AMENDMENTAND RESTATEMENT OF THE RETIREMENT PLAN FOR EMPLOYEES OF ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN L.P.
EXHIBIT
10.08
AMENDMENTAND
RESTATEMENT
OF
THE
RETIREMENT
PLAN
FOR
EMPLOYEES
OF
ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN
L.P.
(As
Amended through November 30, 2006)
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
ARTICLE
I
|
DEFINITIONS
|
1
|
||
ARTICLE
II
|
ELIGIBILITY
FOR PARTICIPATION
|
17
|
||
ARTICLE
III
|
RETI
REMENT ON OR AFTER NORMAL RETIREMENT DATE
|
19
|
||
ARTICLE
IV
|
VESTING
|
24
|
||
ARTICLE
V
|
EARLY
RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY BENEFIT
|
26
|
||
ARTICLE
VI
|
OPTIONAL
METHODS OF PAYMENT
|
27
|
||
ARTICLE
VII
|
DEATH
BENEFIT
|
32
|
||
ARTICLE
VIII
|
DIRECT
ROLLOVER DISTRIBUTIONS
|
33
|
||
ARTICLE
IX
|
EMPLOYER
CONTRIBUTION AND FUNDING POLICY
|
34
|
||
ARTICLE
X
|
LIMITATIONS
ON BENEFITS
|
35
|
||
ARTICLE
XI
|
TOP-HEAVY
PLAN YEARS
|
36
|
||
ARTICLE
XII
|
NON-ALIENABILITY
|
40
|
||
ARTICLE
XIII
|
AMENDMENT
OF THE PLAN
|
45
|
||
ARTICLE
XIV
|
TERMINATION
OF THE PLAN
|
46
|
||
ARTICLE
XV
|
TRUST
AND ADMINISTRATION
|
48
|
||
ARTICLE
XVI
|
CLAIM
AND APPEAL PROCEDURE
|
50
|
||
ARTICLE
XVII
|
MISCELLANEOUS
|
55
|
||
|
||||
ARTICLE
XVIII
|
ADMINISTRATION
OF THE PLAN
|
56
|
i
RETIREMENT
PLAN
FOR
EMPLOYEES
OF
ALLIANCEBERNSTEIN
L.P.
WHEREAS,
the Retirement Plan for Employees of AllianceBernstein L.P. (the “Plan”)
(formerly known as the Retirement Plan for Employees of Alliance Capital
Management L.P.) was originally established effective as of January 1, 1980
by
the predecessor of Allied Capital Management L.P.; and
WHEREAS,
the Plan was amended and restated from time to time to reflect changes in the
predecessor’s business, certain other changes and changes in applicable law;
and
WHEREAS,
the Plan was amended to comply with the Economic Growth and Tax Relief
Reconciliation Act of 2001 (“EGTRRA”) and other applicable legislation, and the
provisions reflecting EGTRRA are intended as good faith compliance with the
requirements of EGTRRA and are to be construed in accordance with EGTRRA and
guidance issued thereunder; and
WHEREAS,
any Employee of the Company hired on or after October 2, 2000, is not eligible
to participate in the Plan.
NOW,
THEREFORE, the Plan is hereby amended and restated, effective as of January
1,
2006, to incorporate all Plan amendments adopted since the Plan was last amended
and restated and certain additional design changes, changes required to comply
with applicable law and to reflect the name change of Alliance Capital
Management L.P. to AllianceBernstein L.P.
ARTICLE
I
DEFINITIONS
The
following words and phrases as used herein shall, when initially capitalized,
have the following meanings unless a different meaning is required by the
context:
1.01 “ACCRUED
BENEFIT” as of any specified date, means the Retirement Pension, commencing on
his Normal Retirement Date, earned by a Participant as of such date, which
shall
be equal to the Retirement Pension, computed in accordance with Section 3.02,
to
which he would have been entitled had he continued as an Employee until his
Normal Retirement Date, had been credited with one (1) Year of Service in each
year of employment during such period and had the same Average Final
Compensation, Final Average Compensation and Past Final Average Compensation,
as
applicable, at his date of Retirement as that which he would have had if his
Average Final Compensation, Final Average Compensation and Past Final Average
Compensation, as applicable, had been computed as of the date of computation
of
his Accrued Benefit, such amounts to be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator
of which is his number of years of Credited Service as of the specified date,
and the denominator of which is the number of such years which he would have
completed as of his Normal Retirement Date.
1.02 “ACTUARIAL
EQUIVALENT” means, except as provided below, a benefit of equivalent value that
is actuarially calculated based on an annual investment rate of 6% compounded
annually and mortality determined in accordance with the UP-1984 mortality
table
with ages set back one year.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, for purposes of determining actuarial equivalent with respect
to
any distribution under the Plan after December 31, 1995:
(a) whether
the consent of the Participant (and if applicable, the Participant’s Spouse) is
necessary prior to distribution of the Participant’s benefit;
(b) the
single sum value of the Participant’s benefit; and
(c) the
value
of a benefit under Option 4 or Option 5 provided for in
Section 6.01;
a
benefit
of equivalent value shall be the greater of that determined in accordance with
the assumptions set forth above, and that determined by applying the Applicable
Interest Rate for the month of September of the Plan Year immediately preceding
the Plan Year with respect to which the benefit is being determined and the
Applicable Mortality Table; provided, however, in no event shall the single
sum
value of the Participant’s benefit distributed during the 1996 calendar year be
less than would result by applying the Applicable Interest Rate for January
1996
and the Applicable Mortality Table.
1.03 “ADMINISTRATIVE
COMMITTEE” or “COMMITTEE” means the administrative committee appointed by the
Board pursuant to Section 15.02. The term “Investment Committee” shall mean the
investment committee appointed by the Board pursuant to Section
18.02.
1
1.04 “AFFILIATE”
means any corporation or unincorporated business (i) controlled by, or under
common control with, the Company within the meaning of Sections 414(b) and
(c)
of the Code; provided, however, that for all purposes of the Plan, “Affiliate”
status shall be determined by application of Section 415(h) of the Code, or
(ii)
which is a member of an “affiliated service group”, as defined in Section
414(m)(2) of the Code, of which the Company is a member.
1.05 “ANNUITY
PURCHASE RATE” means, effective as of July 1, 1994, (a) the interest rate which
would be used by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation as of the first day
of
the Plan Year of the date of the distribution involved for the purpose of
determining the present value of a single sum distribution in connection with
the termination of the Plan if the present value of the applicable vested
Accrued Benefit (using such rate) does not exceed $25,000, or (b) one hundred
twenty percent of the rate used by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
for
that purpose if the present value of the vested Accrued Benefit, as determined
in accordance with clause (a) exceeds $25,000, provided that in no event shall
the present value of a Participant’s vested Accrued Benefit determined by
application of this clause (b) be less than $25,000; provided that the Annuity
Purchase Rate with respect to the Accrued Benefit as of such first day of the
Plan Year shall not be larger than the Annuity Purchase Rate which would have
been computed under the definition of Annuity Purchase Rate in effect
immediately prior to July 1, 1994.
1.06 “APPLICABLE
INTEREST RATE” means an annual investment rate equal to the annual interest rate
on 30-year Treasury securities as specified by the Commissioner of Internal
Revenue.
1.07 “APPLICABLE
MORTALITY TABLE” means the mortality table based on the then prevailing standard
table (described in Section 807(d)(5)(A) of the Code) used to determine reserves
for group annuity contracts issued as of the date as of which the value of
the
benefit involved is determined (without regard to any other subparagraph of
Section 807(d)(5) of the Code) that is prescribed by the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue for purposes of determining the value of benefits.
1.08 (a)
“AVERAGE FINAL COMPENSATION” means an amount obtained by totaling the
Compensation of a Participant for the five (5) consecutive full calendar years
preceding the date of his Retirement or other Termination of Employment,
whichever is applicable, in which he received his highest aggregate Compensation
(or his Compensation for his consecutive full calendar Years of Service, if
less
than five (5)), and dividing the sum thus obtained by five (5) (or the number
of
his full calendar Years of Service if less than five (5)). Notwithstanding
the
foregoing, partial calendar Years of Service, other than the year of termination
of employment, shall be taken into account in determining Average Final
Compensation, if the Participant completed at least 750 Hours of Service in
each
of such partial years. If any partial Year of Service is to be taken into
account under the preceding sentence, the Compensation for such year shall
be
included in the calculation of Average Final Compensation as follows: The
Compensation for any such partial Year of Service shall be added to the
Compensation for the full calendar years included in calculating Average Final
Compensation, and the total of such Compensation shall be divided by the sum
of
(i) the number of full calendar years included in calculating Average Final
Compensation and (ii) the fraction whose numerator is the number of days worked
during the partial Year of Service (including any weekends, holiday or vacation
that occur during a continuous period of employment) and whose denominator
is
365.
2
(b) If,
during any of the calendar years taken into account in determining a
Participant’s Average Final Compensation, there was a period during which such
Participant was an Inactive Participant, or was on unpaid Leave of Absence,
or
was compensated for fewer hours than are customary for his job category by
reason of disability, the Compensation paid in such period shall be included
in
his Compensation for such calendar year (solely for the purpose of determining
Average Final Compensation) at the rate of Compensation he was receiving
immediately preceding such period.
1.09 “BENEFICIARY”
means such person or persons as may be designated by a Participant or Retired
Participant or as may otherwise be entitled, upon his death, to receive any
benefits or payments under the terms of this Plan.
1.10 “BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS” or “BOARD” means the Board of Directors of the general partner of the
Company responsible for the management of the Company’s business or a committee
thereof designated by such Board.
1.11 “BREAK
IN
SERVICE” with respect to any Employee, means any calendar year in which he
completes fewer than five hundred and one (501) Hours of Service with Employers
or Affiliates.
1.12 “CODE”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time.
1.13 “COMPANY”
means AllianceBernstein L.P. and any successor thereto; prior to February 24,
2006, known as Alliance Capital Management, L.P.; and prior to April 21, 1988,
known as Alliance Capital Management Corporation.
1.14 (a)
“COMPENSATION”
means, for any calendar year, an amount equal to a Participant’s base salary;
provided that in the case of a Participant whose Compensation from an Employer
includes commissions, commissions shall be included only up to the annual amount
of the Participant’s draw against actual commissions in effect at the beginning
of the Plan Year involved.
(b) There
shall be excluded from Compensation overtime pay, bonuses, severance pay,
distributions on Units representing assignments of beneficial ownership of
limited partnership interests in the Company, and any amounts paid or payable
to
or for a Participant or Retired Participant pursuant to any welfare plan or
any
pension plan, profit sharing plan or any other plan of deferred compensation,
or
any other extraordinary item of compensation or income.
(c) Effective
as of January 1, 2006, Compensation of a Member in excess of $220,000 (or such
other amount prescribed under Code Section 401(a)(17), including any
cost-of-living adjustments) shall not be taken into account under the Plan
for
the purpose of determining benefits. The increase in the limit provided under
Section 401(a)(17) of the Code under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief
Reconciliation Act of 2001 shall only be applied with respect to Participants
who accrue a benefit under the Plan on or after January 1, 2002.
(d) For
any
year for which Compensation is relevant under the Plan, in connection with
any
Employee who is paid based on an annual rate of salary that applies for only
a
portion of the year, the Compensation attributable to that portion of the year
for such Employee shall be equal to the product of (i) such annual rate of
salary, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number
of
pay periods during such year during which such Employee was paid at that annual
rate of salary, and the denominator of which is 26.
3
The
determination of eligible Compensation shall be in accordance with records
maintained by the Employer and shall be conclusive.
Compensation
shall include Deemed 125 Compensation. “Deemed 125 Compensation” shall mean, in
accordance with Internal Revenue Service Revenue Ruling 2002-27, 2002-20 I.R.B.
925, any amounts not available to a Participant in cash in lieu of group health
coverage because the Participant is unable to certify that he or she has other
health coverage. An amount shall be treated as Deemed 125 Compensation only
if
the Employer does not request or collect information regarding the Participant’s
other health coverage as part of the enrollment process for the health
plan.
1.15 (a)
“CREDITED SERVICE” means, unless excluded by Subsection (b), an Employee’s Years
of Service;
(b) Credited
Service shall not include:
(1) With
respect to all Employees, Years of Service ending on or before December 31,
1969; or
(2) Any
Year
of Service during any part of which an Employee is an Excluded Employee;
provided that if the Employee is employed by an Employer after employment with
an Affiliate who during a period of employment with the Affiliate maintained
a
“defined benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 414(j) of the Code, the
service with the Affiliate while an Affiliate upon which the Employees accrued
benefits under the Affiliate’s plan is based shall be considered Credited
Service hereunder, but in no event shall any period be counted more than once
in
computing a Participant’s Credited Service and any retirement pension related to
such service shall be taken into account as set forth in Section 3.02(b) of
the Plan.
1.16 “DEFERRED
RETIREMENT” means an Employee’s continued employment after his sixty-fifth
(65th) birthday.
1.17 “DEFERRED
RETIREMENT DATE” means the first day of the calendar month coincident with or
next following the date of an Employee’s Retirement provided such Retirement
occurs after his Normal Retirement Date.
1.18 “DISABILITY”
means the mental or physical incapacity of an Employee which, in the opinion
of
a physician approved by the Administrative Committee, renders him totally and
permanently incapable of performing his assigned duties with an Employer or
an
Affiliate.
1.18.1 “DOMESTIC
PARTNER” means, in the case of a Participant who dies before his Retirement
Pension Starting Date, his Domestic Partner (as defined below) on the date
of
his death if such Domestic Partner satisfied the requirements for being a
Domestic Partner as set forth below. “Domestic Partner” is an individual who,
together with the Participant, satisfies the following requirements: (i) both
the Participant and the domestic partner are at least 18 years of age; (ii)
both the Participant and the domestic partner are of the same gender;
(iii) both the Participant and the domestic partner are mentally competent
to enter into a contract according to the laws of the state in which they
reside; (iv) each of the Participant and the domestic partner is the sole
domestic partner of the other; (v) neither of the Participant nor the domestic
partner is legally married to any other individual, and, if previously married,
a legal divorce or annulment has been obtained or the former spouse is deceased;
(vi) neither of the Participant nor the domestic partner is related by blood
to
a degree of closeness that would prohibit legal marriage in the jurisdiction
in
which they legally reside, if they were of the same sex; (vii) the Participant
and the domestic partner reside together in the same residence, have done so
for
a period of no less than the most recent six-month period, intend to do so
indefinitely and share the common necessities of life; (viii) the Participant
and domestic partner have mutually agreed to be responsible for each other’s
common welfare; and (ix) the Participant has designated the domestic
partner as his or her domestic partner by completing and returning an ‘Affidavit
of Same-Sex Domestic Partnership’ to the appropriate Company person indicated on
such affidavit.
4
1.19 “EARLY
RETIREMENT” means Retirement on or after a Participant’s Early Retirement Date
and prior to his Normal Retirement Date.
1.20 “EARLY
RETIREMENT DATE” means the first day of the month coincident with or next
following the date upon which the Participant shall have attained the age of
fifty-five (55) and the sum of the Participant’s age and Years of Service equals
eighty (80).
1.21 “ELIGIBLE
EMPLOYEE” means any Employee of an Employer other than:
(a) any
Employee included in a unit of Employees covered by a collective bargaining
agreement between an Employer and Employee representatives in the negotiation
of
which retirement benefits were the subject of good faith bargaining, unless:
(i)
such bargaining agreement provides for participation in the Plan, (ii) the
Employee representatives represented an organization more than half of whose
members are owners, officers or executives of such Employer, or (iii) 2% or
more
of the Employees who are covered pursuant to that agreement are professionals
as
defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.410(b) - 6(d);
(b) Employees
whose principal place of Employment is outside the United States, U.S. Virgin
Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico;
(c) an
individual classified by the Employer at the time services are provided as
either an independent contractor, or an individual who is not classified as
an
Employee due to an Employer’s treatment of any services provided by him as being
provided by another entity which is providing such individual’s services to the
Employer, even if such individual is later retroactively reclassified as an
Employee during all or part of such period during which services were provided
pursuant to applicable law or otherwise.
(d) any
individual listed in Section 2.09 of this Plan.
1.22 “EFFECTIVE
DATE” means January 1, 1980.
5
1.23 “EMPLOYEE”
means an individual described in Sections 3121(d) (1) or (2) of the Code who
is
employed by an Employer or an Affiliate.
1.24 “EMPLOYER”
means the Company and any Affiliate which, with the consent of the Board of
Directors, has adopted the Plan as a participant herein and any successor to
any
such Employer.
1.25 “EMPLOYMENT
COMMENCEMENT DATE” means:
(a) the
first
day in respect of which an Employee receives Compensation from an Employer
or an
Affiliate for the performance of services; or
(b) in
the
case of a former Employee who returns to the employ of an Employer or Affiliate
after a Break in Service, the first day in respect of which, after such Break
in
Service, he receives Compensation from an Employer or Affiliate for the
performance of services.
1.26 “ENTRY
DATE” means the first day of each Plan Year.
1.27 “ERISA”
means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from
time
to time.
1.28 (a)
“EXCLUDED EMPLOYEE” means an individual in the employ of an Employer or an
Affiliate who:
(1) is
employed by an Affiliate that is not an Employer; or
(2) is
included in a unit of employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement
between employee representatives and one or more Employers or Affiliates, if
retirement benefits were the subject of good faith bargaining between such
employee representatives and such Employer; or
(3) is
not an
Excluded Employee under Paragraph (4) of this subsection (a) and is neither
a resident nor a citizen of the United States of America, nor receives “earned
income”, within the meaning of Section 911(b) of the Code, from an Employer or
Affiliate that constitutes income from sources within the United States, within
the meaning of Section 861(a)(3) of the Code, unless the individual became
a
Participant prior to becoming a non-resident alien and the Company stipulates
that he shall not be an Excluded Employee; or
(4) is
not a
citizen of the United States, unless the individual (A) was initially engaged
as
an Employee by an Employer or an Affiliate to render services entirely or
primarily in the United States or (B) is an Employee of an Employer which is
a
United States entity, and unless, in the case of an individual referred to
in
either Subparagraph (A) or (B) of this Paragraph 4, the Company stipulates
that
he shall not be an Excluded Employee; or
6
(5) is
accruing benefits and/or receiving contributions under a retirement plan of
an
Affiliate which operates entirely or primarily outside the United States other
than this Plan or the Profit Sharing Plan for Employees of AllianceBernstein
L.P. unless, in either case, the Company stipulates that he shall not be an
Excluded Employee; or
(6) is
compensated on a commission arrangement which does not provide for payment
of
periodic draws against actual commissions earned; or
(7) is
a
“leased employee”. For purposes of this Plan, a “leased employee” means any
person (other than an Employee of the recipient) who pursuant to an agreement
between the recipient and any other person (“leasing organization”) has
performed services for the recipient (or for the recipient and related persons
determined in accordance with Section 414(n)(6) of the Code on a substantially
full time basis for a period of at least one year), and such services are
performed under primary direction or control by the recipient
employer.
(b) An
Excluded Employee shall be deemed an Employee for all purposes under this Plan
except that:
(1) an
Excluded Employee may not become a Participant while he remains an Excluded
Employee; and
(2) a
Participant shall not receive any Credited Service for any Year of Service
during any part of which he remains an Excluded Employee unless the Company
specifies otherwise.
1.29 “FINAL
AVERAGE COMPENSATION” means an amount obtained by totaling the Compensation of a
Participant for the three (3) consecutive full calendar Years of Service (which
for any such year cannot exceed the taxable wage base in effect for that year)
ending on or on the last day of the calendar year immediately preceding the
date
of his Retirement or other Termination of Employment, whichever is applicable,
(or his Compensation for the number of his full calendar years and fractions
thereof then ending if less than three (3)), and dividing the sum thus obtained
by three (3) (or such number of full calendar years and fractions thereof if
less than three (3)), but limited to Covered Compensation. Notwithstanding
the
foregoing, partial calendar Years of Service, other than the year of termination
of employment, shall be taken into account in determining Final Average
Compensation, if the Participant completed at least 750 Hours of Service in
each
of such partial years. If any partial Year of Service is to be taken into
account under the preceding sentence, the Compensation for such year shall
be
included in the calculation of Final Average Compensation as follows: The
Compensation for any such partial Year of Service shall be added to the
Compensation for the full calendar years included in calculating Final Average
Compensation, and the total of such Compensation shall be divided by the sum
of
(i) the number of full calendar years included in calculating Final Average
Compensation and (ii) the fraction whose numerator is the number of days worked
during the partial Year of Service (including any weekends, holiday or vacation
that occur during a continuous period of employment) and whose denominator
is
365. “Covered Compensation” for this Section 1.29 means the average of the
taxable wage bases for the thirty-five (35) calendar years ending with the
year
an individual attains social security retirement age.
