with or next following the later of the date on which a Participant
attains age 55 and completes 5 Years of Vesting Service.
(o) "Effective Date" shall mean January 1, 1998.
(p) "Eligibility Period" shall mean the period of 12 consecutive months
commencing on an Employee's Date of Hire. Succeeding Eligibility Periods after
the initial Eligibility Period shall be based on Plan Years, the first of which
shall include the first anniversary of an Employee's Date of Hire.
(q) "Employee" shall mean any person who is classified as an employee
by the Employer or a Related Employer, including officers, but excluding
directors in their capacity as such.
(r) "Employee Stock Ownership Account" shall mean the separate
bookkeeping account established for each Participant pursuant to Section 5.1(a).
(s) "Employee Stock Ownership Contribution" shall mean the cash,
Employer Securities, or both that are contributed to the Plan by the Employer
pursuant to Article IV.
(t) "Employee Stock Ownership Suspense Account" shall mean the
temporary account in which the Trustee shall maintain any Employee Stock
Ownership Contribution that is made prior to the last day of the Plan Year for
which it is made, as described in Section 5.2.
(u) "Employer" shall mean Ben Franklin Financial, Inc., a Delaware
corporation, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ben Franklin Bank of Illinois, or
any successors to the aforesaid corporations by merger, consolidation or
otherwise, which may agree to continue this Plan, or any Related Employer or any
other business organization which, with the consent of the Sponsor, shall agree
to become a party to this Plan. To the extent required by the Code or the Act,
references herein to the Employer shall also include all Related Employers,
whether or not they are participating in this Plan.
(v) "Employer Securities" shall mean the common stock issued by Ben
Franklin Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Such term shall also mean, in
the discretion of the Board of Directors, any other common stock issued by the
Employer or any Related Employer having voting power and dividend rights equal
to or in excess of:
(a) that class of common stock of the Employer or a Related
Employer having the greatest voting power, and
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(b) that class of common stock of the Employer or a Related
Employer having the greatest dividend rights.
Non-callable preferred stock shall be treated as Employer Securities if such
stock is convertible at any time into stock which meets the requirements of (a)
and (b) next above and if such conversion is at a conversion price which (as of
the date of the acquisition by the Plan) is reasonable. For purposes of the last
preceding sentence, preferred stock shall be treated as non-callable if, after
the call, there will be a reasonable opportunity for a conversion which meets
the requirements of the last preceding sentence.
(w) "Entry Date" shall mean each January 1 and July 1.
(x) "Exempt Loan" shall mean a loan described at Section 4975(d)(3) of
the Code to the Trustee to purchase Employer Securities for the Plan, made or
guaranteed by a disqualified person, as defined at Section 4975(e)(2) of the
Code, including, but not limited to, a direct loan of cash, a purchase money
transaction, an assumption of an obligation of the Trustee, an unsecured
guarantee or the use of assets of such disqualified person as collateral for
such a loan.
(y) "Exempt Loan Suspense Account" shall mean the account to which
Financed Shares are initially credited until they are released in accordance
with Section 8.5.
(z) "Financed Shares" shall mean the Employer Securities acquired by
the Trustee with the proceeds of an Exempt Loan and which are credited to the
Exempt Loan Suspense Account until they are released in accordance with Section
8.5.
(aa) "Former Participant" shall mean any previous Participant whose
participation has terminated but who has a vested Account in the Plan which has
not been distributed in full.
(bb) "Fund" shall mean the Fund maintained by the Trustee pursuant to
the Trust Agreement in order to provide for the payment of the benefits
specified in the Plan.
(cc) "Hour of Service" shall mean each hour for which an Employee is
directly or indirectly paid or entitled to payment by the Employer or a Related
Employer for the performance of duties or for reasons other than the performance
of duties (such as vacation time, holidays, sickness, disability, paid lay-offs,
jury duty and similar periods of paid nonworking time). To the extent not
otherwise included, Hours of Service shall also include each hour for which back
pay, irrespective of mitigation of damages, is either awarded or agreed to by
the Employer or a Related Employer. Hours of working time shall be credited on
the basis of actual hours worked, even though compensated at a premium rate for
overtime or other reasons. In computing and crediting Hours of Service for an
Employee under this Plan, the rules set forth in Sections 2530.200b-2(b) and (c)
of the Department of Labor Regulations shall apply, said sections being herein
incorporated by reference. Hours of Service shall be credited to the Plan Year
or other relevant period during which the services were performed or the
nonworking time occurred, regardless of the time when compensation therefor
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may be paid. Any Employee for whom no hourly employment records are kept by the
Employer or a Related Employer shall be credited with 45 Hours of Service for
each calendar week in which he would have been credited with a least one Hour or
Service under the foregoing provisions, if hourly records were available.
Effective January 1, 1985, for absences commencing on or after that date, solely
for purposes of determining whether a Break for participation and vesting
purposes has occurred in an Eligibility Period or a Plan Year, an individual who
is absent from work for maternity or paternity reasons shall receive credit for
the Hours of Service which would otherwise have been credited to such individual
but for such absence, or in any case in which such hours cannot be determined, 8
Hours of Service per day of such absence. For purposes of this Section 1.1(cc),
an absence from work for maternity or paternity reasons means an absence (1) by
reason of the pregnancy of the individual, (2) by reason of the birth of a child
of the individual, (3) by reason of the placement of a child with the individual
in connection with the adoption of such child by such individual, or (4) for
purposes of caring for such child for a period beginning immediately following
such birth or placement. The Hours of Service credited under this provision
shall be credited (1) in the computation period in which the absence begins if
the crediting is necessary to prevent a Break in that period, or (2) in all
other cases, in the following computation period.
(dd) "Investment Adjustments" shall mean the increases and/or decreases
in the value of a Participant's Account attributable to earnings, gains, losses
and expenses of the Fund, as set forth in Section 5.3.
(ee) "Limitation Year" shall mean the Plan Year.
(ff) "Normal Retirement Date" shall mean the first day of the month
coincident with or next following the later of the date on which a Participant
attains age 65 or the fifth anniversary of the date he commenced participation
in the Plan.
(gg) "Participant" shall mean an Employee who has met all of the
eligibility requirements of the Plan and who is currently included in the Plan
as provided in Article II hereof; provided, however, that the term "Participant"
shall not include (1) leased Employees, (2) any Employee who is regularly
employed outside the Employer's own offices in connection with the operation and
maintenance of buildings or other properties acquired through foreclosure or
deed, (3) any individual who is employed by a Related Employer that has not
adopted the Plan in accordance with Section 1.1(u) hereof, (4) any Employee who
is a non-resident alien individual and who has no earned income from sources
within the United States, or (5) any Employee who is included in a unit of
Employees covered by a collective-bargaining agreement with the Employer or a
Related Employer that does not expressly provide for participation of such
Employees in the Plan, where there has been good-faith bargaining between the
Employer or a Related Employer and Employees' representatives on the subject of
retirement benefits. To the extent required by the Code or the Act, or
appropriate based on the context, references herein to Participant shall include
Former Participant.
(hh) "Plan" shall mean the Ben Franklin Financial, Inc. Employee Stock
Ownership Plan, as described herein or as hereafter amended from time to time.
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(ii) "Plan Year" shall mean any 12 consecutive month period commencing
on each January 1 and ending on the next following December 31.
(jj) "Qualified Domestic Relations Order" shall mean any judgment,
decree or order that satisfies the requirements to be a "qualified domestic
relations order," as defined in Section 414(p) of the Code.
(kk) "Related Employer" shall mean any entity that is:
(1) a member of a controlled group of corporations that includes
the Employer, while it is a member of such controlled group (within
the meaning of Section 414(b) of the Code);
(2) a member of a group of trades or businesses under common
control with the Employer, while it is under common control (within
the meaning of Section 414(c) of the Code);
(3) a member of an affiliated service group that includes the
Employer, while it is a member of such affiliated service group
(within the meaning of Section 414(m) of the Code); or
(4) a leasing or other organization that is required to be
aggregated with the Employer pursuant to the provisions of Section
414(n) or 414(o) of the Code.
(ll) "Retirement" shall mean termination of employment which qualifies
as early, normal or Disability retirement as described in Article VI.
(mm) "Service" shall mean, for purposes of eligibility to participate
and vesting, employment with the Employer or any Related Employer, and for
purposes of allocation of the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution and
forfeitures, employment with the Employer.
(nn) "Sponsor" shall mean Ben Franklin Financial, Inc., a Delaware
corporation.
(oo) "Trust Agreement" shall mean the agreement, dated ________, 1998,
by and between Ben Franklin Financial, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and
____________________, of ___________, __________.
(pp) "Trustee" shall mean the trustee or trustees by whom the assets of
the Plan are held, as provided in the Trust Agreement, or his or their
successors.
(qq) "Valuation Date" shall mean the last day of each Plan Year. The
Trustee may make additional valuations, at the direction of the Administrator,
but in no event may the Administrator request additional valuations by the
Trustee more frequently than quarterly. Whenever such date falls on a Saturday,
Sunday or holiday, the preceding business day shall be the Valuation Date.
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(rr) "Year of Eligibility Service" shall mean an Eligibility Period
during which an Employee is credited with at least 1,000 Hours of Service,
except as otherwise specified in Article III.
(ss) "Year of Vesting Service" shall mean a Plan Year during which an
Employee is credited with at least 1,000 Hours of Service, except as otherwise
specified in Article III.
1.2 Plurals and Gender.
Where appearing in the Plan and the Trust Agreement, the masculine
gender shall include the feminine and neuter genders, and the singular shall
include the plural, and vice versa, unless the context clearly indicates a
different meaning.
1.3 Incorporation of Trust Agreement.
The Trust Agreement, as the same may be amended from time to time, is
intended to be and hereby is incorporated by reference into this Plan. All
contributions made under the Plan will be held, managed and controlled by the
Trustee pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Trust Agreement.
1.4 Headings.
The headings and sub-headings in this Plan are inserted for the
convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in any construction of the
provisions hereof.
1.5 Severability.
In case any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or void, such
illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions of this Plan,
but shall be fully severable, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if
said illegal or invalid provisions had never been inserted herein.
1.6 References to Governmental Regulations.
References in this Plan to regulations issued by the Internal Revenue
Service, the Department of Labor, or other governmental agencies shall include
all regulations, rulings, procedures, releases and other position statements
issued by any such agency.
1.7 Notices.
Any notice or document required to be filed with the Administrator or
Trustee under the Plan will be properly filed if delivered or mailed by
registered mail, postage prepaid, to the Administrator in care of the Sponsor or
to the Trustee, each at its principal business offices. Any notice required
under the Plan may be waived in writing by the person entitled to notice.
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1.8 Evidence.
Evidence required of anyone under the Plan may be by certificate,
affidavit, document or other information which the person acting on it considers
pertinent and reliable, and signed, made or presented by the proper party or
parties.
1.9 Action by Employer.
Any action required or permitted to be taken by any entity constituting
the Employer under the Plan shall be by resolution of its Board of Directors or
by a person or persons authorized by its Board of Directors.
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ARTICLE II
PARTICIPATION
2.1 Commencement of Participation.
(a) Any Employee who is otherwise eligible to become a Participant in
accordance with Section 1.1(gg) hereof shall initially become a Participant on
the Entry Date coincident with or next following the later of the following
dates, provided he is employed by the Employer on that Entry Date:
(1) The date on which he completes a Year of Eligibility Service;
and
(2) The date on which he attains age 21.
(b) Any Employee who had satisfied the requirements set forth in
Section 2.1(a) during the 12 consecutive month period prior to the Effective
Date shall become a Participant on the Effective Date, provided he is still
employed by the Employer on the Effective Date.
2.2 Termination of Participation.
After commencement or resumption of his participation, an Employee
shall remain a Participant during each consecutive Plan Year thereafter until
the earliest of the following dates:
(a) His actual Retirement date;
(b) His date of death; or
(c) The last day of a Plan Year during which he incurs a Break.
2.3 Resumption of Participation.
(a) Any Participant whose employment terminates and who resumes Service
before he incurs a Break shall resume participation immediately on the date he
is reemployed.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in Section 2.3(c), any Participant who
incurs one or more Breaks and resumes Service shall resume participation
retroactively as of the first day of the first Plan Year in which he completes a
Year of Eligibility Service after such Break(s).
(c) Any Participant who incurs one or more Breaks and resumes Service,
but whose pre-Break Service is not reinstated to his credit pursuant to Section
3.3, shall be treated as a new Employee and shall again be required to satisfy
the eligibility requirements contained in Section 2.1(a) before resuming
participation on the appropriate Entry Date, as specified in Section 2.1(a).
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2.4 Determination of Eligibility.
The Administrator shall determine the eligibility of Employees in
accordance with the provisions of this Article. For each Plan Year, the Employer
shall furnish the Administrator a list of all Employees, indicating their Date
of Hire, their Hours of Service during their Eligibility Period, their date of
birth, the original date of their reemployment with the Employer, if any, and
any Breaks they may have incurred.
