As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 2010

Registration No. 333 -            

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

TRUEBLUE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Washington   91-1287341

(State or other jurisdiction

of organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

1015 A Street

Tacoma, Washington 98402

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

TRUEBLUE, INC. AMENDED AND RESTATED 2005 LONG-TERM EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

TRUEBLUE, INC. 2010 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

(Full title of the plans)

CT Corporation System

1801 West Bay Drive, NW, Suite 206

Olympia, Washington 98502

( 360) 357-6794

(Name, address and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

With copies to:

Richard B. Dodd and Chris K. Visser

K&L Gates LLP

925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900

Seattle, Washington 98104-1158

Telephone number: (206) 623-7580

Fax: (206) 623-7022

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer   ¨      Accelerated filer   x
Non-accelerated filer   ¨    (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)   Smaller reporting company   ¨

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 

Title of each class of

securities to be registered

 

Amount

to be

registered (1)

 

Proposed

maximum

offering price

per unit (2)

 

Proposed

maximum

aggregate

offering price (2)

 

Amount of

registration

fee(3)

Common stock, no par value, under the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan

  500,000*   $12.05   $  6,025,000   $429.58

Common stock, no par value, under the TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

  1,000,000   $12.05   $12,050,000   $859.17
 
 
(1) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), includes an indeterminate number of additional shares that may be necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance as a result of any further stock split, stock dividend or similar adjustment of the Registrant’s common stock pursuant to the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan and the TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
(2) Pursuant to Rule 457(h)(1) and 457(c) under the Securities Act, the offering price is estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per share is estimated to be $12.05, the average of the high and low prices reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 18, 2010.
(3) Based on the currently applicable rate of $71.30 per million dollars.
* Represents the additional number of shares of the Registrant’s common stock reserved for issuance pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan.

 

 

 


Explanatory Note

The shares of common stock, no par value per share (“Common Stock”), of TrueBlue, Inc. (the “Registrant”) being registered on this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) for issuance pursuant to the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan and the TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan were previously approved on May 12, 2010 by the Registrant’s shareholders for issuance pursuant to such plans, but have not previously been registered.

Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement is being filed by the Registrant to register additional shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan. With respect to the shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, the contents of the Registrant’s earlier Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-125206), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on May 5, 2005, are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.

PART I

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The information specified in Item 1 and Item 2 of Part I of this Registration Statement is omitted from this filing in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act. The documents containing the information specified in Part I will be delivered to the participants in the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan and the TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan covered by this Registration Statement as required by Rule 428(b)(1).

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The following documents filed with the Commission by the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof:

 

  (a) The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2009, filed on February 16, 2010;

 

  (b) The portions of the Registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement for its 2010 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on Schedule 14A filed with the Commission on April 1, 2010, and incorporated by reference into the Form 10-K referred to in paragraph (a) above;

 

  (c) Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on February 22, 2010, March 12, 2010, April 26, 2010, May 4, 2010, and May 14, 2010;

 

  (c) All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), since the end of the fiscal year covered by the Annual Report on Form 10-K referred to in paragraph (a) above (other than information furnished under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Fork 8-K which information is not deemed filed under the Exchange Act); and

 

  (d) The description of the Registrant’s Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-A, filed on October 7, 1998, under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description.

All documents subsequently filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date hereof, and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and to be part thereof from the date of filing of such documents.

 

2


Item 4. Description of Securities.

Not applicable.

 

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

The validity of the securities being registered on this Registration Statement that may be offered under the TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan and the TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan will be passed upon for the Registrant by K&L Gates LLP, 925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900, Seattle, Washington 98104.

 

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Sections 23B.08.500 through 23B.08.600 of the Washington Business Corporation Act authorize a court to award, or a corporation’s board of directors to grant, indemnification to directors and officers on terms sufficiently broad to permit indemnification under certain circumstances for liabilities arising under the Securities Act, as amended. Article 5(G) of the Registrant’s amended and restated articles of incorporation and Article VII of the Registrant’s restated bylaws, as amended, provide for indemnification of the Registrant’s directors, officers, employees and agents to the maximum extent permitted by Washington law and provide the directors and officers of the Registrant also may be indemnified against liability they may incur for serving in those capacities pursuant to a liability insurance policy maintained by the Registrant for such purpose. The Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors. The indemnification agreements set out, among other things, the process for determining entitlement to indemnification, the conditions to advancement of expenses, the procedures for directors’ enforcement of indemnification rights, the limitations on indemnification, and the requirements relating to notice and defense of claims for which indemnification is sought.

Section 23B.08.320 of the Washington Business Corporation Act authorizes a corporation to limit a director’s liability to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for acts or omissions as a director, except in certain circumstances involving intentional misconduct, knowing violations of law or illegal corporate loans or distributions, or any transaction from which the director personally receives a benefit in money, property or services to which the director is not legally entitled. Article 9 of the Registrant’s amended and restated articles of incorporation contains provisions implementing, to the fullest extent permitted by Washington law, such limitations on a director’s liability to the Registrant and its shareholders.

 

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

Not applicable.

 

Item 8. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  4.1    TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan.
  4.2    TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
  5.1    Opinion of counsel regarding legality of the obligations being registered.
23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
23.2    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.3    Consent of K&L Gates LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1    Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of the Registration Statement).

 

3


Item 9. Undertakings.

A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

(i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;

(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement.

(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

Provided, however , that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement.

(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

4


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Tacoma, State of Washington, on this 25th day of June, 2010.

 

TrueBlue, Inc.
By:  

/ S /    S TEVEN C. C OOPER        

  Steven C. Cooper
  Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Steven C. Cooper and Derrek L. Gafford, and each of them, either of whom may act without joinder of the other, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign and to file any or all amendments to this registration statement, including post-effective amendments to this registration statement, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting to said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, power and authority to perform any other act on behalf of the undersigned required to be done in connection therewith.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated below on June 25, 2010.

 

Signature

  

Title

/ S /    S TEVEN C. C OOPER        

Steven C. Cooper

  

Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

(Principal Executive Officer)

/ S /    D EREK L. G AFFORD        

Derek L. Gafford

  

Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President

(Principal Financial Officer)

/ S /    N ORMAN H. F REY        

Norman H. Frey

  

Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller

(Principal Accounting Officer)

/ S /    J OSEPH P. S AMBATARO , J R .        

Joseph P. Sambataro, Jr.

   Chairman of the Board

/ S /    T HOMAS E. M C C HESNEY        

Thomas E. McChesney

   Director

/ S /    G ATES M C K IBBIN        

Gates McKibbin

   Director

/ S /    B ONNIE W. S OODIK        

Bonnie W. Soodik

   Director

/ S /    W ILLIAM W. S TEELE        

William W. Steele

   Director

/ S /    R OBERT J. S ULLIVAN        

Robert J. Sullivan

   Director

/ S /    C RAIG E. T ALL        

Craig E. Tall

   Director

 

5


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit
Number

  

Description

  4.1    TrueBlue, Inc. Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan.
  4.2    TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
  5.1    Opinion of counsel regarding legality of the obligations being registered.
23.1    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
23.2    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.3    Consent of K&L Gates LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1    Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page of the Registration Statement).