7
1.30 “HIGHLY
COMPENSATED EMPLOYEE” means an Employee who, with respect to the “determination
year”:
(a) owned
(or
is considered as owning within the meaning of Section 318 of the Code) at any
time during the “determination year” or “look-back year” more than five percent
of the outstanding stock of the Employer or stock possessing more than five
percent of the total combined voting power of all stock of the Employer (the
attribution of ownership interest to Family Members shall be used pursuant
to
Section 318 of the Code); or
(b) who
received “415 Compensation” during the “look-back year” from the Employer in
excess of $80,000 and was in the Top Paid Group of Employees for the “look-back
year”.
The
“determination year” shall be the Plan Year for which testing is being
performed. The “look-back year” shall be the Plan Year immediately preceding the
“determination year.”
The
term
“415 Compensation” shall mean compensation reported as wages, tips and other
compensation on Form W-2 and shall include: (i) any elective deferral (as
defined in Section 402(g)(3) of the Code) and (ii) any amount which is
contributed or deferred by the Employer at the election of the Employee and
which is not includible in the gross income of the Employee by reason of
Sections 125, 132(f)(4), 401(k) or 457 of the Code. 415 Compensation shall
include Deemed 125 Compensation, as defined in Section 1.14 of the
Plan.
The
dollar threshold amount specified in (b) above shall be adjusted at such time
and in such manner as is provided in Regulations. In the case of such an
adjustment, the dollar limits which shall be applied are those for the calendar
year in which the “determination year” or “look-back year” begins.
In
determining who is a Highly Compensated Employee, Employees who are nonresident
aliens and who received no earned income (within the meaning of Section
911(d)(2) of the Code) from the Employer constituting United States source
income within the meaning of Section 861(a)(3) of the Code shall not be
treated as Employees.
Additionally,
all Affiliated Employers shall be taken into account as a single employer and
Leased Employees within the meaning of Sections 414(n)(2) and 414(o)(2) of
the
Code shall be considered Employees unless such Leased Employees are covered
by a
plan described in Section 414(n)(5) of the Code and are not covered in any
qualified plan maintained by the Employer. The exclusion of Leased Employees
for
this purpose shall be applied on a uniform and consistent basis for all of
the
Employer’s retirement plans. Highly Compensated Former Employees shall be
treated as Highly Compensated Employees without regard to whether they performed
services during the “determination year”.
1.31 “HIGHLY
COMPENSATED FORMER EMPLOYEE” means a former Employee who had a separation year
prior to the “determination year” and was a Highly Compensated Employee in the
year of separation from service or in any “determination year” after attaining
age 55. Highly Compensated Former Employees shall be treated as Highly
Compensated Employees. The method set forth in this Section for determining
who
is a “Highly Compensated Former Employee” shall be applied on a uniform and
consistent basis for all purposes for which the Section 414(q) of the Code
definition is applicable.
8
1.32 (a)
“HOUR
OF SERVICE” means each hour:
(1) for
which
an Employee is paid, or entitled to payment, by an Employer or Affiliate for
the
performance of duties for an Employer or Affiliate, credited for the Plan Year
in which such duties were performed; or
(2) for
which
an Employee is directly or indirectly paid, or entitled to payment, by an
Employer or Affiliate on account of a period of Leave of Absence, credited
for
the Plan Year in which such Leave of Absence occurs; or
(3) for
which
an Employee has been awarded, or is otherwise entitled to, back pay from an
Employer or Affiliate, irrespective of mitigation of damages, if he is not
entitled to credit for such hour under any other Paragraph of this Subsection
(a); or
(4) during
which an Employee is on an unpaid Leave of Absence described in Section 1.34(a)
or (b), credited at the rate of which he would have accrued Hours of Service
if
he had performed his normal duties during such Leave of Absence.
(5) (A)
solely
for purposes of Section 1.11, each hour of an Employee’s absence which commences
on or after January, 1985 by reason of a leave pursuant to the FMLA, the
pregnancy of such Employee, the birth of a child of such Employee, the placement
of a child in connection with the adoption of such child by the Employee or
the
caring for such child for a period beginning immediately following such birth
or
placement.
(B) under
this Paragraph (5) an Employee shall be credited with the number of hours which
would normally have been credited to him but for such absence, or in any case
in
which such number cannot be determined, a total of eight (8) Hours of Service
for each day of such absence, except that no more than 501 Hours of Service
shall be credited to an Employee for any such period of absence and such Hours
of Service shall be credited to an Employee only in the Plan Year in which
such
period of absence began if such Employee would be prevented from incurring
a
Break in Service in such Plan Year solely because of the crediting of such
Hours
of Service, or in any other case, in the next succeeding Plan Year.
(C) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, an Employee shall not be credited with Hours of Service pursuant
to this Paragraph (5) unless such Employee shall furnish to the Committee on
a
timely basis such information as the Committee shall reasonably require to
establish
9
(i) that
the
absence from work is for reasons described in Subparagraph (A) hereof;
and
(ii) the
number of days which such absence continued.
(b) Except
as
provided in Paragraph (a) (5), the number of a Participant’s Hours of Service
and the Plan Year or other compensation period to which they are to be credited
shall be determined in accordance with Section 2530.200b-2 of the Rules and
Regulations for Minimum Standards for Employee Pension Benefit Plans, which
section is hereby incorporated by reference into this Plan.
(c) If
the
Participant’s compensation while an Employee was not determined on the basis of
certain amounts for each hour worked, his Hours of Service need not be
determined from employment records, and he may, in accordance with uniform
and
nondiscriminatory rules adopted by the Committee, be credited with forty-five
(45) Hours of Service for each week in which he would be credited with any
Hours
of Service under the provisions of Subsection (a) or (b).
1.33 “INACTIVE
PARTICIPANT” means:
(a) an
Employee who was a Participant during the preceding Plan Year but who, during
the current Plan Year, neither completed a Year of Service nor incurred a Break
in Service; and
(b) an
Excluded Employee who was a Participant or an Inactive Participant during the
preceding Plan Year but who, during the current Plan Year, did not incur a
Break
in Service.
An
Inactive Participant shall be deemed a Participant for all purposes under this
Plan, except that he shall not accrue any benefit hereunder for any Plan Year
during which he is an Inactive Participant.
1.34 “LEAVE
OF
ABSENCE” means:
(a) absence
on leave approved by an Employee’s Employer, if the period of such leave does
not exceed two (2) years and the Employee returns to the employ of an Employer
or an Affiliate upon its termination; or
(b) absence
due to service in the Armed Forces of the United States, if such absence is
caused by war or other national emergency or an Employee is required to serve
under the laws of conscription in time of peace, and if the Employee returns
to
the employ of an Employer or an Affiliate within the period provided by law;
or
(c) absence
for a period not in excess of thirteen (13) consecutive weeks due to leave
granted by an Employer, military service, vacation, holiday, illness,
incapacity, layoff, or jury duty, if the Employee does not return to the employ
of an Employee or Affiliate at the end of such period.
10
In
granting or withholding Leaves of Absence, each Employer or Affiliate shall
apply uniform and non-discriminatory rules to all Employees in similar
circumstances.
1.35 “NORMAL
RETIREMENT DATE” means the first day of the month coincident with or next
following the sixty fifth (65th) birthday of the Participant or Retired
Participant.
1.36 “OPTION”
means any of the optional methods of payment of a Retirement Pension which
a
Participant or Retired Participant may elect in accordance with Article
VI.
1.37 “PARTICIPANT”
means any individual who has become a Participant in the Plan in accordance
with
Sections 2.01, 2.02 or 2.06 and whose participation has not terminated pursuant
to Section 2.05.
1.38 “PAST
FINAL AVERAGE COMPENSATION” means the amount which would have been obtained by
totaling the Compensation of a Participant for the five (5) consecutive full
calendar Years of Service during the last ten (10) calendar year period ending
on December 31, 1988 for which the Participant received his highest
aggregate Compensation (or his Compensation for the number of his consecutive
full calendar Years of Service ending December 31, 1988 if less than five (5)),
except that for purposes of Section 3.02(a)(3), the calculation period shall
end
on December 31, 1989 rather than December 31, 1988; and dividing said aggregate
Compensation by five (5) (or such number of consecutive full calendar Years
of
Service if less than five (5)).
1.39 “PLAN
YEAR” means the twelve (12) consecutive month period beginning on January 1 and
ending on December 31 in any year commencing on or after January 1,
1980.
1.40 “PRIMARY
SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT”
(a) means
the
estimated old age retirement benefit payable to a Participant under the Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance System upon his Retirement on his Normal
Retirement Date or Deferred Retirement Date whichever is applicable; provided,
however, that (i) in the event that either his Termination of Employment or
December 31, 1989 occurs before his Normal Retirement Date, his Primary Social
Security Benefit shall be estimated by computing such benefit, determined
without regard to any Social Security benefit increases that become effective
after his Termination of Employment or December 31, 1988, whichever is later,
as
if in each calendar year beginning in the calendar year in which occurred the
earlier of his Termination of Employment or 1989, he continued to receive the
same Compensation (defined as, Compensation in the calendar year preceding
the
earlier of his Termination of Employment or 1989, but including overtime,
bonuses and commissions otherwise excluded under Section 1.14 (b)), as he
received in the Plan Year last preceding the earlier of his Termination of
Employment or 1989; and (ii) the Participant’s calendar year earnings in the
year of his Employment Commencement Date and for the prior calendar years shall
be estimated by applying a salary scale, projected backwards, to the
Participant’s Compensation for the calendar year immediately following the
calendar year of the Participant’s Employment Commencement Date, such salary
scale being the actual change in the average wages from year to year as
determined by the Social Security Administration.
(b) (1)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection (a), each Participant may have
his
Primary Social Security Benefit determined on the basis on his actual salary
history for the period ending on the earlier of his Termination of Employment
or
the December 31 applicable to the Participant for purposes of Subsection (a)
within ninety (90) days after the later of (A) his Termination of Employment
or
(B) the date on which he is notified of the benefit to which he is
entitled.
11
(2) As
soon
as practicable after a Participant’s Termination of employment, the Committee
shall mail or personally deliver to the Participant a notice informing him
(A)
of his right to supply the actual salary history described in Paragraph (b)
(1),
(B) of the financial consequences of failing to supply such history and (C)
that
he can obtain such actual salary history from the Social Security
Administration.
1.41 “QUALIFIED
JOINT AND SURVIVOR ANNUITY” means an annuity for the life of a Participant,
with, if the Participant is married to a Spouse on his Retirement Pension
Starting Date, a survivor annuity for the life of such Spouse which is one-half
(½) of the amount of the annuity payable during the joint lives of the
Participant and such Spouse. Any benefit payable in the form of a Qualified
Joint and Survivor Annuity shall be the Actuarial Equivalent of the
Participant’s Retirement Pension.
1.42 “QUALIFIED
PRERETIREMENT SURVIVOR ANNUITY” means:
(a) in
the
case of a Participant who dies after his Early Retirement Date, a monthly life
annuity for a Participant’s Spouse or Domestic Partner equal to fifty percent
(50%) of the benefit such Participant would have received had he retired on
the
day before his death and commenced receiving his Retirement Pension on such
date, reduced in accordance with Section 5.01, except that no reduction shall
be
made for the joint and survivor factor; and
(b) in
the
case of a Participant who dies on or prior to his Early Retirement Date, a
monthly life annuity for a Participant’s Spouse or Domestic Partner equal to
fifty percent (50%) of the benefit such Participant would have received if
the
Participant’s Termination of Employment had occurred on the date of his death,
and such Participant had survived to his Early Retirement Date, had retired
immediately upon attainment of his Early Retirement Date and immediately
commenced receiving his Retirement Pension, reduced as provided in Section
5.01,
except that a reduction shall be made for the joint and survivor factor. The
annuity described in this Subsection (b) shall commence to be payable, at the
election of such Spouse or Domestic Partner , as of the first day of any month
coincident with or next following the date on which the Participant would have
attained his Early Retirement Date.
(c) in
the
case of any vested Participant referred to in Section 4.04(a) of this Plan
(a
“Vested Terminated Participant”) who dies on or prior to his Early Retirement or
Normal Retirement, a monthly life annuity for the Vested Terminated
Participant’s Spouse or Domestic Partner equal to fifty percent (50%) of the
benefit such Vested Terminated Participant would have received if the Vested
Terminated Participant’s Termination of Employment had occurred on the date of
his death, and such Vested Terminated Participant had survived to his Early
Retirement Date, had retired immediately upon attainment of his Early Retirement
Date and immediately commenced receiving his Retirement Pension, reduced as
provided in Section 5.01, except that a reduction shall be made for the joint
and survivor factor. The annuity described in this Subsection (c) shall commence
to be payable, at the election of such Spouse or Domestic Partner , as of the
first day of any month coincident with or next following the date on which
the
Vested Terminated Participant would have attained his Early Retirement
Date.
12
1.43 “REQUIRED
BEGINNING DATE”
(a) for
a
Participant who is not a 5-percent owner (as defined in Section 416 of the
Code)
in the Plan Year in which he attains age 70½ and who attains age 70½ after
December 31, 1998, April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar
year in which occurs the later of the Participant’s (i) attainment of age 70½ or
(ii) Retirement.
(b) for
a
Participant who (i) is a 5-percent owner (as defined in Section 416 of
the Code) in the Plan Year in which he attains age 70½,
or (ii)
attains age 70½
before
January 1, 1999, April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar
year in which the Participant attains age 70½.
1.44 “RETIRED
PARTICIPANT” means any Participant or former Participant who is entitled to
benefits pursuant to Article III, IV or V.
1.45 “RETIREMENT”
means any Termination of Employment, other than by reason of death, on or after
an Employee’s Early or Normal Retirement Date.
1.46 “RETIREMENT
PENSION” b)
means
the annual pension to which a Participant shall become entitled pursuant to
Article III, IV or V. Except as otherwise provided in this Plan, such Retirement
Pension shall be a non-assignable annuity payable in monthly installments,
each
of which shall be equal to one-twelfth (1/12th) of the Retirement Pension
determined pursuant to Article III, IV or V, whichever is applicable. The
first payment of such Retirement Pension shall be made in accordance with the
appropriate provisions of Article III, IV or V, and, except as otherwise
provided in this Plan, the last such payment shall be made on the first day
of
the month within which the Retired Participant’s death occurs.
(b) Nothing
herein shall affect or lessen the rights of any Participant or Beneficiary
or
the right of any Participant to receive a Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity
under the provisions of Section 3.03 or to elect any optional form of payment
under the provisions of Article VI.
1.47 “RETIREMENT
PENSION STARTING DATE” means the date as of which a Retired Participant’s
Retirement Pension commences to be payable under the terms of this Plan. A
Participant’s Retirement Pension Starting Date shall in no event be later than
the sixtieth (60th) day after the last day of the Plan Year in which occurs
the
later of the date on which he attains the age of sixty-five (65) years or the
date of his Termination of Employment, but in no event later than the
Participant’s Required Beginning Date.
1.48 “SPOUSE”
means, subject to applicable federal law:
(a) in
the
case of a Participant who dies before his Retirement Pension Starting Date,
his
lawfully married spouse on the date of his death if such spouse was married
to
such Participant;
13
(b) in
the
case of a Participant who dies on or after his Retirement Pension Starting
Date,
his lawfully married spouse on his Retirement Pension Starting Date;
and
(c) a
former
spouse of the Participant to the extent provided in a qualified domestic
relations order as described in Section 414(p) of the Code.
1.49 “SPOUSAL
CONSENT” means with respect to the election by a married Participant not to
receive a Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity pursuant to Section 3.03 as
a
Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity pursuant to Section 7.02(a) or to
the
consent of a Participant’s Spouse to the commencement of a Participant’s
Retirement Pension pursuant to Section 4.04 or 5.01, that
(a) the
Participant’s Spouse consents in writing to such election or Retirement Pension
commencement, and the Spouse’s consent acknowledges the effect of such election
and is witnessed by a member of the Committee or by a notary public;
or
(b) it
is
established to the Committee’s satisfaction that the consent required under
Subsection (a) hereof is unobtainable because the Participant is unmarried,
because the Participant’s Spouse cannot be located, or because of such other
circumstances as the Secretary of the Treasury may by regulation
prescribe.
Any
such
consent and any such determination as to the impossibility of obtaining such
consent shall be effective only with respect to the individual who signs such
consent or with respect to whom such determination is made and not with respect
to any individual who may subsequently become the Spouse of such
Participant.
1.50 “TERMINATION
OF EMPLOYMENT” means the date on which an Employee ceases to be employed by an
Employer or Affiliate for any reason; provided, however, that no Termination
of
Employment shall be deemed to occur upon an Employee’s transfer from the employ
of one employer or Affiliate to the employ of another Employer or
Affiliate.
1.51 “TOP
PAID
GROUP” means the top 20 percent of Employees who performed services for the
Employer during the applicable year, ranked according to the amount of
“415 Compensation” (determined for this purpose in accordance with Section
1.30) received from the Employer during such year. All Affiliated Employers
shall be taken into account as a single employer, and Leased Employees within
the meaning of Sections 414(n)(2) and 414(o)(2) of the Code shall be considered
Employees unless such Leased Employees are covered by a plan described in
Section 414(n)(5) of the Code and are not covered in any qualified plan
maintained by the Employer. Employees who are non-resident aliens and who
received no earned income (within the meaning of Section 911(d)(2) of the Code
from the Employer constituting United States source income within the meaning
of
Section 861(a)(3) of the Code shall not be treated as Employees. Additionally,
for the purpose of determining the number of active Employees in any year,
the
following additional Employees shall also be excluded; however, such Employees
shall still be considered for the purpose of identifying the particular
Employees in the Top Paid Group:
(a) Employees
with less than six (6) months of service;
(b) Employees
who normally work less than 17½ hours per week;
14
(c) Employees
who normally work less than six (6) months during a year; and
(d) Employees
who have not yet attained age 21.
1.52 “TREASURY
REGULATIONS” means the regulations promulgated by the Internal Revenue Service
and the Secretary of the Treasury under the Code.
1.53 “TRUST”
means the trust forming part of this Plan.
1.54 “TRUST
FUND” means all the assets of the Plan which are held by the
Trustee.
1.55 “TRUSTEE”
means the persons or entity acting, at any time, as trustee of the Trust
Fund.
1.56 “YEARS
OF
SERVICE” means the following:
(a) all
Plan
Years during each of which an Employee completes at least one thousand (1,000)
Hours of Service;
(b) for
an
Employee employed by the Company as of December 31, 1979, “Years of Service”
shall include any calendar year during which he was employed on a full-time
basis for the entire year prior to the Effective Date by either the Company,
or
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Inc. (“DLJ”), or an affiliated company of DLJ,
or Wood, Struthers & Winthrop, Inc. or Pershing Co., Inc.;
(c) in
the
case of any Plan Year consisting of fewer than twelve (12) months, the number
of
Hours of Service required to complete a Year of Service shall be determined
by
multiplying the number of months in such short Plan Year by eighty-three and
one-third (83-1/3);
(d) for
the
purpose of applying the rules in Section 4.03 to the eligibility provisions
in
Article II, pursuant to Section 2.06(c), Years of Service shall include the
twelve (12) month period, beginning on an Employee’s Employment Commencement
Date, during which he has completed one thousand (1000) Hours of Service;
and
(e) solely
for the purposes of the eligibility provisions of Article II and the vesting
provisions of Article IV and not for purposes of determining Credited Service
under Section 1.15, in the case of an Employee who was an employee of
Eberstadt Asset Management, Inc. (“Eberstadt”) on November 20, 1984, service
with Eberstadt on or prior to such date shall be considered as service with
an
Employer or an Affiliate;
(f) any
other
provision of the Plan notwithstanding, including but not limited to
Section 3.02(b) and the proviso contained in Section 1.13(b)(2) solely for
the purposes of the eligibility provisions of Article II and the vesting
provisions of Article IV and not for purposes of determining Credited Service
under Section 1.15, in the case of an Employee who was an employee of Equitable
Capital Management Corporation (“ECMC”) on July 22, 1993, service with ECMC
on or prior to such date shall be considered as service with an Employer or
an
Affiliate;
15
(g) for
purposes of determining an Employee’s Early Retirement Date under the Plan, in
the case of any individual who became an Employee on March 3, 1970, such an
Employee (whether or not employed on January 1, 1993) shall be credited with
a
full Year of Service with respect to calendar year 1970, regardless of whether
a
Year of Service would otherwise have been credited under the Plan.