2.5 Restricted Participation
Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, during the period
between the Participant's date of termination of participation in the Plan (as
described in Section 2.2) and the distribution of his entire Account (as
described in Article IX), and during any period that a Participant does not meet
the requirements of Section 2.1(a) or is employed by a Related Employer that is
not participating in the Plan, the Participant or, in the event of the
Participant's death, the Beneficiary of the Participant, will be considered and
treated as a Participant for all purposes of the Plan, except as follows:
(a) the Participant will not share in the Employee Stock
Ownership Contribution and forfeitures (as described in Sections 7.2
and 7.3), except as provided in Sections 5.4 and 5.5; and
(b) the Beneficiary of a deceased Participant cannot designate a
Beneficiary under Section 6.5.
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ARTICLE III
CREDITED SERVICE
3.1 Service Counted for Eligibility Purposes.
Except as provided in Section 3.3, all Years of Eligibility Service
completed by an Employee shall be counted in determining his eligibility to
become a Participant on and after the Effective Date, whether such Service was
completed before or after the Effective Date.
3.2 Service Counted for Vesting Purposes.
All Years of Vesting Service completed by an Employee (including Years
of Vesting Service completed prior to the Effective Date) shall be counted in
determining his vested interest in this Plan, except the following:
(a) Service which is disregarded under the provisions of Section
3.3;
(b) Service prior to the Effective Date of this Plan if such
Service would have been disregarded under the "break in service" rules
(within the meaning of Section 1.411(a)-5(b)(6) of the Treasury
Regulations).
3.3 Credit for Pre-Break Service.
Upon his resumption of participation following one or a series of
consecutive Breaks, an Employee's pre-Break Service shall be reinstated to his
credit for eligibility and vesting purposes only if either:
(a) He was vested in any portion of his accrued benefit at the
time the Break(s) began; or
(b) The number of his consecutive Breaks does not equal or exceed
the greater of 5 or the number of his Years of Eligibility Service or
Years of Vesting Service, as the case may be, credited to him before
the Breaks began.
Except as provided in the foregoing, none of an Employee's Service
prior to one or a series of consecutive Breaks shall be counted for any purpose
in connection with his participation in this Plan thereafter.
3.4 Service Credit During Authorized Leaves.
An Employee shall receive no Service credit under Section 3.1 or 3.2
during any Authorized Leave of Absence. However, solely for the purpose of
determining whether he has
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incurred a Break during any Plan Year in which he is absent from Service for one
or more Authorized Leaves of Absence, he shall be credited with 45 Hours of
Service for each week during any such leave period. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if an Employee fails to return to Service on or before the end of a
leave period, he shall be deemed to have terminated Service as of the first day
of such leave period and his credit for Hours of Service, determined under this
Section 3.4, shall be revoked. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the
contrary, an Employee who is absent by reason of military service as set forth
in Section 1.1(e)(1) shall be given Service credit under this Plan for such
military leave period to the extent, and for all purposes, required by law.
3.5 Service Credit During Maternity or Paternity Leave.
Effective for absences beginning on or after January 1, 1985, for
purposes of determining whether a Break has occurred for participation and
vesting purposes, an individual who is on maternity or paternity leave as
described in Section 1.1(cc), shall be deemed to have completed Hours of Service
during such period of absence, all in accordance with Section 1.1(cc).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no credit shall be given for such Hours of
Service unless the individual furnishes to the Administrator such timely
information as the Administrator may reasonably require to determine:
(a) that the absence from Service was attributable to one of the
maternity or paternity reasons enumerated in Section 1.1(cc); and
(b) the number of days of such absence.
In no event, however, shall any credit be given for such leave other than for
determining whether a Break has occurred.
3.6 Ineligible Employees.
Notwithstanding any provisions of this Plan to the contrary, any
Employee who is ineligible to participate in this Plan either because of his
failure
(a) To meet the eligibility requirements contained in Article II;
or
(b) To be a Participant, as defined in Section 1.1(gg),
shall, nevertheless, earn Years of Eligibility Service and Years of Vesting
Service pursuant to the rules contained in this Article III. However, such
Employee shall not be entitled to an allocation of any contributions or
forfeitures hereunder unless and until he becomes a Participant in this Plan,
and then, only during his period of participation.
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ARTICLE IV
CONTRIBUTIONS
4.1 Employee Stock Ownership Contribution.
(a) Subject to all of the provisions of this Article IV, for each Plan
Year commencing on or after the Effective Date, the Employer shall make an
Employee Stock Ownership Contribution to the Fund in such amount as may be
determined by resolution of the Board of Directors in its discretion; provided,
however, that the Employer shall contribute an amount in cash not less than the
amount required to enable the Trustee to discharge any indebtedness incurred
with respect to an Exempt Loan in accordance with Section 8.6(c). If any part of
the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution under this Section 4.1 for any Plan
Year is in cash in an amount exceeding the amount needed to pay the amount due
during or prior to such Plan Year with respect to an Exempt Loan, such cash
shall be applied by the Trustee, as directed by the Administrator in its sole
discretion, either to the purchase of Employer Securities or to repay an Exempt
Loan.. Contributions hereunder shall be in the form of cash, Employer Securities
or any combination thereof. In determining the value of Employer Securities
transferred to the Fund as an Employee Stock Ownership Contribution, the
Administrator may determine the average of closing prices of such securities for
a period of up to 90 consecutive days immediately preceding the date on which
the securities are contributed to the Fund. In the event that the Employer
Securities are not readily tradable on an established securities market, the
value of the Employer Securities transferred to the Fund shall be determined by
an independent appraiser in accordance with Section 8.9.
(b) In no event shall the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution exceed
for any Plan Year the maximum amount that may be deducted by the Employer under
Section 404 of the Code, nor shall such contribution cause the Employer to
violate its regulatory capital requirements. Each Employee Stock Ownership
Contribution by the Employer shall be deemed to be made on the express condition
that the Plan, as then in effect, shall be qualified under Sections 401(a) and
501(a) of the Code and that the amount of such contribution shall be deductible
from the Employer's income under Section 404 of the Code.
4.2 Time and Manner of Employee Stock Ownership Contribution.
(a) The Employee Stock Ownership Contribution (if any) for each Plan
Year shall be paid to the Trustee in one lump sum or installments at any time on
or before the expiration of the time prescribed by law (including any
extensions) for filing of the Employer's federal income tax return for its
fiscal year ending concurrent with or during such Plan Year. Any portion of the
Employee Stock Ownership Contribution for each Plan Year that may be made prior
to the last day of the Plan Year shall be maintained by the Trustee in the
Employee Stock Ownership Suspense Account described in Section 5.2 until the
last day of such Plan Year.
(b) If an Employee Stock Ownership Contribution for a Plan Year is paid
after the close of the Employer's fiscal year which ends concurrent with or
during such Plan Year but on or
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prior to the due date (including any extensions) for filing of the Employer's
federal income tax return for such fiscal year, it shall be considered, for
allocation purposes, as an Employee Stock Ownership Contribution to the Fund for
the Plan Year for which it was computed and accrued, unless such contribution is
accompanied by a statement to the Trustee, signed by the Employer, which
specifies that the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution is made with respect to
the Plan Year in which it is received by the Trustee. Any Employee Stock
Ownership Contribution paid by the Employer during any Plan Year but after the
due date (including any extensions) for filing of its federal income tax return
for the fiscal year of the Employer ending on or before the last day of the
preceding Plan Year shall be treated, for allocation purposes, as an Employee
Stock Ownership Contribution to the Fund for the Plan Year in which the
contribution is paid to the Trustee.
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, no
Employee Stock Ownership Contribution shall be made for any Plan Year during
which a limitations account created pursuant to Section 5.6(c)(3) is in
existence until the balance of such limitations account has been reallocated in
accordance with Section 5.6(c)(3).
4.3 Records of Contributions.
The Employer shall deliver at least annually to the Trustee, with
respect to the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution contemplated in Section
4.1, a certificate of the Administrator, in such form as the Trustee shall
approve, setting forth:
(a) The aggregate amount of such contribution, if any, to the
Fund for such Plan Year;
(b) The names, Internal Revenue Service identifying numbers and
current residential addresses of all Participants in the Plan;
(c) The amount and category of contributions to be allocated to
each such Participant; and
(d) Any other information reasonably required for the proper
operation of the Plan.
4.4 Erroneous Contributions.
(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon the
Employer's request, a contribution which was made by a mistake of fact, or
conditioned upon the initial qualification of the Plan, under Code Section
401(a), or upon the deductibility of the contribution under Section 404 of the
Code, shall be returned to the Employer by the Trustee within one year after the
payment of the contribution, the denial of the qualification or the disallowance
of the deduction (to the extent disallowed), whichever is applicable; provided,
however, that in the case of denial of the initial qualification of the Plan, a
contribution shall not be returned unless an Application for Determination has
been timely filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Any portion of a
contribution returned pursuant to this Section 4.4 shall be adjusted to reflect
its proportionate share of the losses of the Fund, but shall not be adjusted to
reflect any earnings or gains. Notwithstanding any provisions of
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this Plan to the contrary, the right or claim of any Participant or Beneficiary
to any asset of the Fund or any benefit under this Plan shall be subject to and
limited by this Section 4.4.
(b) In no event shall Employee contributions be accepted. Any such
Employee contributions (and any earnings attributable thereto) mistakenly
received by the Trustee shall promptly be returned to the Participant.
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ARTICLE V
ACCOUNTS, ALLOCATIONS AND INVESTMENTS
5.1 Establishment of Separate Participant Accounts.
The Administrator shall establish and maintain a separate Account for
each Participant in the Plan and for each Former Participant in accordance with
the provisions of this Article V. Such separate Account shall be for bookkeeping
purposes only and shall not require a segregation of the Fund, and no
Participant, Former Participant or Beneficiary shall acquire any right to or
interest in any specific assets of the Fund as a result of the allocations
provided for under this Plan.
(a) Employee Stock Ownership Accounts.
The Administrator shall establish a separate Employee Stock Ownership
Account in the Fund for each Participant. The Administrator may establish
subaccounts hereunder, an Employer Stock Account reflecting a Participant's
interest in Employer Securities held by the Trust, and an Other Investments
Account reflecting the Participant's interest in his Employee Stock Ownership
Account other than Employer Securities. Each Participant's Employer Stock
Account shall reflect his share of any Employee Stock Ownership Contribution
made in Employer Securities, his allocable share of forfeitures (as described in
Section 5.4), and any Employer Securities attributable to earnings on such
stock. Each Participant's Other Investments Account shall reflect any Employee
Stock Ownership Contribution made in cash, any cash dividends on Employer
Securities allocated and credited to his Employee Stock Ownership Account (other
than currently distributable dividends) and his share of corresponding cash
forfeitures, and any income, gains, losses, appreciation, or depreciation
attributable thereto.
(b) Distribution Accounts.
In any case where distribution of a terminated Participant's vested
Account is to be deferred, the Administrator shall establish a separate,
nonforfeitable account in the Fund to which the balance in his Employee Stock
Ownership Account in the Plan shall be transferred after such Participant incurs
a Break. Unless the Former Participant's distribution accounts are segregated
for investment purposes pursuant to section 9.4, they shall share in Investment
Adjustments.
(c) Other Accounts.
The Administrator shall establish such other separate accounts for each
Participant as may be necessary or desirable for the convenient administration
of the Fund.
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5.2 Establishment of Suspense Accounts.
The Administrator shall establish a separate Employee Stock Ownership
Suspense Account. There shall be credited to such account any Employee Stock
Ownership Contribution that may be made prior to the last day of the Plan Year,
as provided in Section 4.2. The Employee Stock Ownership Suspense Account shall
share proportionately as to time and amount in any Investment Adjustments. As of
the last day of each Plan Year, the balance of the Employee Stock Ownership
Suspense Account shall be added to the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution and
allocated to the Employee Stock Ownership Accounts of Participants as provided
in Section 5.5, except as provided herein. In the event that the Plan takes an
Exempt Loan, the Employer Securities purchased thereby shall be allocated as
Financed Shares to a separate Exempt Loan Suspense Account, from which
allocations shall be made in accordance with Section 8.5.
5.3 Allocation of Earnings, Losses and Expenses.
As of each Valuation Date, any increase or decrease in the net worth of
the aggregate Employee Stock Ownership Accounts held in the Fund attributable to
earnings, losses, expenses and unrealized appreciation or depreciation in each
such aggregate account, as determined by the Trustee pursuant to the Trust
Agreement, shall be credited to or deducted from the appropriate suspense
accounts and all Participants' Employee Stock Ownership Accounts (except
segregated distribution accounts described in Section 5.1(b) and the
"limitations account" described in Section 5.6(c)(3)) in the proportion that the
value of each such account (determined immediately prior to such allocation and
before crediting any Employee Stock Ownership Contribution and forfeitures for
the current Plan Year but after adjustment for any transfer to or from such
accounts and for the time such funds were in such accounts) bears to the value
of all Employee Stock Ownership Accounts.