 

6

Exhibit 4.1

TRUEBLUE, INC.

2005 LONG-TERM EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

(Effective May 18, 2005 and Amended and Restated effective May 12, 2010)

1. Purposes of the Plan . The purposes of this Plan are to further the growth, development and financial success of the Company by attracting and retaining the most talented Employees, Consultants and Directors available, and by aligning the long-term interests of Employees, Consultants and Directors with those of the shareholders by providing an opportunity to acquire an ownership interest in the Company and by providing both performance rewards and long-term incentives for future contributions to the success of the Company.

The Plan permits the grant of Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or Stock Appreciation Rights, at the discretion of the Committee and as reflected in the terms of the Award Agreement. Each Award will be subject to conditions specified in the Plan and Award Agreement, such as continued employment or satisfaction of performance criteria.

This Plan will serve as a framework for the Committee to establish sub-plans or procedures governing the grants to Employees, Directors, Consultants and Employees working for the Company outside of the United States. The awards granted under the Former Plans shall continue to be administered under the Former Plans until such time as those options are exercised, expire or become unexercisable for any reason.

This Plan is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder, with such compliance coming in large part by Awards not constituting deferred compensation that is subject to 409A (and thus such Awards being excepted from the requirements of 409A), and the Plan will be interpreted and administered accordingly.

2. Definitions . As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:

(a) “ Award ” shall mean any award or benefits granted under the Plan, including Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and SARs.

(b) “ Award Agreement ” shall mean a written or electronic agreement between the Company and the Participant setting forth the terms of the Award.

(c) “ Beneficial Ownership ” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act.

(d) “ Board ” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “ Code ” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

(f) “ Committee ” shall mean the Compensation Committee appointed by the Board, which at all times shall consist of two (2) or more members of the Board, each of whom must qualify as an Independent Director.

(g) “ Common Stock ” shall mean the common stock of the Company, no par value per share.

 

- 1 -


(h) “ Company ” shall mean TrueBlue, Inc., a Washington corporation and any successor thereto.

(i) “ Consultant ” shall mean any person, except an Employee, engaged by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, to render personal services to such entity, including as an advisor, pursuant to the terms of a written agreement.

(j) “ Continuous Status as a Participant ” shall mean (i) for Employees, the absence of any interruption or termination of service as an Employee, (ii) for Directors, the absence of any interruption or termination of service as a Director, and (iii) for Consultants, the absence of any interruption, expiration, or termination of such person’s consulting or advisory relationship with the Company or the occurrence of any termination event as set forth in such person’s Award Agreement. Continuous Status as a Participant shall not be considered interrupted (A) for an Employee in the case of sick leave, maternity leave, infant care leave, medical emergency leave, military leave, or any other leave of absence properly taken in accordance with the policies of the Company or any applicable Subsidiary as may be in effect from time to time while such individual remains an Employee or has a right to reemployment as an Employee, and (B) for a Consultant, in the case of any temporary interruption in such person’s availability to provide services to the Company which has been authorized in writing by a vice president of the Company prior to its commencement.

(k) “ Director ” shall mean a member of the Board.

(l) “ Disability ” shall mean (i) in the case of a Participant whose employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is subject to the terms of an employment or consulting agreement that includes a definition of “Disability” as used in this Plan shall have the meaning set forth in such employment or consulting agreement during the period that such employment or consulting agreement remains in effect; and (ii) in all other cases, the term “Disability” as used in this Plan shall mean a “permanent and total disability” as the term is defined for purposes of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code.

(m) “ Effective Date ” shall mean May 18, 2005, the date on which the Company’s shareholders approved this Plan in accordance with applicable NYSE rules.

(n) “ Employee ” shall mean any person, including an officer, who is a common law employee of, receives remuneration for personal services to, is reflected on the official human resources database as an employee of, and is on the payroll of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company. A person is on the payroll if he or she is paid from or at the direction of the payroll department of the Company, or any Subsidiary of the Company. Persons providing services to the Company, or to any Subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to an agreement with a staff leasing organization, temporary workers engaged through or employed by temporary or leasing agencies, and workers who hold themselves out to the Company, or a Subsidiary to which they are providing services as being independent contractors, or as being employed by or engaged through another company while providing the services, and persons covered by a collective bargaining agreement (unless the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the person specifically provides for participation in this Plan) are not Employees for purposes of this Plan and do not and cannot participate in this Plan, whether or not such persons are, or may be reclassified by the courts, the Internal Revenue Service, the U. S. Department of Labor, or other person or entity, as common law employees of the Company, or any Subsidiary, either solely or jointly with another person or entity.

(o) “ Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

- 2 -


(p) “ Executive Officers ” shall mean the officers of the Company as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act.

(q) “ Fair Market Value ” shall mean the closing price per share of the Common Stock on the NYSE as to the date specified (or the previous trading day if the date specified is a day on which no trading occurred), or if the NYSE shall cease to be the principal exchange or quotation system upon which the shares of Common Stock are listed or quoted, then such exchange or quotation system as the Company elects to list or quote its shares of Common Stock and that the Committee designates as the Company’s principal exchange or quotation system.

(r) “ FAS 123 ” shall mean Statement of Financial Accounting Standard 123, “Accounting for Stock-based Compensation,” as promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board.

(s) “ FLSA ” shall mean the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, as amended.

(t) “ Former Plans ” shall mean collectively the 1996 Labor Ready Employee Stock Option and Incentive Plan and the Labor Ready, Inc. 2000 Stock Option Plan.

(u) “ Incentive Stock Option ” shall mean any Option intended to qualify as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

(v) “ Independent Director ” shall mean a Director who: (1) meets the independence requirements of the NYSE, or if the NYSE shall cease to be the principal exchange or quotation system upon which the shares of Common Stock are listed or quoted, then such exchange or quotation system as the Company elects to list or quote its shares of Common Stock and that the Committee designates as the Company’s principal exchange or quotation system; (2) qualifies as an “outside director” under Section 162(m) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder; (3) qualifies as a “non-employee director” under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act; and (4) satisfies independence criteria under any other applicable laws or regulations relating to the issuance of Shares to Employees.

(w) “ Maximum Annual Participant Award ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6(b).

(x) “ NYSE ” shall mean the New York Stock Exchange.

(y) “ Non-Employee Director ” shall mean a Director who is not an Employee.

(z) “ Nonqualified Stock Option ” shall mean an Option that does not qualify or is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option.

(aa) “ Option ” shall mean a stock option granted pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan.

(bb) “ Option Price ” shall mean the per share purchase price of a Share purchased pursuant to an Option.

(cc) “ Parent ” shall mean a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

 

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(dd) “ Participant ” shall mean an Employee, Director or Consultant.

(ee) “ Performance Criteria ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 8(c).

(ff) “ Plan ” shall mean this TrueBlue, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, including any amendments thereto.

(gg) “ Reprice ” shall mean the adjustment or amendment of the exercise price of Options or SARs previously awarded whether through amendment, cancellation, replacement of grants or any other means or any action that would be considered a repricing with the meaning of U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or a NYSE rule.

