EXHIBIT 10.4
Noosh, Inc.
2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Adopted by Board of Directors January 13, 2000
Approved by Stockholders ___________, 2000
Effective Date: _______________, 2000
Termination Date: January 12,2020
1. Purpose.
(a) The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means by which Employees of the
Company and certain designated Affiliates may be given an opportunity to
purchase Shares of the Company.
(b) The Company, by means of the Plan, seeks to retain the services of such
Employees, to secure and retain the services of new Employees and to provide
incentives for such persons to exert maximum efforts for the success of the
Company and its Affiliates.
(c) The Company intends that the Rights to purchase Shares granted under
the Plan be considered options issued under an "employee stock purchase plan,"
as that term is defined in Section 423(b) of the Code.
2. Definitions.
(a) "Affiliate" means any parent corporation or subsidiary corporation,
whether now or hereafter existing, as those terms are defined in Sections 424(e)
and (f), respectively, of the Code.
(b) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(c) "Code" means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
(d) "Committee" means a committee appointed by the Board in accordance with
subsection 3(c) of the Plan.
(e) "Company" means Noosh, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(f) "Director" means a member of the Board.
(g) "Eligible Employee" means an Employee who meets the requirements set
forth in the Offering for eligibility to participate in the Offering.
(h) "Employee" means any person, including Officers and Directors, employed
by the Company or an Affiliate of the Company. Neither service as a Director nor
payment of a director's fee shall be sufficient to constitute "employment" by
the Company or the Affiliate.
1.
(i) "Employee Stock Purchase Plan" means a plan that grants rights intended
to be options issued under an "employee stock purchase plan," as that term is
defined in Section 423(b) of the Code.
(j) "Exchange Act" means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.
(k) "Fair Market Value" means the value of a security, as determined in
good faith by the Board. Unless otherwise provided in the Offering, if the
security is listed on any established stock exchange or traded on the Nasdaq
National Market or the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the Fair Market Value of the
security shall be the closing sales price (rounded up where necessary to the
nearest whole cent) for such security (or the closing bid, if no sales were
reported) as quoted on such exchange or market (or the exchange or market with
the greatest volume of trading in the relevant security of the Company) on the
trading day which is coincident with the relevant determination date, as
reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Board deems
reliable.
(l) "Non-Employee Director" means a Director who either (i) is not a
current Employee or Officer of the Company or its parent or subsidiary, does not
receive compensation (directly or indirectly) from the Company or its parent or
subsidiary for services rendered as a consultant or in any capacity other than
as a Director (except for an amount as to which disclosure would not be required
under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act
("Regulation S-K")), does not possess an interest in any other transaction as to
which disclosure would be required under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and is
not engaged in a business relationship as to which disclosure would be required
under Item 404(b) of Regulation S-K; or (ii) is otherwise considered a "non-
employee director" for purposes of Rule 16b-3.
(m) "Offering" means the grant of Rights to purchase Shares under the Plan
to Eligible Employees.
(n) "Offering Date" means a date selected by the Board for an Offering to
commence.
(o) "Outside Director" means a Director who either (i) is not a current
employee of the Company or an "affiliated corporation" (within the meaning of
the Treasury regulations promulgated under Section 162(m) of the Code), is not a
former employee of the Company or an "affiliated corporation" receiving
compensation for prior services (other than benefits under a tax qualified
pension plan), was not an officer of the Company or an "affiliated corporation"
at any time, and is not currently receiving direct or indirect remuneration from
the Company or an "affiliated corporation" for services in any capacity other
than as a Director, or (ii) is otherwise considered an "outside director" for
purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code.
(p) "Participant" means an Eligible Employee who holds an outstanding Right
granted pursuant to the Plan or, if applicable, such other person who holds an
outstanding Right granted under the Plan.
2.
(q) "Plan" means this 2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(r) "Purchase Date" means one or more dates established by the Board during
an Offering on which Rights granted under the Plan shall be exercised and
purchases of Shares carried out in accordance with such Offering.
(s) "Right" means an option to purchase Shares granted pursuant to the
Plan.
(t) "Rule 16b-3" means Rule 16b-3 of the Exchange Act or any successor to
Rule 16b-3 as in effect with respect to the Company at the time discretion is
being exercised regarding the Plan.
