Exhibit 99.1

UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION

 

2021 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

 

Effective as of May 13, 2021

 

UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION

 

2021 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

The purpose of the Union Pacific Corporation 2021 Stock Incentive Plan is to promote and closely align the interests of employees of Union Pacific Corporation and its shareholders by providing stock-based compensation and other performance-based compensation. The Plan is intended to strengthen the Company’s ability to drive performance which enhances long term shareholder value; to increase employee stock ownership; and to strengthen the Company’s ability to attract and retain an outstanding employee and executive team.

 

The Plan supersedes the Company’s 2013 Stock Incentive Plan, 2004 Stock Incentive Plan and 2001 Stock Incentive Plan with respect to future awards, and provides for the grant of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Stock Units and Retention Shares, any of which may be performance-based, and for Incentive Bonuses, which may be paid in cash or stock or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee.

 

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

(a)    “Affiliate” means any entity in which the Company has a substantial direct or indirect equity interest, as determined by the Committee from time to time.

 

(b) “Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

(c)    “Award” means an Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Stock Unit, Retention Share or Incentive Bonus granted to a Participant pursuant to the provisions of the Plan, any of which may be subject to performance conditions.

 

(d)    “Award Agreement” means a written or electronic agreement or other instrument as may be approved from time to time by the Committee and designated as such implementing the grant of each Award. An Award Agreement may be in the form of an agreement to be executed by both the Participant and the Company (or an authorized representative of the Company) or certificates, notices or similar instruments as approved by the Committee and designated as such.

 

(e) “Beneficial Owner” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Act.

 

(f) “Board” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

(g) “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any one of the following:

 

(i)  any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person or any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates) representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities, excluding any Person who becomes such a Beneficial Owner in connection with a transaction described in Section 2(g)(iii)(A) or (B) below; or

 

(ii)   the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on the Approval Date (as defined in Section 4 below), constitute the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors on the date hereof or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended; or

 

(iii)  there is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company with any other corporation, other than (A) a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation or (B) a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities Beneficially Owned by such Person or any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates) representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or

 

(iv)  the implementation of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or there is consummated an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which is owned by shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale.

 

(h)   “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and the rulings and regulations issues thereunder.

 

(i)    “Committee” means the Compensation and Benefits Committee of the Board (or any successor committee), or such other committee as designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Section 6.

 

(j)    “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $2.50 a share, or such other class or kind of shares or other securities as may be applicable under Section 14.

 

(k)   “Company” means Union Pacific Corporation, a Utah corporation, and except as utilized in the definition of Change in Control, any successor corporation.

 

(l)    “Dividend Equivalents” mean an amount payable in cash or Common Stock, as determined by the Committee, with respect to a Stock Unit Award equal to what would have been received if the shares underlying the Award had been owned by the Participant.

 

(m)  “Effective Date” means the date on which the Plan takes effect, as defined pursuant to Section 4 of the Plan.

 

(n)   “Eligible Person” means an employee of the Company or a Subsidiary, including an officer or director who is such an employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a person who would otherwise be an Eligible Person shall not be an Eligible Person in any jurisdiction where such person’s participation in the Plan would be unlawful. Non-employee directors shall not be considered Eligible Persons under the Plan.

 

(o)   “Fair Market Value” means as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows: (i) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, system or market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing price for the Common Stock as quoted on such exchange, system or market as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; and (ii) in the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Committee by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method, taking into account factors consistent with Treas. Reg. § 409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(B) as the Committee deems appropriate.

 

(p)   “Incentive Bonus” means a bonus opportunity awarded under Section 11 pursuant to which a Participant may become entitled to receive an amount based on satisfaction of such performance criteria established for a performance period of not less than one year as are specified in the Award Agreement.

 

(q)   “Incentive Stock Option” means a stock option that is designated as potentially eligible to qualify as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(r)    “Nonqualified Stock Option” means a stock option that is not intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

 

(s)    “Option” means a right to purchase a number of shares of Common Stock at such exercise price, at such times and on such other terms and conditions as are specified in or determined pursuant to an Award Agreement. Options granted pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan may be Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options.

 

(t) “Participant” means any individual described in Section 3 to whom Awards have been granted from time to time by the Committee and any authorized transferee of such individual.

 

(u)   “Person” shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

 

(v)   “Plan” means the Union Pacific Corporation 2021 Stock Incentive Plan as set forth herein and as amended from time to time.

 

(w) “Prior Plans” means the Company’s 2013 Stock Incentive Plan, 2004 Stock Incentive Plan and 2001 Stock Incentive Plan.

 

(x)   “Retention Share” means an Award or issuance of Common Stock the grant, issuance, retention, vesting and/or transferability of which is subject during specified periods of time to such conditions (including continued employment or performance conditions) and terms as the Committee deems appropriate.

 

(y)   “Stock Unit” means an Award denominated in units of Common Stock under which the issuance of shares of Common Stock (or cash payment in lieu thereof) is subject to such conditions (including continued employment or performance conditions) and terms as the Committee deems appropriate.

 

(z)   “Separation from Service” or “Separates from Service” means the termination of Participant’s employment with the Company and all Subsidiaries that constitutes a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

 

(aa) “Stock Appreciation Right” means a right granted pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan that entitles the Participant to receive, in cash or Common Stock or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee, value equal to the excess of (i) the market price of a specified number of shares of Common Stock at the time of exercise over (ii) the exercise price of the right, as established by the Committee on the date of grant.

 

(bb)  “Subsidiary” means any business association (including a corporation or a partnership, other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of such associations beginning with the Company if each of the associations other than the last association in the unbroken chain owns equity interests (including stock or partnership interests) possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of equity interests in one of the other associations in such chain.

 

(cc)  “Substitute Awards” means Awards granted or Common Stock issued by the Company in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, awards previously granted, or the right or obligation to make future awards, by a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines.

 

Any Eligible Person is eligible to receive an Award.

 

This Plan was adopted by the Board as of March 25, 2021 (the “Approval Date”), and it will become effective when it is approved by the Company’s shareholders (the “Effective Date”). All Awards granted under this Plan are subject to, and may not be exercised before, the approval of this Plan by the shareholders prior to the first anniversary date of the Approval Date; provided that if such approval by the shareholders of the Company is not forthcoming, all Awards previously granted under this Plan shall be void. The Plan shall remain available for the grant of Awards until the tenth (10th) anniversary of the Approval Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan may be terminated at such earlier time as the Board may determine. Termination of the Plan will not affect the rights and obligations of the Participants and the Company arising under Awards theretofore granted.

 

(a) Aggregate Limits.

 

(i) The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan shall not exceed 23,000,000, reduced by any shares of Common Stock subject to awards made under the Prior Plans after December 31, 2020. Any shares of Common Stock issued under Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against the number of shares issuable under the Plan on a one-for-one basis and any shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against this limit as two shares of Common Stock for every one share of Common Stock subject to such Award.