(hh) “ Restricted Stock ” shall mean a grant of Shares pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

(ii) “ Restricted Stock Units ” shall mean a grant of the right to receive Shares in the future or their cash equivalent (or both) pursuant to Section 8 of the Plan.

(jj) “ SAR ” shall mean a stock appreciation right awarded pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.

(kk) “ SEC ” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(ll) “ Share ” shall mean one share of Common Stock, as adjusted in accordance with Section 4 of the Plan.

(mm) “ Stand-Alone SARs ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(c) of the Plan.

(nn) “ Subcommittee ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(d).

(oo) “ Subsidiary ” shall mean (1) in the case of an Incentive Stock Option a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code, and (2) in the case of a Nonqualified Stock Option, Restricted Stock, a Restricted Stock Unit or a SAR, in addition to a subsidiary corporation as defined in (1), (A) a limited liability company, partnership or other entity in which the Company controls fifty percent (50%) or more of the voting power or equity interests, or (B) an entity with respect to which the Company possesses the power, directly or indirectly, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that entity, whether through the Company’s ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, provided that the Company is an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” as defined in the Treasury regulations under Code Section 409A with respect to Employees, Directors or Consultants of any such entity described in this subpart (2).

(pp) “ Tandem SARs ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 9(a) of the Plan.

(qq) “ Ten Percent Shareholder ” shall mean a person or entity who owns (or is deemed to own pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) stock comprising more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary.

 

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3. Shares Subject to the Plan .

(a) Reservation of Shares . The shares of Common Stock reserved under this Plan will include reserved shares of Common Stock that are not subject to a grant or as to which the option award granted has been forfeited under the Former Plans, and an additional Four Million Six Hundred Fifty Thousand (4,650,000) Shares of Common Stock. Subject to the provisions of Section 4, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be awarded and delivered under the Plan shall not exceed Five Million Five Hundred Thousand (5,500,000) Shares (adjusted, proportionately, in the event of any stock split or stock dividend with respect to the Shares), and the maximum number which may be granted as Incentive Stock Options under the Plan shall not exceed Four Million (4,000,000) Shares. Provided that, as of May 12, 2010, an additional Five Hundred Thousand (500,000) Shares are reserved under the Plan and the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be awarded and delivered under the Plan shall not exceed Six Million (6,000,000) Shares (adjusted, proportionately, in the event of any stock split or stock dividend with respect to the Shares). The number of Shares, underlying an Award not issued as a result of any of the following actions, shall again be available for issuance under the Plan: (i) a payout of a Non-Tandem SAR, or a performance-based Restricted Stock Unit in the form of cash; or (ii) a cancellation, termination, expiration, forfeiture, or lapse for any reason (with the exception of the termination of a Tandem SAR upon exercise of the related Options, or the termination of a related Option upon exercise of the corresponding Tandem SAR) of any Award. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, any Shares of Common Stock that are (A) tendered in payment of an Option exercise price; (B) withheld by the Company to satisfy any tax withholding obligation; or (C) repurchased by the Company with Option exercise proceeds shall be considered issued pursuant to the Plan and shall not be added to the maximum number of Shares that may be issued under the Plan. The Company, during the term of this Plan, will at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan. Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall be increased by any shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding awards under the Former Plans as of the Effective Date that later cease to be subject to such awards for any reason other than such awards having been exercised, subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 5, which shares of Common Stock shall, as of the date such shares cease to be subject to such awards, cease to be available for grant and issuance under the Former Plans, but shall be available for issuance under the Plan. The Shares may be authorized but unissued, or reacquired shares of Common Stock.

(b) Substitutions and Assumptions . The Board or the Committee shall have the right to substitute or assume Awards in connection with mergers, reorganizations, separations, or other transactions to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies, provided such substitutions and assumptions are permitted by Section 424 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder and will not cause such Awards to be treated as deferred compensation that is subject to Code Section 409A. The number of Shares reserved pursuant to Section 3(a) may be increased by a corresponding number of Awards assumed and, in the case of substitution, by the net increase in the number of Shares subject to Awards before and after the substitution.

(c) Securities Law Compliance . Shares shall not be issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award unless the exercise of such Award and the issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, the rules and regulations promulgated under either such Act, and the requirements of any stock exchange or quotation system upon which the Shares may then be listed or quoted, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.

 

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4. Adjustments to Shares Subject to the Plan . If any change is made to the Shares by reason of any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change affecting the outstanding Shares as a class without the Company’s receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the maximum number and/or class of securities issuable under the Plan, (ii) the number and/ or class of securities and/or the price per Share covered by outstanding Awards under the Plan, and (iii) the Maximum Annual Participant Award, provided such adjustments do not cause an Award to be treated as deferred compensation that is subject to Code Section 409A. The Committee may also make adjustments described in the previous sentence in the event of any distribution of assets to shareholders other than a normal cash dividend.

In determining adjustments to be made under this Section 4, the Committee may take into account such factors as it deems appropriate, including the restrictions of applicable law and the potential tax consequences of an adjustment, and in light of such factors may make adjustments that are not uniform or proportionate among outstanding Awards. Adjustments, if any, and any determinations or interpretations, including any determination of whether a distribution is other than a normal cash dividend, made by the Committee shall be final, binding and conclusive. The Committee in its discretion may provide holders of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units a dividend equivalent right with respect to the Shares the Participant shall be entitled to receive or purchase. For purposes of this Section 4, conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.”

Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of any class, or securities convertible into shares of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of Shares subject to an Award.

5. Plan Administration .

(a) Authority . The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. The Committee shall have full and exclusive power to administer the Plan on behalf of the Board, subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may prescribe. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Committee’s power to administer the Plan, and actions the Committee takes under the Plan, shall be consistent with the provisions set forth in the Committee’s charter, as such charter may be amended from time to time.

(b) Powers of the Committee . Subject to the other provisions of this Plan, the Committee shall have the authority, in its discretion:

 

  (i) to grant Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, and SARs to Participants and to determine the terms and conditions of such Awards, including the determination of the Fair Market Value of the Shares and the exercise price (subject to Section 7(b)), and to modify or amend each Award, with the consent of the Participant when required;

 

  (ii) to determine the Participants to whom Awards, if any, will be granted hereunder, the timing of such Awards, and the number of Shares to be represented by each Award;

 

  (iii) to construe and interpret the Plan, the Awards granted hereunder, and any Award Agreement;

 

  (iv) to prescribe, amend, and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, including the form of Award Agreement, and manner of acceptance of an Award, such as correcting a defect or supplying any omission, or reconciling any inconsistency so that the Plan or any Award Agreement complies with applicable law, regulations and listing requirements and to avoid unanticipated consequences deemed by the Committee to be inconsistent with the purposes of the Plan or any Award Agreement;

 

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  (v) to establish performance criteria for Awards made pursuant to the Plan in accordance with a methodology established by the Committee, and to determine whether performance goals have been attained;

 

  (vi) to accelerate or defer (with the consent of the Participant) the exercise or vesting date of any Award that is an Option or SAR, provided any deferred date is not later than the original expiration date of such Option or SAR;

 

  (vii) to accelerate the vesting date of any Award that is Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units;

 

  (viii) to authorize any person to execute on behalf of the Company any instrument required to effectuate the grant of an Award previously granted by the Committee;

 

  (ix) to establish subplans, procedures or guidelines for the grant of Awards to Employees, Directors and Consultants;

 

  (x) to authorize the cancellation, forfeiture or suspension of an Award; and

 

  (xi) to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan;

Provided that , no consent of a Participant is necessary under clauses (i) or (vi) if a modification, amendment, acceleration, or deferral, in the reasonable judgment of the Committee confers a benefit on the Participant or is made pursuant to an adjustment in accordance with Section 4.