(h) solely
for the purposes of the eligibility provisions of Article II and the vesting
provisions of Article IV and not for purposes of determining Credited Service
under Section 1.15, in the case of an Employee who was an employee of
either Shields Asset Management, Incorporated (“Shields”) or Regent Investor
Services Incorporated (“Regent”) on March 4, 1994 and on that date became
an Employee of an Employer or an Affiliate, the Employee’s service with Shields
or Regent on or prior to such date shall be considered as service with an
Employer or an Affiliate.
(i) solely
for the purposes of the eligibility provisions of Article II and the vesting
provisions of Article IV and not for purposes of determining Credited Service
under Section 1.15, in the case of an Employee who was an employee of
Cursitor Holdings, L.P. or Cursitor Holdings Limited (individually and
collectively, “Cursitor”) on February 29, 1996, and on that date either was
employed by or continued in the employment of Cursitor Alliance LLC, Cursitor
Holdings Limited, Draycott Partners, Ltd. or Cursitor-Eaton Asset Management
Company, the Employee’s service with Cursitor on or prior to that date shall be
considered as service with an Employer or an Affiliate.
16
ARTICLE
II
ELIGIBILITY
FOR PARTICIPATION
2.01 Each
Employee who was a Participant on the Restatement Effective Date shall remain
a
Participant hereunder.
2.02 An
Employee who does not become a Participant pursuant to Section 2.01 and who
has
attained age twenty-one (21) shall become a Participant as follows:
(a) if
he
shall have completed one thousand (1,000) Hours of Service during the twelve
(12) month period beginning on his Employment Commencement Date, he shall become
a Participant as of the Entry Date of the Plan Year in which occurs the end
of
such twelve (12) month period;
(b) if
he has
not satisfied the service requirements of Subsection (a), he shall become a
Participant as of the Entry Date of the Plan Year immediately following the
first Plan Year in which he completes one thousand (1,000) Hours of
Service.
2.03 If
an
Employee has not attained age twenty-one (21) on the date on which he satisfies
the service requirement of Section 2.02, he shall become a Participant on the
Entry Date of the Plan Year in which he attains his twenty-first (21st)
birthday.
2.04 If
the
Administrative Committee so requests, an Employee who has qualified for
participation in the Plan shall file with the Administrative Committee a
statement in such form as the Committee may prescribe, setting forth his age
and
giving such proof thereof as the Administrative Committee may
require.
2.05 A
Participant shall cease to be a Participant as of either:
(a) the
date
of his Termination of Employment if he incurs a Break in Service during the
Plan
Year of such Termination of Employment or in the next succeeding Plan Year;
or
(b) the
first
day of the first Plan Year in which he incurs a Break in Service, if he incurs
a
Break in Service without incurring a Termination of Employment.
2.06 (a)
A former
Participant who has incurred a Break in Service following a Termination of
Employment and who is re-employed by an Employer or Affiliate shall again become
a Participant on the earlier of:
(1) his
most
recent Employment Commencement Date, if he completes one thousand (1,000) Hours
of Service during the twelve (12) month period beginning on such date;
or
(2) the
first
day of the first Plan Year following his most recent Employment Commencement
Date during which he completes one thousand (1,000) Hours of
Service.
17
(b) A
former
Participant who has incurred a Break in Service without a Termination of
Employment shall again become a Participant as of the first day of the
subsequent Plan Year during which he completes one thousand (1,000) Hours of
Service.
(c) If
the
provisions of Section 4.03 are applicable to a former Participant, then Section
2.06(a) or (b) shall be inapplicable, and such former Participant shall again
become a Participant when he satisfies the provisions of Section
2.02.
2.07 An
Employee who is an Excluded Employee on the date on which he would otherwise
become a Participant pursuant to Sections 2.01, 2.02, 2.03, or 2.06, shall
become a Participant on the date, if any, on which he ceases to be an Excluded
Employee, if he is then an Employee.
2.08 Notwithstanding
any provision of this Plan to the contrary, effective as of December 12,
1994, contributions, benefits and service credit with respect to qualified
military service shall be provided in accordance with Section 414(u) of the
Code.
2.09 Notwithstanding
any other provision of the Plan, the following individuals shall not be eligible
to participate or be a Participant in this Plan: (i) any person who becomes
an Employee on or after October 2, 2000 and (ii) employees of Sanford C.
Bernstein, Inc., Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., Inc. and Bernstein Technologies
Inc. and their subsidiaries who became Employees upon or after the consummation
of the transactions described in that certain Acquisition Agreement dated as
of
June 20, 2000, as amended and restated as of October 2, 2000, among Alliance
Capital Management L.P., Alliance Capital Management Holding L.P., Alliance
Capital Management LLC, Sanford C. Bernstein Inc., Bernstein Technologies Inc.,
SCB Partners Inc., Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., LLC and SCB LLC.
18
ARTICLE
III
RETIREMENT
ON OR AFTER NORMAL RETIREMENT DATE
3.01 Each
Participant shall be retired no later than on his seventieth (70th) birthday
if
permitted under the provisions of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act,
unless both he and his Employer agree that he shall be continued as an Employee
beyond that date. Payments from the Plan shall begin in any event on the
Participant’s Required Beginning Date in accordance with Section 3.03(a),
applied as if the Participant’s Retirement occurred on the last day of the
calendar year immediately preceding his Required Beginning Date. If a
Participant continues as an Employee following his Required Beginning Date,
the
amount of the Participant’s Retirement Pension payable upon his actual
Retirement shall be actuarially reduced, using an investment rate of 6% and
the
UP 1984 mortality table with ages set back one year, to reflect any payments
the
Participant received prior to such Retirement following the Required Beginning
Date; provided, however, that the preceding reduction shall not apply to any
Participant who attained his Required Beginning Date before January 1, 1996.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, the provisions
of
this Section 3.01 shall be construed in a manner that complies with Section
401(a)(9) of the Code and, with respect to distributions made on or after
January 1, 2001, the Plan will apply the minimum distribution requirements
of
Section 401(a)(9) of the Code in accordance with the Treasury Regulations
thereunder that were proposed in January 2001, the provisions of which are
hereby incorporated by reference. This preceding sentence shall continue in
effect until the end of the last calendar year beginning before the effective
date of the final regulations under Section 401(a)(9) of the Code or such other
date as may be specified in guidance published by the Internal Revenue
Service.
3.02 (a)
A
Participant shall be fully (100%) vested in his Accrued Benefit on his
sixty-fifth (65th)
birthday. Upon his Retirement on or after his Normal Retirement Date, a
Participant shall be entitled to receive a Retirement Pension, commencing on
such date, equal to:
(1) (A) one
and
one-half percent (1-1/2%) of his Average Final Compensation multiplied by the
number, not exceeding thirty-five (35), of his years of Credited Service
completed prior to his Retirement, reduced by
(B) sixty-five
one hundredths of one percent (.65%) of his Final Average Compensation
multiplied by the number, not exceeding thirty five (35), of his years of
Credited Service completed prior to his Retirement, plus
(C) one
percent (1%) of his Average Final Compensation multiplied by the number, if
any,
of his years of Credited Service exceeding thirty-five (35) completed prior
to
his Retirement, or
(2) (A) one
and
one-half percent (1-1/2%) of his Past Final Average Compensation multiplied
by
the number of his years of Credited Service completed as of December 31, 1988,
reduced by
(B) one
and
two-thirds percent (1-2/3%) of his Primary Social Security Benefit multiplied
by
the number of his years of Credited Service completed as of December 31, l988,
but in no event by more than eighty-three and a third percent (83-1/3%) of
his
Primary Social Security Benefit, plus
19
(C) one
and
one-half percent (1-1/2%) of his Average Final Compensation multiplied by the
number, not exceeding thirty-five (35) (less the number of years of Credited
Service referred to in Paragraph (2) (A) hereof, but not reduced below zero),
of
his years of Credited Service completed after 1988 and prior to January 1,
1991,
reduced by
(D) sixty-five
one hundredths of one percent (.65%) of his Final Average Compensation
multiplied by the number, not exceeding thirty-five (35) (less the number of
years of Credited Service referred to in Paragraph (2) (A) hereof, but not
reduced below zero), of his years of Credited Service completed after 1988
and
prior to January 1, 1991, plus
(E) one
percent (1%) of his Average Final Compensation multiplied by the number, if
any,
of his years of Credited Service exceeding thirty-five (35) completed after
1988
and prior to January 1, 1991.
(3) Notwithstanding
Paragraphs (1) and (2) above, in the case of a Participant who is not a Highly
Compensated Employee described in Section 414(q)(1)(A) or (B) of the Code,
the
Retirement Pension shall not be less than:
(A) one
and
one-half percent (1-1/2%) of his Past Final Average Compensation multiplied
by
the number of his years of Credited Service completed prior to 1990, reduced
by
(B) one
and
two-thirds percent (1-2/3%) of his Primary Social Security Benefit, multiplied
by the number of his years of Credited Service completed prior to 1990, but
in
no event by more than eighty-three and one third percent (83-1/3%) of his
Primary Social Security Benefit.
(b) Notwithstanding
Subsection (a), the Retirement Pension of a Participant who is referred to
in
the proviso of Section 1.15(b)(2) shall be reduced, but not below the amount
computed under Subsection (a) without regard to the Participant’s Credited
Service referred to in that proviso, by the retirement pension based on the
Credited Service referred to in the proviso which the Participant is entitled
to
receive upon his Retirement on or after his Normal Retirement Date pursuant
to
the “defined benefit plan” of any Affiliate referred to in the proviso or any
successor or transferor plan or that he would have been entitled to receive
but
for the prior payment of all or a portion of his benefits under any such
plan.
(c) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the retirement pension to which a participant is entitled upon
his actual date of Retirement shall in no case be less than the Retirement
Pension to which he would have been entitled if he had retired on any earlier
date on or after his Early Retirement Date.
(d) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Plan, the Retirement Pension of a Participant,
calculated on a life annuity basis, may not exceed $100,000 per
year.
20
(e) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the Retirement Pension of a Participant described in this
subsection (e) shall be equal to the greater of:
(1) the
Participant’s Retirement Pension determined under Section 3.02(a)-(d) as
applied to the Participant’s total years of Credited Service under the Plan;
or
(2) the
sum
of: (A) the Participant’s Retirement Pension as of December 31, 1993,
frozen in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.401(a)(4)-13, and (B)
the Participant’s Retirement Pension determined under 3.02(a)-(d), as applied to
the Participant’s years of Credited Service accrued after December 31,
1993.
The
previous sentence shall apply only to a Participant whose Retirement Pension
determined on or after January 1, 1994 is based, at least in part, on
Compensation for a Plan Year beginning prior to January 1, 1994 that exceeded
$150,000.
(f) If
a
Participant (other than a 5% owner as described in Section 414(q) of the Code)
continues as an Employee after the April 1 of the calendar year following the
calendar year in which such Participant attains age 70½ (the “April 1 Date”),
the provisions of this Section 3.02(f) shall apply in place of the provisions
of
Section 3.04(a) for periods of employment after the April 1 Date. The
Participant’s Accrued Benefit, determined as of any date after the April 1 Date,
shall equal the greater of:
(1) the
Actuarial Equivalent, as of the date of such determination, of the Participant’s
Accrued Benefit determined as of the April 1 Date (if the determination is
made
in the Plan Year in which the April 1 Date occurs), or determined as of the
last
day of the prior Plan Year (if the determination is made in any later year),
or
(2) the
Participant’s Accrued Benefit determined as of the last day of the prior Plan
Year, increased by any additional accrual due to Credited Service earned in
the
current Plan Year.
3.03 (a)(1) Notwithstanding
any other provision of the Plan and except as provided in Paragraph (2) hereof
and in Subsection (b), the Retirement Pension of a married Participant or former
married Participant shall be paid in the form of a Qualified Joint and Survivor
Annuity, and if the Participant is not married, in the form of a Single Life
Annuity.
(2) Distribution
to a Participant in a single sum payment of the entire Actuarial Equivalent
of
the Accrued Benefit to which he has become entitled shall be made:
(A) if
such
distribution is made prior to the date on which payment of the Qualified Joint
and Survivor Annuity commences and the amount of such distribution is $5,000
(for Participants whose Termination of Employment occurs before January 1,
1998,
$3,500) or less; or
21
(B) in
any
case not described in subparagraph (A), with the written consent of the
Participant and his Spouse (or, if the Participant has died, of his surviving
Spouse).
For
purposes of this Subsection, if the Actuarial Equivalent of the Retirement
Pension to which a Participant has become entitled is zero, the Participant
shall be deemed to have fully received a distribution of such zero Retirement
Pension in a single sum.
Effective
as of March 28, 2005, single sum payments pursuant to subparagraph 3.03(a)(2)(A)
will be made without the Participant’s consent if the amount of the distribution
is $1,000 or less and will be made only with the Participant’s consent if the
amount exceeds $1,000 but is not in excess of $5,000.
(b) A
Participant or former Participant shall have the right to elect, during the
ninety (90) day period terminating on his Retirement Pension Starting Date
and
subject to Spousal Consent, not to receive his Retirement Pension in the form
of
a Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity. Any election made under this Subsection
(b) may be revoked at any time and, once revoked, may be made
again.
(c) The
Committee shall provide to each Participant, no less than 30 days and no more
than 180 days (90 days before January 1, 2007) before his or her Retirement
Pension Starting Date, a written explanation of:
(1) the
terms
and conditions of the Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity;
(2) the
Participant’s right to make, and the effect of, an election under Subsection (b)
to waiver the Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity; and
(3) the
rights of the Participant’s Spouse with respect to such election;
and
(4) the
right
to make, and the effect of, a revocation of any such election.
A
Participant may elect (with any applicable spousal consent) to waive the
requirement that the written explanation be provided at least 30 days before
the
Retirement Pension Starting Date if the distribution commences more than 7
days
after such explanation is provided.
(d) The
written notification described in Subsection (c) shall be furnished by the
Committee by mail or personal delivery to the Participant or, to the extent
permitted by regulations, by posting such notification, in accordance with
Treasury Regulation Section 1.7476-2(c) (1), at all locations normally used
by the Employer for the posting of employee matters.
(e) If
a
Participant so requests on or before the sixtieth (60th) day after the
information described in Subsection (c) is furnished to him (or by such later
date as the Committee shall prescribe), within thirty (30) days after its
receipt of such request, personally deliver or mail to him a written explanation
of the terms and conditions of the Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity and
of
the financial effect on the Participant’s Retirement Pension (in terms of
dollars per Retirement Pension payment), of electing and of not electing to
receive benefits in such form.
22
(f) A
Participant who elects not to receive his Retirement Pension in the form of
a
Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity or whose Spouse does not meet the
requirements of Section 1.48 shall receive his Retirement Pension in the form
specified by the Option which he has elected pursuant to Article VII or, if
no
such Option has been elected, in the form of an annuity for his own
life.
3.04 Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Plan (except to the extent otherwise
provided in Section 3.02(f)),
(a) If
a
Participant continues as an Employee after his Normal Retirement Date, the
Participant’s Accrued Benefit shall be actuarially increased to take into
account the period after his Normal Retirement Date during which the Participant
was not receiving any benefits under the Plan. The Participant’s Accrued
Benefit, determined as of any date after his Normal Retirement Date, shall
equal
the greater of:
(1) the
Actuarial Equivalent, as of the date of such determination, of the Participant’s
Accrued Benefit determined as of his Normal Retirement Date (if the
determination is made in the Plan Year in which he reaches his Normal Retirement
Date), or determined as of the last day of the prior Plan Year (if the
determination is made in any later year), or
(2) the
Participant’s Accrued Benefit determined as of the last day of the prior Plan
Year, increased by any additional accrual due to Credited Service earned in
the
current Plan Year.
(b) If
a
Participant, after his Normal Retirement Date, again becomes an Employee, his
Retirement Pension shall be suspended during the period of his reemployment.
The
amount of such reemployed Participant’s Retirement Pension payable upon his
subsequent retirement shall be determined in accordance with Section 3.04(a),
except that (1) the Participant’s date of reemployment shall be substituted for
the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date and (2) such Retirement Pension shall
be reduced by the Actuarial Equivalent of the retirement benefits previously
received.
23
ARTICLE
IV
VESTING
4.01 (a)
Participant whose Termination of Employment occurs, other than by reason of
his
death or Disability, prior to his Early Retirement Date, shall have a vested
interest in his Accrued Benefit determined in accordance with the following
schedule:
Years
of Service
|
Percentage
Vested
|
|||
Fewer
than Five
|
0
|
%
|
||
Five
or more
|
100
|
%
|
provided
that the applicable percentage for a Participant who had four (4) but fewer
than
five (5) Years of Service prior to October 25, 1989 shall in no event be less
than forty percent (40%).
(b) Notwithstanding
the foregoing, a Participant shall be fully (100%) vested upon his death, upon
his Termination of Employment due to Disability, or upon attaining his Early
Retirement Date.
4.02 If
a
former Employee again becomes an Employee after having incurred a Break in
Service, the Years of Service which he had completed prior to such Break in
Service shall be disregarded for all purposes under this Plan until he shall
have completed one (1) Year of Service after such Break in Service.
4.03 If
a
former Employee:
(a) has
incurred a number of consecutive Breaks in Service which equals or exceeds
the
greater of (i) five (5) or (ii) the number of his Years of Service before such
Breaks in Service;
(b) had
no
vested interest in his Accrued Benefit at the time of such Break in Service;
and
(c) again
becomes an Employee, his Years of Service prior to such Breaks in Service shall
be disregarded for all purposes under this plan.
4.04 (a)
A vested
Participant whose Termination of Employment occurs, other than by reason of
his
death or Disability, prior to his Early Retirement Date shall be entitled to
a
Retirement Pension:
(1) commencing
on his Early Retirement Date; or
(2) at
his
written election, commencing on the first day of any month after his Early
Retirement Date but not later than his Normal Retirement Date;
and
which
is the Actuarial Equivalent, as of his Retirement Pension Starting Date, of
his
Accrued Benefit; provided, that without the written consent of the Participant,
and if the Participant is married, Spousal Consent, such Retirement Pension
shall not commence prior to his Normal Retirement Date if the Actuarial
Equivalent of such Retirement Pension is greater than $5,000 (for Participants
whose Termination of Employment occurs before January 1, 1998,
$3,500).
24
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Plan, if a Participant is entitled to a Retirement
Pension pursuant to the provisions of this Article IV, such Retirement Pension
shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.04.
4.05 In
the
case of a former Participant who is reemployed by any Employer or an Affiliate
before such Participant’s Normal Retirement Date:
(a) if
he is
receiving a Retirement Pension at the time of his reemployment, such Retirement
Pension shall be suspended during the period of his reemployment, and any years
of Credited Service with respect to which he has received any benefits under
this Plan shall be taken into account for purposes of determining his benefit
under benefit accrual provisions of Section 3.02 or Subsection 11.04(a)(2),
but
the amount of his Retirement Pension, when payable, shall be reduced by the
Actuarial Equivalent of such benefits previously received;
(b) if
he had
received a single sum distribution (or been deemed to have received such a
distribution under Subsection 3.03(a)(2) hereof) or any optional payment under
the terms of the Plan, his Years of Credited Service with respect to which
he
had received any benefits under this Plan shall be taken into account for
purposes of determining his benefit under the benefit accrual provisions of
Section 3.01 or Subsection 11.04(a)(2), but the amount of his Retirement
Pension, when payable, shall be reduced by the Actuarial Equivalent of the
benefits previously received. In the case of an Employee whose period
of reemployment extends beyond his Normal Retirement Date, the provisions
of Section 3.04(a) shall apply in addition to the provisions of this
Section 4.05.