 

(ii)  Shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding awards under the Prior Plans as of May 13, 2021 (such awards the “Prior Plan Awards”) that, after May 13, 2021, are canceled, expired, forfeited or otherwise not issued under a Prior Plan Award (including as a result of being withheld to pay withholding taxes in connection with any such awards (other than options or stock appreciation rights)) or settled in cash shall be added to the number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan as one share of Common Stock, if such shares were subject to options or stock appreciation rights granted under the Prior Plans, and as two shares of Common Stock, if such shares were subject to awards other than options or stock appreciation rights granted under the Prior Plans.

 

(iii)  The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for grant under this Plan and the number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards outstanding at the time of any event described in Section 14 shall be subject to adjustment as provided in Section 14. The shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to Awards granted under this Plan may be shares that are authorized and unissued or shares that were reacquired by the Company, including shares purchased in the open market.

 

(b) Issuance of Shares. For purposes of Section 5(a), the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued under this Plan at any time shall equal only the number of shares of Common Stock actually issued upon exercise or settlement of an Award, and shares of Common Stock subject to Awards that have been canceled, expired, forfeited or otherwise not issued under an Award and shares of Common Stock subject to Awards settled in cash shall not count as shares of Common Stock issued under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shares of Common Stock will not be added back (or with respect to Prior Plan Awards, will not be added) to the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance: (i) shares of Common Stock that were subject to a stock-settled Stock Appreciation Right (or a stock appreciation right granted under a Prior Plan) and were not issued upon the net settlement or net exercise of such Stock Appreciation Right (or stock appreciation right granted under a Prior Plan), (ii) shares of Common Stock delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the exercise price of an Option (or an option granted under a Prior Plan), (iii) shares of Common Stock delivered to or withheld by the Company to pay the withholding taxes related an Option or Stock Appreciation Right (or an option or stock appreciation right granted under a Prior Plan), or (iv) shares of Common Stock repurchased on the open market with cash proceeds from exercise of an Option (or option granted under a Prior Plan). Any shares of Common Stock that again become available for grant pursuant to this Section 5 shall be added back as one share of Common Stock, if such shares were subject to Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan or options or stock appreciation rights granted under a Prior Plan, and as two shares of Common Stock, if such shares were subject to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan or subject to awards other than options or stock appreciation rights granted under the Prior Plans. In addition, any shares issued by the Company through the assumption or substitution of outstanding grants from an acquired company shall not reduce the shares available for grants under the Plan.

 

(c) Tax Code Limits. The aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under this Plan shall not exceed 23,000,000, which number shall be calculated and adjusted pursuant to Section 14 only to the extent that such calculation or adjustment will not affect the status of any option intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option under Section 422 of the Code.

 

(d) Substitute Awards. Substitute Awards shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan or authorized for grant to a Participant in any calendar year. Additionally, in the event that a company acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary, or with which the Company or any Subsidiary combines, has shares available under a pre-existing plan approved by shareholders and not adopted in contemplation of such acquisition or combination, the shares available for grant pursuant to the terms of such pre-existing plan (as adjusted, to the extent appropriate, using the exchange ratio or other adjustment or valuation ratio or formula used in such acquisition or combination to determine the consideration payable to the holders of common stock of the entities party to such acquisition or combination) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Plan; provided that Awards using such available shares shall not be made after the date awards or grants could have been made under the terms of the pre-existing plan, absent the acquisition or combination, and shall only be made to individuals who were employees of such acquired or combined company before such acquisition or combination.

 

(a) Administrator of the Plan. The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Board shall fill vacancies on, and from time to time may remove or add members to, the Committee. The Committee shall act pursuant to a majority vote or unanimous written consent. Any power of the Committee may also be exercised by the Board, except to the extent that the grant or exercise of such authority would cause any Award or transaction to become subject to (or lose an exemption under) the short-swing profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Act. To the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action shall control. To the maximum extent permissible under applicable law, the Committee may by resolution delegate any or all of its authority to one or more subcommittees composed of one or more directors and/or officers, and any such subcommittee shall be treated as the Committee for all purposes under this Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Board or the Committee delegates to a subcommittee comprised of one or more officers of the Company (who are not also directors) the authority to grant Awards, the resolution so authorizing such subcommittee shall specify the total number of shares of Common Stock such subcommittee may award pursuant to such delegated authority, and no such subcommittee shall designate any officer serving thereon or any executive officer of the Company as a recipient of any Awards granted under such delegated authority. The Committee hereby delegates to and designates the senior human resources officer of the Company (or such other officer with similar authority), and to his or her delegates or designees, the authority to assist the Committee in the day-to-day administration of the Plan and of Awards granted under the Plan, including without limitation those powers set forth in Section 6(b)(iv) through (ix) and to execute agreements evidencing Awards made under this Plan or other documents entered into under this Plan on behalf of the Committee or the Company. The Committee may further designate and delegate to one or more additional officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, and/or one or more agents, authority to assist the Committee in any or all aspects of the day-to-day administration of the Plan and/or of Awards granted under the Plan.

 

(b) Powers of Committee. Subject to the express provisions of this Plan, the Committee shall be authorized and empowered to do all things that it determines to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the administration of this Plan, including, without limitation:

 

(i)  to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan and to define terms not otherwise defined herein;

 

(ii)  to determine which persons are Eligible Persons, to which of such Eligible Persons, if any, Awards shall be granted hereunder and the timing of any such Awards;

 

(iii) to prescribe and amend the terms of the Award Agreements, to grant Awards and determine the terms and conditions thereof;

 

(iv)  to establish and verify the extent of satisfaction of any performance goals or other conditions applicable to the grant, issuance, retention, vesting, exercisability or settlement of any Award;

 

(v)  to prescribe and amend the terms of or form of any document or notice required to be delivered to the Company by Participants under this Plan;

 

(vi) to determine the extent to which adjustments are required pursuant to Section 14;

 

(vii)  to interpret and construe this Plan, any rules and regulations under this Plan and the terms and conditions of any Award granted hereunder, and to make exceptions to any such provisions if the Committee, in good faith, determines that it is appropriate to do so;

 

(viii) to approve corrections in the documentation or administration of any Award; and

 

(ix) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Plan.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, with respect to any Award that is “deferred compensation” under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee shall exercise its discretion in a manner that causes such Awards to be compliant with or exempt from the requirements of such Code section. Without limiting the foregoing, unless expressly agreed to in writing by the Participant holding such Award, the Committee shall not take any action with respect to any Award which constitutes (i) a modification of a stock right within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(v)(B) so as to constitute the grant of a new stock right, (ii) an extension of a stock right, including the addition of a feature for the deferral of compensation within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(v)(C), or (iii) an impermissible acceleration of a payment date or a subsequent deferral of a stock right subject to Section 409A of the Code within the meaning of Treas. Reg. Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(v)(E).