(c) Effect of Committee’s Decision . All decisions, determinations, and interpretations of the Committee shall be final, conclusive and binding on all Participants, the Company, any shareholder and all other persons.

(d) Delegation and Administration . Consistent with the Committee’s charter, as such charter may be amended from time to time, the Committee may delegate to one or more subcommittees consisting of members of the Committee or other Directors who are Independent Directors (any such committee a “Subcommittee”) the administration of the Plan, and such administrator(s) may have the authority to directly, or under their supervision, execute and distribute agreements or other documents evidencing or relating to Awards granted by the Committee under this Plan, to maintain records relating to the grant, vesting, exercise, forfeiture or expiration of Awards, to process or oversee the issuance of Shares upon the exercise, vesting and/or settlement of an Award, to interpret the terms of Awards and to take such other actions as the Committee may specify. Any action by any such Subcommittee within the scope of such delegation shall be deemed for all purposes to have been taken by the Committee.

6. General Eligibility .

(a) Awards . Awards may be granted to Participants who are Employees, Directors or Consultants, provided however that Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Employees.

(b) Maximum Annual Participant Award . The aggregate number of Shares with respect to which an Award or Awards may be granted to any one Participant in any one taxable year of the Company (the “Maximum Annual Participant Award”) shall not exceed 1 million shares of Common Stock (adjusted, proportionately, in the event of any stock split or stock dividend with respect to the Shares). If an Option is in tandem with a SAR, such that the exercise of the Option or SAR with respect to a Share cancels the tandem SAR or Option right, respectively, with respect to each Share, the tandem Option and SAR rights with respect to each Share shall be counted as covering but one Share for purposes of the Maximum Annual Participant Award.

 

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(c) No Employment/Service Rights . Nothing in the Plan shall confer upon any Participant the right to an Award or to continue in service as an Employee or Consultant for any period of specific duration, or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Company (or any Subsidiary employing or retaining such person), or of any Participant, which rights are hereby expressly reserved by each, to terminate such person’s services at any time for any reason, with or without cause (as such term is defined in a Company subplan or an Award Agreement, as applicable).

7. Grant, Terms and Conditions of Options .

(a) Designation . Each Option shall be designated in an Award Agreement as either an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option. However, notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Option is not designated as an Incentive Stock Option, such Option will be deemed to be a Nonqualified Stock Option. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant) of the Shares with respect to which Options designated as Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Employee during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, such excess Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options. For this purpose, Options shall be taken into account in the order in which they were granted.

(b) Option Price . The per Share exercise price under an Incentive Stock Option (i) granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder, shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant, or (ii) granted to any other Participant, shall be no less than 100% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. The per Share exercise price under a Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR shall be no less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of grant. In no event shall the Board or the Committee be permitted to Reprice an Option after the date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Option may be granted with an exercise price lower than that set forth above if such Option is granted pursuant to an assumption or substitution for another option in a manner satisfying the provisions of Section 424(a) of the Code.

(c) Term of Options . The term of each Incentive Stock Option shall be no more than ten (10) years from the date of grant. However, in the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Shareholder, the term of the Option shall be no more than five (5) years from the date of grant. The term of all Nonqualified Options shall be seven (7) years unless otherwise provided by the Committee in its discretion.

(d) Vesting . To the extent Options vest and become exercisable in increments, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or any severance agreement (i) such Options shall cease to vest upon the earlier of a Participant’s Disability or termination of such Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant (other than upon a Participant’s death), and (ii) such Options shall immediately vest in full upon a Participant’s death.

(e) Substitution of SARs for Options . Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company is required to or elects to expense the cost of Options pursuant to FAS 123 (or a successor or other standard), the Committee shall have the sole discretion to substitute without receiving Participants’ permission, SARs paid only in stock for outstanding Options; provided, the terms of the substituted stock SARs are the same as the terms of the Options, the number of shares underlying the number of stock SARs equals the number of shares underlying the Options and the difference between the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares and the grant price of the SARs is equivalent to the difference between the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares and the exercise price of the Options.

 

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(f) Exercise . Any Option granted hereunder shall be exercisable at such times and under such conditions as determined by the Committee at the time of grant, and as shall be permissible under the terms of the Plan. No fractional Shares may be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award.

8. Grant, Terms and Conditions of Stock Awards .

(a) Designation . Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may be granted under the Plan. Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units may include a dividend equivalent right, as permitted by Section 4. After the Committee determines that it will offer Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, it will advise the Participant in writing or electronically, by means of an Award Agreement, of the terms, conditions and restrictions, including vesting, if any, related to the offer, including the number of Shares that the Participant shall be entitled to receive or purchase, the price to be paid, if any, and, if applicable, the time within which the Participant must accept the offer. The offer shall be accepted by execution of an Award Agreement or as otherwise directed by the Committee. Restricted Stock Units may be paid as permitted by Section 10(b). The term of each award of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall be at the discretion of the Committee.

(b) Restrictions . Subject to Section 8(c), the Committee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Plan as it may determine advisable, including the achievement of specific performance goals, time based restrictions on vesting, or others. If the Committee established performance goals, the Committee shall determine whether a Participant has satisfied the performance goals.

(c) Performance Criteria . Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Plan that are intended to qualify as “performance based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code shall be subject to the attainment of performance goals relating to the Performance Criteria selected by the Committee and specified at the time such Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units are granted. For purposes of this Plan, “Performance Criteria” means one or more of the following (as selected by the Committee): (i) cash flow; (ii) earnings per share; (iii) earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization; (iv) return on equity; (v) total shareholder return; (vi) share price performance; (vii) return on capital; (viii) return on assets or net assets; (ix) revenue; (x) revenue growth; (xi) earnings growth; (xii) operating income; (xiii) operating profit; (xiv) profit margin; (xv) return on operating revenue; (xvi) return on invested capital; (xvii) market price; (xviii) brand recognition; (xix) customer satisfaction; (xx) operating efficiency; or (xxi) productivity. Any of these Performance Criteria may be used to measure the performance of the Company as a whole or any business unit or division of the Company.

(d) Vesting . Unless the Committee determines otherwise, the Award Agreement shall provide for the forfeiture of the non-vested Shares underlying Restricted Stock or the termination of Restricted Stock Units upon cessation of a Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant, and the Shares underlying Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall vest in full immediately upon death. To the extent that the Participant purchased the Shares granted under any such Restricted Stock award and any such Shares remain non-vested at the time of cessation of a Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant, the cessation of Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant shall cause an immediate sale of such non-vested Shares to the Company at the original price per Share paid by the Participant. Non-vested Shares underlying Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall vest in full immediately upon death.