25
ARTICLE
V
EARLY
RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY BENEFIT
5.01 Upon
Retirement on or after his Early Retirement Date but before his Normal
Retirement Date, a Participant shall be entitled to elect to receive, with
his
written consent and the consent of his Spouse, if applicable, a Retirement
Pension commencing on:
(a) the
first
day of the month coincident with or next following the date of his Retirement;
or
(b) the
first
day of any month which precedes his Normal Retirement Date;
which
is
the Actuarial Equivalent as of his Normal Retirement Date of his Accrued
Benefit.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, however, in no event shall the Participant’s Retirement Pension
payable pursuant to this Section 5.01 be less than the Participant’s Retirement
Pension determined under this Section as of December 31, 1995 based on the
Annuity Purchase Rate and mortality determined by application of the UP-1984
mortality table set back one year.
5.02 Upon
a
Participant’s Termination of Employment due to Disability, he shall be fully
(100%) vested in his Accrued Benefit and shall be entitled to receive a
Retirement Pension commencing on his Normal Retirement which is equal to his
Accrued Benefit as of the date of his Termination of Employment.
5.03 Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Plan, if a Participant is entitled to a Retirement
Pension pursuant to the provisions of this Article V, such Retirement Pension
shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.04.
26
ARTICLE
VI
OPTIONAL
METHODS OF PAYMENT
6.01 The
optional methods of payment set forth in this Section 6.01 shall be available
under the Plan and shall be elected in the manner provided herein.
(a) Election
Procedure.
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect any of the Options provided herein,
which Option shall be the Actuarial Equivalent (determined as of his Retirement
Pension Starting Date) of the Retirement Pension otherwise payable to him in
accordance with Article III, IV or V, whichever is applicable; provided,
however, that no Option may be elected which would permit his Beneficiary (other
than his Spouse) to receive a benefit which is fifty percent (50%) or more
of
the Actuarial Equivalent (determined as of the Participant’s projected
Retirement Pension Starting Date) of the combined benefits payable to such
Beneficiary and such Participant or Retired Participant. Such election shall
be
made in accordance with Section 3.03(b) . Except as otherwise provided in this
Article VI, an Option shall become effective on the later of (1) the date a
Participant elects an Option, or (2) his Retirement Pension Starting Date.
If a
Participant or Retired Participant dies before the date on which an Option
becomes effective, any election of such Option shall be null and void. A married
Participant may elect an Option only if he elects, in accordance with Section
3.03, not to receive benefits in the form of a Qualified Joint and Survivor
Annuity.
(b) The
following Options may be elected by a Participant:
Option
1
Life
Annuity:
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect to receive his Retirement Pension
in the form of an annuity for his own life only.
Option
2
Joint
and Survivor Annuity:
(A)
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect to receive an actuarially adjusted
Retirement Pension payable to himself in equal monthly installments for his
lifetime and thereafter payable to his Beneficiary, if such Beneficiary survives
him, in equal monthly installments at a rate of fifty percent (50%),
seventy-five percent (75%) or one hundred percent (100%), as the Participant
or
Retired Participant may designate, of the Retirement Pension payable during
their joint lifetimes. Election of this Option is conditioned upon the statement
of the name and gender of the Beneficiary in such election, and in addition,
the
delivery to the Administrative Committee within ninety (90) days after filing
such election of proof, satisfactory to the Administrative Committee, of the
age
of the Beneficiary.
(2) If
his
Beneficiary dies before the Retirement Pension Starting Date of the Participant
or Retired Participant, any election of this Option 2 shall be null and
void.
(3) If
his
Beneficiary dies after the Retired Participant’s Retirement Pension Starting
Date, the election of this Option 2 shall be effective, and the Participant
or
Retired Participant shall receive or continue to receive the same actuarially
adjusted Retirement Pension as if his Beneficiary had not predeceased
him.
27
Option
3
Life
Annuity - Period Certain:
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect to receive an actuarially adjusted
Retirement Pension payable in equal monthly installments for his lifetime or
over a period certain not longer than the greater of the Participant’s life
expectancy on his Retirement Pension Starting Date, or the joint life and last
survivor expectancy of the Participant or Retired Participant and his
Beneficiary on his Retirement Pension Starting Date, determined under the
Treasury Regulations under Section 72 of the Code. If the Participant or Retired
Participant dies prior to the end of the period certain, the remaining
installments shall be paid to his Beneficiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
effective 180 days after the adoption of this amended and restated Plan
document, the period certain option shall be limited to a period certain of
either ten (10) years or fifteen (15) years as elected by a
Participant.
Option
4
Single
Sum Distribution:
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect to receive the Actuarial Equivalent
of his Accrued Benefit, computed as of his Retirement date, in the form of
a
single sum distribution. Such amount shall be paid to him, or, if he dies
between the date on which the distribution first becomes payable and the date
of
actual distribution, to his Beneficiary, within sixty days after the date which
would otherwise have been his Retirement Pension Starting Date; provided,
however, that the entire amount shall be distributed within a single taxable
year of the recipient. In no event shall a Participant’s benefit payable under
this Option 4 be less than would have been payable under the terms of the Plan
in effect on December 31, 1995 based on the Participant’s Accrued Benefit as of
that date.
Option
5
Payment
in Installments:
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect to have the Actuarial Equivalent
of
his Accrued Benefit, computed as of his Retirement date, paid to him in
approximately equal installments, payable no less often than annually, over
a
period certain not longer than the greater of the Participant’s life expectancy
on his Retirement Pension Starting Date, or the joint life and last survivor
expectancy of the Participant or Retired Participant and his Beneficiary on
his
Retirement Pension Starting Date, determined under the Treasury Regulations
under Section 72 of the Code. If the Participant or Retired Participant dies
prior to the end of the period certain, the remaining installments shall be
paid
to his Beneficiary. In no event shall a Participant’s benefit payable under this
Option 5 be less than would have been payable under the terms of the Plan in
effect on December 31, 1995 based on the Participant’s Accrued Benefit as of
that date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, effective 180 days after the adoption
of this amended and restated Plan document, the installment option shall be
limited to a period certain of either ten (10) years or fifteen (15) years
as
elected by a Participant.
(c) Change
of Option:
A
Participant or Retired Participant may elect to change the Option then in effect
at any time during the period provided in Subsection (a) within which an Option
may be elected; provided, however, that a Participant or Retired Participant
may
not elect to change the Option then in effect more frequently than once during
any consecutive twelve (12) month period.
28
(d) Designation
of Beneficiary:
(1) Upon
receipt of notification from the Administrative Committee that he has qualified
for participation in the Plan, a Participant may designate a Beneficiary or
Beneficiaries and a successor Beneficiary or Beneficiaries. A Participant or
Retired Participant may change such designation from time to time by filing
a
new designation with the Administrative Committee. No change of Beneficiary
shall require the consent of any previously designated Beneficiary, and no
Beneficiary shall have any rights under this Plan except as specifically
provided by its terms.
(2) If
a
Retired Participant (other than one who has elected Option 1 or 2) has failed
to
designate a Beneficiary, or if his Beneficiary has predeceased him, or if he
has
instructed the Administrative Committee in writing to designate a Beneficiary,
the Administrative Committee shall designate a Beneficiary or Beneficiaries
on
his behalf, but only from among his Spouse, descendants (including adoptive
descendants), parents, brothers and sisters, or nephews and nieces; provided,
however, that if the Retired Participant had instructed the Administrative
Committee in writing to designate in a specified order or from a specified
group, the Administrative Committee shall act only in accordance with such
written instructions. If a Retired Participant has no validly designated
Beneficiary, the Actuarial Equivalent of any amounts which would otherwise
have
been payable to a Beneficiary shall be paid to the Retired Participant’s
estate.
(3) If
the
Beneficiary of a Participant or Retired Participant predeceases him the rights
of such Beneficiary shall thereupon terminate.
(4) If
a
Retired Participant dies after any installment of his Retirement Pension has
become due but has not yet been paid to him, the balance of such installment
shall be paid to his Beneficiary.
6.02 The
Administrative Committee is authorized and empowered from time to time to adopt
and fairly to administer regulations relating to the exercise or operation
of an
Option; provided, however, that no such regulation shall be inconsistent with
the provisions of Section 6.01. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing
such regulations may prescribe:
(a) such
terms and conditions as the Administrative Committee shall deem appropriate
in
respect of the exercise of any Option;
(b) the
form
of application;
(c) any
information or proof thereof to be furnished by a Participant, a Retired
Participant or a Beneficiary in connection with any Option; and
(d) any
other
requirement or condition relating to any Option.
29
6.03 The
Administrative Committee may, in its sole discretion, at any time or from time
to time, provide the benefits to which any Retired Participant or his
Beneficiary is entitled under this Plan by purchase of any form of nonassignable
annuity contract. Upon the purchase of any such contract, the rights of the
Retired Participant and his Beneficiary to receive any payments pursuant to
this
Plan shall be exclusively limited to such rights as may accrue under such
contract, and neither such Retired Participant nor his Beneficiary shall have
any further claim against his Employer, the Administrative Committee, the
Trustee or any other person.
6.04 If,
at
any time, any Retired Participant or his Beneficiary is, in the judgment of
the
Administrative Committee, legally, physically or mentally incapable of
personally receiving and receipting for any payment due hereunder, payment
may,
in the discretion of the Administrative Committee, be made to the guardian
or
legal representative of such Retired Participant or Beneficiary or, if none
exists, to any other person or institution which, in the judgment of the
Administrative Committee, is then maintaining, or then has custody of, such
Retired Participant or Beneficiary.
6.05 Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained in this Plan:
(a) The
entire interest of each Participant must be distributed or begin to be
distributed no later than the Participant’s Required Beginning
Date.
(b) Distributions,
if not made in a single sum, may only be made over one of the following periods
(or a combination thereof):
(1) the
life
of the Participant,
(2) the
life
of the Participant and Designated Beneficiary,
(3) a
period
certain not extending beyond the life expectancy of the Participant,
or
(4) a
period
certain not extending beyond the joint and last survivor expectancy of the
Participant and his Designated Beneficiary.
(c) If
the
Participant dies after distribution of his or her interest has begun, the
remaining portion of such interest will continue to be distributed at least
as
rapidly as under the method of distribution being used prior to the
Participant’s death.
(d) If
the
Participant dies before distribution of his or her interest begins, distribution
of the Participant’s entire interest shall be completed by December 31 of the
calendar year containing the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Participant’s death
except to the extent that an election is made to receive distributions in
accordance with (1) or (2) below:
(1) If
any
portion of the Participant’s interest is payable to a Beneficiary, distributions
may be made over the life or over a period certain not greater than the life
expectancy of the Designated Beneficiary commencing on or before December 31
of
the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the
Participant died;
30
(2) If
the
Beneficiary is the Participant’s surviving Spouse, the date distributions are
required to begin in accordance with (a) above shall not be earlier than
December 31 of the calendar year in which the Participant would have attained
age 70-1/2;
(3) If
the
surviving Spouse dies before the distributions to such spouse begin, the
provisions of this Section 6.05(d), shall be applied as if the surviving spouse
were the Participant.
(e) Any
amount paid to a child of the Participant will be treated as if it has been
paid
to the surviving Spouse if the amount becomes payable to the surviving spouse
when the child reaches the age of majority.
(f) The
life
expectancy of a Participant and his Spouse may be recalculated annually. The
life expectancy of a non-Spouse beneficiary may not be
recalculated.
(g) Notwithstanding
any provision of this Plan to the contrary, the provisions of this Section
6.05
shall be construed in a manner that complies with Section 401(a)(9) of the
Code
and, with respect to distributions made on or after January 1, 2001, the Plan
will apply the minimum distribution requirements of Section 401(a)(9) of the
Code in accordance with the Treasury Regulations thereunder that were proposed
in January 2001, the provisions of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
This subsection (g) shall continue in effect until the end of the last calendar
year beginning before the effective date of the final regulations under Section
401(a)(9) of the Code or such other date as may be specified in guidance
published by the Internal Revenue Service.
(h) Notwithstanding
any provision of this Plan to the contrary, the provisions of this Section
6.05
shall be construed in a manner that complies with Section 401(a)(9) of the
Code
and the final Treasury Regulations thereunder, as reflected in Appendix A to
the
Plan.
6.06 Notwithstanding
anything contained herein to the contrary, unless the Participant elects
otherwise, distributions to the Participant will commence no later than the
60th
day after the close of the Plan Year in which occurs the latest of:
(1) the
Participant’s attainment of age 65;
(2) the
10th
anniversary of the year in which the Participant commenced participation in
the
Plan; or
(3) the
Participant’s termination of service with the Employer.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the failure of a Participant and his Spouse to consent to a
distribution at any time that any portion of the Accrued Benefit could be
distributed to the Participant or his surviving Spouse prior to the time the
Participant attains (or would have attained if not deceased) age 65, shall
be
deemed to be an election to defer payment of any benefit sufficient to satisfy
this Section 6.06.
31
ARTICLE
VII
DEATH
BENEFIT
7.01 No
benefits under this Plan shall be payable on account of the death of a
Participant or Retired Participant other than a death benefit pursuant to
Section 3.03, an Option validly elected under Article VI, or this Article
VII.
7.02 (a)
Except as provided in Subsection (b), if a Participant who is vested in any
portion of his Accrued Benefit should die prior to his Retirement Pension
Starting Date, his Spouse or Domestic Partner shall be entitled to receive
a
Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity.
(b) Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Article VII, distributions of the Actuarial
Equivalent of the Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity to which a surviving
Spouse or Domestic Partner has become entitled shall immediately be made or
commence to be made to the surviving Spouse or Domestic Partner in a form other
than the Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity:
(1) if
such
distribution is made prior to the date on which payments of the Qualified
Preretirement Survivor Annuity commence and the amount of such distribution
is
$5,000 (for Participants whose Termination of Employment occurs before January
1, 1998, $3,500) or less; or
(2) in
any
case not described in Paragraph (1), with the written consent of such surviving
Spouse.
7.03 (a)
The
Committee shall provide each Participant within the “applicable period” for such
Participant a written explanation of the Qualified Preretirement Survivor
Annuity comparable to the explanation required in Section 3.03(c).
(b) The
applicable period is whichever of the following periods ends last:
(1) the
period beginning with the first day of the Plan Year in which the Participant
attains age 32 and ending with the close of the Plan Year preceding the Plan
Year in which the Participant attains age 35;
(2) “a
reasonable period” ending after the individual becomes a Participant;
and
(3) “a
reasonable period” ending after this Section 7.03 first applies to the
Participant.
For
purposes of this Section 7.03, “a reasonable period” is the end of the two year
period beginning one year prior to the date the applicable event occurs, and
ending one year after that date.
(c) Notwithstanding
the foregoing in the case of a Participant who separates from service before
the
Plan Year in which age 35 is attained, notice shall be provided within the
two
year period beginning one year prior to separation and ending one year after
separation. If the Participant thereafter returns to employment with the
Employer, the “applicable period” for such participant shall be
redetermined.
32
ARTICLE
VIII
DIRECT
ROLLOVER DISTRIBUTIONS
8.01 Upon
receiving directions from a Member who is eligible to receive a distribution
from the Plan which constitutes an eligible rollover distribution, as defined
in
Section 402(c)(4)of the Code, to transfer all or any part of such distribution
to an eligible retirement plan, as defined in Section 402(c)(8)(B), the
Administrative Committee shall cause the portion of the distribution which
the
Participant has elected to so transfer to be transferred directly to such
eligible retirement plan; provided, however, that the Participant shall be
required to notify the Administrative Committee of the identity of the eligible
retirement plan at the time and in the manner that the Administrative Committee
shall prescribe and the Administrative Committee may require the Participant
or
the eligible retirement plan to provide a statement that the eligible retirement
plan is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code (if the plan
is intended to be so qualified) or otherwise meets the requirements necessary
to
be an eligible retirement plan.
8.02 Upon
receiving instructions from a Beneficiary who is the Participant’s Spouse who is
eligible to receive a distribution pursuant to the Plan that constitutes an
eligible rollover distribution as defined in Section 402(c)(4) of the Code,
to
transfer all or any part of such distribution to a plan that constitutes an
eligible retirement plan under Section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Code with respect
to
that distribution, the Administrative Committee shall cause the portion of
the
distribution which such Spouse has elected to so transfer to the eligible
retirement plan so designated; provided, however, that the Spouse shall be
required to notify the Administrative Committee of the identity of the eligible
retirement plan at the time and in the manner that the Committee shall
prescribe.
8.03 The
Administrative Committee may accomplish the direct transfer described in Section
8.01 or Section 8.02, as applicable, by delivering a check to the Participant
or
Spouse (in each case, a “Distributee”) which is payable to the trustee,
custodian or other appropriate fiduciary of the eligible retirement plan, or
by
such other means as the Administrative Committee may in its discretion
determine. The Administrative Committee may establish such rules and procedures
regarding minimum amounts which may be the subject of direct transfers and
other
matters pertaining to direct transfers as it deems necessary from time to
time.
33
ARTICLE
IX
EMPLOYER
CONTRIBUTION AND FUNDING POLICY
9.01 This
Plan
contemplates that each Employer shall, from time to time, contribute such
amounts as may, in accordance with Section 412 of the Code and sound actuarial
principles (as recommended by an actuary enrolled pursuant to Section 3042
of
ERISA), be deemed necessary by such Employer to provide the benefits
contemplated hereunder.
9.02 All
contributions made by any Employer shall be paid directly to the Trustee for
deposit in the Trust Fund.
9.03 Any
forfeiture arising under the provisions of this Plan shall be applied to reduce
contributions which would otherwise be required to be made by the Employers
pursuant to Section 9.01.
9.04 The
Company shall establish a funding policy and method consistent with the
objectives of the Plan and the requirements of Title I of ERISA. In establishing
and reviewing such funding policy and method, the Company shall endeavor to
determine the Plan’s short-term and long-term financial needs, taking into
account the need for liquidity to pay benefits and the need for investment
growth.
34
ARTICLE
X
LIMITATIONS
ON BENEFITS
10.01 (a)
The
limitations of Section 415 of the Code applicable to “defined benefit plans” as
defined in Section 414(j) of the Code are hereby incorporated by reference
in
this Plan; provided, however, that where the Code so provides, benefit
limitations in effect under prior law shall be applicable to benefits accrued
as
of the last effective day of such prior law. In the case of a Participant who
is, or has ever been, a participant in one or more “defined contribution plans”
as defined in Section 414(i) of the Code maintained by Employer or any
predecessor of the Employer, if benefits or contributions need to be reduced
due
to the application of Section 415(e) of the Code, then benefits under this
Plan
shall be reduced with respect to the affected Participant before any
contributions credited to the Participant under any defined contribution plan
maintained by the Employer shall be reduced. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the
limitations of Section 415(e) of the Code shall cease to apply as of the first
day of the first Plan Year beginning on or after
January 1, 2000.