5.4 Allocation of Forfeitures.
As of the last day of each Plan Year, all forfeitures attributable to
the Employee Stock Ownership Accounts which are then available for reallocation
shall be, as appropriate, added to the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution (if
any) for such year and allocated among the Participants' Employee Stock
Ownership Accounts, as appropriate, in the manner provided in Sections 5.5 and
5.6.
5.5 Allocation of Employee Stock Ownership Contribution.
As of the last day of each Plan Year for which the Employer shall make
an Employee Stock Ownership Contribution, the Administrator shall allocate the
Employee Stock Ownership Contribution (including reallocable forfeitures) for
such Plan Year to the Employee Stock Ownership Account of each Participant who
completed a Year of Vesting Service during that Plan Year, provided that he is
still employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year. Such allocation
shall be made in the same proportion that each such Participant's Compensation
for such Plan Year bears to the total Compensation of all such Participants for
such Plan Year, subject to Section 5.6.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant attains his Normal Retirement
Date and terminates Service prior to the last day of the Plan Year but after
completing a Year of Vesting Service, he shall be entitled to an allocation
based on his Compensation earned prior to his termination and during the Plan
Year. Furthermore, if a Participant completes a Year of Vesting Service and is
on a Leave of Absence on the last day of the Plan Year because of pregnancy or
other medical reason, such a Participant shall be entitled to an allocation
based on his Compensation earned during such Plan Year.
5.6 Limitation on Annual Additions.
(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this Plan to the contrary, the
total Annual Additions credited to a Participant's Account under this Plan (and
accounts under any other defined contribution plan maintained by the Employer or
a Related Employer) for any Limitation Year shall not exceed the lesser of:
(1) 25% of the Participant's compensation (as defined below) for
such Limitation Year; or
(2) $30,000 (or, if greater, one-fourth of the defined benefit
dollar limitation set forth in Section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Code).
Whenever otherwise allowed by law, the maximum amount of $30,000 shall
be automatically adjusted annually for cost-of-living increases in
accordance with Section 415(d) of the Code, and the highest such
increase effective at any time during the Limitation Year shall be
effective for the entire Limitation Year, without any amendment to
this Plan.
(b) Solely for the purpose of this Section 5.6, the term "compensation"
is defined as wages, salaries, and fees for professional services, pre-tax
elective deferrals and salary reduction contributions under a plan described in
Section 401(k) or 125 of the Code, and other amounts received (without regard to
whether or not an amount is paid in cash) for personal services actually
rendered in the course of employment with the Employer or a Related Employer, to
the extent that the amounts are includable in gross income (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,
fringe benefits, and reimbursements or other expense allowances under a
nonaccountable plan (as described in Treas. Regs. Section 1.62-2(c)), and
excluding the following:
(1) Employer contributions by the Employer or a Related Employer
to a plan of deferred compensation (other than elective deferrals
under a plan described in Section 401(k) of the Code) which are not
includable in the Employee's gross income for the taxable year in
which contributed, or employer contributions by the Employer or a
Related Employer under a simplified employee pension plan to the
extent such contributions are deductible by the Employee, or any
distributions from a plan of deferred compensation;
-19-
(2) Amounts realized from the exercise of a non-qualified stock
option, or when restricted stock (or property) held by the Employee
either becomes freely transferable or is no longer subject to a
substantial risk of forfeiture;
(3) Amounts realized from the sale, exchange or other disposition
of stock acquired under a qualified stock option; and
(4) Other amounts which received special tax benefits (other than
pre-tax salary reduction contributions under a plan described in
Section 125 of the Code), or contributions made by the employer
(whether or not under a salary reduction agreement) towards the
purchase of an annuity contract described in section 403(b) of the
Code (whether or not the contributions are actually excludable from
the gross income of the Employee).
(c) In the event that the limitations on Annual Additions described in
Section 5.6(a) above are exceeded with respect to any Participant in any
Limitation Year, then the contributions allocable to the Participant for such
Limitation Year shall be reduced to the minimum extent required by such
limitations, in the following order of priority:
(1) The Administrator shall determine to what extent the Annual
Additions to any Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account must
be reduced in each Limitation Year. The Administrator shall reduce the
Annual Additions to all other qualified, tax-exempt retirement plans
maintained by the Employer or a Related Employer in accordance with
the terms contained therein for required reductions or reallocations
mandated by Section 415 of the Code before reducing any Annual
Additions in this Plan.
(2) If any further reductions in Annual Additions are necessary,
then the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution and forfeitures
allocated during such Limitation Year to the Participant's Employee
Stock Ownership Account shall be reduced. The amount of any such
reductions in the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution and
forfeitures shall be reallocated to all other Participants in the same
manner as set forth under Sections 5.4 and 5.5.
(3) Any amounts which cannot be reallocated to other Participants
in a current Limitation Year in accordance with Section 5.6(c)(2)
above because of the limitations contained in Sections 5.6(a) and (d)
shall be credited to an account designated as the "limitations
account" and carried forward to the next and subsequent Limitation
Years until it can be reallocated to all Participants as set forth in
Sections 5.4 and 5.5, as appropriate. No Investment Adjustments shall
be allocated to this limitations account. In the next and subsequent
Limitation Years, all amounts in the limitations account must be
allocated in the manner described in Sections 5.4 and 5.5, as
appropriate, before any Employee Stock Ownership Contribution may be
made to this Plan for that Limitation Year.
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(4) In the event this Plan is voluntarily terminated by the
Employer under Section 13.5, any amounts credited to the limitations
account described in Section 5.6(c)(3) above which have not be
reallocated as set forth herein shall be distributed to the
Participants who are still employed by the Employer on the date of
termination, in the proportion that each Participant's Compensation
bears to the Compensation of all Participants.
(d) The Annual Additions credited to a Participant's accounts for each
Limitation Year are further limited so that in the case of an Employee who is a
Participant in both this Plan and any qualified defined benefit plan
(hereinafter referred to as a "pension plan") of the Employer or Related
Employer, the sum of (1) and (2) below will not exceed 1.0:
(1) (A) The projected annual normal retirement benefit of a
Participant under the pension plan, divided by
(B) The lesser of:
(i) The product of 1.25 multiplied by the dollar limitation
in effect under Section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Code for such
Limitation Year, or
(ii) The product of 1.4 multiplied by the amount of
compensation which may be taken into account under Section
415(b)(1)(B) of the Code for the Participant for such Limitation
Year; plus
(2) (A) The sum of Annual Additions credited to the Participant
under this Plan for all Limitation Years, divided by:
(B) The sum of the lesser of the following amounts determined
for such Limitation Year and for each prior year of service with the
Employer or a Related Employer:
(i) The product of 1.25 multiplied by the dollar limitation
in effect under Section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Code for such
Limitation Year, or
(ii) The product of 1.4 multiplied by the amount of
compensation which may be taken into account under Section
415(b)(1)(B) of the Code for the Participant for such Limitation
Year.
The Administrator may, in calculating the defined contribution plan fraction
described in Section 5.6(d)(2), elect to use the transitional rule pursuant to
Section 415(e)(7) of the Code, if applicable. If the sum of the fractions
produced above will exceed 1.0, even after the use of the "fresh start" rule
contained in Section 235 of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982
("TEFRA"), if applicable, then the same provisions as stated in Section 5.6(c)
above shall apply. If,
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even after the reductions provided for in Section 5.6(c), the sum of the
fractions still exceeds 1.0, then the benefits of the Participant provided under
the pension plan shall be reduced to the extent necessary, in accordance with
Treasury Regulations issued under the Code. Solely for the purposes of this
Section 5.6(d), the term "years of service" shall mean all years of service
defined by Treasury Regulations issued under Section 415 of the Code.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 5.6(d) shall
expire with respect to all Limitation Years beginning after December 31, 1999.
5.7 Erroneous Allocations.
No Participant shall be entitled to any Annual Additions or other
allocations to his Account in excess of those permitted under Sections 5.3, 5.4,
5.5, and 5.6. If it is determined at anytime that the Administrator and/or
Trustee have erred in accepting and allocating any contributions or forfeitures
under this Plan, or in allocating Investment Adjustments, or in excluding or
including any person as a Participant, then the Administrator, in a uniform and
nondiscriminatory manner, shall determine the manner in which such error shall
be corrected and shall promptly advise the Trustee in writing of such error and
of the method for correcting such error. The accounts of any or all Participants
may be revised, if necessary, in order to correct such error. To the extent
applicable, such correction shall be made in accordance with the provisions of
IRS Revenue Procedure 98-22 (or any amendment or successor thereto).
5.8 Value of Participant's Account.
At any time, the value of a Participant's Account shall consist of the
aggregate value of his Employee Stock Ownership Account and his distribution
account, if any, determined as of the next-preceding Valuation Date. The
Administrator shall maintain adequate records of the cost basis of Employer
Securities allocated to each Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account.
5.9 Investment of Account Balances.
The Employee Stock Ownership Accounts shall be invested primarily in
Employer Securities. Employer Securities shall constitute at least 51% of the
assets of all Employee Stock Ownership Accounts. All sales of Employer
Securities by the Trustee attributable to the Employee Stock Ownership Accounts
of all Participants shall be charged pro rata to the Employee Stock Ownership
Accounts of all Participants.
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ARTICLE VI
RETIREMENT, DEATH AND DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY
6.1 Normal Retirement.
A Participant who reaches his Normal Retirement Date and who shall
retire at that time shall thereupon be entitled to retirement benefits based on
the value of his Account, payable pursuant to the provisions of Section 9.1. A
Participant who remains in Service after his Normal Retirement Date shall not be
entitled to any retirement benefits until his actual termination of Service
thereafter (except as provided in Section 9.3(g)), and he shall meanwhile
continue to participate in this Plan.
6.2 Early Retirement.
A Participant who reaches his Early Retirement Date may retire at such
time (or, at his election, as of the first day of any month thereafter prior to
his Normal Retirement Date) and shall thereupon be entitled to retirement
benefits based on the value of his Account, payable pursuant to the provisions
of Section 9.1.
6.3 Disability Retirement.
In the event a Participant incurs a Disability, he may retire on his
Disability Retirement Date and shall thereupon be entitled to retirement
benefits based on the value of his Account, payable pursuant to the provisions
of Section 9.1.
6.4 Death Benefits.
(a) Upon the death of a Participant before his Retirement or other
termination of Service, the value of his Account shall be payable pursuant to
the provisions of Section 9.1. The Administrator shall direct the Trustee to
distribute his Account to any surviving Beneficiary designated by the
Participant or, if none, to such persons specified in Section 6.5(b).
(b) Upon the death of a Former Participant, the Administrator shall
direct the Trustee to distribute any undistributed balance of his Account to any
surviving Beneficiary designated by him or, if none, to such persons specified
in Section 6.5(b).
(c) The Administrator may require such proper proof of death and such
evidence of the right of any person to receive the balance credited to the
Account of a deceased Participant or Former Participant as the Administrator may
deem desirable. The Administrator's determination of death and of the right of
any person to receive payment shall be conclusive.
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6.5 Designation of Beneficiary and Manner of Payment.
(a) Each Participant shall have the right to designate a Beneficiary to
receive the sum or sums to which he may be entitled upon his death. The
Participant may also designate the manner in which any death benefits under this
Plan shall be payable to his Beneficiary, provided that such designation is in
accordance with Section 9.5. Such designation of Beneficiary and manner of
payment shall be in writing and delivered to the Administrator, and shall be
effective when received by the Administrator while the Participant is alive. The
Participant shall have the right to change such designation by notice in writing
to the Administrator while the Participant is alive. Such change of Beneficiary
or the manner of payment shall become effective upon its receipt by the
Administrator while the Participant is alive. Any such change shall be deemed to
revoke all prior designations.
(b) If a Participant shall fail to designate validly a Beneficiary, or
if no designated Beneficiary survives the Participant, the balance credited to
his Account shall be paid to the person or persons in the first of the following
classes of successive preference Beneficiaries surviving at the death of the
Participant: the Participant's (1) widow or widower, (2) natural-born or adopted
children, (3) natural-born or adoptive parents, and (4) estate. The
Administrator shall determine which Beneficiary, if any, shall have been validly
designated or entitled to receive the balance credited to the Participant's
Account in accordance with the foregoing order of preference, and its decision
shall be binding and conclusive on all persons.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Participant is married on the
date of his death, the sum or sums to which he may be entitled under this Plan
upon his death shall be paid to his spouse, unless the Participant's spouse
shall have consented to the election of another Beneficiary. Such a spousal
consent shall be in writing and shall be witnessed either by a representative of
the Administrator or by a notary public. Any designation by an unmarried
Participant shall be rendered ineffective by any subsequent marriage, and any
consent of a spouse shall be effective only as to that spouse. If it is
established to the satisfaction of the Administrator that spousal consent cannot
be obtained because there is no spouse, because the spouse cannot be located, or
other reasons prescribed by governmental regulations, the consent of the spouse
may be waived, and the Participant may designate a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries
other than his spouse.