 

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9. Grant, Terms and Conditions of SARs .

(a) Grants . The Committee shall have the full power and authority, exercisable in its sole discretion, to grant SARs to selected Participants. The Committee is authorized to grant both tandem stock appreciation rights consisting of SARs with underlying Options (“Tandem SARs”) and stand-alone stock appreciation rights consisting of SARs not tied to underlying Options (“Stand-Alone SARs”). The term of a SAR shall be at the discretion of the Committee. In no event shall the Board or the Committee be permitted to Reprice a SAR after the date of grant without shareholder approval.

(b) Tandem SARs .

(i) Participants may be granted a Tandem SAR, exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish, to elect between the exercise of the underlying Option for Shares or the surrender of the Option in exchange for a distribution from the Company in an amount equal to the excess of (A) the Fair Market Value (on the Option surrender date) of the number of Shares in which the Participant is at the time vested under the surrendered Option (or surrendered portion thereof) over (B) the aggregate exercise price payable for such vested Shares.

(ii) No such Option surrender shall be effective unless it is approved by the Committee, either at the time of the actual Option surrender or at any earlier time. If the surrender is so approved, then the distributions to which the Participant shall become entitled under this Section 9(b) may be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value (on the Option surrender date), in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash, as the Committee shall deem appropriate.

(iii) If the surrender of an Option is not approved by the Committee, then the Participant shall retain whatever rights he or she had under the surrendered Option (or surrendered portion thereof) on the Option surrender date and may exercise such rights at any time prior to the later of (A) five (5) business days after the receipt of the rejection notice or (B) the last day on which the Option is otherwise exercisable in accordance with the terms of the instrument evidencing such Option, but in no event may such rights be exercised more than ten (10) years after the date of the Option grant.

(c) Stand-Alone SARs .

(i) A Participant may be granted a Stand-Alone SAR not tied to any underlying Option under Section 7 of the Plan. The Stand-Alone SAR shall cover a specified number of Shares and shall be exercisable upon such terms and conditions as the Committee shall establish. Upon exercise of the Stand-Alone SAR, the holder shall be entitled to receive a distribution from the Company in an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value (on the exercise date) of the Shares underlying the exercised right over (B) the aggregate base price in effect for those Shares.

(ii) The number of Shares underlying each Stand-Alone SAR and the base price in effect for those Shares shall be determined by the Committee at the time the Stand-Alone SAR is granted. In no event, however, may the base price per Share be less than the Fair Market Value per underlying Share on the grant date.

(iii) The distribution with respect to an exercised Stand-Alone SAR may be made in Shares valued at Fair Market Value on the exercise date, in cash, or partly in Shares and partly in cash, as the Committee shall deem appropriate.

 

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(d) Vesting . To the extent SARs vest and become exercisable in increments, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or any severance agreement (i) such SARs shall cease to vest upon the earlier of a Participant’s Disability or termination of such Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant (other than upon a Participant’s death), and (ii) such SARs shall immediately vest in full upon a Participant’s death.

10. Procedure for Exercise; Payments under Awards; Rights as a Shareholder .

(a) Procedure . An Award shall be exercised when written, electronic or verbal notice of exercise has been given to the Company, or the brokerage firm or firms approved by the Company to facilitate exercises and sales under this Plan, in accordance with the terms of the Award by the person entitled to exercise the Award and full payment for the Shares with respect to which the Award is exercised has been received by the Company or the brokerage firm or firms, as applicable. The notification to the brokerage firm shall be made in accordance with procedures of such brokerage firm approved by the Company. Full payment may, as authorized by the Committee, consist of any consideration and method of payment allowable under the terms of this Plan. The Company shall issue (or cause to be issued) such share certificate promptly after the exercise of the Award or, in the case of Restricted Stock Units, after the Participant has vested in such Restricted Stock Units and otherwise become entitled to Shares in connection with such Restricted Stock Units. In the event that the exercise of an Award is treated in part as the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option and in part as the exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option pursuant to Section 7(a), the Company shall issue a share certificate evidencing the Shares treated as acquired upon the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option and a separate share certificate evidencing the Shares treated as acquired upon the exercise of a Nonqualified Stock Option, and shall identify each such certificate accordingly in its share transfer records. No adjustment will be made for a dividend or other right for which the record date is prior to the date the share certificate is issued, except as provided in Section 4 of the Plan. In no event shall cash be paid or Shares issued to a Participant with respect to an Award of the Participant later than March 15 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the Participant became vested in and otherwise entitled to such cash or Shares.

(b) Method of Payment . The consideration to be paid for any Shares to be issued upon exercise or other required settlement of an Award, including a method of payment, shall be determined by the Committee at the time of settlement, and which forms may include: (i) check; (ii) wire transfer; (iii) tender of shares of Common Stock owned by the Participant in accordance with rules established by the Committee from time to time; and (iv) a request that the Company or a designated brokerage firm conduct a cashless exercise of the Option. Shares used to pay the Option Price shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the exercise date. Payment of the aggregate Option Price by means of tendering previously-owned shares of Common Stock shall not be permitted when the same may, in the reasonable opinion of the Company, cause the Company to record a loss or expense as a result thereof.

(c) Withholding Obligations . 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 Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, SAR, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units, or any sale of Shares. The Company shall not be required to issue Shares or to recognize the disposition of such Shares until such obligations are satisfied. These obligations may be satisfied by having the Company withhold a portion of the Shares that otherwise would be issued to a Participant under such Award (provided, however, that no Shares are withheld with a value exceeding the minimum amount of tax required to be withheld by law) or by tendering Shares previously acquired by the Participant in accordance with rules established by the Committee from time to time.

 

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(d) Shareholder Rights . Except as otherwise provided in this Plan, until the issuance (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company) of the share certificate evidencing such Shares, no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder shall exist with respect to the Shares subject to the Award, notwithstanding the exercise of the Award.

(e) Non-Transferability of Awards . An Award may not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, transferred, or disposed of in exchange for consideration, and may not be transferred other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution and may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant; unless the Committee permits further transferability, on a general or specific basis, in which case the Committee may impose conditions and limitations on any permitted transferability.

11. Expiration of Awards .

(a) Expiration, Termination or Forfeiture of Awards . Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement or any severance agreement, vested Awards granted under this Plan shall expire, terminate, or otherwise be forfeited as follows:

(i) ninety (90) days after the date of termination of a Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant other than in circumstances covered by (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) below;

(ii) immediately upon termination of a Participant’s Continuous Status as a Participant for cause (as defined in a Company subplan or Award Agreement, as applicable);

(iii) twelve (12) months after the date on which a Participant ceased performing services as a result of his or her Disability; and

(iv) twelve (12) months after the date of the death of a Participant who was a Participant whose Continuous Status as a Participant terminated as a result of his or her death.