(u) "Securities Act" means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.
(v) "Share" means a share of the common stock of the Company.
3. Administration.
(a) The Board shall administer the Plan unless and until the Board
delegates administration to a Committee, as provided in subsection 3(c). Whether
or not the Board has delegated administration, the Board shall have the final
power to determine all questions of policy and expediency that may arise in the
administration of the Plan.
(b) The Board (or the Committee) shall have the power, subject to, and
within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(i) To determine when and how Rights to purchase Shares shall be
granted and the provisions of each Offering of such Rights (which need not be
identical).
(ii) To designate from time to time which Affiliates of the Company
shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.
(iii) To construe and interpret the Plan and Rights granted under it,
and to establish, amend and revoke rules and regulations for its administration.
The Board, in the exercise of this power, may correct any defect, omission or
inconsistency in the Plan, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary
or expedient to make the Plan fully effective.
(iv) To amend the Plan on the terms of an Offering authorized under
the Plan as provided in Section 14.
(v) Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as it
deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and
its Affiliates and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated as an
Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(c) The Board may delegate administration of the Plan to a Committee of the
Board composed of two (2) or more members, all of the members of which Committee
may be, in the discretion of the Board, Non-Employee Directors and/or Outside
Directors. If administration is
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delegated to a Committee, the Committee shall have, in connection with the
administration of the Plan, the powers theretofore possessed by the Board,
including the power to delegate to a subcommittee of one (1) or more Directors,
including Non-Employee Directors and/or Outside Directors, any of the
administrative powers the Committee is authorized to exercise (and references in
this Plan to the Board shall thereafter be to the Committee or such a
subcommittee), subject, however, to such resolutions, not inconsistent with the
provisions of the Plan, as may be adopted from time to time by the Board. The
Board may abolish the Committee at any time and revest in the Board the
administration of the Plan.
(d) All determinations, interpretations and constructions made by the Board
in good faith shall not be subject to review by any person and shall be final,
binding and conclusive on all persons.
4. Shares Subject to the Plan.
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 13 relating to adjustments upon
changes in securities, the Shares that may be sold pursuant to Rights granted
under the Plan shall not exceed in the aggregate six hundred thousand (600,000)
Shares, plus an annual increase on the date of each annual stockholders'
meeting, beginning with the annual stockholders' meeting in 2001, equal to the
least of (1) one and one half percent (1.5 %) of the total Shares outstanding
(on a fully diluted basis) as of the date of annual stockholders' meeting; (2)
six hundred thousand (600,000) Shares; or (3) such smaller number of Shares as
determined by the Board. If any Right granted under the Plan shall for any
reason terminate without having been exercised, the Shares not purchased under
such Right shall again become available for the Plan.
(b) The Shares subject to the Plan may be unissued Shares or Shares that
have been bought on the open market at prevailing market prices or otherwise.
5. Grant of Rights; Offering.
(a) The Board may from time to time grant or provide for the grant of
Rights to purchase Shares of the Company under the Plan to Eligible Employees in
an Offering on an Offering Date or Offering Dates selected by the Board. Each
Offering shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as
the Board shall deem appropriate, which shall comply with the requirements of
Section 423(b)(5) of the Code that all Employees granted Rights to purchase
Shares under the Plan shall have the same rights and privileges. The terms and
conditions of an Offering shall be incorporated by reference into the Plan and
treated as part of the Plan. The provisions of separate Offerings need not be
identical, but each Offering shall include (through incorporation of the
provisions of this Plan by reference in the document comprising the Offering or
otherwise) the period during which the Offering shall be effective, which period
shall not exceed twenty-seven (27) months beginning with the Offering Date, and
the substance of the provisions contained in Sections 6 through 9, inclusive.
(b) If a Participant has more than one Right outstanding under the Plan,
unless he or she otherwise indicates in agreements or notices delivered
hereunder: (i) each agreement or notice delivered by that Participant will be
deemed to apply to all of his or her Rights under the
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Plan, and (ii) an earlier-granted Right (or a Right with a lower exercise price,
if two Rights have identical grant dates) will be exercised to the fullest
possible extent before a later-granted Right (or a Right with a higher exercise
price if two Rights have identical grant dates) will be exercised.