(b) For
purposes of applying the limitations described in this Section 10.01, if
benefits under the Plan are received in any form other than a straight life
annuity, or if such benefits relate to rollover contributions to the Plan,
then
such benefit must be adjusted to a straight life annuity, beginning at the
same
age, which is the actuarial equivalent of such benefit. In order to determine
the actuarial equivalence of different forms of benefit payment for this
purpose, the interest rate assumptions may not be less than the greater of
5
percent or the rate specified for purposes of Section 1.02 of the Plan. For
limitation years beginning on or after January 1, 1995, the actuarially
equivalent straight life annuity for purposes of applying the limitations under
Section 415(b) of the Code to benefits that are not subject to Section 417(e)(3)
of the Code is equal to the greater of the equivalent annual benefit computed
using the interest rate and mortality table, or tabular factor, specified in
Section 1.02 of the Plan for actuarial equivalence for the particular form
of
benefit payable, and the equivalent annual benefit computed using a 5 percent
interest rate assumption and the applicable mortality table. For Plan benefits
subject to Section 417(e)(3) of the Code, the equivalent annual straight life
annuity is equal to the greater of the equivalent annual benefit computed using
the interest rate and mortality table, or tabular factor, specified in Section
1.02 of the Plan for actuarial equivalence for the particular form of benefit
payable, and the equivalent annual benefit computed using the annual interest
rate on 30-year Treasury securities as specified by the Commissioner of the
Internal Revenue Service, and the mortality table described in Revenue Ruling
2001-62 or any successor table (Revenue Ruling 95-6 for distributions with
annuity starting dates prior to December 31, 2002). For Limitation Years
beginning in 2004 or 2005, for the purposes of determining the Actuarial
Equivalent value for a form of payment that is subject to Code Section
417(e)(3), the interest rate assumption shall be the greater of (i) the
Applicable Interest Rate or (ii) 5.5 percent. For limitation years beginning
in
2006 and thereafter, for the purposes of determining the Actuarial Equivalent
value for a form of payment that is subject to Code Section 417(e)(3), the
interest rate assumption shall be the greater of (i) the Applicable Interest
Rate, (ii) 5.5 percent or (iii) the rate that provides a benefit of not more
than 105% of the benefit that would be provided if the rate (or rates)
applicable in determining minimum lump sums were used.
35
ARTICLE
XI
TOP-HEAVY
PLAN YEARS
11.01 For
purposes of this Article XI, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) “Determination
Date” means for any Plan Year subsequent to the first Plan Year, the last day of
the preceding Plan Year, for the first Plan Year, the last day of that Plan
Year.
(b) “Employee”
means any employee of an Employer and any beneficiary of such an
employee.
(c) “Employer”
means the Employer and any Affiliate.
(d) “Key
Employee” means, for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2000, any Employee
or former Employee (including any deceased Employee) who at any time during
the
Plan Year that includes the determination date was an officer of the Employer
having annual compensation greater than $130,000 (as adjusted under Section
416(i)(1) of the Code for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2002), a
5-percent owner of the employer, or a 1-percent owner of the employer having
annual compensation of more than $150,000. For this purpose, annual compensation
means compensation within the meaning of Section 415(c)(3) of the Code. The
determination of who is a Key Employee will be made in accordance with Section
416(i)(1) of the Code and the applicable regulations and other guidance of
general applicability issued thereunder.
(e) “Permissive
Aggregation Group” means the Required Aggregation Group of plans plus any other
plan or plans of the Employer which, when considered as a group with the
Required Aggregation Group, would continue to satisfy the requirements of
Sections 401(a)(4) and 410 of the Code.
(f) “Required
Aggregation Group” means (1) each qualified plan of the Employer in which at
least one Key Employee participates, and (2) any other qualified plan of the
Employer which enables a plan described in (1) to meet the requirements of
Sections 401(a)(4) or 410 of the Code.
(g) “Top-Heavy
Compensation” means the first $200,000 (or such higher amount as may be
prescribed pursuant to Treasury Regulations) of W-2 earnings actually paid
in
the Plan Year by an Employer or an Affiliate for services as an Employee.
Top-Heavy Compensation shall include Deemed 125 Compensation, as defined in
Section 1.14 of the Plan.
(h) “Top-Heavy
Ratio”:
(1) If
in
addition to this Plan the Employer maintains one or more other defined benefit
plans (including any simplified employee pension plan) and the Employer has
not
maintained any defined contribution plan which during the 1-year period ending
on the Determination Date has or has had account balances, the top-heavy ratio
for this Plan alone or for the Required or Permissive Aggregation Group, as
appropriate, is a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the present
value of accrued benefits of all Key Employees as of the Determination Date
(including any part of any accrued benefit distributed in the 1-year period
ending on the Determination Date), and the denominator of which is the sum
of
the present value of all accrued benefits (including any part of any accrued
benefit distributed in the 1-year period ending on the Determination Date),
both
computed in accordance with Section 416 of the Code and the regulations
thereunder.
36
(2) If
in
addition to this Plan the Employer maintains one or more defined benefit plans
(including any simplified employee pension plan) and the Employer maintains
or
has maintained one or more defined contribution plans which during the 1-year
period ending on the Determination Date has or has had any account balances,
the
Top-Heavy Ratio for any Required or Permissive Aggregation Group, as
appropriate, is a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the present
value of accrued benefits under the aggregated defined benefit plan or plans
for
all Key Employees, determined in accordance with (1) above, and the sum of
the
account balances under the aggregated defined contribution plan or plans for
all
Key Employees as of the Determination Date, and the denominator of which is
the
sum of the present value of accrued benefits under the aggregated defined
benefit plan or plans for all participants, determined in accordance with (1)
above, and the sum of the account balances under the aggregated defined
contribution plan or plans for all participants as of the Determination Date,
all determined in accordance with Section 416 of the Code and the regulations
thereunder. The account balances accrued benefits under a defined contribution
plan in both the numerator and denominator of the Top-Heavy Ratio are increased
for any distribution of an account balance made in the 1-year period ending
on
the Determination Date.
(3) For
purposes of (1) and (2) above, the value of account balances and the present
value of accrued benefits will be determined as of the most recent Valuation
Date that falls within or ends with the 12-month period ending on the
Determination Date, except as provided in Section 416 of the Code and the
regulations thereunder for the first and the second plan years of a defined
benefit plan. The account balances and accrued benefits of a participant (x)
who
is not a Key Employee but who was a Key Employee in a prior year, or (y) who
has
not received any Top-Heavy Compensation from any Employer maintaining the Plan
at any time during the 5-year period ending on the Determination Date will
be
disregarded. Notwithstanding the above, for Plan Years beginning after December
31, 2001, the accrued benefits and accounts of any Participant who has not
performed services for the Employer during the 1-year period ending on the
Determination Date will be disregarded. The calculation of the Top-Heavy Ratio,
and the extent to which distributions, rollovers, and transfers are taken into
account will be made in accordance with Section 416 of the Code and the
regulations thereunder. Deductible Employee contributions will not be taken
into
account for purposes of computing the Top-Heavy Ratio. When aggregating plans
the value of account balances and accrued benefits will be calculated with
reference to the Determination Dates that fall within the same calendar
year.
37
The
accrued benefit of a Participant other than a Key Employee shall be determined
under (x) the method, if any, that uniformly applies for accrual purposes under
all defined benefit plans maintained by the Employer, or (y) if there is no
such
method, as if such benefit accrued not more rapidly than the slowest accrual
rate permitted under the fractional rule of Section 411(b)(1)(C) of the
Code.
(4) For
purposes of (1) and (2) above, in the case of a distribution from the Plan
made
for a reason other than separation from service, death or Disability,
“5 year period” shall be substituted for “1-year period” wherever such term
is found.
(ii) “Valuation
Date” means the last day of a Plan Year.
11.02 If
the
Plan is or becomes top-heavy in any Plan Year, the provisions of
Sections 11.04 through 11.05 will automatically supersede any conflicting
provision of the Plan.
11.03 The
Plan
shall be considered top-heavy for any Plan Year if any of the following
conditions exists:
(a) If
the
Top-Heavy Ratio for the Plan exceeds 60 percent and the Plan is not part of
any
Required Aggregation Group or Permissive Aggregation Group of
plans.
(b) If
the
Plan is part of a Required Aggregation Group of plans but not part of a
Permissive Aggregation Group and the Top-Heavy Ratio for the group of plans
exceeds 60 percent.
(c) If
the
Plan is part of a Required Aggregation Group of plans and part of a Permissive
Aggregation Group and the Top-Heavy Ratio for the Permissive Aggregation Group
exceeds 60 percent.
11.04 (a)
The
Retirement Pension, commencing on or after the Normal Retirement Date of each
individual, other than a Key Employee, who was a Participant during any
Top-Heavy Plan year shall be the greater of:
(1) such
Participant’s Retirement Pension determined under Section 3.02; or
(2) an
amount
equal to two percent (2%) of such Participant’s Highest Average Compensation for
each of the first ten (10) years of his Top-Heavy Service; provided, however,
that in the case of a Participant whose Retirement Pension Starting Date is
later than his Normal Retirement Date, the amount determined under this
Paragraph (2) commencing on such Retirement Pension Starting Date shall not
be
less than the Actuarial Equivalent of the Retirement Pension that would have
been payable pursuant to this Paragraph (2) on the Participant’s Normal
Retirement Date
(b) For
purposes of this Section 11.04:
(1) “Highest
Average Compensation” means a Participant’s average Top-Heavy Compensation for
the five (5) consecutive years during which his aggregate Top-Heavy Compensation
was highest, excluding compensation earned by such Participant:
38
(A) after
the
close of the last Top-Heavy Plan Year; or
(B) prior
to
January 1, 1984, except to the extent that compensation prior to January 1,
1984
is required to be taken into account so that such average is based on a five
(5)
year period.
(2) “Top-Heavy
Service” means each Year of Service:
(A) in
which
ended a Plan Year which was not a Top-Heavy Plan Year; or
(B) completed
in a Plan Year beginning prior to January 1, 1984.
For
Plan
Years beginning after December 31, 2001, for purpose of satisfying the minimum
benefit requirements of Section 416(c)(1) of the Code and this Plan, in
determining Years of Service, any service with Employer shall be disregarded
to
the extent that such service occurs during a Plan Year when the Plan benefits
(within the meaning of Section 410(b) of the Code) no Key Employee or former
Key
Employee.
(c) In
the
case of a Participant who is also a Participant in a defined contribution plan
maintained by an Employer or an Affiliate, the amount described in Paragraph
(a)
(2) shall be reduced by the actuarial equivalent, determined as of the date
of
the Participant’s Retirement Pension Starting Date, of the Participant’s account
balance under such defined contribution plan derived from employer contributions
(which account balance shall be deemed to include prior withdrawals made by
the
Participant accumulated at interest to the Participant’s Retirement Pension
Starting Date). For purposes of this Subsection (c), actuarial equivalence
and
the interest rate referred to in the preceding sentence shall be determined
using the actuarial assumptions described in Section 1.02.
11.05 (a)
For any
Top-Heavy Plan Year, each Participant shall be vested in his Accrued Benefit
in
accordance with the following schedule:
Years
of Service
|
Nonforfeitable
Percentage
|
|||
Fewer
than Two Years
|
0
|
%
|
||
Two
Years but less than Three Years
|
20
|
%
|
||
Three
Years but less than Four Years
|
40
|
%
|
||
Four
Years but less than Five Years
|
60
|
%
|
||
Five
or more Years
|
100
|
%
|
(b) Any
portion of a Participant’s Accrued Benefit which has become vested pursuant to
Subsection (1) shall remain vested after the Plan has ceased to be a Top-Heavy
Plan.
(c) Any
Participant who has completed at least five (5) Years of Service prior to
the
beginning of the Plan Year in which the Plan ceased to be a Top-Heavy Plan
shall
continue to vest in his Accrued Benefit according to the schedule set forth
in
Subsection (a) after the Plan has ceased to be a Top-Heavy Plan.
39
ARTICLE
XII
NON-ALIENABILITY
12.01
Except
in
the case of a qualified domestic relations order described in Section 414(p)
of
the Code, no benefit under this Plan shall be subject in any manner to
anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, charge,
encumbrance, garnishment, levy or attachment; and any attempt to so anticipate,
alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge, charge, encumber, garnish, levy upon
or attach the same shall be void; nor shall any such benefit be in any manner
liable for or subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities, engagements or
torts
of the person entitled thereto.
12.02
If
any
Participant or Beneficiary under this Plan becomes bankrupt or attempts to
anticipate, alienate, sell, transfer, assign, pledge, encumber or charge any
benefit under this Plan, the Administrative Committee may (but shall not be
required to) terminate the payment of such benefit to such Participant or
Beneficiary. If payment is thus terminated, the Administrative Committee shall
direct the Trustee to hold or apply future payments for the benefit of such
Participant, his Beneficiary, his spouse or children or other dependents, or
any
of them, in such manner and in such proportion as the Administrative Committee
may deem proper.
12.03
Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, effective August 5, 1997, the provisions of
this Article XII shall not apply to any offset of a Participant’s benefits
provided under the Plan against an amount that the Participant is ordered or
required to pay to the Plan under any of the circumstances set forth in Section
401(a)(13)(C) of the Code and Sections 206(d)(4) and 206(d)(5) of
ERISA.
40
ARTICLE
XIII
AMENDMENT
OF THE PLAN
13.01
The
Company shall have the right by action of the Board, at any time and from time
to time, to amend in whole or in part any of the provisions of this Plan, and
any such amendment shall be binding upon the Participants and their
Beneficiaries, the Trustee, the Administrative Committee, any Employer, and
all
parties in interest; provided, however, that no such amendment shall authorize
or permit any of the assets of the Trust Fund to be used for or directed to
purposes other than the exclusive benefit of the Participants or their
Beneficiaries. Any such amendment shall become effective as of the date
specified therein.
13.02
No
amendment to the Plan including a change in the actuarial basis for determining
optional or early retirement benefits shall be effective to the extent that
it
has the effect of decreasing a Participant’s Accrued Benefit. Notwithstanding
the preceding sentence, a Participant’s Accrued Benefit may be reduced to the
extent permitted under Section 412(c)(8) of the Code. For purposes of this
paragraph, a Plan amendment which has the effect of (1) eliminating or reducing
an early retirement benefit or a retirement-type subsidy, or (2) eliminating
an
optional form of benefit, with respect to benefits attributable to service
before the amendment shall be treated as reducing accrued benefits. In the
case
of a retirement-type subsidy, the preceding sentence shall apply only with
respect to a participant who satisfies either before or after the amendment
the
preamendment conditions for the subsidy. In general, a retirement-type subsidy
is a subsidy that continues after retirement, but does not include a qualified
disability benefit, a medical benefit, a social security supplement, a death
benefit (including life insurance). Furthermore, no amendment to the Plan shall
have the effect of decreasing a Participant’s vested interest determined without
regard to such amendment as of the later of the date such amendment is adopted,
or becomes effective.
13.03
If
at any
time the vesting schedule set forth in Section 4.01 is amended, or the Plan
is
amended in any way that directly or indirectly affects the computation of the
Participant’s nonforfeitable percentage or if the Plan is deemed amended by an
automatic change to or from a top-heavy vesting schedule, each Participant
with
at least three Years of Service may elect, within a reasonable period after
the
adoption of the amendment or change, to have the nonforfeitable percentage
computed under the Plan without regard to such amendment or change. For
Participants who dc not have at least one Hour of Service in any Plan Year
beginning after December 31, 1988, the preceding sentence shall be applied
by
substituting “five Years of Service” for ‘three Years of Service” where such
language appears. The period during which the election may be made shall
commence with the date the amendment is adopted or deemed to be made and shall
end on the latest of:
(i) 60
days
after the amendment is adopted;
(ii) 60
days
after the amendment becomes effective; or
(iii) 60
days
after the Participant is issued written notice of the amendment by the Employer
or the Plan Administrator.
41
ARTICLE
XIV
TERMINATION
OF THE PLAN
14.01
The
Company may, by action of the Board and by appropriate notice to the Trustee,
determine that it shall terminate the Plan in its entirety or withdraw from
the
Plan and terminate the same with respect to itself. The Company may by action
of
the Board at any time determine that any other Employer shall withdraw from
the
Plan, and any other Employer by action of its Board of Directors may determine
that it shall so withdraw, and upon any such determination, the Plan, in respect
of such Employer, shall be terminated.
14.02
Any
termination or partial termination shall be effective as of the date specified
in the resolution providing therefor, if any, and shall be binding upon the
Employer, the Trustee, all Participants and Beneficiaries and all parties in
interest.
14.03
Upon
termination of the Plan in its entirety, each Participant shall be fully (100%)
vested in his Accrued Benefit, determined as of the date of such termination.
A
Participant’s Accrued Benefit shall be payable only from the Trust Fund, except
to the extent otherwise provided in Title IV of ERISA.
14.04
In
the
event of a partial termination of the Plan, within the meaning of
Section 411(d)(3)(A) of the Code, each affected Participant shall, insofar
as required by applicable law, be fully (100%) vested in his Accrued Benefit,
determined as of the date of such partial termination.
14.05
Upon
termination of the Plan in its entirety or upon a partial termination of the
Plan, the assets comprising the Trust Fund shall be allocated in accordance
with
the statutory priorities set forth in Section 4044(d)(2) of ERISA and
regulations promulgated thereunder. Subject to the limitations imposed by
Section 4044(d)(2) of ERISA and Section 14.06, any funds remaining after
satisfaction of all liabilities to Plan Participants shall be returned to the
Employer.
14.06
(a)
As
used in this Section 14.06:
(1) “Applicable
Early Termination Date” means the tenth (10th) anniversary of the effective date
of any increase in benefits under this Plan.
(2) “Predecessor
Plan’ means any retirement plan which (A) was maintained by a corporation or
unincorporated business before it became an Employer and (B) has merged into
the
Plan.
(3) “Twenty-five
Highest Paid Employees” means the twenty-five (25) highest paid Employees on the
tenth (10th) anniversary preceding the Applicable Early Termination Date
(including any such Employees) who were not then, or were not eligible to
become, Participants in the Plan), excluding any Participant whose Retirement
Pension will not exceed $1,500.
42
(4) “Unrestricted
Benefits” means benefits in the form provided under this Plan equal to the
amount provided by the greatest of:
(A) employer
contributions (or funds attributable thereto) under the Plan or a Predecessor
Plan which would have been applied to provide the Participant’s Accrued Benefit
if the Plan or such Predecessor Plan, as in effect on the tenth (10th)
anniversary preceding the Applicable Early Termination Date, had continued
without change;
(B) $20,000;
or
(C) an
amount
equal to the sum of (A) employer contributions (or funds attributable thereto)
which would have been applied to provide the Participant’s Accrued Benefit under
the Plan or any Predecessor Plan if the Plan or such Predecessor Plan had
terminated on the tenth (10th) anniversary preceding the Applicable Early
Termination Date and (B) twenty percent (20%) of the first $50,000 of the
Participant’s average Compensation during the preceding five (5) years,
multiplied by the number of years in respect of which the full current costs
of
the Plan have been met since the tenth (10th) anniversary preceding the
Applicable Early Termination Date;
(D) (1)
for a
Participant who is not a “substantial owner” as defined in Section 4022(b)(5) of
ERISA, an amount which equals the present value of the maximum benefit of such
Participant described in Section 4022(b)(3)(B) of ERISA, determined on the
date the Plan terminates or the Participant’s Retirement Pension Starting Date,
whichever is earlier and determined in accordance with regulations of the
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“PBGC”), without regard to any other
limitations in Section 4022 of ERISA; or
(2) for
a
Participant who is a “substantial owner,” as defined in Section 4022(b)(5) of
ERISA, the greatest of the amounts in (A), (B), (C) or an amount which equals
the present value of the benefit guaranteed upon termination of the Plan for
such Participant under Section 4022 of ERISA, or if the Plan has not terminated,
the present value of the benefit that would be guaranteed if the Plan terminated
on such Participant’s Retirement Pension Starting Date, determined in accordance
with regulations of the PBGC.
(b) Subject
to the provisions of Section 4044 of ERISA, in the event that:
(1) the
Plan
is terminated in respect of an Employer at any time prior to the Applicable
Early Termination Date; or
(2) the
benefits of any Participant became payable (A) at any time prior to the
Applicable Early Termination Date or (B) subsequent to the Applicable Early
Termination Date but before the full current costs of the Plan for the period
prior to the Applicable Early Termination Date have been funded, the
benefits (as defined in Treasury Regulation 1.401-4(c)(2)(vi)(a)) which any
of
the Twenty-Five Highest Paid Employees may receive (including any Unrestricted
Benefits) shall not exceed his Unrestricted Benefits at any
time.
43
In
the
case of a Participant described in Subparagraph (2) (B), if on the Applicable
Early Termination Date the full current costs are not met, the restrictions
contained in this Section 14.06 shall continue in force until the full current
costs are funded for the first time.