(b) Extension of Term . Notwithstanding subsection (a) above, the Committee shall have the authority to extend the expiration date of any outstanding Options or SARs other than an Incentive Stock Option in circumstances in which it deems such action to be appropriate (provided that no such extension shall extend the term of an Option or SAR beyond the date on which the Award would have expired or been forfeited if there had been no termination of the Employee’s Continuous Status as a Participant).

12. Term, Amendment and Termination of the Plan .

(a) Term of Plan . The Plan shall become effective as of the Effective Date. It shall continue in effect until the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date or until terminated under this Section 12 of the Plan or extended by an amendment approved by the shareholders of the Company pursuant to Section 12(a).

(b) Amendment and Termination . The Board or the Committee may amend or terminate the Plan from time to time in such respects as the Board may deem advisable (including, but not limited to amendments which the Board deems appropriate to enhance the Company’s ability to claim deductions related to stock option exercises); provided that to the extent required by the Code or the rules of the NYSE or the SEC, shareholder approval shall be required for any amendment of the Plan. Subject to the foregoing, it is specifically

 

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intended that the Board or Committee may amend the Plan without shareholder approval to comply with legal, regulatory and listing requirements and to avoid unanticipated consequences deemed by the Committee to be inconsistent with the purpose of the Plan or any Award Agreement.

(c) Participants in Foreign Countries . The Committee shall have the authority to adopt such modifications, procedures, and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of foreign countries in which the Company or its Subsidiaries may operate to assure the viability of the benefits from Awards granted to Participants performing services in such countries and to meet the objectives of the Plan.

(d) Effect of Amendment or Termination . Any such amendment or termination of the Plan shall not affect Awards already granted and such Awards shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been amended or terminated, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the Participant and the Committee, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Participant and the Company.

13. Shareholder Approval . The Plan, and any material amendment to the Plan, is subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company in accordance with applicable NYSE rules.

 

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Exhibit 4.2

TRUEBLUE, INC.

2010 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

Adopted by the Shareholders May 12, 2010

1. Purpose of the Plan . The TrueBlue, Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) is intended to provide a method whereby eligible employees of TrueBlue, Inc. (the “Company”) and its Subsidiaries will have an opportunity to purchase shares of the common stock of the Company. The Company believes that employee participation in the ownership of the Company is of benefit to both the employees and the Company. The Company intends to have the Plan qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. The provisions of the Plan shall, accordingly, be construed so as to extend and limit participation in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of that Section of the Code.

2. Definitions .

 

  (a) Account ” means the funds that are accumulated with respect to each individual Participant as a result of payroll deductions for the purpose of purchasing Shares under the Plan. The funds that are allocated to a Participant’s Account shall at all times remain the property of that Participant, but such funds may be commingled with the general funds of the Company.

 

  (b) Base Pay ” means an employee’s regular straight time salary or earnings plus any overtime, bonus, incentive compensation, or commission.

 

  (c) Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

  (d) Business Day ” means a day that the New York Stock Exchange, or other designated exchange, is open for trading.

 

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

 

  (f) Commencement Date ” means January 1, April 1, July 1, or October 1, as the case may be, on which a particular Offering Period begins.

 

  (g) Committee ” means any committee or officer(s) of the Company to which or to whom the Board has delegated any or all of its authority and obligations under this Plan pursuant to Section 21.1. To the extent the Board reserves authority to itself with respect to certain powers under this Plan, or if no Committee has been established, references to Committee shall be construed to mean the Board.

 

  (h) Ending Date ” means March 31, June 30, September 30, or December 31, as the case may be, on which the particular Offering Period concludes.

 

  (i) ESPP Broker ” means a qualified stock brokerage or other financial services firm that has been designated by the Company to establish Accounts for Shares purchased under the Plan by Participants.

 

  (j) Fair Market Value ” of a Share as of a particular date means (1) if the Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, the closing or last price of a Share on the composite tape or other comparable reporting system for the applicable date, or if the applicable date is not a Business Day, the Business Day immediately preceding the applicable date, or (2) if the Shares are not then listed on a national securities exchange, or the value of such shares is not otherwise determinable, such value as determined by the Committee in good faith in its sole discretion (but in any event not less than fair market value within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code).

 

  (k) Holding Period ” means the holding period that is set forth in Section 423(a) of the Code, which, as of the date that the Board adopted this Plan, is the later of (1) the two-year period after the Commencement Date and (2) the one-year period after transfer to a Participant of any Shares under the Plan.

 

  (l) Offering Period ” means any one of the consecutive three-month periods for the purchase and sale of Shares under the Plan. Each one of the Offering Periods may be referred to as an “Offering.”

 

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  (m) Participant ” means an employee who, pursuant to Section 3, is eligible to participate in the Plan and has complied with the requirements of Section 7.

 

  (n) Shares ” means shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value per share, which will be sold to Participants under the Plan.

 

  (o) Subsidiaries ” means any present or future domestic or foreign corporation that: (1) would be a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company as that term is defined in Section 424 of the Code, and (2) whose employees have been designated by the Committee to be eligible, subject to Section 3, to be Participants under the Plan. The Subsidiaries currently designated by the Committee as eligible to participate are set forth on Attachment A hereto.

 

  (p) Withdrawal Notice ” means a notice in a form designated by the Company that a Participant who wishes to withdraw from the Plan must submit to the Company in the manner set forth in Section 22.

3. Employees Eligible to Participate .

3.1 Domestic Employees . Any regular employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is eligible to participate in the Plan except any employee who: (a) is not in the employ of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries on a Commencement Date, (b) has not been so employed for at least six consecutive months prior to the Commencement Date, (c) has not been paid for an average of at least twenty hours per week during such employment, and (d) is typically employed for less than five (5) months in any calendar year. For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or a Subsidiary and meeting the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-7(h)(2).

3.2 Foreign Employees . In order to facilitate participation in the Plan, the Committee may provide for such special terms applicable to Participants who are citizens or residents of a foreign jurisdiction, or who are employed by a Designated Subsidiary outside of the United States, as the Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. Such special terms may not be more favorable than the terms of rights granted under the Plan to Eligible Employees

who are residents of the United States. Moreover, the Committee may approve such supplements to, or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of, this Plan as it may consider necessary or appropriate for such purposes without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan as in effect for any other purpose. No such special terms, supplements, amendments or restatements shall include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of this Plan as then in effect unless this Plan could have been amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the shareholders of the Company.

4. Offering Periods . The Plan shall consist of Offering Periods commencing on July 1, 2010, and on each subsequent October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1.

5. Price . The purchase price per share shall be the lesser of (1) 85% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the Commencement Date of an Offering Period; or (2) 85% of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the Ending Date of an Offering Period.

6. Number of Shares Offered Under the Plan . The maximum number of Shares that will be offered under the Plan is 1,000,000. If, on any date, the total number of Shares for which purchase rights are to be granted pursuant to Section 9 exceeds the number of Shares then available under this Section 6 after deduction of all Shares (a) that have been purchased under the Plan and (b) for which rights to purchase are then outstanding, the Company shall make a pro-rata allocation of the Shares that remain available in as nearly a uniform manner as shall be practicable and as it shall determine, in its sole judgment, to be equitable. In such event, the number of Shares each Participant may purchase shall be reduced and the Company shall give to each Participant a written notice of such reduction.