6. Eligibility.
(a) Rights may be granted only to Employees of the Company or, as the Board
may designate as provided in subsection 3(b), to Employees of an Affiliate.
Except as provided in subsection 6(b), an Employee shall not be eligible to be
granted Rights under the Plan unless, on the Offering Date, such Employee has
been in the employ of the Company or the Affiliate, as the case may be, for such
continuous period preceding such grant as the Board may require, but in no event
shall the required period of continuous employment be equal to or greater than
two (2) years. In addition, unless otherwise determined by the Board or the
Committee and set forth in the terms of the applicable Offering, no Employee of
the Company or any Affiliate shall be eligible to be granted rights under the
Plan unless, on the Offering Date, such Employee's customary employment with the
Company or such Affiliate is for at least twenty (20) hours per week and at
least five (5) months per calendar year.
(b) The Board may provide that each person who, during the course of an
Offering, first becomes an Eligible Employee will, on a date or dates specified
in the Offering which coincides with the day on which such person becomes an
Eligible Employee or which occurs thereafter, receive a Right under that
Offering, which Right shall thereafter be deemed to be a part of that Offering.
Such Right shall have the same characteristics as any Rights originally granted
under that Offering, as described herein, except that:
(i) the date on which such Right is granted shall be the "Offering
Date" of such Right for all purposes, including determination of the exercise
price of such Right;
(ii) the period of the Offering with respect to such Right shall begin
on its Offering Date and end coincident with the end of such Offering; and
(iii) the Board may provide that if such person first becomes an
Eligible Employee within a specified period of time before the end of the
Offering, he or she will not receive any Right under that Offering.
(c) No Employee shall be eligible for the grant of any Rights under the
Plan if, immediately after any such Rights are granted, such Employee owns stock
possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value
of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Affiliate. For purposes of this
subsection 6(c), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in
determining the stock ownership of any Employee, and stock which such Employee
may purchase under all outstanding rights and options shall be treated as stock
owned by such Employee.
(d) An Eligible Employee may be granted Rights under the Plan only if such
Rights, together with any other Rights granted under all Employee Stock Purchase
Plans of the Company
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and any Affiliates, as specified by Section 423(b)(8) of the Code, do not permit
such Eligible Employee's rights to purchase Shares of the Company or any
Affiliate to accrue at a rate which exceeds twenty five thousand dollars
($25,000) of the fair market value of such Shares (determined at the time such
Rights are granted) for each calendar year in which such Rights are outstanding
at any time.
(e) The Board may provide in an Offering that Employees who are highly
compensated Employees within the meaning of Section 423(b)(4)(D) of the Code
shall not be eligible to participate.
7. Rights; Purchase Price.
(a) On each Offering Date, each Eligible Employee, pursuant to an Offering
made under the Plan, shall be granted the Right to purchase up to the number of
Shares purchasable with a percentage designated by the Board or the Committee
not exceeding fifteen percent (15%) of such Employee's Earnings (as defined by
the Board in subparagraph 8(a)) during the period which begins on the Offering
Date (or such later date as the Board determines for a particular Offering) and
ends on the date stated in the Offering, which date shall be no later than the
end of the Offering. The Board shall establish one or more Purchase Dates
during an Offering on which Rights granted under the Plan shall be exercised and
purchases of Shares carried out in accordance with such Offering.
(b) In connection with each Offering made under the Plan, the Board may
specify a maximum amount of Shares that may be purchased by any Participant as
well as a maximum aggregate amount of Shares that may be purchased by all
Participants pursuant to such Offering. In addition, in connection with each
Offering that contains more than one Purchase Date, the Board may specify a
maximum aggregate amount of Shares which may be purchased by all Participants on
any given Purchase Date under the Offering. If the aggregate purchase of Shares
upon exercise of Rights granted under the Offering would exceed any such maximum
aggregate amount, the Board shall make a pro rata allocation of the Shares
available in as nearly a uniform manner as shall be practicable and as it shall
deem to be equitable.
(c) The purchase price of Shares acquired pursuant to Rights granted under
the Plan shall be not less than the lesser of:
(i) an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market
value of the Shares on the Offering Date; or
(ii) an amount equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market
value of the Shares on the Purchase Date.
