UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 8-K

 

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): September 20, 2013 (September 17, 2013)

 

 

Sprint Corporation

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   001-04721   46-1170005
(State of Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

6200 Sprint Parkway

Overland Park, Kansas 66251

(Address of Principal Executive Offices, Including Zip Code)

(855) 848-3280 (Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 

 


Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

Hesse Employment Agreement

On September 18, 2013, Sprint Corporation (the “Company”) and Daniel R. Hesse, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, entered into a new employment agreement (the “Agreement”), replacing a prior employment agreement with Sprint Nextel Corporation dated December 17, 2007, amended and restated effective December 31, 2008, and again amended November 11, 2012 (the “Prior Agreement”).

The Agreement provides for a term through July 31, 2018, subject to earlier termination as described below, and for the following compensation:

 

   

an annual base salary of $1,200,000;

 

   

participation in the Company’s short-term incentive compensation plan, with a targeted opportunity for 2013 equal to 200% of his annual base salary, and a maximum award equal to 200% of his targeted opportunity; and

 

   

participation in the Company’s long-term incentive compensation plan, in the form of equity and/or cash-based awards as determined for other senior executives.

The Agreement continues the Prior Agreement’s terms that, in the event that Mr. Hesse’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause (as defined in the Agreement), or Mr. Hesse resigns for good reason (as defined in the Agreement), other than in connection with a change in control of the Company, he will:

 

   

continue to receive his base salary for 24 months;

 

   

receive a pro rata payment under the then-applicable short-term incentive plan with respect to the portion of the fiscal year through the date of termination of his employment;

 

   

receive, with respect to the 24-month period following the date of termination of his employment, payments under the terms of the then-existing short-term incentive plan equal to the lesser of his targeted opportunity as of the date of termination of his employment and the payout determined by the Company’s Compensation Committee based on actual performance of the Company compared to the targeted objectives under the plan; and

 

   

be entitled to continue to participate in certain benefit plans.

Also continuing the Prior Agreement’s terms, upon a termination of employment coincident with Mr. Hesse’s eligibility for benefits under our long-term disability plan, he will continue to receive his base salary for the longer of 12 months or the applicable period under the plan (reduced by any amounts paid under the plan), and he will be entitled to continue to participate in certain benefit plans.

Mr. Hesse remains a participant in our Change in Control Severance Plan and is entitled to severance compensation and benefits thereunder if Mr. Hesse’s employment is terminated without cause or Mr. Hesse resigns for good reason during the 18-month period following a change in control.

For the 24-month period following the termination of Mr. Hesse’s employment, he has agreed not to compete with the Company or solicit employees or customers of the Company. His perpetual confidentiality covenant in the Agreement includes proprietary information of SoftBank Corp., but his non-solicitation covenant excludes SoftBank and his non-competition covenant excludes additional territories and business scope resulting solely from SoftBank’s ownership of the Company. If Mr. Hesse breaches any of his obligations, he would forfeit his right to any severance payments and benefits to which he otherwise would be entitled.

The Agreement is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference herein.


Amendments to the Sprint Nextel Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan and Sprint Nextel Change of Control Severance Plan

On September 17, 2013, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) amended the Sprint Nextel Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan and Sprint Nextel Change in Control Severance Plan to change the name of the plans to the Sprint Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan and Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan, respectively, and to modify the definition of “Change in Control” to:

 

   

exclude SoftBank Corp. (“SoftBank”) or its controlled affiliates from the change in control trigger associated with a group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) acquiring 30 percent or more of the combined voting power of the Company ; and

 

   

include Sprint Corporation ceasing to have equity securities trading on a national securities exchange as a change in control trigger.

The Board also amended the Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan to include an “offset” of change in control benefits for pay and benefits received during any “WARN” notification period, to align with such an offset provided in the broad-based separation plan.

The Sprint Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan and the Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan are filed as Exhibits 10.2 and 10.3, respectively, to this Form 8-K and are incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

The following exhibits are filed with this report:

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

10.1    Employment Agreement, dated September 18, 2013, between Daniel R. Hesse and Sprint Corporation.
10.2    Sprint Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan
10.3    Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan


SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

Date: September 20, 2013     Sprint Corporation
    By:   /s/ Timothy P. O’Grady
      Timothy P. O’Grady, Assistant Secretary

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit No.

  

Description

10.1    Employment Agreement, dated September 18, 2013, between Daniel R. Hesse and Sprint Corporation.
10.2    Sprint Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan
10.3    Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan

Exhibit 10.1

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into effective as of September 18, 2013 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Sprint Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) on behalf of itself and any of its subsidiaries, affiliates and related entities and Daniel R. Hesse (the “Executive”) (the Company and the Executive, collectively, the “Parties,” and each, a “Party”), which replaces as of the Effective Date the Employment Agreement originally entered into as of December 17, 2007 by and between the Executive and Sprint Nextel Corporation (“Old Sprint”), which was amended and restated on December 31, 2008 and again amended effective November 16, 2012, the terms of which shall govern the rights and obligations of the Parties for the period prior to the Effective Date. Certain capitalized terms are defined in Section 30.