 

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7. Participation . An eligible employee may become a Participant by completing the enrollment process as designated by the Company prior to the Commencement Date of the Offering to which it relates. Participation in one Offering under the Plan shall neither limit, nor require, participation in any other Offering, but a Participant shall remain enrolled in the Plan until the Participant withdraws from the Plan pursuant to Section 13 hereof, or his or her employment is terminated with the Company or one of its Subsidiaries.

8. Payroll Deductions .

8.1 At the time the enrollment process is completed and for so long as a Participant participates in the Plan, each Participant shall authorize the Company to make payroll deductions of a whole percentage (not partial or fractional) of Base Pay; provided, however, that no payroll deduction shall be less than two percent or exceed 10 percent of Base Pay. The amount of the minimum percentage deduction may be adjusted by the Committee from time to time; provided, however, that a Participant’s existing rights under any Offering that has already commenced may not be adversely affected thereby.

8.2 Each Participant’s payroll deductions shall be credited to that Participant’s Account. A Participant may not make a separate cash payment into such Account nor may payment for Shares be made from other than the Participant’s Account.

8.3 A Participant’s payroll deductions shall begin on or following the Commencement Date, and shall continue until the termination of the Plan unless the Participant elects to withdraw pursuant to Section 13 or changes his or her contribution percentage prior to the Commencement Date for a subsequent Offering.

8.4 A Participant may discontinue participation in the Plan as provided in Section 13, but no other change may be made during an Offering and, specifically, a Participant may not alter the amount or rate of payroll deductions during an Offering.

9. Granting of Right to Purchase . On the Commencement Date, the Plan shall be deemed to have granted automatically to each Participant a right to purchase as many Shares (including fractional Shares) as may be purchased with such Participant’s Account on the corresponding Ending Date.

10. Purchase of Shares . On each Ending Date, each Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions and any funds remaining from any prior Offering Period will be applied to the purchase of whole or fractional Shares, up to the maximum number of Shares permitted pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the applicable Offering Document, at the Purchase Price. Any fractional Shares or cash in lieu of fractional Shares remaining after the purchase of full Shares upon exercise of the purchase right will be credited to such Participant’s account and carried forward and applied toward the purchase of full Shares for the next following Offering Period, subject to the terms of the Plan.

11. Participant’s Rights as a Shareholder . No Participant shall have any rights of a shareholder with respect to any Shares until the Shares have been purchased in accordance with Section 10 and issued by the Company.

12. Evidence of Ownership of Shares .

12.1 Promptly following the Ending Date of each Offering, the Shares that are purchased by each Participant shall be deposited into an account that is established in the Participant’s name with the ESPP Broker.

12.2 A Participant may direct, by written notice to the ESPP Broker prior to the Ending Date of the pertinent Offering, that the ESPP Broker account be established in the names of the Participant and one such other person as may be designated by the Participant as joint tenants with right of survivorship, tenants in common, or community property, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable law.

 

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12.3 A Participant shall be free to undertake a disposition, as that term is defined in Section 424(c) of the Code (which generally includes any sale, exchange, gift, or transfer of legal title), of Shares in the Participant’s ESPP Broker account at any time, whether by sale, exchange, gift, or other transfer of title. Subject to Section 12.4 below, in the absence of such a disposition of the Shares, however, the Shares must remain in the Participant’s account at the ESPP Broker until the Holding Period has been satisfied. With respect to Shares for which the Holding Period has been satisfied, a Participant may move such Shares to an account at another brokerage firm of the Participant’s choosing or request that a certificate that represents the Shares be issued and delivered to the Participant.

12.4 A Participant who is not subject to United States taxation may, at any time and without regard to the Holding Period, move his or her Shares to an account at another brokerage firm of the Participant’s choosing or request that a certificate that represents the Shares be issued and delivered to the Participant.

13. Withdrawal and Suspension .

13.1 A Participant may withdraw from an Offering by delivering a withdrawal notice to the Company at any time before the first day of the last month of the Offering Period or other date designated by the Company. Upon withdrawal, the amount in the Participant’s account will be refunded as soon as practicable. A Participant’s withdrawal will become effective on the Commencement Date of the next Offering Period following withdrawal. After such withdrawal, the Company shall refund the Participant’s entire Account as soon as practicable.

13.2 A Participant who has previously withdrawn from the Plan may re-enter by complying with the requirements of Section 7. Upon compliance with such requirements, an employee’s re-entry into the Plan will become effective on the Commencement Date of the next Offering following the date the Participant complies with Section 7 with respect to the re-entry.

13.3 A Participant may suspend participation in an Offering at any time before the first day of the last month of the Offering Period by reducing his or her payroll deduction percentage election to 0% for the remainder of the Offering Period. In such a case, the amount accumulated in the Participant’s account prior to the suspension is not refunded, but is used to purchase shares as described above. A Participant who has withdrawn from or suspended participation in an Offering may not again participate in the Purchase Plan until the Participant complies with the terms of Section 7, above.

14. Carryover of Account . At the conclusion of each Offering, the Company shall automatically re-enroll each Participant in the next Offering, and the balance of each Participant’s Account shall be used to purchase Shares in the subsequent Offering, unless the Participant has advised the Company otherwise in writing, or as set forth in Section 20 or 23, in which case the Company shall refund to the Participant the funds that remain in the Participant’s Account as soon as practicable thereafter.

15. Interest . No interest shall be paid or allowed on a Participant’s Account.

16. Rights Not Transferable . No Participant shall be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge, or otherwise dispose of or encumber such Participant’s Account or any rights to purchase or to receive Shares under the Plan other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and such rights and interests shall not be liable for, or subject to, a Participant’s debts, contracts, or liabilities. If a Participant purports to make a transfer, or a third party makes a claim in respect of a Participant’s rights or interests, whether by garnishment, levy, attachment, or otherwise, such purported transfer or claim shall be treated as a withdrawal election under Section 13.

17. Termination of Employment . As soon as practicable upon termination of a Participant’s employment with the Company for any reason whatsoever, including but not limited to death or retirement, the Participant’s Account shall be refunded to the Participant or the Participant’s estate, as applicable.

 

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18. Amendment or Discontinuance of the Plan .

18.1 The Committee shall have the right to amend or modify the Plan at any time without notice, except to the extent the Board has reserved such authority to itself with respect to any aspect of the Plan, and the Board shall have the right to amend, modify or terminate the Plan at any time without notice, provided that (i) subject to Sections 19 and 23.1(b), no Participant’s existing rights under any Offering that is in progress may be adversely affected thereby, and (ii) subject to Section 19, in the event that the Board or the Committee desires to retain the favorable tax treatment under Sections 421 and 423 of the Code, no such amendment of the Plan shall increase the number of Shares that were reserved for issuance hereunder unless the Company’s shareholders approve such an increase.

18.2 Without shareholder consent and without regard to whether any Participant rights may be considered to have been adversely affected, to the extent permitted by Section 423 of the Code, the Committee shall be entitled to change the Offering Periods, establish subplans with differing offering periods, change or alter the participating Subsidiaries, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Shares for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participant’s Base Pay, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Committee determines in its sole discretion to be advisable.