 

The Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion, without amendment to the Plan but subject to the limitations otherwise set forth in Section 18, waive or amend the operation of Plan provisions respecting exercise after termination of employment or service to the Company or an Affiliate. The Committee or any member thereof may, in its sole and absolute discretion and, except as otherwise provided in Section 18, waive, settle or adjust any of the terms of any Award so as to avoid unanticipated consequences or address unanticipated events (including any temporary closure of an applicable stock exchange, disruption of communications or natural catastrophe).

 

(c) Determinations by the Committee. All decisions, determinations and interpretations by the Committee regarding the Plan, any rules and regulations under the Plan and the terms and conditions of or operation of any Award granted hereunder, shall be final and binding on all Participants, beneficiaries, heirs, assigns or other persons holding or claiming rights under the Plan or any Award. The Committee shall consider such factors as it deems relevant, in its sole and absolute discretion, to making such decisions, determinations and interpretations including, without limitation, the recommendations or advice of any officer or other employee of the Company and such attorneys, consultants and accountants as it may select. Members of the Board and members of the Committee acting under the Plan shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the advice of counsel and shall incur no liability except for gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of their duties.

 

(d) Subsidiary Awards. In the case of a grant of an Award to any Participant employed by a Subsidiary, such grant may, if the Committee so directs, be implemented by the Company issuing any subject shares of Common Stock to the Subsidiary, for such lawful consideration as the Committee may determine, upon the condition or understanding that the Subsidiary will transfer the shares of Common Stock to the Participant in accordance with the terms of the Award specified by the Committee pursuant to the provisions of the Plan. Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, such Award may be issued by and in the name of the Subsidiary and shall be deemed granted on such date as the Committee shall determine.

 

7. Plan Awards

(a) Terms Set Forth in Award Agreement. Awards may be granted at any time and from time to time prior to the termination of the Plan to Eligible Persons as determined by the Committee. The terms and conditions of each Award shall be set forth in an Award Agreement in a form approved by the Committee for such Award, which Award Agreement may contain such terms and conditions as specified from time to time by the Committee, provided such terms and conditions do not conflict with the Plan. The Award Agreement for any Award (other than Retention Share awards) shall include the time or times at or within which and the consideration, if any, for which any shares of Common Stock may be acquired from the Company. The terms of Awards may vary among Participants, and the Plan does not impose upon the Committee any requirement to make Awards subject to uniform terms. Accordingly, the terms of individual Award Agreements may vary.

 

(b) Separation from Service. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall specify before, at, or after the time of grant of an Award the provisions governing the effect(s) upon an Award of a Participant’s Separation from Service.

 

(c) Rights of a Shareholder. A Participant shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to shares of Common Stock covered by an Award (including voting rights) until the date the Participant becomes the holder of record of such shares of Common Stock. No adjustment shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to such date, except as provided in Section 10(b) or Section 14 of this Plan or as otherwise provided by the Committee.

 

(a) Grant, Term and Price. The grant, issuance, retention, vesting and/or settlement of any Option shall occur at such time and be subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee or under criteria established by the Committee, which may include conditions based on continued employment, passage of time, attainment of age and/or service requirements, and/or satisfaction of performance conditions. The term of an Option shall in no event be greater than ten years; provided, however, the term of an Option (other than an Incentive Stock Option) shall be automatically extended if, at the time of its scheduled expiration, the Participant holding such Option is prohibited by law from exercising the Option, which extension shall expire on the 30^th day following the date such prohibition no longer applies. The Committee will establish the price at which Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of an Option, which, in no event will be less than the Fair Market Value of such shares on the date of grant; provided, however, that the exercise price per share of Common Stock with respect to an Option that is granted as a Substitute Award may be less than the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the date such Option is granted if such exercise price is based on a formula set forth in the terms of the options held by such optionees or in the terms of the agreement providing for such merger or other acquisition that satisfies the requirements of (i) Section 409A of the Code, if such options held by such optionees are not intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code, and (ii) Section 424(a) of the Code, if such options held by such optionees are intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code. The exercise price of any Option may be paid in cash or such other method as determined by the Committee, including an irrevocable commitment by a broker to pay over such amount from a sale of the Shares issuable under an Option, the delivery of previously owned shares of Common Stock or withholding of shares of Common Stock deliverable upon exercise.

 

(b) No Repricing without Shareholder Approval. Other than in connection with a change in the Company’s capitalization (as described in Section 14), at any time when the exercise price of an Option is above the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock, the Committee shall not, without shareholder approval, reduce the exercise price of such Option and shall not, without shareholder approval, cancel and re-grant or exchange such Option for a new Award with a lower (or no) exercise price or for cash.

 

(c) No Reload Grants. Options shall not be granted under the Plan in consideration for and shall not be conditioned upon the delivery of shares of Common Stock to the Company in payment of the exercise price and/or tax withholding obligation under any other employee stock option.

 

(d) Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 8, in the case of the grant of an Option intending to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, if the Participant owns stock possessing more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company (a “10% Shareholder”), the exercise price of such Option must be at least 110% of the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock on the date of grant and the Option must expire within a period of not more than five years from the date of grant. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 8 to the contrary, options designated as Incentive Stock Options shall not be eligible for treatment as Incentive Stock Options (and will be deemed to be Nonqualified Stock Options) to the extent that either (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock (determined as of the time of grant) with respect to which such Options are exercisable for the first time by the Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company and any Subsidiary) exceeds $100,000, taking Options into account in the order in which they were granted, or (ii) such Options otherwise remain exercisable but are not exercised within three months (or such other period of time provided in Section 422 of the Code) of separation of service (as determined in accordance with Section 3401(c) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder).

 

(e) No Shareholder Rights. Participants shall have no voting rights and will have no rights to receive dividends or Dividend Equivalents in respect of an Option or any shares of Common Stock subject to an Option until the Participant has become the holder of record of such shares.