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ARTICLE VII
VESTING AND FORFEITURES
7.1 Vesting on Death, Disability and Normal Retirement.
Unless his participation in this Plan shall have terminated prior
thereto, upon a Participant's death, Disability or Normal Retirement Date
(whether or not he actually retires at that time) while he is still employed by
the Employer, the Participant's entire Account shall be fully vested and
nonforfeitable.
7.2 Vesting on Termination of Participation.
Upon termination of his participation in this Plan for any reason other
than death, Disability, or Normal Retirement, a Participant shall be vested in a
percentage of his Employee Stock Ownership Account, such vested percentage to be
determined under the following table, based on the Years of Vesting Service
(including Years of Vesting Service prior to the Effective Date) credited to him
at the time of his termination of participation:
Years of Vesting Service Percentage Vested
------------------------ -----------------
Less than 5 0%
5 or more 100%
Any portion of the Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account which
is not vested at the time he incurs a Break shall thereupon be forfeited and
disposed of pursuant to Section 7.3. Distribution of the vested portion of a
terminated Participant's interest in the Plan shall be payable in any manner
permitted under Section 9.1.
7.3 Disposition of Forfeitures.
(a) In the event a Participant incurs a Break and subsequently resumes
both his Service and his participation in the Plan prior to incurring at least 5
Breaks, the forfeitable portion of his Employee Stock Ownership Account shall be
reinstated to the credit of the Participant as of the date he resumes
participation.
(b) In the event a Participant terminates Service and subsequently
incurs a Break and receives a distribution, or in the event a Participant does
not terminate Service, but incurs at least 5 Breaks, or in the event that a
Participant terminates Service and incurs at least 5 Breaks but has not received
a distribution, then the forfeitable portion of his Employee Stock Ownership
Account, including Investment Adjustments, shall be reallocated to other
Participants, pursuant to Section 5.4, as of the date the Participant incurs
such Break or Breaks, as the case may be.
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(c) In the event a former Participant who had received a distribution
from the Plan is rehired, he shall repay the amount of his distribution before
the earlier of 5 years after the date of his rehire by the Employer, or the
close of the first period of 5 consecutive Breaks commencing after the
withdrawal, in order for any forfeited amounts to be restored to him.
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ARTICLE VIII
EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PROVISIONS
8.1 Right to Demand Employer Securities.
A Participant entitled to a distribution from his Account shall be
entitled to demand that his interest in the Account be distributed to him in the
form of Employer Securities, all subject to Section 9.9. The Administrator shall
notify the Participant of his right to demand distribution of his vested Account
balance entirely in whole shares of Employer Securities (with the value of any
fractional share paid in cash). However, if the charter or by-laws of the
Employer restrict ownership of substantially all of the outstanding Employer
Securities to Employees and the Trust, then the distribution of a Participant's
vested Account shall be made entirely in the form of cash or other property, and
the Participant is not entitled to a distribution in the form of Employer
Securities.
8.2 Voting Rights.
Each Participant with an Employee Stock Ownership Account shall be
entitled to direct the Trustee as to the manner in which the Employer Securities
in such account are to be voted. Employer Securities held in the Employee Stock
Ownership Suspense Account or the Exempt Loan Suspense Account shall be voted by
the Trustee on each issue with respect to which shareholders are entitled to
vote in the manner directed by the majority of the Participants who directed the
Trustee as to the manner of voting their shares in the Employee Stock Ownership
Accounts with respect to such issue. Prior to the initial allocation of shares,
the Trustee shall be entitled to vote the shares in the Exempt Loan Suspense
Account without prior direction from the Participants or the Administrator. In
the event that a Participant fails to give timely voting instructions to the
Trustee with respect to the voting of Employer Securities that are allocated to
his Employee Stock Ownership Account, the Trustee shall vote such shares in such
manner as directed by the Administrator.
8.3 Nondiscrimination in Employee Stock Ownership Contribution.
In the event that the amount of the Employee Stock Ownership
Contribution that would be required in any Plan Year to make the scheduled
payments on an Exempt Loan would exceed the amount that would otherwise be
deductible by the Employer for such Plan Year under Code Section 404, then no
more than one-third of the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution for the Plan
Year, which is also the Employer's taxable year, shall be allocated to the group
of Employees who:
(a) Was at any time during the Plan Year or the preceding Plan
Year a 5 percent owner of the Employer; or
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(b) Received compensation from the Employer for the preceding
Plan Year in excess of $80,000, as adjusted under Code Section 414(q),
and, if the Employer so elects, was in the "top-paid group" of
Employees (as defined below) for such year.
An Employee shall be deemed a member of the "top-paid group" of Employees for a
given Plan Year if such Employee is in the group of the top 20% of the Employees
of the Employer when ranked on the basis of compensation.
8.4 Dividends.
Dividends paid with respect to Employer Securities credited to a
Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account as of the record date for the
dividend payment may be allocated to the Participant's Employee Stock Ownership
Account or paid in cash to the Participant, pursuant to the direction of the
Administrator. If the Administrator shall direct that the aforesaid dividends
shall be paid directly to Participants, the quarterly dividends paid with
respect to such Employer Securities shall be paid to the Plan, from which
dividend distributions in cash shall be made to the Participants with respect to
the Employer Securities in their Employee Stock Ownership Accounts within 90
days of the close of the Plan Year in which the dividends were paid. Dividends
on Employer Securities obtained pursuant to an Exempt Loan and still held in the
Exempt Loan Suspense Account may be used to make payments on an Exempt Loan, as
described in Section 8.5.
8.5 Exempt Loans.
(a) The Sponsor may direct the Trustee to obtain Exempt Loans. The
Exempt Loan may take the form of (i) a loan from a bank or other commercial
lender to purchase Employer Securities (ii) a loan from the Employer to the
Plan; or (iii) an installment sale of Employer Securities to the Plan. The
proceeds of any such Exempt Loan shall be used, within a reasonable time after
the Exempt Loan is obtained, only to purchase Employer Securities, repay the
Exempt Loan, or repay any prior Exempt Loan. Any such Exempt Loan shall provide
for no more than a reasonable rate of interest and shall be without recourse
against the Plan. The number of years to maturity under the Exempt Loan must be
definitely ascertainable at all times. The only assets of the Plan that may be
given as collateral for an Exempt Loan are Financed Shares acquired with the
proceeds of the Exempt Loan and Financed Shares that were used as collateral for
a prior Exempt Loan repaid with the proceeds of the current Exempt Loan. Such
Financed Shares so pledged shall be placed in an Exempt Loan Suspense Account.
No person or institution entitled to payment under an Exempt Loan shall have
recourse against Trust assets other than the Financed Shares, the Employer Stock
Ownership Contribution (other than contributions of Employer Securities) that is
available under the Plan to meet obligations under the Exempt Loan, and earnings
attributable to such Financed Shares and the investment of such contribution.
Any Employee Stock Ownership Contribution paid during the Plan Year in which an
Exempt Loan is made (whether before or after the date the proceeds of the Exempt
Loan are received), any Employee Stock Ownership Contribution paid thereafter
until the Exempt Loan has
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been repaid in full, and all earnings from investment of such Employee Stock
Ownership Contribution, without regard to whether any such Employee Stock
Ownership Contribution and earnings have been allocated to Participants'
Employee Stock Ownership Accounts, shall be available to meet obligations under
the Exempt Loan as such obligations accrue, or prior to the time such
obligations accrue, unless otherwise provided by the Employer at the time any
such contribution is made. Any pledge of Employer Securities shall provide for
the release of Financed Shares upon the payment of any portion of the Exempt
Loan.
(b) For each Plan Year during the duration of the Exempt Loan, the
number of Financed Shares released from such pledge shall equal the number of
Financed Shares held immediately before release for the current Plan Year
multiplied by a fraction. The numerator of the fraction is the sum of principal
and interest paid in such Plan Year. The denominator of the fraction is the sum
of the numerator plus the principal and interest to be paid for all future
years. Such years will be determined without taking into account any possible
extension or renewal periods. If interest on any Exempt Loan is variable, the
interest to be paid in future years under the Exempt Loan shall be computed by
using the interest rate applicable as of the end of the Plan Year.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may obtain an Exempt
Loan pursuant to the terms of which the number of Financed Shares to be released
from encumbrance shall be determined with reference to principal payments only.
In the event that such an Exempt Loan is obtained, annual payments of principal
and interest shall be at a cumulative rate that is not less rapid at any time
than level payments of such amounts for not more than 10 years. The amount of
interest in any such annual loan repayment shall be disregarded only to the
extent that it would be determined to be interest under standard loan
amortization tables. The requirement set forth in the preceding sentence shall
not be applicable from the time that, by reason of a renewal, extension, or
refinancing, the sum of the expired duration of the Exempt Loan, the renewal
period, the extension period, and the duration of a new Exempt Loan exceeds 10
years.
8.6 Exempt Loan Payments.
(a) Payments of principal and interest on any Exempt Loan during a Plan
Year shall be made by the Trustee (as directed by the Administrator) only from
(1) the Employee Stock Ownership Contribution to the Trust made to meet the
Plan's obligation under an Exempt Loan (other than contributions of Employer
Securities) and from any earnings attributable to Financed Shares and
investments of such contributions (both received during or prior to the Plan
Year); (2) the proceeds of a subsequent Exempt Loan made to repay a prior Exempt
Loan; and (3) the proceeds of the sale of any Financed Shares. Such contribution
and earnings shall be accounted for separately by the Plan until the Exempt Loan
is repaid.
(b) Employer Securities released from the Exempt Loan Suspense Account
by reason of the payment of principal or interest on an Exempt Loan from amounts
allocated to
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Participants' Employee Stock Ownership Accounts shall immediately upon payment
be allocated as set forth in Section 5.5.
(c) The Employer shall contribute to the Trust sufficient amounts to
enable the Trust to pay principal and interest on any such Exempt Loans as they
are due, provided, however, that no such contribution shall exceed the
limitations in Section 5.6. In the event that such contributions by reason of
the limitations in Section 5.6 are insufficient to enable the Trust to pay
principal and interest on such Exempt Loan as it is due, then upon the Trustee's
request the Employer shall:
(1) Make an Exempt Loan to the Trust in sufficient amounts to
meet such principal and interest payments. Such new Exempt Loan shall
be subordinated to the prior Exempt Loan. Employer Securities released
from the pledge of the prior Exempt Loan shall be pledged as
collateral to secure the new Exempt Loan. Such Employer Securities
will be released from this new pledge and allocated to the Employee
Stock Ownership Accounts of the Participants in accordance with the
applicable provisions of the Plan;
(2) Purchase any Financed Shares in an amount necessary to
provide the Trustee with sufficient funds to meet the principal and
interest repayments. Any such sale by the Plan shall meet the
requirements of Section 408(e) of the Act; or
(3) Any combination of the foregoing.
However, the Employer shall not, pursuant to the provisions of this subsection,
do, fail to do or cause to be done any act or thing which would result in a
disqualification of the Plan as an employee stock ownership plan under Section
4975(e)(7) of the Code.
(d) Except as provided in Section 8.1 above and notwithstanding any
amendment to or termination of the Plan which causes it to cease to qualify as
an employee stock ownership plan within the meaning of Section 4975(e)(7) of the
Code, or any repayment of an Exempt Loan, no shares of Employer Securities
acquired with the proceeds of an Exempt Loan obtained by the Trust to purchase
Employer Securities may be subject to a put, call or other option, or buy-sell
or similar arrangement, while such shares are held by the Plan or when such
shares are distributed from the Plan.
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8.7 Put Option.
In the event that the Employer Securities distributed to a Participant
are not readily tradable on an established market, the Participant shall be
entitled to require that the Employer repurchase the Employer Securities under a
fair valuation formula, as provided by governmental regulations. The Participant
or Beneficiary shall be entitled to exercise the put option described in the
preceding sentence for a period of not more than 60 days following the date of
distribution of Employer Securities to him. If the put option is not exercised
within such 60-day period, the Participant or Beneficiary may exercise the put
option during an additional period of not more than 60 days after the beginning
of the first day of the first Plan Year following the Plan Year in which the
first put option period occurred, all as provided in regulations promulgated by
the Secretary of the Treasury.
If a Participant exercises the foregoing put option with respect to
Employer Securities that were distributed as part of a total distribution
pursuant to which a Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account is
distributed to him in a single taxable year, the Employer or the Plan may elect
to pay the purchase price of the Employer Securities over a period not to exceed
5 years. Such payments shall be made in substantially equal installments not
less frequently than annually over a period beginning not later than 30 days
after the exercise of the put option. Reasonable interest shall be paid to the
Participant with respect to the unpaid balance of the purchase price, and
adequate security shall be provided with respect thereto. In the event that a
Participant exercises a put option with respect to Employer Securities that are
distributed as part of an installment distribution, if permissible under Section
9.5, the amount to be paid for such securities shall be paid not later than 30
days after the exercise of the put option.