(c) The
provisions of this Section 14.06 shall not restrict the current payment of
full
retirement benefits called for by this Plan to any Retired Participant or his
Beneficiary while the Plan is in full effect and its full current costs have
been met.
(d) If
any
funds are released by operation of the provisions of this Section 14.06, they
shall be applied solely for the benefit of Participants and Beneficiaries other
than the Twenty-five Highest Paid Employees or, if not required for the funding
of benefits for such Participants and Beneficiaries, shall revert to the
appropriate Employer.
(e) The
restrictions contained in SubSection (b) may be exceeded for the purpose of
making current Retirement Pension payments to a Retired Participant who would
otherwise be subject to such restrictions if:
(1) such
Retirement Pension is in the form described in Section 1.41 or 3.02, whichever
is applicable, or under an Option which does not provide level pension benefits
greater than those provided by the form described in Section 1.41;
(2) the
Retirement Pension thus provided is supplemented, to the extent necessary to
provide the full Retirement Pension in the form provided in Section 1.41 or
3.02, by current payments to such Retired Participant as installments of such
Retirement Pension come due; and
(3) such
supplemental payments are made at any time only if (A) the full current costs
of
the Plan have then been funded or (B) the aggregate of such supplemental
payments for all such Retired Participants for the current year does not exceed
the aggregate of the Employer contributions already made in respect of such
year.
(f) If
there
shall be more than one Employer, the provisions of this Section 14.06 shall
be
applied separately in respect of each such Employer.
(g) A
Participant who is one of the Twenty-five Highest Paid Employees may elect
to
receive his benefits under this Plan in the form of a lump sum distribution
only
if he agrees to deposit with an acceptable depository property having a market
value equal to one hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the difference between
the amount of such distribution and the Actuarial Equivalent of his Unrestricted
Benefits as security for his repayment of any benefits paid to him in excess
of
the maximum permitted by this Section 14.06. Additional deposits of security,
in
the amount necessary to increase the fair market value of such security to
one
hundred twenty-five percent (125%) of the difference between the amount of
the
distribution and the actuarial Equivalent of his Unrestricted Benefits shall
be
made whenever the fair market value of such security is less than one hundred
ten percent (110%) of such difference.
44
14.07
If
the
Plan shall merge or consolidate with, or transfer its assets or liabilities
to,
any other “pension plan”, as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, each Participant
shall be entitled to receive a benefit immediately after such merger,
consolidation or transfer (assuming that the Plan had then terminated) which
is
equal to or greater than the benefit which he would have been entitled to
receive immediately before such merger, consolidation or transfer (assuming
that
the Plan had then terminated).
45
ARTICLE
XV
TRUST
AND ADMINISTRATION
15.01
The
assets of the Trust Fund shall be held by the Trustees, who shall consist of
not
fewer than two (2) individuals, or a bank or trust company appointed by the
Board. The Trustees shall hold office until their or its successors have been
duly appointed or until death, resignation or removal.
15.02
Reserved.
15.03
The
investment of the assets of the Plan shall be managed, except to the extent
that
such responsibility has been allocated or delegated, by the
Trustee.
15.04
The
Trustees shall act unanimously; provided, however, that if at any time there
are
more than two (2) Trustees acting hereunder, they shall act by majority vote
and
may act either by vote at a meeting or in writing without a meeting.
Notwithstanding the foregoing:
(a) checks
and other instruments for the payment of money and instruments relating to
the
purchase, sale or other disposition of securities or other property held in
the
Trust and checks and other instruments in payment of distributions to Members
and Beneficiaries or in payment of proper expenses under the Plan may be signed
by any one Trustee or by any person or persons authorized by unanimous action
of
all the Trustees then acting hereunder with the same force and effect as if
signed by all Trustees; and
(b) the
Trustees may, by written authorization, empower one of them individually to
execute any other document or documents on behalf of the Trustees, such
authorization to remain in effect until revoked by any Trustee.
15.05
The
Trustees may appoint such independent accountants, enrolled actuaries, legal
counsel, investment advisors and other agents or specialists as they deem
necessary or desirable in connection with the performance of their duties
hereunder. The Trustees shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon, and shall
be fully protected in any action taken by them in good faith in relying upon,
any opinions or reports which are furnished to them by any such independent
accountant, enrolled actuary, legal counsel, investment advisor or other
specialist.
15.06
The
Trustees shall serve without compensation for services as such. All expenses
of
the Trust shall be paid by the Trust unless paid by Employers. Such expenses
shall include any expenses incidental to the operation of the Trust, including,
but not limited to, fees of independent accountants, enrolled actuaries, legal
counsel, investment advisors and other agents or specialists and similar
costs.
15.07
The
Trustees shall discharge their duties with respect to the Plan solely in the
interests of the Participants and their Beneficiaries; and
(a) for
the
exclusive purpose of providing benefits to Participants and the Beneficiaries
and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan;
46
(b) with
the
care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing
that
a prudent man, acting in like capacity and familiar with such matters, would
use
in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like
aims;
(c) by
diversifying the investments of the Trust Fund so as to minimize the risk of
large losses, unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do
so;
and
(d) in
accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan, insofar as
such documents and instruments are consistent with the provisions of
ERISA.
15.08
(a)
The
Trustees are hereby designated as “named fiduciaries” within the meaning of
Section 402(a) of ERISA, with respect to the investment of the assets of the
Plan and shall, except to the extent provided in SubSections (c) and (d), direct
the investment of such assets and possess all powers which may be necessary
to
carry out such duty.
(b) At
the
direction of the Investment Committee, the Trustees may appoint an investment
manager, as defined in Section 3(38) of ERISA, in which case, unless otherwise
provided by ERISA, no Trustee shall be liable for the acts or omissions of
such
investment manager or be under any obligation to invest or otherwise manage
any
asset of the Trust Fund which is subject to the management of such
manager.
(c) (1)
The
Administrative Committee and the Trustees may establish procedures for (A)
the
allocation of fiduciary responsibilities (other than “trustee responsibilities”
as defined in Section 405(c)(3) of ERISA under the Plan among themselves, and
(B) the designation of persons other than names fiduciaries to carry out
fiduciary responsibilities (other than trustee responsibilities) under the
Plan.
(2) If
any
fiduciary responsibility is allocated or if any person is designated to carry
out any responsibility pursuant to Paragraph (1), no named fiduciary shall
be
liable for any act or omission of such person in carrying out such
responsibility, except as provided in Section 405(c)(2) of ERISA.
15.09
The
Trustees shall receive any contributions paid to them in cash and shall
establish the Trust Fund hereunder. The Trust Fund shall be held, managed and
administered in accordance with the terms of this Plan.
15.10
The
Trustees shall invest and reinvest the Trust Fund and keep the Trust Fund
invested, without distinction between principal and income, in such securities
or other property, real or personal, foreign or domestic, wherever situated,
as
the Trustees shall deem advisable, including, but not limited to, the general
account or a separate account of an insurance company licensed to do business
in
the State of New York, shares in a regulated investment company or plans for
the
accumulation of such shares, common or preferred stocks, bonds and mortgages,
and other evidences of ownership or indebtedness. In making such investments,
the Trustee shall not be restricted to securities or other property of the
character authorized or required by applicable law for trust
investments.
47
15.11
The
Trustees shall have the following powers and authority in the investment of
the
assets of the Trust Fund:
(a) to
purchase, or subscribe for, any securities (including shares in a regulated
investment company or plans for the accumulation of such shares) or other
property and to retain the same in trust, the Trustees being specifically
authorized to limit investment, in their own discretion, to shares of regulated
investment companies or to plans for the accumulation of such
shares;
(b) to
sell,
exchange, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of, by private contract or
at
public auction, any securities or other property held by them; and no person
dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to see to the application of the
purchase money or to inquire into the validity, expediency or propriety of
any
such sale or other disposition;
(c) to
vote
any stocks, bonds or other securities; to give general or special proxies or
powers of attorney with or without power of substitution; to exercise any
conversion privileges, subscription rights or other options and to make any
payments incidental thereto; to oppose, consent to, or otherwise participate
in,
corporate reorganizations or other changes affecting corporation securities;
to
pay any assessments or charges in connection with any security; to delegate
any
discretionary powers; and generally to exercise any of the powers of an owner
with respect to stocks, bonds, securities or other property held as part of
the
Trust Fund;
(d) to
cause
any securities or other property held as part of the Trust Fund to be registered
in their own names or in the name of one or more nominees, and to hold any
investments in bearer form, but the books and records of the Trustees shall
at
all times show that all such investments are part of the Trust
Fund;
(e) to
borrow
or raise money for the purposes of the Plan in such amount and upon such terms
and conditions as the Trustee shall deem advisable; and for any sum so borrowed,
to issue their promissory note as Trustees and to secure the repayment thereof
by pledging all, or any part, of the Trust Fund; and no person lending money
to
the Trustees shall be bound to see to the application of the money lent or
to
inquire into the validity, expediency or propriety of any such
borrowing;
(f) to
keep
such portion of the Trust Fund in cash or cash balances as the Trustee may,
from
time to time, deem to be in the best interests of the Plan, without liability
for interest thereon;
(g) to
accept
and retain for such time as may seem advisable any securities or other property
received or acquired by them as Trustees hereunder, whether or not such
securities or other property would normally be purchased as investments
hereunder;
(h) to
sell
call options on any national securities exchange with respect to securities
held
in the Trust Fund, and to purchase call options for the purpose of closing
out
previous sales of call option;
48
(i) to
appoint a bank or trust company as corporate Trustee, and to enter into and
execute an agreement with any such corporate Trustee to provide for the
investment and reinvestment of assets of the Trust Fund.
15.12
The
Trustees, at the direction of the Administrative Committee, shall from time
to
time make payments out of the Trust Fund in accordance with the provisions
of
the Plan in such manner, in such amounts and for such purposes as they may
determine, and when any such payment has been made, the amount thereof shall
no
longer constitute a part of the Trust Fund.
15.13
(a)
The
Trustees shall keep accurate and detailed accounts of all investments, receipts,
disbursements and other transactions hereunder.
(b) Within
two hundred ten (210) days following the close of each Plan Year, the Trustees
shall file with the Company a written account setting forth all investments,
receipts, disbursements and other transactions effected by them during such
Plan
Year. Except as provided to the contrary by Section 413(a) of ERISA, upon the
expiration of ninety (90) days from the date of filing of such account, the
Trustees shall be forever released and discharged from all liability and
accountability to anyone with respect to the propriety of their acts and
transactions shown in such account, except with respect to any such acts or
transactions as to which the Company shall file with the Trustees written
objections within such ninety (90) day period.
(c) The
filing by the Trustees with the Company of an annual report in accordance with
Section 103 of ERISA shall constitute the filing of an account within the
meaning of this Section 15.13.
15.14
Any
Trustee may be removed by the Company at any time. A Trustee may resign at
any
time upon thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Company, which notice may
be waived by the Company. Upon such removal or resignation of a Trustee, or
upon
the death or disability of a Trustee, the Company may, or in the event there
is
no then acting Trustee, shall appoint a successor Trustee, who shall have the
same powers and duties as those conferred upon the Trustees hereunder. The
Company may at any time appoint one or more additional Trustees, who shall
have
the same powers and duties as those conferred upon the Trustees
hereunder.
15.15
In
any
case in which any person is required or permitted to make an election under
this
Plan, such election shall be made in writing and filed with the Administrative
Committee on the form provided by them or made in such other manner as the
Administrative Committee may direct.
49
ARTICLE
XVI
CLAIM
AND APPEAL PROCEDURE
16.01
(a)
Initial Claim
(i) Any
claim
by an Employee, Participant or Beneficiary “Claimant”) with respect to
eligibility, participation, contributions, benefits or other aspects of the
operation of the Plan shall be made in writing to the Committee for such
purpose. The Committee shall provide the Claimant with the necessary forms
and
make all determinations as to the right of any person to a disputed benefit.
If
a Claimant is denied benefits under the Plan, the Committee or its designee
shall notify the Claimant in writing of the denial of the claim within ninety
(90) days (or within forty-five (45) days if the claim involves a determination
of a claim for disability benefits) after the Committee receives the claim,
provided that in the event of special circumstances such period may be
extended.
(ii) In
the
event of special circumstances, the maximum period in which a claim must be
determined may be extended as follows:
(A) With
respect to any claim, other than a claim that involves a determination of a
claim for disability benefits, the ninety (90) day period may be extended for
a
period of up to ninety (90) days (for a total of one hundred eighty (180) days).
If the initial ninety (90) day period is extended, the Committee or its designee
shall notify the Claimant in writing within ninety (90) days of receipt of
the
claim. The written notice of extension shall indicate the special circumstances
requiring the extension of time and provide the date by which the Committee
expects to make a determination with respect to the claim. If the extension
is
required due to the Claimant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide
the claim, the period for making the determination shall be tolled from the
date
on which the extension notice is sent to the Claimant until the earlier of
(i)
the date on which the Claimant responds to the Committee’s request for
information, or (ii) expiration of the forty-five (45) day period commencing
on
the date that the Claimant is notified that the requested additional information
must be provided.
(B) With
respect to a claim that involves a determination of a claim for disability
benefits, the forty-five (45) day period may be extended as
follows:
(I) Initially,
the forty-five (45) day period may be extended for a period to up to an
additional thirty (30) days (the “Initial Disability Extension Period”),
provided that the Committee determines that such an extension is necessary
due
to matters beyond the control of the Plan and, within forty-five (45) days
of
receipt of the claim, the Committee or its designee notifies the Claimant in
writing of such extension, the special circumstances requiring the extension
of
time, the date by which the Committee expects to make a determination with
respect to the claim and such information as required under clause (III)
below.
50
(II) Following
the Initial Disability Extension Period the period for determining the
Claimant’s claim may be extended for a period of up to an additional thirty (30)
days, provided that the Committee determines that such an extension is necessary
due to matters beyond the control of the Plan and within the Initial Disability
Extension Period, notifies the Claimant in writing of such additional extension,
the special circumstances requiring the extension of time, the date by which
the
Committee expects to make a determination with respect to the claim and such
information as required under clause (III) below.
(III) Any
notice of extension pursuant to this Paragraph (B) shall specifically explain
the standards on which entitlement to a benefit is based, the unresolved issues
that prevent a decision on the claim, and the additional information needed
to
resolve those issues, and the Claimant shall be afforded forty-five (45) days
within which to provide the specified information.
(IV) If
an
extension is required due to the Claimant’s failure to submit information
necessary to decide the claim, the period for making the determination shall
be
tolled from the date on which the extension notice is sent to the Claimant
until
the earlier of (i) the date on which the Claimant responds to the Committee’s
request for information, or (ii) expiration of the forty-five (45) day period
commencing on the date that the Claimant is notified that the requested
additional information must be provided.
(iii) If
notice
of the denial of a claim is not furnished within the required time period
described herein, the claim shall be deemed denied as of the last day of such
period.
(iv) If
a
claim is wholly or partially denied, the notice to the Claimant shall set
forth:
(A) The
specific reason or reasons for the denial;
51
(B) Specific
reference to pertinent Plan provisions upon which the denial is
based;
(C) A
description of any additional material or information necessary for the Claimant
to complete the claim request and an explanation of why such material or
information is necessary;
(D) Appropriate
information as to the steps to be taken and the applicable time limits if the
Claimant wishes to submit the adverse determination for review; and
(E) A
statement of the Claimant’s right to bring a civil action under Section 502 of
ERISA following an adverse determination on review.
(b) Claim
Denial Review.
(i) If
a
claim has been wholly or partially denied, the Claimant may submit the claim
for
review by the Committee. Any request for review of a claim must be made in
writing to the Committee no later than sixty (60) days (or within one hundred
and eighty (180) days if the claim involves a determination of a claim for
disability benefits) after the Claimant receives notification of denial or,
if
no notification was provided, the date the claim is deemed denied.
The
Claimant or his duly authorized representative may:
(A) Upon
request and free of charge, be provided with reasonable access to, and copies
of, relevant documents, records, and other information relevant to the
Claimant’s claim; and
(B) Submit
written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to the
claim. The review of the claim determination shall take into account all
comments, documents, records, and other information submitted by the Claimant
relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted
or considered in the initial claim determination.
(ii) The
decision of the Committee upon review shall be made within sixty (60) days
(or
within forty-five (45) days if the claim involves a determination of a claim
for
disability benefits) after receipt of the Claimant’s request for review, unless
special circumstances (including, without limitation, the need to hold a
hearing) require an extension. In the event of special circumstances, the
maximum period in which a claim must be determined may be extended as
follows:
(A) With
respect to any claim, other than a claim that involves a determination of a
claim for disability benefits, the sixty (60) day period may be extended for
a
period of up to one hundred twenty (120) days.
52
(B) With
respect to a claim that involves a determination of a claim for disability
benefits, the forty-five (45) day period may be extended for a period of up
to
forty-five (45) days.
If
the
sixty (60) day period (or forty-five (45) day period where the claim involves
a
determination of a claim for disability benefits) is extended, the Committee
or
its designee shall, within sixty (60) days (or within forty-five (45) days
if
the claim involves a determination of a claim for disability benefits) of
receipt of the claim for review, notify the Claimant in writing. The written
notice of extension shall indicate the special circumstances requiring the
extension of time and provide the date by which the Committee expects to make
a
determination with respect to the claim upon review. If the extension is
required due to the Claimant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide
the claim, the period for making the determination shall be tolled from the
date
on which the extension notice is sent to the Claimant until the earlier of
(i)
the date on which the Claimant responds to the Committee’s request for
information, or (ii) expiration of the forty-five (45) day period commencing
on
the date that the Claimant is notified that the requested additional information
must be provided.
(iii) If
notice
of the decision upon review is not furnished within the required time period
described herein, the claim on review shall be deemed denied as of the last
day
of such period.
(iv) The
Committee, in its sole discretion, may hold a hearing regarding the claim and
request that the Claimant attend. If a hearing is held, the Claimant shall
be
entitled to be represented by counsel.
(v) The
Committee’s decision upon review on the Claimant’s claim shall be communicated
to the Claimant in writing. If the claim upon review is denied, the notice
to
the Claimant shall set forth:
(A) The
specific reason or reasons for the decision, with references to the specific
Plan provisions on which the determination is based;
(B) A
statement that the Claimant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of
charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other
information relevant to the claim; and
(C) A
statement of the Claimant’s right to bring a civil action under Section 502 of
ERISA.
(vi) Any
review of a claim involving a determination of a claim for disability benefits
shall not afford deference to the initial adverse benefit determination and
shall not be determined by any individual who made the initial adverse benefit
determination or a subordinate of such individual. In deciding a review of
any
adverse benefit determination that is based in whole or in part on a medical
judgment, including determinations with regard to whether a particular
treatment, drug, or other item is experimental, investigational, or not
medically necessary or appropriate, the Committee shall consult with a health
care professional who has appropriate training and experience in the field
of
medicine involved in the medical judgment.
53
(c) All
interpretations, determinations and decisions of the Committee with respect
to
any claim, including without limitation the appeal of any claim, shall be made
by the Committee, in its sole discretion, based on the Plan and comments,
documents, records, and other information presented to it, and shall be final,
conclusive and binding.
(d) The
claims procedures set forth in this Section are intended to comply with United
States Department of Labor Regulation § 2560.503-1 and should be construed in
accordance with such regulation. In no event shall it be interpreted as
expanding the rights of Claimants beyond what is required by United States
Department of Labor Regulation § 2560.503-1.
54
ARTICLE
XVII
MISCELLANEOUS
17.01
If
any
provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, such
illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan,
but
such illegal or invalid provision shall be deemed modified to the extent
necessary to conform to applicable law and carry out the purposes of this Plan,
or, if such modification is impossible, the Plan shall be construed and enforced
as if such illegal or invalid provision had never been inserted
herein.
17.02
This
Plan
shall be governed, construed, administered and regulated in all respects under
the laws of the State of New York, except insofar as they have been superseded
by the provisions of ERISA.