19. Changes in Capitalization . In the event of reorganization, recapitalization, stock split, stock dividend, combination of Shares, merger, consolidation, offerings of rights, or any other change in the capital structure of the Company, the Committee shall make whatever adjustments are appropriate in the number, kind, and the price of the Shares that are available for purchase under the Plan, and in the number of Shares that a Participant is entitled to purchase.

20. Share Ownership . Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary:

20.1 No Participant shall be permitted to subscribe for any Shares under the Plan if such Participant, immediately after such subscription, owns Shares that account for (including all Shares that may be purchased under outstanding subscriptions under the Plan) five percent or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of Shares of the Company or its Subsidiaries. For the foregoing purposes the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code shall apply in determining share ownership;

20.2 No Participant shall be allowed to subscribe for any Shares under the Plan that permit such Participant’s rights to purchase Shares under all “employee stock purchase plans” of the Company and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of such Shares for each calendar year in which such right to subscribe is outstanding at any time. For purposes of this Section 20, the Fair Market Value of Shares shall be determined in each case as of the Commencement Date of the Offering in which such Shares are purchased. The Company shall refund as soon as practicable any contributions by a Participant that exceed the limit set forth in the preceding sentence;

20.3 No Participant shall be allowed to subscribe for any Shares under the Plan that permit such Participant’s rights to purchase Shares under all “employee stock purchase plans” of the Company and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate that exceeds 2,500 shares in any one Offering Period.

 

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21. Administration .

21.1 The Plan shall be administered by the Board. The Board may delegate any or all of its authority and obligations under this Plan to such committee or committees (including without limitation, a committee of the Board) or officer(s) of the Company as it may designate. Notwithstanding any such delegation of authority, the Board may itself take any action under the Plan in its discretion at any time, and any reference in this Plan document to the rights and obligations of the Committee shall be construed to apply equally to the Board. Any references to the Board mean only the Board.

21.2 The Committee shall be vested with full authority and discretion to construe the terms of the Plan and make factual determinations under the Plan, and to make, administer, and interpret such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to administer the Plan, and any determination, decision, or action of the Committee in connection with the construction, interpretation, administration, or application of the Plan shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all Participants and any and all persons claiming under or through any Participant. The Committee may retain outside entities and professionals to assist in the administration of the Plan including, without limitation, an ESPP Broker.

22. Notices . All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, that is designated by the Company from time to time for the receipt thereof, and, in the absence of such a designation, the Company’s Human Resources Department, Attention: ESPP Administration shall be authorized to receive such notices.

23. Termination of the Plan .

23.1 This Plan shall terminate at the earliest of the following:

(a) The date of the filing of a Statement of Intent to Dissolve by the Company or the effective date of a merger or consolidation wherein the Company is not to be the surviving corporation, which merger or consolidation is not between or among corporations related to the Company. Prior to the occurrence of either of such events, on such date as the Company may determine, the Company may permit a Participant to carry out the right to purchase, and to purchase at the purchase price set forth in Section 5, the number of Shares (including fractional Shares) that may be purchased with that Participant’s Account. In such an event, the Company shall refund to the Participant the funds that remain in the Participant’s Account after such purchase;

(b) The date the Board acts to terminate the Plan in accordance with Section 18 above; or

(c) The date when all of the Shares that were reserved for issuance hereunder have been purchased. 23.2 Upon termination of the Plan, the Company shall refund to each Participant the balance of each Participant’s Account.

24. Limitations on Sale of Shares Purchased Under the Plan . The Plan is intended to provide Shares for investment and not for resale. The Company does not, however, intend to restrict or influence the conduct of any employee’s affairs. An employee, therefore, may sell Shares that are purchased under the Plan at any time, subject to compliance with any applicable federal or state securities laws. THE EMPLOYEE ASSUMES THE RISK OF ANY MARKET FLUCTUATIONS IN THE PRICE OF THE SHARES.

25. Governmental Regulation . The Company’s obligation to sell and deliver Shares under this Plan is subject to any governmental approval that is required in connection with the authorization, issuance, or sale of such Shares.

 

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26. No Employment Rights . The Plan does not, directly or indirectly, create any right for the benefit of any employee or class of employees to purchase any Shares under the Plan, or create in any employee or class of employees any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company, and it shall not be deemed to interfere in any way with the Company’s right to terminate, or otherwise modify, an employee’s employment at any time.

27. Governing Law . The laws of the state of Washington shall govern all matters that relate to this Plan except to the extent it is superseded by the laws of the United States.

 

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Attachment A

TRUEBLUE, INC.

2010 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

Eligible Subsidiaries

Effective May 12, 2010

In addition to the employees of TrueBlue, Inc. the employees of the following TrueBlue, Inc. subsidiaries are eligible to participate in the Plan:

 

Employer

   Adoption Date

CLP Resources, Inc.

   January 1, 2007

Labor Ready Central, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Mid-Atlantic, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Midwest, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Northeast, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Northwest, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Puerto Rico, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Southeast, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Labor Ready Southwest, Inc.

   January 1, 1998

Project Trade Solutions, LLC

   January 1, 2007

Spartan Staffing, LLC

   January 1, 2008

Venue Ready, LLC

   January 1, 2008

 

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Exhibit 5.1

K&L Gates LLP

925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900

Seattle, Washington 98104

(206) 623-7580

June 25, 2010

TrueBlue, Inc.

1015 A Street

Tacoma, Washington 98402

Re: Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to TrueBlue, Inc., a Washington corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), as amended, for the registration of (1) 500,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value, under the company’s 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan; and (2) 1,000,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, no par value (collectively, the “Shares”), under the Company’s 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (collectively with the Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, the “Plans”).

You have requested our opinion as to the matters set forth below in connection with the Registration Statement. For purposes of rendering that opinion, we have examined (a) the Registration Statement, (b) the Company’s Amended and Restated 2005 Long-Term Equity Incentive Plan, (c) the Company’s 2010 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, (d) the Company’s Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, (e) the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, and (f) the corporate resolutions and other action of the Company that authorize and provide for the issuance of the Shares, and we have made such other investigation as we have deemed appropriate. As to certain matters of fact that are material to our opinion, we have also relied on a certificate of an officer of the Company. In rendering our opinion, we also have made the assumptions that are customary in opinion letters of this kind. We have not verified any of those assumptions. Our opinion set forth below is limited to the laws of the State of Washington.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares are duly authorized for issuance by the Company and, when issued and paid for as described in the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable.

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving our consent we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Yours truly,

K&L Gates LLP

Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our reports dated February 16, 2010, relating to the consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of TrueBlue, Inc. and the effectiveness of TrueBlue, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of TrueBlue, Inc. for the fiscal year ended December 25, 2009.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Seattle, Washington

June 25, 2010

Exhibit 23.2

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 of TrueBlue, Inc. of our report dated February 18, 2009 relating to the financial statements, financial statement schedules and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, which appears in TrueBlue Inc’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2008.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Seattle, WA

June 25, 2010