WITNESSETH :

WHEREAS, the Executive serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company; and

WHEREAS, the Company desires the Executive to continue to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and the Executive is willing to do so, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the covenants and agreements set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Executive hereby agree as follows:

1. Employment

(a) The Company will continue to employ the Executive, and the Executive will continue to be employed by the Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

(b) The employment relationship between the Company and the Executive shall be governed by the general employment policies and practices of the Company, including without limitation, those relating to the Company’s Code of Conduct, confidential information and avoidance of conflicts, except that when the terms of this Agreement differ from or are in conflict with the Company’s general employment policies or practices, this Agreement shall control.

2. Employment Term . Subject to termination under Section 9, the Executive’s Employment Term hereunder shall be for the period commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue through July 31, 2018 (the “Employment Term”). The Executive shall provide the Company with written notice of his intent to terminate employment with the Company at least 30 days prior to the effective date of such termination.


3. Position and Duties of the Executive .

(a) The Executive shall serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and shall have such duties and authority consistent with such position as are customary for the position of chief executive officer of a company of the size and nature of the business of the Company, and such other duties and authority as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) consistent with such position and agrees to serve as an officer and/or be an employee of any Subsidiary as may be reasonably requested from time to time by the Board or any committee of the Board. In such capacity, the Executive shall report only to the Board and shall be the highest ranking senior officer of the Company, and all employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries shall report, directly or indirectly, to the Executive. The Company, having appointed the Executive to the Board, will throughout the Employment Term nominate him for election to the Board by the Company’s shareholders at all future annual shareholders’ meetings and any special shareholder meeting at which the Board is to be elected.

(b) During the Employment Term, the Executive shall, except as may from time to time be otherwise agreed to in writing by the Company, during reasonable vacations (as set forth in Section 7 hereof) and authorized leave, and as may from time to time otherwise be permitted pursuant to Section 3(c), devote his best efforts, full attention and energies during his normal working time to the Executive’s position and duties as set forth in Section 3(a), in each case, within the framework of the Company’s policies and objectives.

(c) During the Employment Term, and provided that such activities do not contravene the provisions of Section 3(a) or Sections 10, 11, 12 or 13 hereof and, provided further , the Executive does not engage in any other substantial business activity for gain, profit or other pecuniary advantage which materially interferes with the performance of his duties hereunder, the Executive may participate in any governmental, educational, charitable or other community affairs, manage his personal investments, continue to serve on governing boards on which he was serving on the Effective Date, and, subject to the prior approval of the Board serve as a member of the governing board of any such organization or any private or public for-profit company. The Executive may retain all fees and other compensation from any such service, and the Company shall not reduce his compensation hereunder by the amount of such fees.

4. Compensation .

(a) Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company shall pay to the Executive an annual base salary of $1,200,000 (the “Base Salary”), which Base Salary shall be payable at the times and in the manner consistent with the Company’s general policies regarding payment of salary to the Company’s senior executives. The Base Salary will be reviewed periodically by the Compensation Committee and may be increased (but not decreased, except for across-the-board reductions generally applicable to the Company’s senior executives) from time to time in the Compensation Committee’s sole discretion.

(b) Incentive Compensation . The Executive will continue to be eligible to participate in any short-term and long-term incentive compensation plans and such other management incentive programs or arrangements of the Company approved by the Board that

 

- 2 -


are generally available to the Company’s senior executives, including, but not limited to, the STIP and the LTIP. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, incentive compensation shall be paid in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans, programs and arrangements and the documents evidencing the grant of awards thereunder. Such participation shall include the following.

(i) Annual Performance Bonus . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall continue to be eligible to participate in the STIP, with such opportunities as may be determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion (each such annual opportunity, a “Target Bonus”); provided , however , that for the bonus year ending December 31, 2013 and thereafter during the Employment Term, the Executive will participate at an annual Target Bonus opportunity of 200% of his Base Salary (which percentage may be increased, but not decreased, except for across-the-board reductions generally applicable to the Company’s senior executives), and the Executive shall be entitled to receive full payment of any award under the STIP up to a maximum annual bonus of 200% of his Target Bonus, determined pursuant to the STIP for such year (a “Bonus Award”).

(ii) Long-Term Performance Bonus . During the Employment Term, the Executive shall continue to be entitled to participate in the LTIP with such opportunities as may be determined by the Compensation Committee.

(iii) Incentive bonuses, if earned, shall be paid when incentive compensation is customarily paid to the Company’s senior executives in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans, programs or arrangements.