17.03
Wherever
any words are used herein in the masculine gender, they shall be construed
as
though they were also used in the feminine gender in all cases where they would
so apply, and vice
versa,
and
wherever any words are used herein in the singular form, they shall be construed
as through they were also used in the plural form in all cases where they would
so apply, and vice
versa.
17.04
The
adoption and maintenance of this Plan shall not be deemed to constitute a
contract between any Employer and any person or to be a consideration for the
employment of any person. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to give
any
person the right to be retained in the employ of any Employer or to derogate
from the right of any Employer or discharge any person at any time without
regard to the effect of such discharge upon the rights of such person as a
Participant in this Plan.
17.05
Except
as
otherwise provided by ERISA, no liability shall attach to any Employer for
payment of any benefits or claims hereunder, and all participants and
Beneficiaries, and all persons claiming under or through them, shall have
recourse only to the Trust Fund for payment of any benefit
hereunder.
17.06
Nothing
in this Plan, express or implied, is intended, or shall be construed, to confer
upon or give to any person, firm, association or corporation, other than the
parties hereto and their successors in interest, any right, remedy or claim
under or by reason of this Plan or any covenants, condition or stipulation
hereof, and all covenants, conditions and stipulations in this plan, by or
on
behalf of any party, shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties
hereto.
(a) Any
contribution to the Plan made by an Employer by a mistake in fact may be
returned to such Employer at the direction of the Trustee within one (1) year
after the date of the payment of such contribution.
(b) Each
contribution made to this Plan by an Employer is conditioned upon its
deductibility under Section 404 of the Code. If the deduction is disallowed,
such contribution shall, to the extent disallowed as a deduction, be returned
to
such Employer within one (1) year following the date of
disallowance.
(c) This
Plan
is established for the exclusive benefit of the Participants herein and their
Beneficiaries. Except as provided in Section 14.05 and this Section 17.06,
it
shall be impossible for any assets of the Trust to revert to any Employer
prior
to the satisfaction of all liabilities hereunder with respect to all
Participants and their Beneficiaries.
55
ARTICLE
XVIII
ADMINISTRATION
OF THE PLAN
Section
18.01
Administrative
Committee.
There
is hereby created an Administrative Committee for the Plan. The general
administration of the Plan on behalf of the Plan Administrator shall be placed
in the Administrative Committee. The Administrative Committee shall operate
in
accordance with the terms of the Plan, including the Charter for the
Administrative Committee which is attached to the Plan as Exhibit A and
incorporated herein.
Section
18.02
Investment
Committee.
There
is hereby created an Investment Committee for the Plan. The Investment Committee
shall operate in accordance with the terms of the Plan, including the Charter
for the Investment Committee which is attached to the Plan as Exhibit B and
incorporated herein.
Section
18.03
Payment
of Benefits (Administrative Committee).
The
Administrative Committee shall advise the Trustee in writing with respect to
all
benefits which become payable under the terms of the Plan and shall direct
the
Trustee to pay such benefits on order of the Administrative Committee. In the
event that the Trust Fund shall be invested in whole or in part in one or more
insurance contracts, the Administrative Committee shall be authorized to give
to
any insurance company issuing such a contract such instructions as may be
necessary or appropriate in order to provide for the payment of benefits in
accordance with the Plan.
Section
18.04
Powers
and Authority; Action Conclusive (Administrative Committee).
Except
as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in the Trust Agreement, or by
the
Investment Committee, the Administrative Committee shall have the exclusive
right, power, and authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to administer,
apply and interpret the Plan, Trust Agreement and any other Plan documents
and
to decide all matters arising in connection with the operation or administration
of the Plan and the Trust. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, the
Administrative Committee shall have all powers necessary or helpful for the
carrying out of its responsibilities, and the decisions or action of the
Administrative Committee in good faith in respect of any matter hereunder shall
be conclusive and binding upon all parties concerned.
Without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Committee has
the
complete authority, in its sole and absolute discretion, to:
(a) Determine
all questions arising out of or in connection with the interpretation of the
terms and provisions of the Plan except as otherwise expressly provided
herein;
(b) Make
rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan which are not
inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan, and fix the annual
accounting period of the trust established under the Trust Agreement as required
for tax purposes;
(c) Construe
all terms, provisions, conditions of and limitations to the Plan;
(d) Determine
all questions relating to (A) the eligibility of persons to receive benefits
hereunder, (B) the periods of service, including Hours of Service, Credited
Service and Years of Service, and the amount of Compensation of a Participant
during any period hereunder, and (C) all other matters upon which the benefits
or other rights of a Participant or other person shall be based hereunder;
and
56
(e) Determine
all questions relating to the administration of the Plan (A) when disputes
arise
between the Employer and a Participant or his Beneficiary, Spouse or legal
representatives, and (B) whenever the Administrative Committee deems it
advisable to determine such questions in order to promote the uniform
administration of the Plan.
All
determinations made by the Administrative Committee with respect to any matter
arising under the Plan Trust Agreement and any other Plan documents shall be
final and binding on all parties. The foregoing list of powers is not intended
to be either complete or exclusive and the Administrative Committee shall,
in
addition, have such powers as the Plan Administrator deems appropriate and
delegates to it and such powers as may be necessary for the performance of
its
duties under the Plan and the Trust Agreement.
Section
18.05
Reliance
on Information (Administrative Committee).
The
members of the Administrative Committee and any Employer or affiliate thereof
(including the Company) and its officers, directors and employees shall be
entitled to rely upon all tables, valuations, certificates, opinions and reports
furnished by any accountant, trustee, insurance company, counsel or other expert
who shall be engaged by the Company or an affiliate thereof or the Committee,
and the members of the Committee and any Employer or affiliate thereof
(including the Company) and its officers, directors and employees shall be
fully
protected in respect of any action taken or suffered by them in good faith
in
reliance thereon, and all action so taken or suffered shall be conclusive upon
all persons affected thereby.
Section
18.06
Actions
to be Uniform; Regular Personnel Policies to be Followed.
Any
discretionary actions to be taken under this Plan by the Administrative
Committee or Investment Committee with respect to the classification of the
Employees, contributions, or benefits shall be uniform in their nature and
applicable to all Employees similarly situated. With respect to service with
the
Employer, leaves of absence and other similar matters, the Committee shall
administer the Plan in accordance with the Employer’s regular personnel policies
at the time in effect.
Section
18.07
Fiduciaries.
Any
person or group of persons may serve in more than one fiduciary capacity with
respect to the Plan. Any Named Fiduciary under the Plan, and any fiduciary
designated by a Named Fiduciary to whom such power is granted by a Named
Fiduciary under the Plan, may employ one or more persons to render advice with
regard to any responsibility such fiduciary has under the Plan.
Section
18.08
Plan
Administrator.
The
Company shall be the administrator of the Plan, as defined in Section 3(16)(A)
of ERISA and shall be responsible for the preparation and filing of any required
returns, reports, statements or other filings with appropriate governmental
agencies. The Company or its authorized designee shall also be responsible
for
the preparation and delivery of information to persons entitled to such
information under any applicable law.
Section
18.09
Notices
and Elections (Administrative Committee).
A
Participant shall deliver to the Administrative Committee all directions,
orders, designations, notices or other communications on appropriate forms
to be
furnished by the Administrative Committee. The Administrative Committee shall
also receive notices or other communications directed to Participants from
the
Trustee and transmit them to the Participants. All elections which may be made
by a Participant under this Plan shall be made in a time, manner and form
determined by the Administrative Committee unless a specific time, manner or
form is set forth in the Plan.
57
Section
18.10
Misrepresentation
of Age.
In
making a determination or calculation based upon a Participant’s age, the
Administrative Committee shall be entitled to rely upon any information
furnished by the Participant. If a Participant misrepresents the Participant’s
age, and the misrepresentation is relied upon by a Member Company, an affiliate
thereof (including the Company) or the Administrative Committee, the
Administrative Committee will adjust the Participant’s Accrued Benefit to
conform to the Participant’s actual age and offset future monthly payments to
recoup any overpayments caused by the Participant’s
misrepresentation.
Section
18.11
Decisions
of Administrative Committee are Binding.
The
decisions of the Administrative Committee with respect to any matter it is
empowered to act on shall be made in the Administrative Committee’s sole
discretion and shall be final, conclusive and binding on all persons, based
on
the Plan documents. In carrying out its functions under the Plan, the
Administrative Committee shall endeavor to act by general rules so as to
administer the Plan in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner as to all persons
similarly situated.
Section
18.12
Spouse’s
Consent.
In
addition to when such consent is expressly required by the terms of this Plan,
the Committee may in its sole discretion also require the written consent of
the
Employee’s Spouse to any other election or revocation of election made under
this Plan before such election or revocation shall be effective.
Section
18.13
Accounts
and Records.
The
Administrative Committee and Investment Committee shall maintain such accounts
and records regarding the fiscal and other transactions of the Plan and such
other data as may be required to carry out its functions under the Plan and
to
comply with all applicable laws. The Administrative Committee shall report
annually to the Board on the performance of its responsibilities and on the
performance of any trustee or other persons to whom any of its powers and
responsibilities may have been delegated and on the administrative operation
of
the Plan for the preceding year. The Investment Committee shall report annually
to the Board on the performance of its responsibilities and on the performance
of any trustee, investment manager, insurance carrier or persons to whom any
of
its powers and responsibilities may have been delegated and on the financial
condition of the Plan for the preceding year.
Section
18.14
Forms.
To the
extent that the form or method prescribed by the Administrative Committee to
be
used in the operation and administration of the Plan does not conflict with
the
terms and provisions of the Plan, such form shall be evidence of (a) the
Administrative Committee’s interpretation, construction and administration of
this Plan and (b) decisions or rules made by the Administrative Committee
pursuant to the authority granted to the Committee under the Plan.
Section
18.15
Liability.
The
functions of the Trustees, Administrative Committee, the Investment Committee,
the Board, and the Employer under the Plan are fiduciary in nature and each
shall be carried out solely in the interest of the Participants and other
persons entitled to benefits under the Plan for the exclusive purpose of
providing the benefits under the Plan (and for the defraying of reasonable
expenses of administering the Plan). The Administrative Committee, the
Investment Committee, the Board, and the Employer shall carry out their
respective functions in accordance with the terms of the Plan with the care,
skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that
a
prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters would
use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims.
No
member of the Administrative Committee or Investment Committee and no officer,
director, or employee of the Employer shall be liable for any action or inaction
with respect to his functions under the Plan unless such action or inaction
is
adjudicated to be a breach of the fiduciary standard of conduct set forth above.
Further, no member of the Administrative Committee or Investment Committee
shall
be personally liable merely by virtue of any instrument executed by him or
on
his behalf as a member of the Administrative Committee or Investment
Committee.
58
APPENDIX
A
REQUIRED
MINIMUM DISTRIBUTION RULES
Section
1. General
Rules
1.1. Effective
Date.
The
provisions of this Appendix will apply for purposes of determining required
minimum distributions for calendar years beginning with the 2003 calendar
year.
1.2. Scope.
This
Appendix A describes the required distribution rules for Participants who have
reached their Required Beginning Date, as those terms are defined in the Plan,
as well as the incidental death benefit requirements. The terms of this Appendix
A shall apply solely to the extent required under Code Section 401(a)(9) and
shall be null and void to the extent that they are not required under Section
401(a)(9) of the Code. This Appendix A is not intended to defer the timing
of a
distribution beyond the date otherwise required under the Plan or to create
any
benefits (including but not limited to death benefits) or distribution forms
that are not otherwise offered under the Plan. Any capitalized terms not
otherwise defined in this Appendix A have the meaning given those terms in
the
Plan.
1.3. Precedence.
The
requirements of this Appendix A will take precedence over any inconsistent
provisions of the Plan.
1.4. Requirements
of Treasury Regulations Incorporated. All
distributions required under this Appendix A will be determined and made in
accordance with the Treasury Regulations under Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
1.5. TEFRA
Section 242(b)(2) Elections.
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Appendix A, other than Section
1.4,
distributions may be made under a designation made before January 1, 1984,
in
accordance with Section 242(b)(2) of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility
Act (TEFRA) and any provisions of the Plan that relate to Section 242(b)(2)
of
TEFRA.
Section
2. Time
and Manner of Distribution.
2.1. Required
Beginning Date.
The
Participant’s entire interest will be distributed, or begin to be distributed,
to the Participant no later than the Participant’s Required Beginning
Date.
2.2. Death
of Participant Before Distributions Begin.
If the
Participant dies before distributions begin, the Participant’s entire interest
will be distributed, or begin to be distributed, no later than as
follows:
(a) If
the
Participant’s surviving Spouse is the Participant’s sole designated beneficiary,
then distributions to the surviving Spouse will begin by December 31 of the
calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the Participant
died, or by December 31 of the calendar year in which the Participant would
have
attained age 70 1/2, if later.
Appendix
A-1
(b) If
the
Participant’s surviving Spouse is not the Participant’s sole designated
beneficiary, then distributions to the designated beneficiary will begin by
December 31 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in
which the Participant died.
(c) If
there
is no designated beneficiary as of September 30 of the year following the year
of the Participant’s death, the Participant’s entire interest will be
distributed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary
of the Participant’s death.
(d) If
the
Participant’s surviving Spouse is the Participant’s sole designated beneficiary
and the surviving Spouse dies after the Participant but before distributions
to
the surviving Spouse begin, this Section 2.2, other than Section 2.2(a), will
apply as if the surviving Spouse were the Participant.
For
purposes of this Section 2.2 and Section 5, distributions are considered to
begin on the Participant’s Required Beginning Date (or, if Section 2.2(d)
applies, the date distributions are required to begin to the surviving Spouse
under Section 2.2(a)). If annuity payments irrevocably commence to the
Participant before the Participant’s Required Beginning Date (or to the
Participant’s surviving Spouse before the date distributions are required to
begin to the surviving Spouse under Section 2.2(a)), the date distributions
are
considered to begin is the date distributions actually commence.
2.3. Form
of Distribution.
Unless
the Participant’s interest is distributed in the form of an annuity purchased
from an insurance company or in a single sum on or before the Required Beginning
Date, as of the first distribution calendar year distributions will be made
in
accordance with Sections 3, 4 and 5 of this Appendix A. If the Participant’s
interest is distributed in the form of an annuity purchased from an insurance
company, distributions thereunder will be made in accordance with the
requirements of Section 401(a)(9) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations.
Any
part of the Participant’s interest which is in the form of an individual account
described in Section 414(k) of the Code will be distributed in a manner
satisfying the requirements of Section 401(a)(9) of the Code and the Treasury
Regulations that apply to individual accounts.
Section
3. Determination
of Amount to be Distributed Each Year.
3.1. General
Annuity Requirements.
If the
Participant’s interest is paid in the form of annuity distributions under the
Plan, payments under the annuity will satisfy the following
requirements:
(a) the
annuity distributions will be paid in periodic payments made at intervals not
longer than one year;
(b) the
distribution period will be over a life (or lives) or over a period certain
not
longer than the period described in Section 4 or 5;
(c) once
payments have begun over a period certain, the period certain will not be
changed even if the period certain is shorter than the maximum
permitted;
(d) payments
will either be nonincreasing or increase only as follows:
Appendix
A-2
(1) by
an
annual percentage increase that does not exceed the annual percentage increase
in a cost-of-living index that is based on prices of all items and issued by
the
Bureau of Labor Statistics;
(2) to
the
extent of the reduction in the amount of the Participant’s payments to provide
for a survivor benefit upon death, but only if the Beneficiary whose life was
being used to determine the distribution period described in Section 4 dies
or
is no longer the Participant’s Beneficiary pursuant to a qualified domestic
relations order within the meaning of Section 414(p);
(3) to
provide cash refunds of employee contributions upon the Participant’s death;
or
(4) to
pay
increased benefits that result from a plan amendment.
3.2. Amount
Required to be Distributed by Required Beginning Date.
The
amount that must be distributed on or before the Participant’s Required
Beginning Date (or, if the Participant dies before distributions begin, the
date
distributions are required to begin under Section 2.2(a) or (b)) is the payment
that is required for one payment interval. The second payment need not be made
until the end of the next payment interval even if that payment interval ends
in
the next calendar year. Payment intervals are the periods for which payments
are
received, e.g., bi-monthly, monthly, semi-annually, or annually. All of the
Participant’s benefit accruals as of the last day of the first distribution
calendar year will be included in the calculation of the amount of the annuity
payments for payment intervals ending on or after the Participant’s Required
Beginning Date.
3.3. Additional
Accruals After First Distribution Calendar Year.
Any
additional benefits accruing to the Participant in a calendar year after the
first distribution calendar year will be distributed beginning with the first
payment interval ending in the calendar year immediately following the calendar
year in which such amount accrues.
Section
4. Requirements
For Annuity Distributions That Commence During Participant’s
Lifetime.
4.1. Joint
Life Annuities Where the Beneficiary Is Not the Participant’s Spouse.
If
the
Participant’s interest is being distributed in the form of a joint and survivor
annuity for the joint lives of the Participant and a nonspouse Beneficiary,
annuity payments to be made on or after the Participant’s Required Beginning
Date to the designated beneficiary after the Participant’s death must not at any
time exceed the applicable percentage of the annuity payment for such period
that would have been payable to the Participant using the table set forth in
Q&A-2 of Section 1.401(a)(9)-6T of the Treasury Regulations. If the form of
distribution combines a joint and survivor annuity for the joint lives of the
Participant and a nonspouse Beneficiary and a period certain annuity, the
requirement in the preceding sentence will apply to annuity payments to be
made
to the designated beneficiary after the expiration of the period
certain.
4.2. Period
Certain Annuities.
Unless
the Participant’s Spouse is the sole designated beneficiary and the form of
distribution is a period certain and no life annuity, the period certain for
an
annuity distribution commencing during the Participant’s lifetime may not exceed
the applicable distribution period for the Participant under the Uniform
Lifetime Table set forth in Section 1.401(a)(9)-9 of the Treasury Regulations
for the calendar year that contains the annuity starting date. If the annuity
starting date precedes the year in which the Participant reaches age 70, the
applicable distribution period for the Participant is the distribution period
for age 70 under the Uniform Lifetime Table set forth in Section 1.401(a)(9)-9
of the Treasury Regulations plus the excess of 70 over the age of the
Participant as of the Participant’s birthday in the year that contains the
annuity starting date. If the Participant’s Spouse is the Participant’s sole
designated beneficiary and the form of distribution is a period certain and
no
life annuity, the period certain may not exceed the longer of the Participant’s
applicable distribution period, as determined under this Section 4.2, or the
joint life and last survivor expectancy of the Participant and the Participant’s
Spouse as determined under the Joint and Last Survivor Table set forth in
Section 1.401(a)(9)-9 of the Treasury Regulations, using the Participant’s and
Spouse’s attained ages as of the Participant’s and Spouse’s birthdays in the
calendar year that contains the annuity starting date.
Appendix
A-3
Section
5. Requirements
For Minimum Distributions Where Participant Dies Before Date Distributions
Begin.
5.1. Participant
Survived by Designated Beneficiary. If
the
Participant dies before the date distribution of his or her interest begins
and
there is a designated beneficiary, the Participant’s entire interest will be
distributed, beginning no later than the time described in Section 2.2(a) or
(b), over the life of the designated beneficiary or over a period certain not
exceeding:
(a) unless
the annuity starting date is before the first distribution calendar year, the
life expectancy of the designated beneficiary determined using the Beneficiary’s
age as of the Beneficiary’s birthday in the calendar year immediately following
the calendar year of the Participant’s death; or
(b) if
the
annuity starting date is before the first distribution calendar year, the life
expectancy of the designated beneficiary determined using the Beneficiary’s age
as of the Beneficiary’s birthday in the calendar year that contains the annuity
starting date.
5.2. No
Designated Beneficiary. If
the
Participant dies before the date distributions begin and there is no designated
beneficiary as of September 30 of the year following the year of the
Participant’s death, distribution of the Participant’s entire interest will be
completed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary
of the Participant’s death.
5.3. Death
of Surviving Spouse Before Distributions to Surviving Spouse Begin.