 

(a) General Terms. The grant, issuance, retention, vesting and/or settlement of any Stock Appreciation Right shall occur at such time and be subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee or under criteria established by the Committee, which may include conditions based on continued employment, passage of time, attainment of age and/or service requirements, and/or satisfaction of performance conditions. Stock Appreciation Rights may be granted to Participants from time to time either in tandem with or as a component of Options granted under the Plan (“tandem SARs”) or not in conjunction with other Awards (“freestanding SARs”). Upon exercise of a tandem SAR as to some or all of the shares covered by the grant, the related Option shall be canceled automatically to the extent of the number of shares covered by such exercise. Conversely, if the related Option is exercised as to some or all of the shares covered by the grant, the related tandem SAR, if any, shall be canceled automatically to the extent of the number of shares covered by the Option exercise. Any Stock Appreciation Right granted in tandem with an Option may be granted at the same time such Option is granted or at any time thereafter before exercise or expiration of such Option, provided that the Fair Market Value of Common Stock on the date of the SAR's grant is not greater than the exercise price of the related Option. All freestanding SARs shall be granted subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to Options as set forth in Section 8 and all tandem SARs shall have the same exercise price as the Option to which they relate. Subject to the provisions of Section 8 and the immediately preceding sentence, the Committee may impose such other conditions or restrictions on any Stock Appreciation Right as it shall deem appropriate. Stock Appreciation Rights may be settled in Common Stock, cash, Retention Shares or a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

 

(b) No Repricing without Shareholder Approval. Other than in connection with a change in the Company’s capitalization (as described in Section 14), at any time when the exercise price of a Stock Appreciation Right is above the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock, the Committee shall not, without shareholder approval, reduce the exercise price of such Stock Appreciation Right and shall not, without shareholder approval, cancel and re-grant or exchange such Stock Appreciation Right for a new Award with a lower (or no) exercise price or for cash.

 

(c) No Shareholder Rights. Participants shall have no voting rights and will have no rights to receive dividends or Dividend Equivalents in respect of an Award of Stock Appreciation Rights or any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award of Stock Appreciation Rights until the Participant has become the holder of record of such shares.

 

10.  Retention Share and Stock Unit Awards

(a) Vesting and Performance Criteria. The grant, issuance, retention, vesting and/or settlement of any Retention Share or Stock Unit Award shall occur at such time and be subject to such terms and conditions as determined by the Committee or under criteria established by the Committee, which may include conditions based on continued employment, passage of time, attainment of age and/or service requirements, and /or satisfaction of performance conditions. In addition, the Committee shall have the right to grant Retention Share or Stock Unit Awards as the form of payment for grants or rights earned or due under other shareholder-approved compensation plans or arrangements of the Company.

 

(b) Dividends and Distributions. Participants in whose name Retention Shares are granted shall be entitled to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to those shares of Common Stock, unless determined otherwise by the Committee. The Committee will determine whether any such dividends or distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Retention Shares and/or subject to the same restrictions on transferability as the Retention Shares with respect to which they were distributed or whether such dividends or distributions will be paid in cash. Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, during the period prior to shares being issued in the name of a Participant under any Stock Unit, the Company shall pay or accrue Dividend Equivalents on each date dividends on Common Stock are paid, subject to such conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate. The time and form of any such payment of Dividend Equivalents shall be specified in the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event will dividends or Dividend Equivalents be paid during the performance period with respect to unearned Awards of Retention Shares or Stock Units that are subject to performance-based vesting criteria. Dividends or Dividend Equivalents accrued on such shares shall become payable no earlier than the date the performance-based vesting criteria have been achieved and the underlying shares or Stock Units have been earned.

 

(a) Performance Criteria. The Committee shall establish the performance criteria and level of achievement versus these criteria that shall determine the amount payable under an Incentive Bonus, which may include a target, threshold and/or maximum amount payable and any formula for determining such.

 

(b) Timing and Form of Payment. The Committee shall determine the timing of payment of any Incentive Bonus. Payment of the amount due under an Incentive Bonus may be made in cash or in Common Stock, as determined by the Committee.

 

(c) Discretionary Adjustments. Notwithstanding satisfaction of any performance goals, the amount paid under an Incentive Bonus on account of either financial performance or personal performance evaluations may be adjusted by the Committee on the basis of such further considerations as the Committee shall determine.

 

The Committee may, in an Award Agreement or otherwise, provide for the deferred delivery of Common Stock or cash upon settlement, vesting or other events with respect to Stock Units, or in payment or satisfaction of an Incentive Bonus. If a Participant has elected to defer payment or settlement of an Award, then the Award will (provided that all vesting and other conditions have been satisfied) be paid in accordance with the Participant’s deferral consistent with the terms of the Deferred Compensation Plan of the Company. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event will any election to defer the delivery of Common Stock or any other payment with respect to any Award be allowed if the Committee determines, in its sole discretion, that the deferral would result in the imposition of the additional tax under Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the Code. No Award shall provide for deferral of compensation that does not comply with Section 409A of the Code. The Company, the Board and the Committee shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Award that is intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A of the Code is not so exempt or compliant or for any action taken by the Board or the Committee.

 

13.   Conditions and Restrictions Upon Securities Subject to Awards

The Committee may provide that the Common Stock issued upon exercise of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right or otherwise subject to or issued under an Award shall be subject to such further agreements, restrictions, conditions or limitations as the Committee in its discretion may specify prior to the exercise of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right or the grant, vesting or settlement of such Award, including without limitation, conditions on vesting or transferability, forfeiture or repurchase provisions and method of payment for the Common Stock issued upon exercise, vesting or settlement of such Award (including the actual or constructive surrender of Common Stock already owned by the Participant) or payment of taxes arising in connection with an Award. Without limiting the foregoing, such restrictions may address the timing and manner of any resales by the Participant or other subsequent transfers by the Participant of any shares of Common Stock issued under an Award, including without limitation (a) restrictions under an insider trading policy or pursuant to applicable law, (b) restrictions designed to delay and/or coordinate the timing and manner of sales by the Participant and holders of other Company equity compensation arrangements, (c) restrictions as to the use of a specified brokerage firm for such resales or other transfers and (d) provisions requiring Common Stock be sold on the open market or to the Company in order to satisfy tax withholding or other obligations.

 

(a)    The number and kind of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under this Plan (including under any Awards then outstanding), and the number and kind of shares of Common Stock subject to the limits set forth in Section 5 of this Plan, shall be equitably adjusted by the Committee to reflect any reorganization, reclassification, combination of shares, stock split, reverse stock split, spin-off, dividend or distribution of securities, property or cash (other than regular, quarterly cash dividends), or any other event or transaction that affects the number or kind of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Such adjustment may be designed to comply with Section 424 of the Code or may be designed to treat the shares of Common Stock available under the Plan and subject to Awards as if they were all outstanding on the record date for such event or transaction or to increase the number of such shares of Common Stock to reflect a deemed reinvestment in shares of Common Stock of the amount distributed to the Company’s securityholders. The terms of any outstanding Award shall also be equitably adjusted by the Committee as to price, number or kind of shares of Common Stock subject to such Award, vesting, and other terms to reflect the foregoing events, which adjustments need not be uniform as between different Awards or different types of Awards. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued pursuant to such an adjustment.