8. Participation; Withdrawal; Termination.
(a) An Eligible Employee may become a Participant in the Plan pursuant to
an Offering by delivering a participation agreement to the Company within the
time specified in the Offering, in such form as the Company provides. Each such
agreement shall authorize payroll
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deductions of up to the maximum percentage specified by the Board of such
Employee's Earnings during the Offering. "Earnings" is defined as an employee's
regular salary or wages (including amounts thereof elected to be deferred by the
employee, that would otherwise have been paid, under any arrangement established
by the Company that is intended to comply with Section 125, Section 401(k),
Section 402(e)(3), Section 402(h) or section 403(b) of the Code, and also
including any deferrals under a non-qualified deferred compensation plan or
arrangement established by the Company), and also, if determined by the Board or
the Committee and set forth in the terms of the Offering, may include any or all
of the following: (i) overtime pay, (ii) commissions, (iii) bonuses, incentive
pay, profit sharing and other remuneration paid directly to the employee, and/or
(iv) other items of remuneration not specifically excluded pursuant to the Plan.
Earnings shall not include the cost of employee benefits paid for by the Company
or an Affiliate, education or tuition reimbursements, imputed income arising
under any group insurance or benefit program, traveling expenses, business and
moving expense reimbursements, income received in connection with stock options,
contributions made by the Company or an Affiliate under any employee benefit
plan, and similar items of compensation, as determined by the Board or the
Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board or Committee may modify the
definition of "Earnings" with respect to one or more Offerings as the Board or
Committee determines appropriate. The payroll deductions made for each
Participant shall be credited to a bookkeeping account for such Participant
under the Plan and either may be deposited with the general funds of the Company
or may be deposited in a separate account in the name of, and for the benefit
of, such Participant with a financial institution designated by the Company. To
the extent provided in the Offering, a Participant may reduce (including to
zero) or increase such payroll deductions. To the extent provided in the
Offering, a Participant may begin such payroll deductions after the beginning of
the Offering. A Participant may make additional payments into his or her account
only if specifically provided for in the Offering and only if the Participant
has not already had the maximum permitted amount withheld during the Offering.
(b) At any time during an Offering, a Participant may terminate his or her
payroll deductions under the Plan and withdraw from the Offering by delivering
to the Company a notice of withdrawal in such form as the Company provides.
Such withdrawal may be elected at any time prior to the end of the Offering
except as provided by the Board in the Offering. Upon such withdrawal from the
Offering by a Participant, the Company shall distribute to such Participant all
of his or her accumulated payroll deductions (reduced to the extent, if any,
such deductions have been used to acquire Shares for the Participant) under the
Offering, without interest unless otherwise specified in the Offering, and such
Participant's interest in that Offering shall be automatically terminated. A
Participant's withdrawal from an Offering will have no effect upon such
Participant's eligibility to participate in any other Offerings under the Plan
but such Participant will be required to deliver a new participation agreement
in order to participate in subsequent Offerings under the Plan.
(c) Rights granted pursuant to any Offering under the Plan shall terminate
immediately upon cessation of any participating Employee's employment with the
Company or a designated Affiliate for any reason (subject to any post-employment
participation period required by law) or other lack of eligibility. The Company
shall distribute to such terminated Employee
7.
all of his or her accumulated payroll deductions (reduced to the extent, if any,
such deductions have been used to acquire Shares for the terminated Employee)
under the Offering, without interest unless otherwise specified in the Offering.
If the accumulated payroll deductions have been deposited with the Company's
general funds, then the distribution shall be made from the general funds of the
Company, without interest. If the accumulated payroll deductions have been
deposited in a separate account with a financial institution as provided in
subsection 8(a), then the distribution shall be made from the separate account,
without interest unless otherwise specified in the Offering.
(d) Rights granted under the Plan shall not be transferable by a
Participant otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or
by a beneficiary designation as provided in Section 15 and, otherwise during his
or her lifetime, shall be exercisable only by the person to whom such Rights are
granted.