8.8 Diversification Requirements.
Each Participant who has completed at least 10 years of participation
in the Plan and has attained age 55 may elect within 90 days after the close of
each Plan Year during his "qualified election period" to direct the Plan as to
the investment of at least 25 percent of his Employee Stock Ownership Account
(to the extent such percentage exceeds the amount to which a prior election
under this Section 8.8 had been made). For purposes of this Section 8.8, the
term "qualified election period" shall mean the 5-Plan-Year period beginning
with the Plan Year after the Plan Year in which the Participant attains age 55
(or, if later, beginning with the Plan Year after the first Plan Year in which
the Employee first completes at least 10 years of participation in the Plan). In
the case of an Employee who has attained age 60 and completed 10 years of
participation in the prior Plan Year and in the case of the election year in
which any other Participant who has met the minimum age and service requirements
for diversification can make his last election hereunder, he shall be entitled
to direct the Plan as to the investment of at least 50 percent of his Employee
Stock Ownership Account (to the extent such percentage exceeds the amount to
which a prior election under this Section 8.8 had been made). The Plan shall
make available at least 3 investment options (chosen by the Administrator in
accordance with regulations prescribed by the Department of Treasury) to each
Participant making an election
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hereunder. The Plan shall be deemed to have met the requirements of this Section
if the portion of the Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account covered by
the election hereunder is distributed to the Participant or his designated
Beneficiary within 90 days after the period during which the election may be
made. In the absence of such a distribution, the Trustee shall implement the
Participant's election within 90 days following the expiration of the qualified
election period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the fair market value of the
Employer Securities allocated to the Employee Stock Ownership Account of a
Participant otherwise entitled to diversify hereunder is $500 or less as of the
Valuation Date immediately preceding the first day of any election period, then
such Participant shall not be entitled to an election under this Section 8.8 for
that qualified election period.
8.9 Independent Appraiser.
An independent appraiser meeting the requirements of the regulations
promulgated under Code Section 170(a)(1) shall value the Employer Securities in
those Plan Years when such securities are not readily tradable on an established
securities market.
8.10 Nonterminable Rights.
The provisions of this Article VIII shall continue to be applicable to
Employer Securities held by the Trustee, whether or not allocated to
Participants' and Former Participants' Accounts, even if the Plan ceases to be
an employee stock ownership plan, as defined in Section 4975(e)(7) of the Code.
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ARTICLE IX
PAYMENTS AND DISTRIBUTIONS
9.1 Payments on Termination of Service - In General.
All benefits provided under this Plan shall be funded by the value of a
Participant's vested Account in the Plan. As soon as practicable after a
Participant's Retirement, Disability, death or other termination of Service, the
Administrator shall ascertain the value of his vested Account, as provided in
Article V, and the Administrator shall hold or dispose of the same in accordance
with the following provisions of this Article IX.
9.2 Commencement of Payments.
(a) Distributions upon Retirement, Disability or Death. Upon a
Participant's Retirement, Disability or death, payment of benefits under this
Plan shall, unless the Participant otherwise elects (in accordance with Section
9.3), commence as soon as practicable after the Valuation Date next following
the date of the Participant's Retirement, Disability or death.
(b) Distribution following Termination of Service. Unless a Participant
elects otherwise, if a Participant terminates Service prior to Retirement,
Disability or death, he shall be accorded an opportunity to commence receipt of
benefits as soon as practicable after the Valuation Date next following the date
of his termination of Service. A Participant who terminates Service with a
vested Account balance shall be entitled to receive from the Administrator a
statement of his benefits. In the event that a Participant elects not to
commence receipt of distribution in accordance with this Section 9.2(b) after
the Participant incurs a Break, the Administrator shall transfer his vested
Account balance to a distribution account. If a Participant's vested Account
balance does not exceed (or at the time of any prior distribution did not
exceed) $5,000, the Plan Administrator shall distribute the vested portion of
his Account balance as soon as administratively feasible without the consent of
the Participant or his spouse.
(c) Distribution of Accounts Greater Than $5,000. If the value of a
Participant's vested Account balance exceeds (or at the time of any prior
distribution exceeded) $5,000, and the Account balance is immediately
distributable, the Participant must consent to any distribution of such Account
balance. The Plan Administrator shall notify the Participant of the right to
defer any distribution until the Participant's Account balance is no longer
immediately distributable. The consent of the Participant shall not be required
to the extent that a distribution is required to satisfy Code Section 401(a)(9)
or Code Section 415.
9.3 Mandatory Commencement of Benefits.
(a) Unless a Participant elects otherwise, in writing, distribution of
benefits will begin no later than the 60th day after the latest to occur of the
close of the Plan Year in
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which (i) the Participant attains age 65, (ii) the tenth anniversary of the Plan
Year in which the Participant commenced participation, or (iii) the Participant
terminates Service with the Employer and all Related Employers.
(b) In the event that the Plan shall be subsequently amended to provide
for a form of distribution other than a lump sum, as of the first distribution
calendar year, distributions, if not made in a lump sum, may be made only over
one of the following periods (or a combination thereof):
(i) the life of the Participant,
(ii) the life of the Participant and the designated Beneficiary,
(iii) a period certain not extending beyond the life expectancy
of the Participant, or
(iv) a period certain not extending beyond the joint and last
survivor expectancy of the Participant and a designated Beneficiary.
(c) In the event that the Plan shall be subsequently amended to provide
for a form of distribution other than a lump sum, if the Participant's interest
is to be distributed in other than a lump sum, the following minimum
distribution rules shall apply on or after the required beginning date:
(i) If a Participant's benefit is to be distributed over (1) a
period not extending beyond the life expectancy of the Participant or
the joint life and last survivor expectancy of the Participant and the
Participant's designated Beneficiary or (2) a period not extending
beyond the life expectancy of the designated Beneficiary, the amount
required to be distributed for each calendar year, beginning with
distributions for the first distribution calendar year, must at least
equal the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's benefit by
the applicable life expectancy.
(ii) For calendar years beginning after December 31, 1988, the
amount to be distributed each year, beginning with distributions for
the first distribution calendar year, shall not be less than the
quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's Account balance by the
lesser of (1) the applicable life expectancy, or (2) if the
Participant's spouse is not the designated Beneficiary, the applicable
divisor determined from the table set forth in Q&A-4 of section
1.401(a)(9)-2 of the Proposed Regulations. Distributions after the
death of the Participant shall be distributed using the applicable
life expectancy in subsection (iii) of Section 9.3(b) above as the
relevant divisor without regard to Proposed Regulations section
1.401(a)(9)-2.
(iii) The minimum distribution required for the Participant's
first distribution calendar year must be made on or before the
Participant's required beginning date. The minimum
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distribution for other calendar years, including the minimum
distribution for the distribution calendar year in which the
Participant's required beginning date occurs, must be made on or
before December 31 of the distribution calendar year.
(d) If a Participant dies after a distribution has commenced in
accordance with Section 8.3(b) but before his entire interest has been
distributed to him, the remaining portion of such interest shall be distributed
to his Beneficiary at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution in
effect as of the date of his death.
(e) If a Participant shall die before the distribution of his Account
balance has begun, the entire Account balance shall be distributed by December
31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary of the death of the
Participant, except in the following events:
(i) If any portion of the Participant's Account balance is
payable to (or for the benefit of) a designated Beneficiary over a
period not extending beyond the life expectancy of such Beneficiary
and such distributions begin not later than December 31 of the
calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the
Participant died; or
(ii) If any portion of the Participant's Account balance is
payable to (or for the benefit of) the Participant's spouse over a
period not extending beyond the life expectancy of such spouse and
such distributions begin no later than December 31 of the calendar
year in which the Participant would have attained age 70-1/2.
If the Participant has not made a distribution election by the time of
his death, the Participant's designated Beneficiary shall elect the method of
distribution no later than the earlier of (1) December 31 of the calendar year
in which distributions would be required to begin under this Article or (2)
December 31 of the calendar year which contains the fifth anniversary of the
date of death of the Participant. If the Participant has no designated
Beneficiary, or if the designated Beneficiary does not elect a method of
distribution, distribution of the Participant's entire interest shall be
completed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary
of the Participant's death.
(f) For purposes of this Article, the life expectancy of a Participant
and his spouse may be redetermined but not more frequently than annually. The
life expectancy (or joint and last survivor expectancy) shall be calculated
using the attained age of the Participant (or designated Beneficiary) as of the
Participant's (or designated Beneficiary's) birthday in the applicable calendar
year reduced by one for each calendar year which has elapsed since the date life
expectancy was first calculated. If life expectancy is being recalculated, the
applicable life expectancy shall be the life expectancy as so recalculated. The
applicable calendar year shall be the first distribution calendar year, and if
life expectancy is being recalculated, such succeeding calendar year. Unless
otherwise elected by the Participant (or his spouse, if applicable) by the time
distributions are required to begin, life expectancies shall be recalculated
annually. Any election not to recalculate
-35-
shall be irrevocable and shall apply to all subsequent years. The life
expectancy of a nonspouse Beneficiary may not be recalculated.
(g) For purposes of Section 9.3(b) and 9.3(e), any amount paid to a
child shall be treated as if it had been paid to a surviving spouse if such
amount will become payable to the surviving spouse upon such child reaching
majority (or other designated event permitted under regulations).
(h) For distributions beginning before the Participant's death, the
first distribution calendar year is the calendar year immediately preceding the
calendar year which contains the Participant's required beginning date. For
distributions beginning after the Participant's death, the first distribution
calendar year is the calendar year in which distributions are required to begin
pursuant to this Article.
9.4 Required Beginning Dates.
(a) General Rule. The required beginning date of a Participant who is a
5-percent owner of the Employer is the first day of April of the calendar year
following the calendar year in which the Participant attains age 70-1/2. The
required beginning date of a Participant who is not a 5-percent owner shall be
April 1 of the calendar year following the later of either: (i) the calendar
year in which the Participant attains age 70-1/2, or (ii) the calendar year in
which the Participant retires.
(b) 5-percent owner. A Participant is treated as a 5-percent owner for
purposes of this section if such Participant is a 5-percent owner as defined in
section 416(i) of the Code (determined in accordance with section 416 but
without regard to whether the plan is top-heavy) at any time during the Plan
Year ending with or within the calendar year in which such owner attains age
66-1/2 or any subsequent Plan Year. Once distributions have begun to a 5-percent
owner under this section, they must continue to be distributed, even if the
Participant ceases to be a 5-percent owner in a subsequent year.
9.5 Form of Payment.
Each Participant's vested Account balance shall be distributed in a
lump sum payment. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, but subject to Section
9.3, the Administrator may not distribute a lump sum without the Participant's
consent when the present value of a Participant's total Account balance is in
excess of $5,000. This form of payment shall be the normal form of distribution.
Furthermore, however, in the event that the Administrator must commence
distributions, as required by Section 9.4 herein, with respect to an Employee
who has attained age 70-1/2 and is still employed by the Employer, if the
Employee does not elect a lump sum distribution, payments shall be made in
installments in such amounts as shall satisfy the minimum distribution rules of
Section 9.3.
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9.6 Payments Upon Termination of Plan.
Upon termination of this Plan pursuant to Sections 13.2, 13.4, 13.5 or
13.6, the Administrator shall continue to perform its duties and the Trustee
shall make all payments upon the following terms, conditions and provisions: The
Account balance of each affected Participant and Former Participant shall
immediately become fully vested and nonforfeitable; the Account balance of all
Participants and Former Participants shall be determined within 60 days after
such termination, and the Administrator shall have the same powers to direct the
Trustee in making payments as contained in Sections 9.1 and 13.5.
9.7 Distributions Pursuant to Qualified Domestic Relations Orders.
Upon receipt of a domestic relations order, the Administrator shall
promptly notify the Participant and any alternate payee of receipt of the order
and the Plan's procedure for determining whether the order is a Qualified
Domestic Relations Order. While the issue of whether a domestic relations order
is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order is being determined, if the benefits
would otherwise be paid, the Administrator shall segregate in a separate account
in the Plan the amounts that would be payable to the alternate payee during such
period if the order were a Qualified Domestic Relations Order. If within 18
months the order is determined to be a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, the
amounts so segregated, along with the interest or investment earnings
attributable thereto, shall be paid to the alternate payee. Alternatively, if
within 18 months, it is determined that the order is not a Qualified Domestic
Relations Order or if the issue is still unresolved, the amounts segregated
under this Section 9.7, with the earnings attributable thereto, shall be paid to
the Participant or Beneficiary who would have been entitled to such amounts if
there had been no order. The determination as to whether the order is qualified
shall be applied prospectively. Thus, if the Administrator determines that the
order is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order after the 18-month period, the
Plan shall not be liable for payments to the alternative payee for the period
before the order is determined to be a Qualified Domestic Relations Order.