 

(b)    In the event there shall be any other change in the number or kind of outstanding shares of Common Stock, or any stock or other securities into which such Common Stock shall have been changed, or for which it shall have been exchanged, by reason of a Change in Control, other merger, consolidation or otherwise, then the Committee shall determine the appropriate and equitable adjustment to be effected, which adjustments need not be uniform between different Awards or different types of Awards. In addition, in the event of such change described in this paragraph, the Committee may accelerate the time or times at which any Award may be exercised, consistent with and as otherwise permitted under Section 409A of the Code, and may provide for cancellation of such accelerated Awards that are not exercised within a time prescribed by the Committee in its sole discretion.

 

(c)    Unless otherwise expressly provided for in the Award Agreement or another contract, including an employment or severance agreement or severance plan, or under the terms of a transaction constituting a Change in Control, the following shall occur upon a Participant’s involuntary termination of employment within 24 months following a Change in Control, provided that such termination does not result from the Participant’s termination for disability, cause or gross misconduct: (i) in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant shall have the ability to exercise such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, including any portion of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right not previously exercisable, and the Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall remain exercisable for a period of three years following such termination, but in no event after the expiration of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, (ii) in the case of an Award subject to performance conditions, the Participant shall have the right to receive a payment based on performance through a date determined by the Committee prior to the Change in Control (unless such performance cannot be determined, in which case the Participant shall have the right to receive a payment equal to the target amount payable), and (iii) in the case of outstanding Retention Shares and/or Stock Units, all conditions to the grant, issuance, retention, vesting or transferability of, or any other restrictions applicable to, such Award shall immediately lapse. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in the event of a Change in Control in which the acquiring or surviving company in the transaction does not assume or continue outstanding Awards upon the Change in Control, immediately prior to the Change in Control, all Awards that are not assumed or continued shall be treated as follows effective immediately prior to the Change in Control: (A) in the case of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant shall have the ability to exercise such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, including any portion of the Option or Stock Appreciation Right not previously exercisable (provided, that any Option or Stock Appreciation Right for which the exercise price is less than the consideration per Share payable to shareholders of the Company in such Change in Control may be cancelled upon the consummation of the Change in Control without payment of any additional consideration), (B) in the case of an Award subject to performance conditions, the Participant shall have the right to receive a payment based on performance through a date determined by the Committee prior to the Change in Control (unless such performance cannot be determined, in which case the Participant shall have the right to receive a payment equal to the target amount payable), and (C) in the case of outstanding Retention Shares and/or Stock Units, all conditions to the grant, issuance, retention, vesting or transferability of, or any other restrictions applicable to, such Award shall immediately lapse. In no event shall any action be taken pursuant to this Section 14(c) that would change the payment or settlement date of an Award in a manner that would result in the imposition of any additional taxes or penalties pursuant to Section 409A of the Code.

 

(d) The Company shall notify Participants holding Awards subject to any adjustments pursuant to this Section 14 of such adjustment, but (whether or not notice is given) such adjustment shall be effective and binding for all purposes of the Plan.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 14 to the contrary, an adjustment to an Option or Stock Appreciation Right under this Section 14 shall be made in a manner that will not result in the grant of a new Option or Stock Appreciation Right under Section 409A of the Code.

 

Each Award may not be sold, transferred for value, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated by a Participant other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and each Option or Stock Appreciation Right shall be exercisable only by the Participant during his or her lifetime. Notwithstanding the foregoing, outstanding Options may be exercised following the Participant’s death by the Participant’s beneficiaries or as permitted by the Committee.

 

This Plan, the grant, issuance, vesting, exercise and settlement of Awards thereunder, and the obligation of the Company to sell, issue or deliver shares of Common Stock under such Awards, shall be subject to all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, stock exchange rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental or regulatory agency as may be required. The Company shall not be required to register in a Participant’s name or deliver Common Stock prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of such shares under any foreign, federal, state or local law or any ruling or regulation of any government body which the Committee shall determine to be necessary or advisable. To the extent the Company is unable to or the Committee deems it infeasible to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares of Common Stock hereunder, the Company and its Subsidiaries shall be relieved of any liability with respect to the failure to issue or sell such shares of Common Stock as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. No Option shall be exercisable and no Common Stock shall be issued and/or transferable under any other Award unless a registration statement with respect to the Common Stock underlying such Option is effective and current or the Company has determined that such registration is unnecessary.

 

In the event an Award is granted to or held by a Participant who is employed or providing services outside the United States, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, modify the provisions of the Plan or of such Award as they pertain to such individual to comply with applicable foreign law or to recognize differences in local law, currency or tax policy. The Committee may also impose conditions on the grant, issuance, exercise, vesting, settlement or retention of Awards in order to comply with such foreign law and/or to minimize the Company’s obligations with respect to tax equalization for Participants employed outside their home country.

 

17.   Withholding

To the extent required by applicable federal, state, local or foreign law, the Committee may and/or a Participant shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the satisfaction of any withholding tax obligations that arise with respect to any Award, or the issuance or sale of any shares of Common Stock. The Company shall not be required to recognize any Participant rights under an Award, to issue shares of Common Stock or to recognize the disposition of such shares of Common Stock until such obligations are satisfied. To the extent permitted or required by the Committee, these obligations may or shall be satisfied by the Company withholding cash from any compensation otherwise payable to or for the benefit of a Participant, the Company withholding a portion of the shares of Common Stock that otherwise would be issued to a Participant under such Award or any other award held by the Participant or by the Participant tendering to the Company cash or, if allowed by the Committee, shares of Common Stock.

 

The Board may amend, alter or discontinue this Plan and the Committee may amend, or alter any agreement or other document evidencing an Award made under this Plan but, except as provided pursuant to the provisions of Section 14, no such amendment shall, without the approval of the shareholders of the Company:

 

(a) increase the maximum number of shares of Common Stock for which Awards may be granted under this Plan;

 

(b) reduce the price at which Options may be granted below the price provided for in Section 8(a);

 

(c) reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or SARs as described in Sections 8(b) and 9(b);

 

(d) extend the term of this Plan;

 

(e) change the class of persons eligible to be Participants; or

 

(f)  otherwise amend the Plan in any manner requiring shareholder approval by law or the rules of any stock exchange or market or quotation system on which the Common Stock is traded, listed or quoted.

 

No amendment or alteration to the Plan or an Award or Award Agreement shall be made which would impair the rights of the holder of an Award, without such holder’s consent, provided that no such consent shall be required if the Committee determines in its sole discretion and prior to the date of any Change in Control that such amendment or alteration either (i) is required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any law or regulation or to meet the requirements of or avoid adverse financial accounting consequences under any accounting standard, or (ii) is not reasonably likely to significantly diminish the benefits provided under such Award, or that any such diminishment has been adequately compensated.

 

The Company, any Subsidiary or Affiliate which is in existence or hereafter comes into existence, the Board and the Committee shall not be liable to a Participant or any other person as to: (a) the non-issuance or sale of shares of Common Stock as to which the Company has been unable to obtain from any regulatory body having jurisdiction the authority deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any shares of Common Stock hereunder; and (b) any tax consequence expected, but not realized, by any Participant or other person due to the receipt, exercise or settlement of any Award granted hereunder.