9. Exercise.
(a) On each Purchase Date specified therefor in the relevant Offering, each
Participant's accumulated payroll deductions and other additional payments
specifically provided for in the Offering (without any increase for interest)
will be applied to the purchase of Shares up to the maximum amount of Shares
permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Offering, at the
purchase price specified in the Offering. No fractional Shares shall be issued
upon the exercise of Rights granted under the Plan unless specifically provided
for in the Offering. The amount, if any, of accumulated payroll deductions
remaining in each participant's account after the purchase of shares which is
less than the amount required to purchase one share of Common Stock on the final
Purchase Date of an Offering shall be held in each such participant's account
for the purchase of shares under the next Offering under the Plan, unless such
participant withdraws from such next Offering, as provided in subparagraph 8(b),
or is no longer eligible to be granted rights under the Plan, as provided in
paragraph 6, in which case such amount shall be distributed to the participant
after such final Purchase Date, without interest. The amount, if any, of
accumulated payroll deductions remaining in any participant's account after the
purchase of shares which is equal to the amount required to purchase one or more
whole shares of Common Stock on the final Purchase Date of an Offering shall be
distributed in full to the participant after such Purchase Date, without
interest.
(b) No Rights granted under the Plan may be exercised to any extent unless
the Shares to be issued upon such exercise under the Plan (including Rights
granted thereunder) are covered by an effective registration statement pursuant
to the Securities Act and the Plan is in material compliance with all applicable
state, foreign and other securities and other laws applicable to the Plan. If on
a Purchase Date in any Offering hereunder the Plan is not so registered or in
such compliance, no Rights granted under the Plan or any Offering shall be
exercised on such Purchase Date, and the Purchase Date shall be delayed until
the Plan is subject to such an effective registration statement and such
compliance, except that the Purchase Date shall not be delayed more than twelve
(12) months and the Purchase Date shall in no event be more than twenty-seven
(27) months from the Offering Date. If, on the Purchase Date of any Offering
hereunder, as delayed to the maximum extent permissible, the Plan is not
registered and
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in such compliance, no Rights granted under the Plan or any Offering shall be
exercised and all payroll deductions accumulated during the Offering (reduced to
the extent, if any, such deductions have been used to acquire Shares) shall be
distributed to the Participants, without interest unless otherwise specified in
the Offering. If the accumulated payroll deductions have been deposited with the
Company's general funds, then the distribution shall be made from the general
funds of the Company, without interest. If the accumulated payroll deductions
have been deposited in a separate account with a financial institution as
provided in subsection 8(a), then the distribution shall be made from the
separate account, without interest unless otherwise specified in the Offering.
10. Covenants of the Company.
(a) During the terms of the Rights granted under the Plan, the Company
shall ensure that the amount of Shares required to satisfy such Rights are
available.
(b) The Company shall seek to obtain from each federal, state, foreign or
other regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such
authority as may be required to issue and sell Shares upon exercise of the
Rights granted under the Plan. If, after reasonable efforts, the Company is
unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority
which counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale
of Shares under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for
failure to issue and sell Shares upon exercise of such Rights unless and until
such authority is obtained.
11. Use of Proceeds from Shares.
Proceeds from the sale of Shares pursuant to Rights granted under the Plan
shall constitute general funds of the Company.
12. Rights as a Stockholder.
A Participant shall not be deemed to be the holder of, or to have any of
the rights of a holder with respect to, Shares subject to Rights granted under
the Plan unless and until the Participant's Shares acquired upon exercise of
Rights under the Plan are recorded in the books of the Company (or its transfer
agent).
13. Adjustments upon Changes in Securities.
(a) If any change is made in the Shares subject to the Plan, or subject to
any Right, without the receipt of consideration by the Company (through merger,
consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, reincorporation, stock
dividend, dividend in property other than cash, stock split, liquidating
dividend, combination of shares, exchange of shares, change in corporate
structure or other transaction not involving the receipt of consideration by the
Company), the Plan will be appropriately adjusted in the type of security and
initial maximum number of Shares subject to the Plan pursuant to subsection
4(a), the additional Shares subject to the Plan and the overall maximum of
Shares pursuant to subsection 4(b), and the outstanding Rights will be
appropriately adjusted in the type of security, number of shares, and purchase
9.
limits of such outstanding Rights. The Board shall make such adjustments, and
its determination shall be final, binding and conclusive. (The conversion of
any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as a transaction
that does not involve the receipt of consideration by the Company.)