(iv) Pursuant to the Company’s applicable incentive or bonus plans as in effect from time to time, the Executive’s incentive compensation during the Employment Term may be determined according to criteria intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(c) Other Equity Compensation . During the Employment Term, in addition to the LTIP, the Executive shall continue to be eligible to participate in such other equity incentive compensation plans and programs as the Company generally provides to its senior executives under such plans and programs. During the Employment Term, the Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant equity awards to the Executive, which would be subject to the terms of the award agreements evidencing such grants and the applicable plan or program.

5. Benefits . Anything to the contrary notwithstanding (i) any obligation of Old Sprint to provide the Executive compensation or benefits may be fulfilled and discharged by the Company, and (ii) any plan, program or policy pursuant to which compensation or benefits have been provided by Old Sprint, may be assumed and adopted as its own by the Company; provided that, Old Sprint shall remain obligated in respect of such compensation or benefits until and unless such obligation is fulfilled and discharged.

 

- 3 -


(a) During the Employment Term, the Company shall make available to the Executive, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans, participation for the Executive and his eligible dependents in: (i) Company-sponsored group health, major medical, dental, vision, life insurance, pension and profit sharing, 401(k) and employee benefit plans, programs and arrangements (the “Employee Plans”) and such other usual and customary benefits in which senior executives of the Company participate from time to time, and (ii) such fringe benefits and perquisites as may be made available to senior executives of the Company as a group. The Executive shall be entitled to indemnification on terms and conditions no less favorable than those made available generally to the senior officers as such indemnification arrangements shall be in effect from time to time.

(b) The Executive acknowledges that the Company may change its benefit programs from time to time, which may result in certain benefit programs being amended or terminated for its senior executives generally.

6. Expenses . The Company shall pay or reimburse the Executive for reasonable and necessary business expenses incurred by the Executive in connection with his duties on behalf of the Company in accordance with the Company’s Enterprise Financial Services—Employee Travel and Expense Policy, as may be amended from time to time, or any successor policy, plan, program or arrangement thereto and any other of its expense policies applicable to senior executives of the Company, following submission by the Executive of reimbursement expense forms in a form consistent with such expense policies

7. Vacation . In addition to such holidays, sick leave, personal leave and other paid leave as is allowed under the Company’s policies applicable to senior executives generally, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in the Company’s vacation policy at a minimum of four (4) weeks vacation per calendar year, in accordance with the Company’s policy generally applicable to senior executives.

8. Place of Performance . The Executive’s place of work, subject to reasonable and necessary travel requirements, shall be the offices of the Company located in Overland Park, Kansas. If the Company relocates the Executive’s place of work more than 50 miles from his place of work immediately prior to such relocation, the Executive shall, subject to his right to terminate his employment for Good Reason, relocate to a residence within the greater of (a) 50 miles of such relocated executive offices or (b) such total miles that does not exceed the total number of miles the Executive commuted to his place of work prior to such relocation of the Executive’s place of work. To the extent the Executive relocates his residence as provided in this Section 8, the Company will pay or reimburse the Executive’s relocation expenses in accordance with the Company’s relocation policy applicable to senior executives.

9. Termination .

(a) Termination by the Company for Cause or Resignation by the Executive Without Good Reason . If, during the Employment Term, the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company for Cause, or if the Executive resigns without Good Reason, the Executive shall not be eligible to receive Base Salary or to participate in any Employee Plans with respect to future periods after the date of such termination or resignation except for the right to receive accrued but unpaid cash compensation and vested benefits under any Employee Plan in accordance with the terms of such Employee Plan and applicable law.

 

- 4 -


(b) Termination by the Company Without Cause or Resignation by the Executive for Good Reason outside of the CIC Severance Protection Period . If, during the Employment Term, the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or the Executive terminates for Good Reason prior to, or following expiration of, the CIC Severance Protection Period and such termination constitutes a Separation from Service or the Executive is entitled to severance compensation and benefits under this Section 9(b) pursuant to the provisions of Section 9(c), the Executive shall be entitled to receive from the Company: (1) the Executive’s accrued, but unpaid, Base Salary through the date of termination of employment and any vested benefits under any Employee Plan in accordance with the terms of such Employee Plan and applicable law, and (2) conditioned upon the Executive executing a Release within the Release Consideration Period and delivering it to the Company with the Release Revocation Period expired without revocation, and in full satisfaction of the Executive’s rights and any benefits the Executive might be entitled to under the Separation Plan and this Agreement, unless otherwise specified herein:

(i) periodic payments in an aggregate amount equal to two times his Base Salary in effect prior to the termination of his employment (or, if termination occurs for Good Reason based on a reduction of Base Salary, his Base Salary in effect immediately before such reduction), which payments shall be paid to the Executive in equal installments on the regular payroll dates under the Company’s payroll practices applicable to the Executive on the date of this Agreement for the Payment Period except that (A) if the Release Consideration and Revocation Period ends on or after December 15 th of the calendar year of the Executive’s Separation from Service, such installments that are otherwise payable in the calendar year of the Executive’s Separation from Service shall be paid in a lump sum on the first business day of the following calendar year or (B) if the Executive is a Specified Employee, with respect to any amount payable by reason of the Separation from Service that constitutes deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, such installments shall not commence until after the end of the six continuous month period following the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service, in which case, the Executive shall be paid a lump-sum cash payment equal to the aggregate amount of missed installments during such period on the first day of the seventh month following the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service;

(ii) (A) a pro rata payment of the Bonus Award for the portion of the Company’s current fiscal year prior to the date of termination of his employment; (B) a pro rata payment of the Capped Bonus Award for the portion of the Company’s current fiscal year following the date of termination of his employment; (C) for the next fiscal year following the fiscal year during which termination of his employment occurs, the Capped Bonus Award; and (D) payment of a pro rata portion of the Capped Bonus Award for the second year following the fiscal year during which the Executive’s employment terminates (for purposes of this Section 9(b)(ii), any pro rata payment shall be determined

 

- 5 -


based on the methodology for determining pro rated awards under the STIP, each such payment to be payable in accordance with the provisions of the STIP in the calendar year in which the Bonus Award or each Capped Bonus Award, as applicable, is determined, and in all events, not later than December 31 st of the year in which each such award is determined); provided , however , that to the extent the Executive’s employment is terminated for Good Reason due to a reduction of the Executive’s Target Bonus in accordance with Section 30(y)(ii), the Executive’s Target Bonus for the purposes of this Section 9(b)(ii) shall be the Executive’s Target Bonus immediately prior to such reduction;

(iii) from the date of Separation from Service, continued participation in the Company’s group health plans at then-existing participation and coverage levels for the number of months equal to the period of continuation coverage the Executive would be entitled to pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code, in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and otherwise to the extent permitted by law, comparable to the terms in effect from time to time for the Company’s senior executives, including any co-payment and premium payment requirements and the Company shall deduct from each payment payable to the Executive pursuant to Section 9(b)(i), the amount of any employee contributions necessary to maintain such coverage for such period, except that subject to Section 9(b)(iv), (A) following such period, the Executive shall retain any rights to continue coverage under the Company’s group health plans under the benefits continuation provisions pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code by paying the applicable premiums of such plans; and (B) the Executive shall no longer be eligible to receive the benefits otherwise receivable pursuant to this Section 9(b)(iii) as of the date that the Executive becomes eligible to receive comparable benefits from a new employer;

(iv) continued participation at the Executive’s sole cost in the Company’s group health plans at then-existing participation and coverage levels for the remainder of the Payment Period following the period of continuation coverage the Executive would be entitled to, if any, pursuant to Section 9(b)(iii) above, in accordance with Section 409A of the Code and otherwise to the extent permitted by law, comparable to the terms in effect from time to time for the Company’s senior executives, but only to the extent that the Executive makes a payment to the Company in an amount equal to the monthly premium payments (both the employee and employer portions) required to maintain such comparable coverage on or before the first day of each calendar month commencing with the first calendar month of the six-month period following the period of continuation coverage specified in Section 9(b)(iii), and the Company shall reimburse the Executive, in accordance with the terms of Section 6 hereof, for the amount of such premiums, if any, in excess of any employee contributions necessary to maintain such coverage, except that (A) following such period, the Executive shall retain any rights to continue coverage under the Company’s group health plans under the benefits continuation provisions pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code by paying the applicable premiums of such plans; and (B) the Executive shall no longer be eligible to receive the benefits otherwise receivable pursuant to this Section 9(b)(iv) as of the date that the Executive becomes eligible to receive comparable benefits from a new employer;

 

- 6 -


(v) continued participation in the Company’s employee life insurance plans at then-existing participation and coverage levels for the Payment Period, comparable to the terms in effect from time to time for the Company’s senior executives, including any co-payment and premium payment requirements and the Company shall deduct from each payment payable to the Executive pursuant to Section 9(b)(i), the amount of any employee contributions necessary to maintain such coverage for such period, except that the Executive shall no longer be eligible to receive the benefits otherwise receivable pursuant to this Section 9(b)(v) as of the date that the Executive becomes eligible to receive comparable benefits from a new employer; and

(vi) outplacement services by a firm selected by the Company at its expense in an amount not to exceed $35,000; provided , however , that all such outplacement services must be completed, and all payments by the Company must be made, by December 31st of the second calendar year following the calendar year in which the Executive’s Separation from Service occurs.