 

20.   Non-Exclusivity of Plan

Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board or the Committee to adopt such other incentive arrangements as either may deem desirable.

 

This Plan and any agreements or other documents hereunder shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Utah and applicable federal law. Any reference in this Plan or in the agreement or other document evidencing any Awards to a provision of law or to a rule or regulation shall be deemed to include any successor law, rule or regulation of similar effect or applicability.

 

Nothing in this Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of the Company, its Subsidiaries and/or its Affiliates to terminate any Participant’s employment, service on the Board or service for the Company at any time or for any reason not prohibited by law, nor shall this Plan or an Award itself confer upon any Participant any right to continue his or her employment or service for any specified period of time. Neither an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment contract with the Company, any Subsidiary and/or its Affiliates. Subject to Sections 4 and 18, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Board without giving rise to any liability on the part of the Company, its Subsidiaries and/or its Affiliates.

 

Except as otherwise provided by the Committee in the Award Agreement, Awards may be forfeited if the Participant terminates his or her employment with the Company, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate for any reason.

 

24.   Clawback and Recoupment

Awards granted under this Plan are subject to recoupment, including in connection with a financial restatement or any detrimental conduct, pursuant to and in accordance with the Company’s Policy for Recoupment of Incentive Compensation, as amended from time to time, and pursuant to any other policy the Company may adopt pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law. No recovery of compensation under such a clawback policy shall be treated as an event giving rise to a right to terminate employment for “good reason” or “constructive termination” (or any similar term) under any agreement with the Company.

 

To the extent any payment under this Plan is considered deferred compensation subject to the restrictions contained in Section 409A of the Code, such payment may not be made to a specified employee (as determined in accordance with a uniform policy adopted by the Company with respect to all arrangements subject to Section 409A of the Code) upon Separation from Service before the date that is six months after the specified employee’s Separation from Service (or, if earlier, the specified employee’s death). Any payment that would otherwise be made during this period of delay shall be accumulated and paid on the sixth month plus one day following the specified employee’s Separation from Service (or, if earlier, as soon as administratively practicable after the specified employee’s death).

 

26.   No Liability of Committee Members

No member of the Committee shall be personally liable by reason of any contract or other instrument executed by such member or on his behalf in his capacity as a member of the Committee nor for any mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other employee, officer or director of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or delegated, against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan unless arising out of such person’s own fraud or willful bad faith; provided, however, that approval of the Board shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of a claim against any such person. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or By-laws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

 

If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

The Plan is intended to be an unfunded plan. Participants are and shall at all times be general creditors of the Company with respect to their Awards. If the Committee or the Company chooses to set aside funds in a trust or otherwise for the payment of Awards under the Plan, such funds shall at all times be subject to the claims of the creditors of the Company in the event of its bankruptcy or insolvency.

 

Exhibit 99.2

UNION PACIFIC CORPORATION

 

2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

The purpose of the Union Pacific Corporation 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is to secure for the Company and its shareholders the benefits of the incentive inherent in the ownership of Common Stock by present and future employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries and Affiliates. The Plan will become effective when it is approved by the Company’s shareholders (the “Effective Date”).

 

There shall be reserved for issuance and purchase by Participating Employees under the Plan an aggregate of 10 million shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12. Shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan may consist of newly issued shares, shares acquired from treasury held by the Company, or shares purchased on the open market.

 

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

(a) “Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor thereto.

 

(b) “Affiliate” means any entity in which the Company has a substantial direct or indirect equity interest, as determined by the Committee from time to time.

 

(c) “Base Compensation” means, unless otherwise determined by the Committee: (i) with respect to an Eligible Employee that is an agreement employee of the Employer, “Compensation” as such term is defined in Section 2.13(a) of the Union Pacific Agreement Employee 401(k) Retirement Thrift Plan, as may be amended from time to time; and (ii) with respect to an Eligible Employee that is a nonagreement employee of the Employer, “Compensation” as such term is defined in Section 2.22(a) of the Union Pacific Corporation Thrift Plan, as may be amended from time to time.

 

(d) “Beneficiary” means the beneficiary designated by the Participating Employee in accordance with Section 13(c), or if no beneficiary designation is in effect under this Plan or if the Participating Employee’s designated beneficiary predeceases him, the Participating Employee’s beneficiary shall be his or her estate.

 

(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(f) “Business Day” means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading in Common Stock or, if trading in Common Stock is suspended, the next following day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which trading in Common Stock is no longer suspended.

 

(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(h) “Committee” means the Compensation and Benefits Committee of the Board (or any successor committee), or such other committee as designated by the Board to administer the Plan under Section 4.

 

(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $2.50 a share, or such other class or kind of shares or other securities as may be applicable under Section 12.

 

(j) “Company” means Union Pacific Corporation, a Utah corporation, and any successor by merger, consolidation or otherwise.

 

(k) “Disability” means a disability for which the Participating Employee has been determined to be disabled under the provisions of: (i) an applicable long-term disability plan of the Company or a Subsidiary; (ii) the Railroad Retirement Act; or (iii) the Social Security Act.

 

(l) “Eligible Employee” means any employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates who meets the eligibility requirements of Section 5.

 

(m) “Employer” means the Company or Subsidiary or Affiliate employing an Eligible Employee.

 

(n) “Enrollment Form” means the form submitted to the Senior Human Resources Officer (or designee) by an Eligible Employee electing to participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 6.

 

(o) “Fair Market Value” means as of any date, the value of the Common Stock determined as follows: (i) if the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange, system or market, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing price for the Common Stock as quoted on such exchange, system or market as reported in the Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Committee deems reliable; and (ii) in the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Committee by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method, taking into account factors consistent with Treas. Reg. § 409A-1(b)(5)(iv)(B) as the Committee deems appropriate.

 

(p) “Investment Account” means the account established for each Participating Employee pursuant to Section 9 to account for Common Stock purchased under the Plan.

 

(q) “Investment Date” means the 15^th day of each calendar month (or the most recent Business Day in the event the 15^th is not a Business Day), or such other date(s) as determined by the Committee.

 

(r) “Participating Employee” means an Eligible Employee who elects participate in the Plan by submitting an Enrollment Form pursuant to Section 6.

 

(s) “Payroll Deduction Account” means the account established for a Participating Employee to reflect payroll deductions pursuant to Section 6.

 

(t) “Purchase Price” means the Fair Market Value on the date of purchase for each whole and fractional share of Common Stock purchased under the Plan.

 

(u) “Senior Human Resources Officer” means the senior human resources officer of the Company or Union Pacific Railroad Company (or such other officer with similar authority).