9.8 Cash-Out Distributions.
If a Participant receives a distribution of his entire vested Account
balance because of the termination of his participation in the Plan, the Plan
shall disregard a Participant's Service with respect to which such cash-out
distribution shall have been made, in computing his Account balance in the event
that a Former Participant shall again become an Employee and become eligible to
participate in the Plan. Such a distribution shall be deemed to be made on
termination of participation in the Plan if it is made not later than the close
of the second Plan Year following the Plan Year in which such termination
occurs. The forfeitable portion of a Participant's Account balance shall be
restored upon repayment to the Plan by such Former Participant of the full
amount of the cash-out distribution, provided that the Former Participant again
becomes an Employee. Such repayment must be made by the Employee not later than
the end of the 5-year period beginning with the date of the distribution.
Forfeitures required to be restored by virtue of such repayment shall be
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restored from the following sources in the following order of preference: (i)
current forfeitures; (ii) an additional Employee Stock Ownership Contribution,
as appropriate, and as subject to Section 5.6; and (iii) investment earnings of
the Fund. In the event that a Participant's Account balance is totally
forfeitable, a Participant shall be deemed to have received a distribution of
zero upon his termination of Service. In the event of a return to Service within
5 years of the date of his deemed distribution, the Participant shall be deemed
to have repaid his distribution in accordance with the rules of this Section
9.8.
9.9 ESOP Distribution Rules.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Article IX to the contrary, the
distribution of a Participant's Employee Stock Ownership Account (unless the
Participant elects otherwise in writing) shall commence as soon as
administratively feasible as of the first Valuation Date coincident with or next
following his death, Disability or termination of Service, but not later than 1
year after the close of the Plan Year in which the Participant separates from
Service by reason of the attainment of his Normal Retirement Date, Disability,
death or separation from Service. In addition, all distributions hereunder
shall, to the extent that the Participant's Account is invested in Employer
Securities, be made in the form of Employer Securities or cash, or a combination
of Employer Securities and cash, in the discretion of the Administrator, subject
to the Participant's right to demand Employer Securities in accordance with
Section 8.1. Fractional shares, however, may be distributed in the form of cash.
9.10 Direct Rollover.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary that
would otherwise limit a distributee's election under this Article IX, a
distributee may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the
Administrator, to have any portion of an "eligible rollover distribution" paid
directly to an "eligible retirement plan" specified by the distributee in a
"direct rollover."
(b) For purposes of this Section 9.10, an "eligible rollover
distribution" is any distribution of all or any portion of the balance to the
credit of the distributee, except that an "eligible rollover distribution" 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 distributee and the distributee's designated Beneficiary, or for a
specified period of ten years or more; any distribution to the extent such
distribution is required under section 401(a)(9) of the Code; and the portion of
any distribution that is not includable in gross income (determined without
regard to the exclusion for net unrealized appreciation with respect to Employer
Securities).
(c) For purposes of this Section 9.10, an "eligible retirement plan" is
an individual retirement account described in section 408(a) of the Code, an
individual retirement annuity described in section 408(b) of the Code, an
annuity plan described in section 403(a) of the Code, or a qualified trust
described in section 401(a) of the Code, that accepts the distributee's eligible
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rollover distribution. However, in the case of an "eligible rollover
distribution" to the surviving spouse, an "eligible retirement plan" is an
individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity.
(d) For purposes of this Section 9.10, a distributee includes a
Participant or Former Participant. In addition, the Participant's or Former
Participant's surviving spouse and the Participant's or Former Participant's
spouse or former spouse who is the alternate payee under a Qualified Domestic
Relations Order are "distributees" with regard to the interest of the spouse or
former spouse.
(e) For purposes of this Section 9.10, a "direct rollover" is a payment
by the Plan to the "eligible retirement plan" specified by the distributee.
9.11 Waiver of 30-day Notice.
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 1.411(a)-11(c) of the Income Tax Regulations is
given, provided that: (1) the Administrator 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 distribution option), and (2) the Participant, after
receiving the notice, affirmatively elects a distribution.
9.12 Re-employed Veterans.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in the Plan, if an
Employee has been rehired by the Employer and is eligible for the benefits
provided by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by
virtue of his prior military service and by virtue of his having met all the
requirements of that act for being accorded the benefits provided thereunder, he
shall not be deemed to have incurred a Break because of his period of military
service. Such Employee's military service shall be treated as Service hereunder
for eligibility, vesting and benefit accrual purposes. Such Employee shall be
entitled to all Employer contributions to which he otherwise would have been
entitled had he been employed by the Employer during the period of his military
service. In computing contribution amounts dependent upon or limited by the
amount of compensation the Employee earned or would have earned, the Employee
shall be treated as receiving compensation from the Employer during the period
of military service equal to the compensation that the Employee otherwise would
have received from the Employer during that period, or, if the compensation the
Employee otherwise would have received is not reasonably certain, the Employee's
average compensation from the Employer during the period immediately preceding
the period of military service. Such Employee shall not, however, be credited
with any earnings on any such additional Employer contributions described in
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this Section before the contribution is actually made. Furthermore, no
forfeitures shall be allocated to such Employee's Employee Stock Ownership
Account hereunder for the period of military service. The rules governing the
limitations on all such contributions that may be required hereunder shall be
governed by Section 414(u) of the Code and any regulations promulgated
thereunder.
9.13 Share Legend.
Employer Securities held or distributed by the Trustee may include such
legend restrictions on transferability as the Employer may reasonably require in
order to assure compliance with applicable Federal and State securities and
other laws.
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ARTICLE X
PROVISIONS RELATING TO TOP-HEAVY PLANS
10.1 Top-Heavy Rules to Control.
Anything contained in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, if for
any Plan Year the Plan is a top-heavy plan, as determined pursuant to Section
416 of the Code, then the Plan must meet the requirements of this Article X for
such Plan Year.
10.2 Top-Heavy Plan Definitions.
Unless a different meaning is plainly implied by the context, the
following terms as used in this Article X shall have the following meanings:
(a) "Accrued Benefit" shall mean the account balances or accrued
benefits of an Employee, calculated pursuant to Section 10.3.
(b) "Determination Date" shall mean, with respect to any particular
Plan Year of this Plan, the last day of the preceding Plan Year (or, in the case
of the first Plan Year of the Plan, the last day of the first Plan Year). In
addition, the term "Determination Date" shall mean, with respect to any
particular plan year of any plan (other than this Plan) in a Required
Aggregation Group or a Permissive Aggregation Group, the last day of the plan
year of such plan which falls within the same calendar year as the Determination
Date for this Plan.
(c) "Employer" shall mean the Employer (as defined in Section 1.1(q))
and any entity which is (1) a member of a controlled group including such
Employer, while it is a member of such controlled group (within the meaning of
Section 414(b) of the Code), (2) in a group of trades or businesses under common
control with such Employer, while it is under common control (within the meaning
of Section 414(c) of the Code), and (3) a member of an affiliated service group
including such Employer, while it is a member of such affiliated service group
(within the meaning of Section 414(m) of the Code).
(d) "Key Employee" shall mean any Employee or former Employee (or any
Beneficiary of such Employee or former Employee, as the case may be) who, at any
time during the Plan Year or during the 4 immediately preceding Plan Years, is
one of the following:
(1) An officer of the Employer who has compensation greater than
50% of the amount in effect under Code 415(b)(1)(A) for the Plan Year;
provided, however, that no more than 50 Employees (or, if lesser, the
greater of 3 or 10% of the Employees) shall be deemed officers;
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(2) One of the 10 Employees having annual compensation (as
defined in Section 415 of the Code) in excess of the limitation in
effect under Section 415(c)(1)(A) of the Code, and owning (or
considered as owning, within the meaning of Section 318 of the Code)
the largest interests in the Employer;
(3) Any Employee owning (or considered as owning, within the
meaning of Section 318 of the Code) more than 5% of the outstanding
stock of the Employer or stock possessing more than 5% of the total
combined voting power of all stock of the Employer; or
(4) Any Employee having annual compensation (as defined in
Section 415 of the Code) of more than $150,000 and who would be
described in Section 10.2(d)(3) if "1%" were substituted for "5%"
wherever the latter percentage appears.
For purposes of applying Section 318 of the Code to the provisions of this
Section 10.2(d), Section 318(a)(2)(C) of the Code shall be applied by
substituting "5%" for "50%" wherever the latter percentage appears. In addition,
for purposes of this Section 10.2(d), the provisions of Section 414(b), (c) and
(m) shall not apply in determining ownership interests in the Employer. However,
for purposes of determining whether an individual has compensation in excess of
$150,000, or whether an individual is a Key Employee under Section 10.2(d)(1)
and (2), compensation from each entity required to be aggregated under Sections
414(b), (c) and (m) of the Code shall be taken into account. Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, all determinations as to whether a
person is or is not a Key Employee shall be resolved by reference to Section 416
of the Code and any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(e) "Non-Key Employee" shall mean any Employee or former Employee (or
any Beneficiary of such Employee or former Employee, as the case may be) who is
not considered to be a Key Employee with respect to this Plan.
(f) "Permissive Aggregation Group" shall mean all plans in the Required
Aggregation Group and any other plans maintained by the Employer which satisfy
Sections 401(a)(4) and 410 of the Code when considered together with the
Required Aggregation Group.
(g) "Required Aggregation Group" shall mean each plan (including any
terminated plan) of the Employer in which a Key Employee is (or in the case of a
terminated plan, had been) a Participant in the Plan Year containing the
Determination Date or any of the 4 preceding Plan Years, and each other plan of
the Employer which enables any plan of the Employer in which a Key Employee is a
Participant to meet the requirements of Sections 401(a)(4) and 410 of the Code.
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10.3 Calculation of Accrued Benefits.
(a) An Employee's Accrued Benefit shall be equal to:
(1) With respect to this Plan or any other defined contribution
plan (other than a defined contribution pension plan) in a Required
Aggregation Group or a Permissive Aggregation Group, the Employee's
account balances under the respective plan, determined as of the most
recent plan valuation date within a 12-month period ending on the
Determination Date, including contributions actually made after the
valuation date but before the Determination Date (and, in the first
plan year of a plan, also including any contributions made after the
Determination Date which are allocated as of a date in the first plan
year).
(2) With respect to any defined contribution pension plan in a
Required Aggregation Group or a Permissive Aggregation Group, the
Employee's account balances under the plan, determined as of the most
recent plan valuation date within a 12-month period ending on the
Determination Date, including contributions which have not actually
been made, but which are due to be made as of the Determination Date.
(3) With respect to any defined benefit plan in a Required
Aggregation Group or a Permissive Aggregation Group, the present value
of the Employee's accrued benefits under the plan, determined as of
the most recent plan valuation date within a 12-month period ending on
the Determination Date, pursuant to the actuarial assumptions used by
such plan, and calculated as if the Employee terminated Service under
such plan as of the valuation date (except that, in the first plan
year of a plan, a current Participant's estimated Accrued Benefit as
of the Determination Date shall be taken into account).
(4) If any individual has not performed services for the Employer
maintaining the Plan at any time during the 5-year period ending on
the Determination Date, any Accrued Benefit for such individual shall
not be taken into account.
(b) The Accrued Benefit of any Employee shall be further adjusted as
follows:
(1) The Accrued Benefit shall be calculated to include all
amounts attributable to both Employer and Employee contributions, but
shall exclude amounts attributable to voluntary deductible Employee
contributions, if any.
(2) The Accrued Benefit shall be increased by the aggregate
distributions made with respect to an Employee under the plan or
plans, as the case may be, during the 5-year period ending on the
Determination Date.
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(3) Rollover and direct plan-to-plan transfers shall be taken
into account as follows:
(A) If the transfer is initiated by the Employee and made
from a plan maintained by one employer to a plan maintained by
another unrelated employer, the transferring plan shall continue
to count the amount transferred; the receiving plan shall not
count the amount transferred.
(B) If the transfer is not initiated by the Employee or is
made between plans maintained by related employers, the
transferring plan shall no longer count the amount transferred;
the receiving plan shall count the amount transferred.
(c) If any individual has not performed services for the Employer at
any time during the 5-year period ending on the Determination Date, any Accrued
Benefit for such individual (and the account of such individual) shall not be
taken into account.
10.4 Determination of Top-Heavy Status.
This Plan shall be considered to be a top-heavy plan for any Plan Year
if, as of the Determination Date, the value of the Accrued Benefits of Key
Employees exceeds 60% of the value of the Accrued Benefits of all eligible
Employees under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Employer
maintains any other qualified plan, the determination of whether this Plan is
top-heavy shall be made after aggregating all other plans of the Employer in the
Required Aggregation Group and, if desired by the Employer as a means of
avoiding top-heavy status, after aggregating any other plan of the Employer in
the Permissive Aggregation Group. If the required Aggregation Group is
top-heavy, then each plan contained in such group shall be deemed to be
top-heavy, notwithstanding that any particular plan in such group would not
otherwise be deemed to be top-heavy. Conversely, if the Permissive Aggregation
Group is not top-heavy, then no plan contained in such group shall be deemed to
be top-heavy, notwithstanding that any particular plan in such group would
otherwise be deemed to be top-heavy. In no event shall a plan included in a
top-heavy Permissive Aggregation Group be deemed a top-heavy plan unless such
plan is also included in a top-heavy Required Aggregation Group.