Notwithstanding anything in this Section 9(b) to the contrary, to the extent the Executive has not executed the Release and delivered it to the Company within the Release Consideration Period, or has revoked the executed Release within the Release Revocation Period, the Executive will forfeit any right to receive the payments and benefits specified in this Section 9(b).

(c) Termination by the Company Without Cause or Resignation by the Executive for Good Reason During the CIC Severance Protection Period . Subject to (i)-(iv) below, if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or the Executive terminates employment for Good Reason, before the Employment Term expires and during the CIC Severance Protection Period, and the termination constitutes a Separation from Service, subject to the terms of the CIC Severance Plan, the Executive will become entitled to severance compensation and benefits under the CIC Severance Plan as of (x) the date the Separation from Service occurs, or (y) in the event of a Pre-CIC Termination, the date the Change in Control occurs, as of which date all rights to severance benefits under this Agreement will cease.

(i) The CIC Severance Plan will not apply and the Executive will be entitled to severance compensation and benefits under Section 9(b) of this Agreement if (x) as of his Separation from Service, the Executive is not a Participant in, or (y) the Executive is otherwise not entitled to severance compensation and benefits under, the CIC Severance Plan.

(ii) If the Executive is entitled to severance benefits under the CIC Severance Plan as a result of Pre-CIC Termination, any benefits payable before the Change in Control will be paid under this Agreement and any additional benefits payable after the Change in Control will be paid under the CIC Severance Plan.

 

- 7 -


(iii) In no event may there be duplication of benefits under this Agreement and the CIC Severance Plan.

(iv) The terms “Change in Control” and “Pre-CIC Termination” are defined in the CIC Severance Plan.

(d) Termination by Death . If the Executive dies during the Employment Term, the Executive’s employment will terminate and the Executive’s beneficiary or if none, the Executive’s estate, shall be entitled to receive from the Company the Executive’s accrued, but unpaid, Base Salary through the date of termination of employment and any vested benefits under any Employee Plan in accordance with the terms of such Employee Plan and applicable law.

(e) Termination by Disability . If the Executive becomes Disabled prior to the expiration of the Employment Term, the Executive’s employment will terminate, and provided that such termination constitutes a Separation from Service, the Executive shall be entitled to receive from the Company the Executive’s accrued, but unpaid, Base Salary through the date of termination of employment and any vested benefits under any Employee Plan in accordance with the terms of such Employee Plan and applicable law and:

(i) periodic payments in an aggregate amount equal to his Base Salary in effect prior to the termination of his employment, which payments shall be paid to the Executive in equal installments on the regular payroll dates under the Company’s payroll practices applicable to the Executive on the date of this Agreement for the longer of 12 months or the applicable waiting period under the Company’s long-term disability plan (the “LTD Plan”) (reduced by any amounts paid under the LTD Plan) now or hereafter sponsored by the Company (calculated on a monthly basis) commencing on the Separation from Service date; provided , however , that in the event that the Executive is a Specified Employee, any such payments that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code will not commence until earliest to occur of (A) the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service or (B) death, except that the Executive on such date will be paid a lump-sum cash payment equal to the aggregate amount of any such payments that constitute deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code that the Executive would have been entitled to receive during the six-month period following the Executive’s Separation from Service, and the Executive shall receive the remaining payments for six months payable in equal installments on the regular payroll dates under the Company’s payroll practices applicable to the Executive on the date of this Agreement commencing on the first business day of the seventh month following the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service as specified in this Section 9(e)(i); and

(ii) continued participation in the Company’s group health plans to the extent permitted by law at then-existing participation and coverage levels for the longer of 12 months (measured from the Executive’s Separation from Service) or the waiting period under the LTD Plan, comparable to the terms in effect from

 

- 8 -


time to time for the Company’s senior executives, including any co-payment and premium payment requirements; provided , however , that if the Executive would not be eligible for participation under the Company’s group health plans but for this Section 9(e)(ii), such continued participation will be at the Executive’s sole cost and only to the extent the Executive makes a payment to the Company in an amount equal to the monthly premium payments (both the employee and employer portions) required to maintain such comparable coverage on or before the first day of each calendar month of such coverage, and the Company shall reimburse the Executive, in accordance with the terms of Section 6 hereof, for the amount of such premiums.

(f) No Mitigation Obligation . No amounts paid under Section 9 will be reduced by any earnings that the Executive may receive from any other source, except that the Executive’s coverage under the Company’s medical, dental, vision and employee life insurance plans will terminate as of the date that the Executive is eligible for comparable benefits from a new employer. The Executive shall notify the Company within 30 days after becoming eligible for coverage of any such benefits.

(g) Forfeiture . Notwithstanding the foregoing, any right of the Executive to receive termination payments and benefits hereunder shall be forfeited to the extent of any amounts payable after any breach of Section 10, 11, 12, 13 or 15 by the Executive.