 

(v) “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, as of an Investment Date, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 100% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

 

(w) “Termination of Employment” means for any Employee, his or her death, retirement, resignation, discharge, Disability or any absence that causes him to cease to be an employee of the Company, its Affiliates and Subsidiaries.

 

The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Board shall fill vacancies on, and from time to time may remove or add members to, the Committee.

 

Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee (and any designee delegated by the Committee with such authority) shall have the authority to take any and all actions necessary to implement the Plan and to interpret the Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to make all other determinations necessary or advisable in administering the Plan. All of such actions, interpretations and determinations shall be final and binding upon all persons.

 

A quorum of the Committee shall consist of a majority of its members and the Committee may act by vote of a majority of its members at a meeting at which a quorum is present, or without a meeting by a written consent to its actions signed by all members of the Committee. The Committee hereby delegates to and designates the Senior Human Resources Officer, and to his or her delegates or designees (which may include a non-Affiliate or non-Subsidiary entity designated to administer the Plan), the authority to assist the Committee in the day-to-day administration of the Plan and to execute agreements or other documents entered into under this Plan on behalf of the Committee or the Company. The Committee may further designate and delegate to one or more additional officers or employees of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate, and/or one or more agents, authority to assist the Committee in any or all aspects of the day-to-day administration of the Plan.

 

No member of the Committee or the Board shall be liable for any action, omission, or determination relating to the Plan, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harm less each member of the Committee and each other director, employee or consultant of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan has been delegated against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) or liability arising out of any action, omission or determination relating to the Plan, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

 

Subject to the limitations of this Section 5, all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the extent so designated by the Committee, Affiliates shall be eligible to participate in the Plan. To be an employee eligible to participate in the Plan, a person must be actively employed by the Employer and customarily paid through the Employer’s regular payroll. For purposes of this Section 5, the following persons shall not be employees eligible to participate in the Plan:

 

(a) any person acting as a non-employee director of the Employer;

 

(b) any person designated by the Employer as an independent contractor;

 

(c) any person who is a “leased employee” within the meaning of Section 414(n) of the Code; and

 

(d) any student (high school, college or graduate school) or intern who, when hired, is expected to work on a short-term basis.

 

It is expressly intended that all such persons under clauses (a), (b) and (c) are to be excluded from Plan participation even if a court or administrative agency determines that such persons are common law employees.

 

(a)  An Eligible Employee may become a Participating Employee by submitting to the Senior Human Resources Officer (or designee) an Enrollment Form, on or before a date determined by the Committee. The Enrollment Form must be submitted in the manner (i.e., written or electronic) specified by the Senior Human Resources Officer (or designee).

 

(b)  At the time an Eligible Employee submits an Enrollment Form, such Participating Employee will elect to have regular payroll deductions equal to an elected percentage of the Participating Employee’s Base Compensation for each payroll period. A Participating Employee may elect at any time to increase, decrease, or eliminate such Participating Employee’s regular payroll deduction by filing a form in the manner specified by the Senior Human Resources Officer (or designee), subject to any restrictions that may be imposed by the Company; provided, however, that such payroll deductions are subject to a minimum deduction of 1% of Base Compensation for that payroll period, and any maximum deduction determined by the Committee.

 

(c) For purposes of Section 6(b), a Participating Employee’s Base Compensation for any payroll period shall be the actual Base Compensation paid to the Participating Employee during such payroll period taking into account only the Base Compensation paid with respect to payroll periods during which payroll deductions were being made under the Plan. In addition, the total of regular payroll deductions under the Plan for a Participating Employee in any calendar year shall not exceed $15,000, or such other amount determined by the Committee. All regular payroll deductions shall be credited as soon as practicable to the Payroll Deduction Account that the Company has established with respect to the Participating Employee. The Company is under no obligation to invest amounts in a Participating Employee’s Payroll Deduction Account prior to the purchase of shares and partial shares of Common Stock in accordance with Section 7 herein.

 

(a) Subject to Section 13, each Participating Employee shall receive a matching contribution to his or her Payroll Deduction Account as and when payroll deductions are made by the Participating Employee to his or her Payroll Deduction Account pursuant to Section 6 equal to 40% of the Participating Employee’s payroll deductions for the payroll period which are not in excess of 5% of such Participating Employee’s Base Compensation for such payroll period; provided, however, that the Committee may change from time to time the method of determining and/or the amount of matching contributions provided to Participating Employees. In addition, the Committee may make additional contributions from time to time to a Participating Employee’s Payroll Deduction Account. The Company is under no obligation to invest matching contributions credited in a Participating Employee’s Payroll Deduction Account prior to the purchase of shares and partial shares of Common Stock in accordance with Section 7 herein.

 

(b) Subject to Sections 6 and 13, each Participating Employee having eligible funds in his or her Payroll Deduction Account on an Investment Date shall be deemed, without any further action, to have purchased the number of whole and fractional shares that the eligible funds in his or her Payroll Deduction Account could purchase at the applicable Purchase Price on that Investment Date. All whole and fractional shares purchased shall be maintained in a separate Investment Account for each Participating Employee.

 

(c)  All cash dividends paid with respect to the whole and fractional shares of Common Stock held in a Participating Employee’s Investment Account shall be used as soon as practicable to purchase additional shares of Common Stock at the Purchase Price on the date of purchase. All such additional shares, along with any dividends paid in shares of Common Stock, shall be added to the shares held for the Participating Employee in his or her Investment Account. Expenses incurred in the purchase of such shares of Common Stock shall be paid by the Company. Any distribution of shares or other property with respect to whole or fractional shares of Common Stock held in a Participating Employee’s Investment Account, other than a cash dividend or dividend of Common Stock, shall be distributed to the Participating Employee as soon as practicable. In the event of such a distribution, whole shares shall be issued and fractional shares shall be sold and the proceeds of sale, less selling expenses and other applicable charges, distributed to the Participating Employee.

 

The Company shall issue shares of Common Stock to be credited to the Investment Accounts of the Participating Employees as of each Investment Date (or as soon as practicable thereafter) and each date as of which shares of Common Stock are purchased with reinvested cash dividends (or as soon as practicable thereafter).

 

The Senior Human Resources Officer (or designee) shall establish and maintain an Investment Account with respect to each Participating Employee. Each Investment Account shall be in the name of the Participating Employee.

 

10.   Rights as a Shareholder

(a)  Prior to the Investment Date on which shares of Common Stock are to be purchased by a Participating Employee, such Participating Employee shall not have any rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to such shares of Common Stock. Each Participating Employee shall be a general unsecured creditor of the Company to the extent of any amounts deducted under the Plan from such Participating Employee’s Base Compensation during the period prior to the Investment Date on which such amounts are applied to the purchase of Common Stock for the Participating Employee.