10.5 Determination of Super Top-Heavy Status.
The Plan shall be considered to be a super top-heavy plan if, as of the
Determination Date, the Plan would meet the test specified in Section 10.4 above
for classification as a top-heavy plan, except that "90%" shall be substituted
for "60%" whenever the latter percentage appears.
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10.6 Minimum Contribution.
(a) For any Plan Year in which the Plan is top-heavy, each Non-Key
Employee who has met the age and service requirements, if any, contained in the
Plan, shall be entitled to a minimum contribution (which may include forfeitures
otherwise allocable) equal to a percentage of such Non-Key Employee's
compensation (as defined in Section 415 of the Code) as follows:
(1) If the Non-Key Employee is not covered by a defined benefit
plan maintained by the Employer, then the minimum contribution under
this Plan shall be 3% of such Non-Key Employee's compensation.
(2) If the Non-Key Employee is covered by a defined benefit plan
maintained by the Employer, then the minimum contribution under this
Plan shall be 5% of such Non-Key Employee's compensation.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the minimum contribution otherwise
allocable to a Non-Key Employee under this Plan shall be reduced in the
following circumstances:
(1) The percentage minimum contribution required under this Plan
shall in no event exceed the percentage contribution made for the Key
Employee for whom such percentage is the highest for the Plan Year
after taking into account contributions under other defined
contribution plans in this Plan's Required Aggregation Group;
provided, however, that this Section 10.7(b)(1) shall not apply if
this Plan is included in a Required Aggregation Group and this Plan
enables a defined benefit plan in such Required Aggregation Group to
meet the requirements of Section 401(a)(4) or 410 of the Code.
(2) No minimum contribution shall be required (or the minimum
contribution shall be reduced, as the case may be) for a Non-Key
Employee under this Plan for any Plan Year if the Employer maintains
another qualified plan under which a minimum benefit or contribution
is being accrued or made on account of such Plan Year, in whole or in
part, on behalf of the Non-Key Employee, in accordance with Section
416(c) of the Code.
(c) For purposes of this Section 10.6, there shall be disregarded (1)
any Employer contributions attributable to a salary reduction or similar
arrangement, or (2) any Employer contributions to or any benefits under Chapter
21 of the Code (relating to the Federal Insurance Contributions Act), Title II
of the Social Security Act, or any other federal or state law.
(d) For purposes of this Section 10.6, minimum contributions shall be
required to be made on behalf of only those Non-Key Employees, as described in
Section 10.7(a), who have not terminated Service as of the last day of the Plan
Year. If a Non-Key Employee is otherwise entitled to receive a minimum
contribution pursuant to this Section 10.6(d), the fact that such
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Non-Key Employee failed to complete 1,000 Hours of Service or failed to make any
mandatory or elective contributions under this Plan, if any are so required,
shall not preclude him from receiving such minimum contribution.
10.7 Vesting.
(a) For any Plan Year in which the Plan is a top-heavy plan, a
Participant's Accrued Benefit derived from Employer contributions (not including
contributions made pursuant to Code Section 401(k), if any) shall continue to
vest according to the following schedule:
Years of Service Completed Percentage Vested
-------------------------- -----------------
Less than 1 0%
1 but less than 2 20%
2 but less than 3 40%
3 but less than 4 60%
4 but less than 5 80%
5 or more 100%
(b) For purposes of Section 10.7(a), the term "year of service" shall
have the same meaning as Year of Vesting Service, as set forth in Section
1.1(ss), and as modified by Section 3.2.
(c) If for any Plan Year the Plan becomes top-heavy and the vesting
schedule set forth in Section 10.7(a) becomes effective, then, even if the Plan
ceases to be top-heavy in any subsequent Plan Year, the vesting schedule set
forth in Section 10.7(a) shall remain applicable with respect to any Participant
who has completed 3 or more Years of Service.
10.8 Maximum Benefit Limitation.
For any Plan Year in which the Plan is a top-heavy plan, Section
5.6(d)(1)(B)(i) and Section 5.6(d)(2)(B)(i) shall be read by substituting "1.0"
for "1.25" wherever the latter figure appears; provided, however, that such
substitution shall not have the effect of reducing any benefit accrued under a
defined benefit plan prior to the first day of the Plan Year in which this
Section 10.8 becomes applicable.
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ARTICLE XI
ADMINISTRATION
11.1 Appointment of Administrator.
This Plan shall be administered by a committee consisting of up to 5
persons, whether or not Employees or Participants, who shall be appointed from
time to time by the Board of Directors to serve at its pleasure. The Sponsor may
require that each person appointed as an Administrator shall signify his
acceptance by filing an acceptance with the Sponsor. The term "Administrator" as
used in this Plan shall refer to the members of the committee, either
individually or collectively, as appropriate. The authority to control and
manage the operation and administration of the Plan is vested in the
Administrator appointed by the Board of Directors. The Administrator shall have
the rights, duties and obligations of an "administrator," as that term is
defined in section 3(16)(A) of the Act, and of a "plan administrator," as that
term is defined in Section 414(g) of the Code. In the event that the Sponsor
shall elect not to appoint any individuals to constitute a committee to
administer the Plan, the Sponsor shall serve as the Administrator hereunder.
11.2 Resignation or Removal of Administrator.
An Administrator shall have the right to resign at any time by giving
notice in writing, mailed or delivered to the Sponsor and to the Trustee. Any
Administrator who was an employee of the Employer at the time of his appointment
shall be deemed to have resigned as an Administrator upon his termination of
Service. The Board of Directors may, in its discretion, remove any Administrator
with or without cause, by giving notice in writing, mailed or delivered to the
Administrator and to the Trustee.
11.3 Appointment of Successors: Terms of Office, Etc.
Upon the death, resignation or removal of an Administrator, the Sponsor
may appoint, by Board of Directors' resolution, a successor or successors.
Notice of termination of an Administrator and notice of appointment of a
successor shall be made by the Sponsor in writing, with copies mailed or
delivered to the Trustee, and the successor shall have all the rights and
privileges and all of the duties and obligations of the predecessor.
11.4 Powers and Duties of Administrator.
The Administrator shall have the following duties and responsibilities
in connection with the administration of this Plan:
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(a) To promulgate and enforce such rules, regulations and
procedures as shall be proper for the efficient administration of the
Plan, such rules, regulations and procedures to apply uniformly to all
Employees, Participants and Beneficiaries;
(b) To exercise discretion in determining all questions arising
in the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan,
including questions of eligibility and of the status and rights of
Participants, Beneficiaries and any other persons hereunder;
(c) To decide any dispute arising hereunder strictly in
accordance with the terms of the Plan; provided, however, that no
Administrator shall participate in any matter involving any questions
relating solely to his own participation or benefits under this Plan;
(d) To advise the Employer and the Trustee regarding the known
future needs for funds to be available for distribution in order that
the Trustee may establish investments accordingly;
(e) To correct defects, supply omissions and reconcile
inconsistencies to the extent necessary to effectuate the Plan;
(f) To advise the Employer of the maximum deductible contribution
to the Plan for each fiscal year;
(g) To direct the Trustee concerning all payments which shall be
made out of the Fund pursuant to the provisions of this Plan;
(h) To advise the Trustee on all terminations of Service by
Participants, unless the Employer has so notified the Trustee;
(i) To confer with the Trustee on the settling of any claims
against the Fund;
(j) To make recommendations to the Board of Directors with
respect to proposed amendments to the Plan and the Trust Agreement;
(k) To file all reports with government agencies, Employees and
other parties as may be required by law, whether such reports are
initially the obligation of the Employer, the Plan or the Trustee; and
(l) To have all such other powers as may be necessary to
discharge its duties hereunder.
Reasonable discretion is granted to the Administrator to interpret the Plan and
to determine the benefits, rights and privileges of Participants, Beneficiaries
or other persons affected by this Plan. The Administrator shall exercise
reasonable discretion under the terms of this Plan and shall administer
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the Plan strictly in accordance with its terms, such administration to be
exercised uniformly so that all persons similarly situated shall be similarly
treated.
11.5 Action by Administrator.
The Administrator may elect a Chairman and Secretary from among its
members and may adopt rules for the conduct of its business. A majority of the
members then serving shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
All resolutions or other action taken by the Administrator shall be by vote of a
majority of those present at such meeting and entitled to vote. Resolutions may
be adopted or other action taken without a meeting upon written consent signed
by at least a majority of the members. All documents, instruments, orders,
requests, directions, instructions and other papers shall be executed on behalf
of the Administrator by either the Chairman or the Secretary of the
Administrator, if any, or by any member or agent of the Administrator duly
authorized to act on the Administrator's behalf.
11.6 Participation by Administrator.
No member of the committee constituting the Administrator shall be
precluded from becoming a Participant in the Plan if he would be otherwise
eligible, but he shall not be entitled to vote or act upon matters or to sign
any documents relating specifically to his own participation under the Plan,
except when such matters or documents relate to benefits generally. If this
disqualification results in the lack of a quorum, then the Board of Directors
shall appoint a sufficient number of temporary members of the committee
constituting the Administrator who shall serve for the sole purpose of
determining such a question.
11.7 Agents.
The Administrator may employ agents and provide for such clerical,
legal, actuarial, accounting, medical, advisory or other services as it deems
necessary to perform its duties under this Plan. The cost of such services and
all other expenses incurred by the Administrator in connection with the
administration of the Plan shall be paid from the Fund, unless paid by the
Employer.
11.8 Allocation of Duties.
The duties, powers and responsibilities reserved to the Administrator
may be allocated among its members so long as such allocation is pursuant to
written procedures adopted by the Administrator, in which case, except as may be
required by the Act, no Administrator shall have any liability, with respect to
any duties, powers or responsibilities not allocated to him, for the acts of
omissions of any other Administrator.
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11.9 Delegation of Duties.
The Administrator may delegate any of its duties to any Employees of
the Employer, to the Trustee with its consent, or to any other person or firm,
provided that the Administrator shall prudently choose such agents and rely in
good faith on their actions.
11.10 Administrator's Action Conclusive.
Any action on matters within the authority of the Administrator shall
be final and conclusive except as provided in Article XII.
11.11 Compensation and Expenses of Administrator.
No Administrator who is receiving compensation from the Employer as a
full-time employee, as a director or agent, shall be entitled to receive any
compensation or fee for his services hereunder. Any other Administrator shall be
entitled to receive such reasonable compensation for his services as an
Administrator hereunder as may be mutually agreed upon between the Employer and
such Administrator. Any such compensation shall be paid from the Fund, unless
paid by the Employer. Each Administrator shall be entitled to reimbursement by
the Employer for any reasonable and necessary expenditures incurred in the
discharge of his duties.
11.12 Records and Reports.
The Administrator shall maintain adequate records of its actions and
proceedings in administering this Plan and shall file all reports and take all
other actions as it deems appropriate in order to comply with the Act, the Code
and governmental regulations issued thereunder.
11.13 Reports of Fund Open to Participants.
The Administrator shall keep on file, in such form as it shall deem
convenient and proper, all annual reports of the Fund received by the
Administrator from the Trustee, and a statement of each Participant's interest
in the Fund as from time to time determined. The annual reports of the Fund and
the statement of his Account balance, as well as a complete copy of the Plan and
the Trust Agreement and copies of annual reports to the Internal Revenue
Service, shall be made available by the Administrator to the Employer for
examination by each Participant during reasonable hours at the office of the
Employer, provided, however, that the statement of a Participant's Account
balance shall not be made available for examination by any other Participant.
11.14 Named Fiduciary.
The Administrator is the named fiduciary for purposes of Section 402 of
the Act and shall be the designated agent for receipt of service of process on
behalf of the Plan. It shall use the care and diligence in the performance of
its duties under this Plan that are required of fiduciaries under the Act.
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Nothing in this Plan shall preclude the Employer from purchasing liability
insurance to protect the Administrator with respect to its duties under this
Plan.
11.15 Information from Employer.
The Employer shall promptly furnish all necessary information to the
Administrator to permit it to perform its duties under this Plan. The
Administrator shall be entitled to rely upon the accuracy and completeness of
all information furnished to it by the Employer, unless it knows or should have
known that such information is erroneous.
11.16 Reservation of Rights by Employer.
Where rights are reserved in this Plan to the Employer, such rights
shall be exercised only by action of the Board of Directors, except where the
Board of Directors, by written resolution, delegates any such rights to one or
more officers of the Employer or to the Administrator. Subject to the rights
reserved to the Board of Directors acting on behalf of the Employer as set forth
in this Plan, no member of the Board of Directors shall have any duties or
responsibilities under this Plan, except to the extent he shall be acting in the
capacity of an Administrator or Trustee.
11.17 Liability and Indemnification.
(a) To the extent not prohibited by the Act, the Administrator shall
not be responsible in any way for any action or omission of the Employer, the
Trustee or any other person in the performance of their duties and obligations
set forth in this Plan and in the Trust Agreement. To the extent not prohibited
by the Act, the Administrator shall also not be responsible for any act or
omission of any of its agents, or with respect to reliance upon advice of its
counsel (whether or not such counsel is also counsel to the Employer or the
Trustee), provided that such agents or counsel were prudently chosen by the
Administrator and that the Administrator relied in good faith upon the action of
such agent or the advice of such counsel.