10. Confidential Information; Statements to Third Parties .

(a) During the Employment Term and on a permanent basis upon and following termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive acknowledges that:

(i) all information, whether or not reduced to writing (or in a form from which information can be obtained, translated, or derived into reasonably usable form) and whether compiled or created by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its affiliates (entities or ventures in which the Company, directly or indirectly, has an ownership interest of 10% or more or which has an ownership interest of 10% or more in the Company) (collectively, the “Confidentiality Group”) of a proprietary, private, secret or confidential nature (including, without exception, inventions, products, processes, methods, techniques, formulas, compositions, compounds, projects, developments, sales strategies, plans, research data, clinical data, financial data, personnel data, computer programs, customer and supplier lists, trademarks, service marks, copyrights (whether registered or unregistered), artwork, and contacts at or knowledge of customers or prospective customers) concerning the Confidentiality Group’s business, business relationships or financial affairs, which derives independent economic value from not being readily known to or ascertainable by proper means by others who can obtain economic value from the disclosure or use of such information (collectively, “Proprietary Information”) shall be the exclusive property of the Confidentiality Group.

 

- 9 -


(ii) reasonable efforts have been put forth by the Confidentiality Group to maintain the secrecy of its Proprietary Information; and

(iii) any willful retention or use by the Executive of Proprietary Information that violates this Agreement after the termination of the Executive’s employment will constitute a misappropriation of the Confidentiality Group’s Proprietary Information.

(b) The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that he will take all affirmative steps as reasonably necessary or requested by the Company to protect the Proprietary Information from inappropriate disclosure during and after his employment with the Company, provided that the Company shall be responsible for any costs reasonably incurred by the Executive in complying with this obligation.

(c) All materials or copies thereof and all tangible things and other property of the Confidentiality Group that embody or represent Proprietary Information in the Executive’s custody or possession shall be delivered to the Company (to the extent the Executive has not already returned them) in good condition, on or before five business days subsequent to the earlier of: (i) a request by the Company or (ii) the Executive’s termination of employment for any reason. After such delivery, the Executive shall not retain any such materials or portions or copies thereof or any such tangible things and other property and shall execute any statements or affirmations of compliance under oath that the Company may reasonably require. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, upon his termination, the Executive shall be entitled to retain (i) papers and other materials of a personal nature, including, but not limited to, photographs, correspondence, personal diaries, calendars and rolodexes, personal files and phone books, (ii) information showing the Executive’s compensation or relating to the reimbursement of expenses incurred by him, (iii) information the Executive reasonably believes may be needed for tax purposes, and (iv) copies of plans, programs and agreements related to his employment, or termination thereof, with the Company. To the extent that Executive makes use of his own personal computing devices (e.g., PDA, laptop, thumb drives, etc.) during the Employment Term, upon termination of the Employment Term or at any earlier time if requested by the Company, Executive will deliver such personal computing devices to the Company for review and permit the Company to delete all Proprietary Information from such personal computing devices.

(d) The Executive further agrees that his obligation not to disclose or to use information and materials of the types set forth in Sections 10(a), 10(b) and 10(c) above, and his obligation to return materials and tangible property, set forth in Section 10(c) above, also extends to such types of information, materials and tangible property of customers of the Company Group, consultants for the Confidentiality Group, suppliers to the Confidentiality Group, or other third parties who may have disclosed or entrusted the same to the Confidentiality Group or to the Executive.

(e) The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that he will continue to keep in strict confidence, and will not, directly or indirectly, at any time, disclose, furnish, disseminate, make available, use or suffer to be used in any manner except in carrying out his duties hereunder any Proprietary Information without limitation as to when or how the Executive

 

- 10 -


may have acquired such Proprietary Information and that he will not disclose any Proprietary Information to any person or entity other than appropriate employees of the Company or use the same for any purposes (other than in the performance of his duties under this Agreement) without written approval of the Board, either during or after his employment with the Company.

(f) Further the Executive acknowledges that his obligation of confidentiality will survive, regardless of any other breach of this Agreement or any other agreement, by any party hereto, until and unless such Proprietary Information of the Confidentiality Group has become, through no fault of the Executive, generally known to the public. In the event that the Executive is required by law, regulation, or court order to disclose any Proprietary Information, the Executive will promptly notify the Company prior to making any such disclosure to facilitate the Company seeking a protective order or other appropriate remedy from the proper authority. The Executive further agrees to cooperate with the Company in seeking such order or other remedy and that, if the Company is not successful in precluding the requesting legal body from requiring the disclosure of the Proprietary Information, the Executive will furnish only that portion of the Proprietary Information that is legally required to be disclosed, and the Executive will exercise all reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurances that confidential treatment will be accorded to the Proprietary Information.