 

(b)  From and after the Investment Date on which shares of Common Stock are purchased by a Participating Employee under the Plan, such Participating Employee shall have all of the rights and privileges of a shareholder of the Company with respect to such shares of Common Stock. Subject to Sections 13 and 18 herein, a Participating Employee shall have the right at any time (i) to obtain a certificate for the whole shares of Common Stock credited to his or her Investment Account or (ii) to direct that any whole shares in his or her Investment Account be sold and that the proceeds, less expenses of sale, be remitted to such Participating Employee.

 

(c)  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, all whole and fractional shares of Common Stock acquired by the Participating Employee and held in his or her Investment Account (other than shares of Common Stock purchased as a result of the dividend reinvestment provisions of Section 7(c)) may not be sold or transferred by such Participating Employee until the earliest to occur of (i) such Participating Employee’s furlough or Termination of Employment for any reason or (ii) the first anniversary of the Investment Date on which such whole and fractional shares were purchased.

 

Rights under the Plan, except as set forth in Section 13(b) herein, are not transferable by a Participating Employee.

 

(a)  In the event of a stock dividend, spin-off, stock split or combination of shares, recapitalization or merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation or other change in the Company’s capital stock (including the creation or issuance to shareholders generally of rights, options or warrants for the purchase of common stock or preferred stock of the Company), the number and kind of shares of stock or securities of the Company to be subject to the Plan, the maximum number of shares or securities that may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price and other relevant provisions shall be appropriately adjusted by the Committee, whose determination shall be binding on all persons.

 

(b)  If the Company is a party to a consolidation or a merger in which the Company is not the surviving corporation, a transaction that results in the acquisition of substantially all of the Company’s outstanding stock by a single person or entity, or a sale or transfer of substantially all of the Company’s assets, the Committee may take such actions with respect to the Plan as the Committee deems appropriate.

 

(c)  Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may take the foregoing actions without the consent of any Participating Employee, and the Committee’s determination shall be conclusive and binding on all persons for all purposes.

 

(a)  If a Participating Employee has a Termination of Employment for any reason other than death: (i) the whole shares in his or her Investment Account shall be issued to the Participating Employee as soon as practicable, provided that the Participating Employee may elect to have such shares sold and the proceeds of the sale, less selling expenses, remitted to the Participating Employee; (ii) unless otherwise determined by the Committee (or designee), any fractional shares in his or her Investment Account shall be sold as soon as practicable, and the proceeds of the sale, less selling expenses, shall be remitted to the Participating Employee; and (iii) any amount in his or her Payroll Deduction Account shall be used to purchase shares as of the next following Investment Date, and such shares shall be distributed as soon as practicable thereafter in accordance with (a)(i) and (a)(ii) above; provided that, following the termination of his or her employment for any reason other than death, a Participating Employee may elect to receive a cash distribution from his or her Payroll Deduction Account before the next following Investment Date, if practicable.

 

(b)  If a Participating Employee dies: (i) with respect to any whole shares in his or her Investment Account shall be delivered to the Participating Employee’s Beneficiary as soon as practicable following the next Investment Date; (ii) unless otherwise determined by the Committee, any fractional shares in his or her Investment Account shall be sold as soon as practicable following the next Investment Date, and the proceeds of the sale, less selling expenses, shall be remitted to the Participating Employee’s Beneficiary; and (iii) any amount in his or her Payroll Deduction Account shall be used to purchase shares as of the next following Investment Date, and such shares shall be distributed to the Participating Employee’s Beneficiary as soon as practicable thereafter in accordance with (b)(i) and (b)(ii) above; provided that a Beneficiary may elect to receive the distributions from the Participating Employee’s Investment Account (as described in (b)(i) and (b)(ii), above) and Payroll Deduction Account before the Investment Date next following the Participating Employee’s death, if practicable.

 

(c)  Any shares of Common Stock and any amount in a Participating Employee’s Payroll Deduction Account payable to or for the benefit of a minor, an incompetent person or other person incapable of receipting therefor shall be deemed paid when paid to such person’s guardian or to the party providing or reasonably appearing to provide for the care of such person, and such payment shall fully discharge the Board, the Committee, the Company, the Senior Human Resources Officer and all other parties with respect thereto.

 

Each Participating Employee must make adequate provision for federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise in connection with participation in the Plan. By electing to participate in the Plan, a Participating Employee authorizes the Company to withhold from the Participating Employee’s compensation the amounts necessary to satisfy any such applicable tax withholding obligations. At any time, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the Participating Employee’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company to satisfy any applicable tax withholding obligations.

 

The Board in its sole discretion may at any time amend the Plan in any respect; provided that such amendment is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and the requirements of any national securities exchange on which shares of Common Stock are then traded. Any such amendment shall be subject to the approval of the Company’s stockholders to the extent required by applicable law or the requirements of any national securities exchange on which shares of Common Stock are then traded.

 

The Plan and all rights of Eligible Employees hereunder shall terminate:

 

(a)  on the Investment Date that Participating Employees become entitled to purchase a number of shares greater than the number of reserved shares remaining available for purchase; or

 

(b) at any earlier date determined by the Board in its sole discretion.

 

In the event that the Plan terminates under circumstances described in (a) above reserved shares remaining as of the termination date shall be sold to Participating Employees at the applicable Purchase Price on a pro rata basis. Upon termination of the Plan, all amounts in a Participating Employee’s Payroll Deduction Account that are not used to purchase Common Stock shall be refunded to the Participating Employee.

 

17.   Effective Date of Plan

The Plan originally was adopted by the Board and became effective on May 13, 2021, subject to the approval of the Company’s shareholders at the Company’s 2021 annual meeting.

 

The Plan, and the grant and exercise of the rights to purchase shares hereunder, and the obligation to sell and deliver shares upon the exercise of rights to purchase shares, shall be subject to all applicable federal, state and foreign laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by any regulatory or government agency as may be required in the opinion of counsel for the Company.

 

This Plan shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators and successors of each Participating Employee and his or her Beneficiary(ies), present and future.

 

Neither the Board nor the Committee nor the Company and its Affiliates and Subsidiaries nor the Senior Human Resources Officer nor any other person or entity responsible for the administration of the Plan warrants or represents in any way that the value of each Participating Employee’s Investment Account will increase or will not decrease. The Participating Employee assumes all risk in connection with any change in value.

 

Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference and shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof. Words in the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, and where appropriate, the plural shall include the singular and the singular shall include the plural. The use herein of the word “including” following any general statement, term or matter shall not be construed to limit such statement, term or matter to the specific items or matters set forth immediately following such word or to similar items or matters, whether or not non-limiting language (such as “without limitation”, “but not limited to”, or words of similar import) is used with reference thereto, but rather shall be deemed to refer to all other items or matters that could reasonably fall within the broadest possible scope of such general statement, term or matter. References herein to any agreement, instrument or other document means such agreement, instrument or other document as amended, supplemented and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof and not prohibited by the Plan.