(b) The Administrator shall not be relieved from responsibility or
liability for any responsibility, obligation or duty imposed upon it under this
Plan or under the Act. Except for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct
or willful breach of the terms of this Plan, the Administrator shall be
indemnified and held harmless by the Employer against liability or losses
occurring by reason of any act or omission of the Administrator to the extent
that such indemnification does not violate the Act or any other federal or state
laws.
11.18 Service as Trustee and Administrator.
Nothing in this Plan shall prevent one or more Trustees from serving as
Administrator under this Plan.
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ARTICLE XII
CLAIMS PROCEDURE
12.1 Notice of Denial.
If a Participant or his Beneficiary is denied any benefits under this
Plan, either in whole or in part, the Administrator shall advise the claimant in
writing of the amount of his benefit, if any, and the specific reasons for the
denial. The Administrator shall also furnish the claimant at that time with a
written notice containing:
(a) A specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions;
(b) A description of any additional material or information
necessary for the claimant to perfect his claim, if possible, and an
explanation of why such material or information is needed; and
(c) An explanation of the Plan's claim review procedure.
12.2 Right to Reconsideration.
Within 60 days of receipt of the information described in 12.1 above,
the claimant shall, if he desires further review, file a written request for
reconsideration with the Administrator.
12.3 Review of Documents.
So long as the claimant's request for review is pending (including the
60-day period described in Section 12.2 above), the claimant or his duly
authorized representative may review pertinent Plan documents and the Trust
Agreement (and any pertinent related documents) and may submit issues and
comments in writing to the Administrator.
12.4 Decision by Administrator.
A final and binding decision shall be made by the Administrator within
60 days of the filing by the claimant of his request for reconsideration;
provided, however, that if the Administrator feels that a hearing with the
claimant or his representative present is necessary or desirable, this period
shall be extended an additional 60 days.
12.5 Notice by Administrator.
The Administrator's decision shall be conveyed to the claimant in
writing and shall include specific reasons for the decision, written in a manner
calculated to be understood by the claimant, with specific references to the
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pertinent Plan provisions on which the decision is based. The Administrator's
decision shall be binding and conclusive with respect to all persons interested
therein unless the Administrator has no reasonable basis for its decision.
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ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS, TERMINATION AND MERGER
13.1 Amendments.
The Sponsor reserves the right at any time and from time to time, for
any reason and retroactively if deemed necessary or appropriate by it, to the
extent permissible under law, to conform with governmental regulations or other
policies, to amend in whole or in part any or all of the provisions of this
Plan, provided that:
(a) No amendment shall make it possible for any part of the Fund
to be used for, or diverted to, purposes other than for the exclusive
benefit of Participants or their Beneficiaries under the Trust
Agreement, except to the extent provided in Section 4.4;
(b) No amendment may, directly or indirectly, reduce the vested
portion of any Participant's Account balance as of the effective date
of the amendment or change the vesting schedule with respect to the
future accrual of Employer contributions for any Participants unless
each Participant with 3 or more Years of Vesting Service is permitted
to elect to have the vesting schedule in effect before the amendment
used to determine his vested benefit;
(c) No amendment may eliminate an optional form of benefit; and.
(d) No amendment may increase the duties of the Trustee without
its consent.
Amendments may be made in the form of Board of Directors' resolutions or
separate written document. Copies of all amendments shall be delivered to the
Trustee.
13.2 Consolidation, Merger or Other Transactions of Employer.
Nothing in this Plan shall prevent the consolidation, merger,
reorganization or liquidation of the Employer, or prevent the sale by the
Employer of any or all of its property. Any successor corporation or other
entity formed and resulting from any such transaction shall have the right to
become a party to this Plan by adopting the same by resolution and by appointing
a new Trustee as though the Trustee had resigned in accordance with the Trust
Agreement, and by executing a proper supplemental agreement with the Trustee.
If, within 180 days from the effective date of such transaction, such new entity
does not become a party to this Plan as above provided, this Plan shall
automatically be terminated with respect to such entity, and the Trustee shall
make payments to the persons entitled thereto in accordance with Section 9.5.
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13.3 Consolidation or Merger of Trust.
In the event of any merger or consolidation of the Fund with, or
transfer in whole or in part of the assets and liabilities of the Fund to,
another trust fund held under any other plan of deferred compensation maintained
or to be established for the benefit of all or some of the Participants of this
Plan, the assets of the Fund applicable to such Participants shall be
transferred to the other trust fund only if:
(a) Each Participant would receive a benefit under such successor
trust fund immediately after the merger, consolidation or transfer
which is equal to or greater than the benefit he would have been
entitled to receive immediately before the merger, consolidation or
transfer (determined as if this Plan and such transferee trust fund
had then terminated);
(b) Resolutions of the Board of Directors, or of any new or
successor employer of the affected Participants, shall authorize such
transfer of assets, and, in the case of the new or successor employer
of the affected Participants, its resolutions shall include an
assumption of liabilities imposed under this Plan with respect to such
Participants' inclusion in the new employer's plan; and
(c) Such other plan and trust are qualified under Sections 401(a)
and 501(a) of the Code.
13.4 Bankruptcy or Insolvency of Employer.
In the event of (a) the Employer's legal dissolution or liquidation by
any procedure other than a consolidation or merger, (b) the Employer's
receivership, insolvency, or cessation of its business as a going concern, or
(c) the commencement of any proceeding by or against the Employer under the
federal bankruptcy laws, or similar federal or state statute, or any federal or
state statute or rule providing for the relief of debtors, compensation of
creditors, arrangement, receivership, liquidation or any similar event which is
not dismissed within 30 days, this Plan shall terminate automatically with
respect to such entity on such date (provided, however, that if a proceeding is
brought against the Employer for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United
States Bankruptcy Code or any similar federal or state statute, then this Plan
shall terminate automatically if and when said proceeding results in a
liquidation of the Employer, or the approval of any Plan providing therefor, or
the proceeding is converted to a case under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code or
any similar conversion to a liquidation proceeding under federal or state law
including, but not limited to, a receivership proceeding). In the event of any
such termination as provided in the foregoing sentence, the Trustee shall make
payments to the persons entitled thereto in accordance with Section 9.5 hereof.
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13.5 Voluntary Termination.
The Board of Directors reserves the right to terminate this Plan at any
time by giving to the Trustee and the Administrator notice in writing of such
desire to terminate. The Plan shall terminate upon the date of receipt of such
notice, the Account balances of all affected Participants and Former
Participants shall become fully vested and nonforfeitable, and the Trustee shall
make payments to each Participant or Beneficiary in accordance with Section 9.5.
Alternatively, the Sponsor, in its discretion, may determine to continue the
Trust Agreement and to continue the maintenance of the Fund, in which event
distributions shall be made upon the contingencies and in all the circumstances
under which such distributions would have been made, on a fully vested basis,
had there been no termination of the Plan. In addition, an entity other than the
Sponsor that is participating in this Plan may terminate its participation in
the Plan on a prospective basis by action of its board of directors. Upon such
termination of participation, Participants who are employees of such entity
shall be entitled to distributions from this Plan in accordance with Article IX
and this Article XIII.
13.6 Partial Termination of Plan or Permanent Discontinuance of Contributions.
In the event that a partial termination of the Plan shall be deemed to
have occurred, or if the Employer shall discontinue permanently its
contributions hereunder, the right of each affected Participant and Former
Participant in his Account balance shall be fully vested and nonforfeitable. The
Sponsor, in its discretion, shall decide whether to direct the Trustee to make
immediate distribution of such portion of the Fund assets to the persons
entitled thereto or to make distribution in the circumstances and contingencies
which would have controlled such distributions if there had been no partial
termination or permanent discontinuance of contributions.
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ARTICLE XIV
MISCELLANEOUS
14.1 No Diversion of Funds.
It is the intention of the Employer that it shall be impossible for any
part of the corpus or income of the Fund to be used for, or diverted to,
purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of the Participants or their
Beneficiaries, except to the extent that a return of the Employer's contribution
is permitted under Section 4.4.
14.2 Liability Limited.
Neither the Employer nor the Administrator, nor any agents, employees,
officers, directors or shareholders of any of them, nor the Trustee, nor any
other person, shall have any liability or responsibility with respect to this
Plan, except as expressly provided herein.
14.3 Facility of Payment.
If the Administrator shall receive evidence satisfactory to it that a
Participant or Beneficiary entitled to receive any benefit under the Plan is, at
the time when such benefit becomes payable, a minor, or is physically or
mentally incompetent to receive such benefit and to give a valid release
therefor, and that another person or an institution is then maintaining or has
custody of such Participant or Beneficiary and that no guardian, committee or
other representative of the estate of such Participant or Beneficiary shall have
been duly appointed, the Administrator may direct the Trustee to make payment of
such benefit otherwise payable to such Participant or Beneficiary, to such other
person or institution, including a custodian under a Uniform Gifts to Minors
Act, or corresponding legislation (who shall be an adult, a guardian of the
minor or a trust company), and the release of such other person or institution
shall be a valid and complete discharge for the payment of such benefit.
14.4 Spendthrift Clause.
Except as permitted by the Act or the Code, including in the case of
certain judgments and settlements described in subparagraph (C) of Section
401(a)(13) of the Code, no benefits or other amounts payable under the Plan
shall be subject in any manner to anticipation, sale, transfer, assignment,
pledge, encumbrance, charge or alienation. If the Administrator determines that
any person entitled to any payments under the Plan has become insolvent or
bankrupt or has attempted to anticipate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge,
encumber, charge or otherwise in any manner alienate any benefit or other amount
payable to him under the Plan or that there is any danger of any levy or
attachment or other court process or encumbrance on the part of any creditor of
such person entitled to payments under the Plan against any benefit or other
accounts payable to such person, the Administrator may, at any time, in its
discretion, and in accordance
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with applicable law, direct the Trustee to withhold any or all payments to such
person under the Plan and apply the same for the benefit of such person, in such
manner and in such proportion as the Administrator may deem proper.
14.5 Benefits Limited to Fund.
All contributions by the Employer to the Fund shall be voluntary, and
the Employer shall be under no legal liability to make any such contributions,
except as otherwise provided herein. The benefits of this Plan shall be provided
solely by the assets of the Fund, and no liability for the payment of benefits
under the Plan or for any loss of assets due to any action or inaction of the
Trustee shall be imposed upon the Employer.
14.6 Cooperation of Parties.
All parties to this Plan and any party claiming interest hereunder
agree to perform any and all acts and execute any and all documents and papers
which are necessary and desirable for carrying out this Plan or any of its
provisions.
14.7 Payments Due Missing Persons.
The Administrator shall direct the Trustee to make a reasonable effort
to locate all persons entitled to benefits under the Plan; however,
notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, if, after a period of
5 years from the date such benefit shall be due, any such persons entitled to
benefits have not been located, their rights under the Plan shall stand
suspended. Before this provision becomes operative, the Trustee shall send a
certified letter to all such persons at their last known address advising them
that their interest in benefits under the Plan shall be suspended. Any such
suspended amounts shall be held by the Trustee for a period of 3 additional
years (or a total of 8 years from the time the benefits first became payable),
and thereafter such amounts shall be reallocated among current Participants in
the same manner that a current contribution would be allocated. However, if a
person subsequently makes a valid claim with respect to such reallocated amounts
and any earnings thereon, the Plan earnings or the Employer's contribution to be
allocated for the year in which the claim shall be paid shall be reduced by the
amount of such payment. Any such suspended amounts shall be handled in a manner
not inconsistent with regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service and
Department of Labor.
14.8 Governing Law.
This Plan has been executed in the State of Illinois, and all questions
pertaining to its validity, construction and administration shall be determined
in accordance with the laws of that State, except to the extent superseded by
the Act.
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14.9 Nonguarantee of Employment.
Nothing contained in this Plan shall be construed as a contract of
employment between the Employer and any Employee, or as a right of any Employee
to be continued in the employment of the Employer, or as a limitation of the
right of the Employer to discharge any of its Employees, with or without cause.
14.10 Counsel.
The Trustee and the Administrator may consult with legal counsel, who
may be counsel for the Employer and for the Administrator or the Trustee (as the
case may be), with respect to the meaning or construction of this Plan and the
Trust Agreement, their respective obligations or duties hereunder, or with
respect to any action or proceeding or any question of law, and they shall be
fully protected to the extent allowable by law with respect to any action taken
or omitted by them in good faith pursuant to the advice of legal counsel.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Sponsor has caused these presents to be
executed by its duly authorized officers and its corporate seal to be affixed on
this _____ day of _______, 1998.
Ben Franklin Financial, Inc.
ATTEST:
____________________________ By _________________________________
- -----------------------, -------------------------,
Secretary President and Chief Executive Officer
[Corporate Seal]
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