(g) The Executive’s obligations under this Section 10 are in addition to, and not in limitation of, all other obligations of confidentiality under the Company’s policies, general legal or equitable principles or statutes.

(h) During the Employment Term and following his termination of employment:

(i) Executive agrees to refrain from making any statements about the Company or its officers or directors that would disparage, or reflect unfavorably upon the image or reputation of the Company or any such officer or director;

(ii) the Company shall refrain from making any statements about Executive that would disparage, or reflect unfavorably upon the image or reputation of Executive; provided , however , that the foregoing shall not prohibit the Company from complying with its policies regarding public statements with respect to the Executive, or otherwise complying with applicable law, and any such statements shall be deemed to be made by the Company only if made or authorized by a member of the Board or a senior executive officer of the Company; and

(iii) nothing herein precludes honest and good faith reporting by the Executive to appropriate Company or legal enforcement authorities or otherwise complying with applicable law.

(i) The Executive acknowledges and agrees that a violation of the foregoing provisions of this Section 10 would cause irreparable harm to the Confidentiality Group, and that its remedy at law for any such violation would be inadequate. In recognition of the foregoing, the Executive agrees that, in addition to any other relief afforded by law or this Agreement,

 

- 11 -


including damages sustained by a breach of this Agreement and any forfeitures under Section 9(g), and without the necessity or proof of actual damages, the Company shall have the right to enforce this Agreement by specific remedies, which shall include, among other things, temporary and permanent injunctions, it being the understanding of the undersigned parties hereto that damages, the forfeitures described above and injunctions shall all be proper modes of relief and are not to be considered as alternative remedies.

11. Non-Competition . In consideration of the Company entering into this Agreement, for a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the expiration of the Restricted Period:

(a) The Executive covenants and agrees that the Executive will not, directly or indirectly, engage in any activities on behalf of or have an interest in any Competitor of the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or any of its affiliates (entities or ventures in which the Company, directly or indirectly, has an ownership interest of 10% or more) (collectively, the “Company Group”), whether as an owner, investor, executive, manager, employee, independent consultant, contractor, advisor, or otherwise. The Executive’s ownership of less than one percent (1%) of any class of stock in a publicly traded corporation shall not be a breach of this paragraph.

(b) “Competitor” means, at the time of Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint venture, or trust (a “Person”) or any of such Person’s Divisions doing business in the United States including any territory of the United States (collectively, the “Territory”) or any of such Person’s Divisions employing the Executive doing business in the Territory if such Person or its Division: (i) receives at least 15% of its gross operating revenues from providing wireless communications services of any type (for example, voice, data, including Internet, and video); (ii) is operating for less than 5 years a wireless line of business from which the Company Group derives at least 3% of gross operating revenues, notwithstanding such Person’s or Division’s lack of substantial revenues in such line of business; or (iii) is engaged in any activity or has an interest in any activity in which Proprietary Information to which the Executive had access at any time during the two-year period before his termination of employment could be of substantial economic value to the Person or its Division. For this purpose, “Division” means any distinct group, subsidiary, or unit organized as a segment or portion of a Person that is devoted to the production, provision, or management of a common product or service or group of related products or services, regardless of whether the group is organized as a legally distinct entity.

For purposes of the foregoing, gross operating revenues of the Company Group and such other Person shall be those of the Company Group or such Person, together with their Company Group, but those of any Division employing or proposing to employ Executive shall be on a stand-alone basis, all measured by the most recent available financial information of both the Company Group and such other Person or Division at the time Executive accepts, or proposes to accept, employment with or to otherwise perform services for such Person or Division. If financial information is not publicly available or is inadequate for purposes of applying this definition, the ultimate burden shall be on Executive to present information that such Person or Division is not a Competitor.

 

- 12 -


(c) The Executive acknowledges and agrees that, for purposes of this Section 11, due to the continually evolving nature of the Company Group’s industry, the scope of its business and/or the identities of Competitors may change over time and that breach of this Agreement by accepting employment with a Competitor would irreparably injure the Company Group. The Parties further acknowledge and agree that the Company Group currently markets its products and services on a nationwide basis, encompassing the Territory, and may expand such Territory to include any international and foreign markets, in which case the Parties acknowledge that the terms and provisions of this Section 11 shall apply to such expanded markets; provided, however, that the consummation of the merger transaction pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 15, 2012, as amended, among the Company, SoftBank Corp. and certain subsidiaries thereof shall not itself constitute an expansion of the Territory in which the Company Group markets its products and services.

(d) The Executive covenants and agrees that should a court at any time determine that any restriction or limitation in this Section 11 is unreasonable or unenforceable, it will be deemed amended so as to provide the maximum protection to the Company Group and be deemed reasonable and enforceable by the court.