(b) Effective as of the first Offering, in the event of a Change in
Control, then, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion (i) any
surviving or acquiring corporation may assume outstanding Rights or substitute
similar Rights for those under the Plan, (ii) such Rights may continue in full
force and effect, or (iii) the Participants' accumulated payroll deductions may
be used to purchase Shares immediately prior to the transaction described above
and the Participants' Rights under the ongoing Offering terminated. In the event
that no affirmative determination is made by the Board pursuant to the preceding
sentence, then alternative (iii) shall automatically apply.
(c) "Change in Control" means the happening of any of the following events:
(i) A dissolution or liquidation of the Company.
(ii) A sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of
the assets of the Company.
(iii) A merger, reverse merger, consolidation or reorganization of the
Company with or into another corporation or other legal person, or any other
capital reorganization of the Company, including but not limited to a capital
reorganization in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the shares of the
Company entitled to vote are exchanged.
14. Amendment of the Plan.
(a) The Board at any time, and from time to time, may amend the Plan.
However, except as provided in Section 13 relating to adjustments upon changes
in securities and except as to minor amendments to benefit the administration of
the Plan, to take account of a change in legislation or to obtain or maintain
favorable tax, exchange control or regulatory treatment for Participants or the
Company or any Affiliate, no amendment shall be effective unless approved by the
stockholders of the Company to the extent stockholder approval is necessary for
the Plan to satisfy the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, Rule 16b-3
under the Exchange Act and any Nasdaq or other securities exchange listing
requirements. Currently under the Code, stockholder approval within twelve (12)
months before or after the adoption of the amendment is required where the
amendment will:
(i) Increase the amount of Shares reserved for Rights under the Plan;
(ii) Modify the provisions as to eligibility for participation in the
Plan to the extent such modification requires stockholder approval in order for
the Plan to obtain employee stock purchase plan treatment under Section 423 of
the Code; or
10.
(iii) Modify the Plan in any other way if such modification requires
stockholder approval in order for the Plan to obtain employee stock purchase
plan treatment under Section 423 of the Code.
(b) It is expressly contemplated that the Board may amend the Plan in any
respect the Board deems necessary or advisable to provide Employees with the
maximum benefits provided or to be provided under the provisions of the Code and
the regulations promulgated thereunder relating to Employee Stock Purchase Plans
and/or to bring the Plan and/or Rights granted under it into compliance
therewith.
(c) Rights and obligations under any Rights granted before amendment of the
Plan shall not be impaired by any amendment of the Plan, except with the consent
of the person to whom such Rights were granted, or except as necessary to comply
with any laws or governmental regulations, or except as necessary to ensure that
the Plan and/or Rights granted under the Plan comply with the requirements of
Section 423 of the Code.
15. Designation of Beneficiary.
(a) A Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is to
receive any Shares and/or cash, if any, from the Participant's account under the
Plan in the event of such Participant's death subsequent to the end of an
Offering but prior to delivery to the Participant of such Shares and cash. In
addition, a Participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is
to receive any cash from the Participant's account under the Plan in the event
of such Participant's death during an Offering.
(b) The Participant may change such designation of beneficiary at any time
by written notice. In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence
of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of
such Participant's death, the Company shall deliver such Shares and/or cash to
the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such
executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company),
the Company, in its sole discretion, may deliver such Shares and/or cash to the
spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if
no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other
person as the Company may designate.
16. Termination or Suspension of the Plan.
(a) The Board in its discretion may suspend or terminate the Plan at any
time. Unless sooner terminated, the Plan shall terminate at the time that all of
the Shares subject to the Plan's reserve, as increased and/or adjusted from time
to time, have been issued under the terms of the Plan or upon the twentieth
anniversary of the effective date of the Plan whichever is earlier. No Rights
may be granted under the Plan while the Plan is suspended or after it is
terminated.
(b) Rights and obligations under any Rights granted while the Plan is in
effect shall not be impaired by suspension or termination of the Plan, except as
expressly provided in the Plan or with the consent of the person to whom such
Rights were granted, or except as necessary
11.
to comply with any laws or governmental regulation, or except as necessary to
ensure that the Plan and/or Rights granted under the Plan comply with the
requirements of Section 423 of the Code.
17. Effective Date of Plan.
The Plan shall become effective as determined by the Board, but no Rights
granted under the Plan shall be exercised unless and until the Plan has been
approved by the stockholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or
after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, which date may be prior to the
effective date set by the Board.
12.