If
the
Participant dies before the date distribution of his or her interest begins,
the
Participant’s surviving Spouse is the Participant’s sole designated beneficiary,
and the surviving Spouse dies before distributions to the surviving Spouse
begin, this Section 5 will apply as if the surviving Spouse were the
Participant, except that the time by which distributions must begin will be
determined without regard to Section 2.2(a).
Section
6. Definitions.
6.1. Designated
beneficiary.
The
individual who is designated as the Beneficiary under Section 1.09 of the
Plan and
is
the designated beneficiary under Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue
Code
and Section 1.401(a)(9)-4, Q&A-1, of the Treasury Regulations.
Appendix
A-4
6.2. Distribution
calendar year.
A
calendar year for which a minimum distribution is required. 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 Section
2.2.
6.3. Life
expectancy.
Life
expectancy as computed by use of the Single Life Table in Section 1.401(a)(9)-9
of the Treasury Regulations.
6.4. Required
Beginning Date.
The
date specified in Section 1.43 of the Plan.
Appendix
A-5
EXHIBIT
A
CHARTER
OF
THE
RETIREMENT
PLAN
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEE
1. Purpose.
The
primary purpose of the Administrative
Committee (the “Committee”) is to act
on
behalf of AllianceBernstein L.P. (formerly known as Alliance Capital Management
L.P.) (the “Company”) in the Company’s role as the administrator
of the
Retirement Plan for Employees of AllianceBernstein L.P. (formerly known as
the
Retirement Plan for Employees of Alliance Capital Management L.P.) (the “Plan”)
in accordance with the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”).
2. Composition
and Term.
The
Committee shall be composed of at least two members. The members of the
Committee shall be appointed by the Compensation
Committee of the board
of
directors (the “Board”) of AllianceBernstein Corporation (formerly known as
Alliance Capital Management Corporation), the general partner of the
Company
(the
“General Partner”),
and each
such member shall serve at the pleasure of the Board. The Compensation Committee
of the Board may remove any member of the Committee at any time, with or without
cause. The Compensation Committee of the Board shall appoint a new member of
the
Committee as soon as is reasonably possible after such a removal. Until a new
appointment is made, the remaining members of the Committee shall have full
authority to act, subject to the limitation set forth in the last sentence
of
this Section. No person shall be ineligible to be a member of the Committee
because he or she is, was or may become entitled to benefits under the Plan
or
because he or she is a member
of
the Board
and/or
an
officer
of the Company or related entity or a trustee for the Plan; provided that,
no
member of the Committee shall participate in any determination by the Committee
specifically relating to the disposition of his or her benefits
under
the Plan.
3. Appointment
to and Resignation From the Committee.
Any
person appointed to be a member of the Committee shall signify his or her
acceptance in writing to the Secretary of the General Partner. Any member of
the
Committee may resign by delivering his or her written resignation to the
Secretary of the General Partner. Such resignation shall become effective upon
delivery or at any later date specified therein.
4. Internal
Structure of Committee.
The
members of the Committee may elect from their number a Chairman. The Committee
may designate any member of the Committee to execute documents on its behalf
as
it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its responsibilities hereunder.
The Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees
(which
may consist of only one member of the Committee, and which may include persons
who are not members of the Committee)
to the
extent the Committee deems necessary or appropriate.
5. Reimbursement
of Committee Expenses.
The
members of the Committee shall serve without compensation for their services
as
such members. The Plan shall pay or reimburse the members of the Committee
for
all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with their duties with respect
to
the Plan unless the Company or other affiliate participating in the Plan pays
or
reimburses the members of the Committee for such expenses. Such expenses shall
include any expenses incidental to the operation of the Plan,
including, but not limited to, fees of legal counsel, actuaries, accountants,
investment advisors and other agents or specialists and similar costs, provided
that any such advisor
shall be
retained only as approved by the majority of the members of the Committee except
to the extent that an issue involves a breach of fiduciary duty and the majority
of members of the Committee has refused to retain appropriate advisors. To
the
extent that the members of the Committee are required to serve subject to a
bond, the Company shall pay the premiums thereon.
Exh.
A-1
6. Action
by Majority of the Committee.
A
majority of the members of the Committee at the time in office may do any act
which the Plan authorizes or requires the Committee to do, and the action of
such majority of the members expressed from time to time by a vote at a meeting,
shall
constitute the action of the Committee and shall have the same effect for all
purposes as if assented to by all the members. Persons may participate in
meetings by means of telephone conference or similar communications equipment
allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the
same
time. All of the members of Committee at any time in office, acting unanimously,
may do any act which the Plan authorizes or requires the Committee to do, which
act may be evidenced by a writing without a meeting (and such writing may
include facsimile transmissions, e-mail or other forms of electronic writing).
The writing evidencing each action taken without a meeting shall require the
signature or other affirmative indication of consent of each member of the
Committee at the time in office. The Secretary of the Committee shall maintain
minutes reflecting the Committee’s meetings and shall cause each action taken in
writing without a meeting to be included in the minutes of the Committee.
Minutes of each meeting shall be distributed to the entire
Committee.
Except
in
extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Chairman of the Committee,
notice shall be delivered to all Committee members at least 48 hours in advance
of the scheduled meeting. Attendance at any meeting,
whether
in person or telephonically,
by a
member of the Committee shall be a conclusive waiver of any objection to the
notice of such meeting given to such member.
7. Administrative
Matters.
The
Committee shall meet at such times and from time-to-time
as
it deems appropriate. The Committee may request members of management or others,
including, without limitation, legal counsel, actuaries, accountants, investment
advisors and internal auditors, to attend meetings and provide pertinent
information as necessary.
The
Committee may establish procedures for (i) the allocation of fiduciary
responsibilities (other than “trustee responsibilities,” as defined in Section
405(c) of ERISA) under the Plan among its members and (ii) the designation
of
persons other than named fiduciaries to carry out fiduciary responsibilities
(other than trustee responsibilities) under the Plan. If any fiduciary
responsibility is allocated or if any person is designated to carry out any
responsibility pursuant to the preceding sentence, the named fiduciary will
not
be liable for any act or omission of such person in carrying out such
responsibility, except as provided in Section 405(c)(2) of ERISA.
8. Counsel
and Agents.
The
Committee may employ such advisors, including legal counsel, actuaries,
accountants, investment advisors, and
such
other service providers as it may require in carrying out the provisions of
the
Plan or their duties to the Plan. Unless otherwise provided by law, any person
so employed by the Committee may be legal or other counsel to the Company or
an
affiliate thereof, a member of the Committee or an officer or member of the
governing board of a participating entity or an affiliate thereof, including
the
Board.
Exh.
A-2
9. ERISA
Fiduciary Responsibility.
The
Committee shall be the “Named Fiduciary,” as defined in Section 402(a)(2) of
ERISA, for the Plan except
with
respect to the control and management of the assets of the Plan and the
appointment of investment managers
(with
respect to which the Investment Committee is the named fiduciary).
10. Powers
of the Committee.
Subject
to the limitations of the Plan and as set forth in Section 9 above, the
Committee shall have, without exclusion, all powers conferred on it under the
terms of the Plan, including, without limitation, the following powers with
respect to the Plan (it being intended that these powers be construed in the
broadest possible manner):
(a) To
make
such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or proper for the
administration of the Plan and the transaction of business thereunder which
are
not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan and which relate
to
the duties or responsibilities of the Committee;
(b) To
appoint and monitor the performance of insurance carriers, investment managers,
investment consultants
or other
entities as it deems necessary for the proper administration and operation
of
the
Plan
and to assign and reassign assets to and among such insurance carriers and
investment managers;
(c) To
take
such other action or make such determinations in accordance with the Plan as
it
deems appropriate;
(d) To
make
or obtain such analyses, evaluations, advice or opinions, and retain such legal
counsel, actuaries, accountants, investment advisors and other persons,
including persons employed by the Company, as it may deem necessary or
advisable;
(e) To
designate one or more persons, other than a member of the Committee, to whom
the
Committee may delegate, and among whom the Committee may allocate,
specified
fiduciary responsibilities;
provided
that any
such delegation shall
be
in writing, shall specify the person so designated and the terms of the
delegation and shall be terminable by the Committee or the Board;
(f) To
designate any of the members of the Committee to execute and deliver on its
behalf documents and instruments of such types and bearing on such matters
as
may be specified in a
resolution, and any such document or instrument may be accepted and relied
upon
as the act of the Committee;
(g) To
report
to the Compensation Committee of the Board, not less often than annually, on
the
performance of its responsibilities and on the performance of any
trustee,
investment manager, insurance carrier
or
other
persons
to whom any of its powers and responsibilities may have been delegated pursuant
to this Charter and on the financial condition of the
Plan
for the
preceding year; and
Exh.
A-3
(h) To
recommend to the Compensation Committee of the Board changes to this
Charter.
The
foregoing list of powers is not intended to be either complete or exclusive,
and
the Committee shall, in addition, have such powers as may be necessary for
the
performance of its duties under the Plan and its
trust
agreement.
11. Accounts
and Records.
The
Committee shall maintain such accounts and records regarding the fiscal and
other transactions of the Plan and such other data as may be required to carry
out its functions under the Plan and to comply with all applicable
laws.
12. Standard
of Conduct.
The
members of the Committee shall discharge their duties with respect to the Plan
solely in the interests of the participants in the Plan and their beneficiaries;
and
(a) for
the
exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and their beneficiaries
and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan;
(b) with
the
care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing
that
a prudent person, acting in like capacity and familiar with such matters, would
use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims;
and
(c) in
accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan, insofar as
such documents and instruments are consistent with the provisions of
ERISA.
13. Limitation
of Committee Role.
While
the Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter,
it
is not the duty of the Committee to make
investment- related decisions with respect to the Plan, including the
appointment of one or more investment managers for the Plan, or establish or
carry out an investment policy with respect to the Plan. These are the
responsibilities of the Investment Committee for the Plan. Nor is it the duty
of
the Committee to approve amendments to the Plan that are “settlor” in
nature.
14. Integration
with Plan.
This
Charter constitutes a part of the Plan and may be amended only by
action
of the
Compensation Committee
of the
Board.
Exh.
A-4
EXHIBIT
B
CHARTER
OF
THE
RETIREMENT
PLAN INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
1. Purpose.
The
primary purpose of the Investment Committee (the “Committee”) is to oversee the
investment of the assets of the Retirement Plan for Employees of
AllianceBernstein L.P. (formerly known as the Retirement Plan for Employees
of
Alliance Capital Management L.P.) (the “Plan”) in accordance with investment
guidelines in effect from time to time and subject to the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), on behalf of
AllianceBernstein L.P. (formerly known as Alliance Capital Management L.P.)
(the
“Company”).
2. Composition
and Term.
The
Committee shall be composed of at least two members. The members of the
Committee shall be appointed by the Compensation Committee of the board of
directors (the “Board”) of AllianceBernstein Corporation (formerly known as
Alliance Capital Management Corporation), the general partner of the Company
(the “General Partner”), and each such member shall serve at the pleasure of the
Board. The Compensation Committee of the Board may remove any member of the
Committee at any time, with or without cause. The Compensation Committee of
the
Board shall appoint a new member of the Committee as soon as is reasonably
possible after such a removal. Until a new appointment is made, the remaining
members of the Committee shall have full authority to act, subject to the
limitation set forth in the last sentence of this Section. No person shall
be
ineligible to be a member of the Committee because he or she is, was or may
become entitled to benefits under the Plan or because he or she is a member
of
the Board and/or an officer of the Company or related entity or a trustee for
the Plan; provided that, no member of the Committee shall participate in any
determination by the Committee specifically relating to the disposition of
his
or her benefits under the Plan.
3. Appointment
to and Resignation From the Committee.
Any
person appointed to be a member of the Committee shall signify his or her
acceptance in writing to the Secretary of the General Partner. Any member of
the
Committee may resign by delivering his or her written resignation to the
Secretary of the General Partner. Such resignation shall become effective upon
delivery or at any later date specified therein.
4. Internal
Structure of Committee.
The
members of the Committee may elect from their number a Chairman. The Secretary
or any Assistant Secretary of the General Partner shall be the Secretary of
the
Committee. The Committee may designate any member of the Committee to execute
documents on its behalf as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its
responsibilities hereunder. The Committee may form and delegate authority to
subcommittees (which may consist of only one member of the Committee, and which
may include persons who are not members of the Committee) to the extent the
Committee deems necessary or appropriate.
5. Reimbursement
of Committee Expenses.
The
members of the Committee shall serve without compensation for their services
as
such members. The Plan shall pay or reimburse the members of the Committee
for
all reasonable expenses incurred in connection with their duties with respect
to
the Plan unless the Company or other affiliate participating in the Plan pays
or
reimburses the members of the Committee for such expenses. Such expenses shall
include any expenses incidental to the operation of the Plan, including, but
not
limited to, fees of legal counsel, actuaries, accountants, investment advisors
and other agents or specialists and similar costs, provided that any such
advisor shall be retained only as approved by the majority of the members of
the
Committee except to the extent that an issue involves a breach of fiduciary
duty
and the majority of members of the Committee has refused to retain appropriate
advisors. To the extent that the members of the Committee are required to serve
subject to a bond, the Company shall pay the premiums thereon.
Exh.
B-1
6. Action
by Majority of the Committee.
A
majority of the members of the Committee at the time in office may do any act
which the Plan authorizes or requires the Committee to do, and the action of
such majority of the members expressed from time to time by a vote at a meeting,
shall constitute the action of the Committee and shall have the same effect
for
all purposes as if assented to by all the members. Persons may participate
in
meetings by means of telephone conference or similar communications equipment
allowing all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other at the
same
time. All of the members of Committee at any time in office, acting unanimously,
may do any act which the Plan authorizes or requires the Committee to do, which
act may be evidenced by a writing without a meeting (and such writing may
include facsimile transmissions, e-mail or other forms of electronic writing).
The writing evidencing each action taken without a meeting shall require the
signature or other affirmative indication of consent of each member of the
Committee at the time in office. The Secretary of the Committee shall maintain
minutes reflecting the Committee’s meetings and shall cause each action taken in
writing without a meeting to be included in the minutes of the Committee.
Minutes of each meeting shall be distributed to the entire
Committee.
Except
in
extraordinary circumstances as determined by the Chairman of the Committee,
notice shall be delivered to all Committee members at least 48 hours in advance
of the scheduled meeting. Attendance at any meeting, whether in person or
telephonically, by a member of the Committee shall be a conclusive waiver of
any
objection to the notice of such meeting given to such member.
7. Administrative
Matters.
The
Committee shall meet at such times and from time to time as it deems
appropriate. The Committee may request members of management or others,
including, without limitation, legal counsel, actuaries, accountants, investment
advisors and internal auditors, to attend meetings and provide pertinent
information as necessary.
The
Committee may establish procedures for (i) the allocation of fiduciary
responsibilities (other than “trustee responsibilities,” as defined in Section
405(c) of ERISA) under the Plan among its members and (ii) the designation
of
persons other than named fiduciaries to carry out fiduciary responsibilities
(other than trustee responsibilities) under the Plan. If any fiduciary
responsibility is allocated or if any person is designated to carry out any
responsibility pursuant to the preceding sentence, the named fiduciary will
not
be liable for any act or omission of such person in carrying out such
responsibility, except as provided in Section 405(c)(2) of ERISA.
8. Counsel
and Agents.
The
Committee may employ such advisors, including legal counsel, actuaries,
accountants, investment advisors, and such other service providers as it may
require in carrying out the provisions of the Plan or their duties to the Plan.
Unless otherwise provided by law, any person so employed by the Committee may
be
legal or other counsel to the Company or an affiliate thereof, a member of
the
Committee or an officer or member of the governing board of a participating
entity or an affiliate thereof, including the Board.
Exh.
B-2
9. ERISA
Fiduciary Responsibility.
The
Committee shall be the “Named Fiduciary,” as defined in Section 402(a)(2) of
ERISA, for the Plan with respect to the control and management, including,
without limitation, the investment, of the assets of the Plan and the
appointment of investment managers.
10. Powers
of the Committee.
Subject
to the limitations of the Plan and as set forth in Section 9 above, the
Committee shall have, without exclusion, all powers conferred on it under the
terms of the Plan, including, without limitation, the following powers with
respect to the Plan (it being intended that these powers be construed in the
broadest possible manner):
(a) To
adopt
a statement of investment policy for the Plan;
(b) To
make
such rules and regulations as it deems necessary or proper for the
administration of the Plan and the transaction of business thereunder which
are
not inconsistent with the terms and provisions of the Plan and which relate
to
the duties or responsibilities of the Committee;
(c) To
control and manage the assets of the Plan consistent with the purpose and terms
of the Plan, including, but not by way of limitation, the investment policy
of
the Plan, taking into account short-term and long-term liquidity
needs;
(d) To
appoint “investment managers,” as defined in Section 3(38) of ERISA, who will
invest and reinvest the assets of the Plan in such securities or other property,
real or personal, within or without the United States, as it in their sole
discretion shall deem proper including, without limitation, interests or part
interests in any bond and mortgage or note and mortgage, mutual funds,
certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other short-term or demand
obligations, secured or unsecured, whether issued by governmental or
quasi-governmental agencies or corporations or by any firm or corporation;
provided that the Committee may in its sole discretion direct the investment
managers to keep such portion of the assets of the Plan in cash or cash balances
for such reasonable periods as the Committee may from time to time deem
prudent;
(e) To
appoint and monitor the performance of insurance carriers, investment managers,
investment consultants or other entities as it deems necessary for the proper
administration and operation of the Plan and to assign and reassign assets
to
and among such insurance carriers and investment managers;
(f) To
take
such other action or make such determinations in accordance with the Plan as
it
deems appropriate;
(g) To
make
or obtain such analyses, evaluations, advice or opinions, and retain such legal
counsel, actuaries, accountants, investment advisors and other persons,
including persons employed by the Company, as it may deem necessary or
advisable;
Exh.
B-3
(h) To
designate one or more persons, other than a member of the Committee, to whom
the
Committee may delegate, and among whom the Committee may allocate, specified
fiduciary responsibilities; provided that any such delegation shall be in
writing, shall specify the person so designated and the terms of the delegation,
and shall be terminable by the Committee or the Board;
(i) To
designate any of the members of the Committee to execute and deliver on its
behalf documents and instruments of such types and bearing on such matters
as
may be specified in a resolution, and any such document or instrument may be
accepted and relied upon as the act of the Committee;
(j) To
report
to the Compensation Committee of the Board, not less often than annually, on
the
performance of its responsibilities and on the performance of any trustee,
investment manager, insurance carrier or persons to whom any of its powers
and
responsibilities may have been delegated pursuant to this Charter and on the
financial condition of a plan for the preceding year; and
(k) To
recommend to the Compensation Committee of the Board changes to this
Charter.
The
foregoing list of powers is not intended to be either complete or exclusive,
and
the Committee shall, in addition, have such powers as may be necessary for
the
performance of its duties under the Plan and its trust agreement.
11. Accounts
and Records.
The
Committee shall maintain such accounts and records regarding the fiscal and
other transactions of the Plan and such other data as may be required to carry
out its functions under the Plan and to comply with all applicable
laws.
12. Standard
of Conduct.
The
members of the Committee shall discharge their duties with respect to the Plan
solely in the interests of the participants in the Plan and their beneficiaries;
and
(a) for
the
exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and their beneficiaries
and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan;
(b) with
the
care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing
that
a prudent person, acting in like capacity and familiar with such matters, would
use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like
aims;
(c) by
diversifying the investments of the Plan so as to minimize the risk of large
losses, unless under the circumstances it is clearly prudent not to do so;
and
(d) in
accordance with the documents and instruments governing the Plan, insofar as
such documents and instruments are consistent with the provisions of
ERISA.
13. Limitation
of Committee Role.
While
the Committee has the responsibilities and powers set forth in this Charter,
it
is not the duty of the Committee to take other administration-related actions
or
decisions with respect to the Plan. These are the responsibilities of the
Administrative Committee of the Plan. Further it is not the duty of the
Committee to approve amendments to the Plan that are “settlor” in
nature.
Exh.
B-4
14. Integration
with Plan.
This
Charter constitutes a part of the Plan and may be amended only by action of
the
Compensation Committee of the Board.
Exh.
B-5