12. Non-Solicitation . In consideration of the Company entering into this Agreement, for a period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the expiration of the Restricted Period, the Executive hereby covenants and agrees that he shall not individually or in cooperation with any other person or entity do or suffer any of the following:

(a) solicit, aid, induce or persuade, directly or indirectly, any person who is an employee, representative, or agent of any member of the Company Group to leave his or her employment with any member of the Company Group to accept employment with any other person or entity;

(b) induce any person who is an employee, officer or agent of the Company Group to terminate such relationship;

(c) solicit any customer of the Company Group, or any person or entity whose business the Company Group had solicited during the 180-day period prior to termination of the Executive’s employment, for purposes of engaging in business which is competitive to the Company Group within the Territory; or

(d) solicit, aid, induce, persuade or attempt to solicit, aid, induce or persuade any person or entity to take any action that would result in a Change in Control of the Company or to seek to control the Board in a material manner without prior written consent of the Board.

(e) For purposes of this Section 12 the term “solicit or persuade” includes, but is not limited to, (i) initiating communications with an employee of the Company Group relating to possible employment, (ii) offering bonuses or additional compensation to encourage an employee of the Company Group to terminate his employment, and (iii) initiating communications with any person or entity relating to a possible Change in Control.

(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, neither any action taken by the Executive in the ordinary course of carrying out his duties under this Agreement nor the Executive’s response to an unsolicited request for an employment reference regarding any former employee of the Company Group shall be a violation of this Section 12.

 

- 13 -


13. Developments .

(a) The Executive acknowledges and agrees that he will make full and prompt disclosure to the Company of all inventions, improvements, discoveries, methods, developments, software, mask works, and works of authorship, whether patentable or copyrightable or not, (i) which relate to the Company’s business and have heretofore been created, made, conceived or reduced to practice by the Executive or under his direction or jointly with others, and not assigned to prior employers, or (ii) which have utility in or relate to the Company’s business, and which are created, made, conceived or reduced to practice by the Executive or under his direction or jointly with others during his employment with the Company, whether or not during normal working hours or on the premises of the Company (all of the foregoing of which are collectively referred to in this Agreement as “Developments”).

(b) The Executive further agrees to assign and does hereby assign to the Company (or any person or entity designated by the Company) all of the Executive’s rights, title and interest worldwide in and to all Developments and all related patents, patent applications, copyrights and copyright applications, and any other applications for registration of a proprietary right. This Section 13(b) shall not apply to Developments that the Executive developed entirely on his own time without using the Company’s equipment, supplies, facilities, or Proprietary Information and that does not, at the time of conception or reduction to practice, have utility in or relate to the Company’s business, or actual or demonstrably anticipated research or development. The Executive understands that, to the extent this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of any Territory which precludes a requirement in an employee agreement to assign certain classes of inventions made by an employee, this Section 13(b) shall be interpreted not to apply to any invention which a court rules or the Company agrees falls within such classes.

(c) The Executive further agrees to cooperate fully with the Company, both during and after his employment with the Company, with respect to the procurement, maintenance and enforcement of copyrights, patents and other intellectual property rights (both in the United States and other countries) relating to Developments. The Executive shall not be required to incur or pay any costs or expenses in connection with the rendering of such cooperation. The Executive will sign all papers, including, without limitation, copyright applications, patent applications, declarations, oaths, formal assignments, assignments of priority rights, and powers of attorney, and do all things that the Company may reasonably deem necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any Development.

(d) The Executive further acknowledges and agrees that if the Company is unable, after reasonable effort, to secure the Executive’s signature on any such papers, any executive officer of the Company shall be entitled to execute any such papers as the Executive’s agent and attorney-in-fact, and the Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints each executive officer of the Company as his agent and attorney-in-fact for the sole purpose of executing any such papers on the Executive’s behalf and taking any and all actions as the Company may deem reasonably necessary or desirable in order to protect its rights and interests in any Development, under the conditions described in this sentence.

 

- 14 -


14. Remedies . The Executive and the Company agree that the covenants contained in Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 are reasonable under the circumstances, and further agree that if in the opinion of any court of competent jurisdiction any such covenant is not reasonable in any respect, such court will have the right, power and authority to sever or modify any provision or provisions of such covenants as to the court will appear not reasonable and to enforce the remainder of the covenants as so amended. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the remedy at law available to the Company for breach of any of the Executive’s obligations under Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 would be inadequate and that damages flowing from such a breach may not readily be susceptible to being measured in monetary terms. Accordingly, the Executive acknowledges, consents and agrees that, in addition to any other rights or remedies that the Company may have at law, in equity or under this Agreement, upon adequate proof of the Executive’s violation of any such provision of this Agreement, the Company will be entitled to immediate injunctive relief and may obtain a temporary order restraining any threatened or further breach, without the necessity of proof of actual damage. Without limiting the applicability of this Section 14 or in any way affecting the right of the Company to seek equitable remedies hereunder, in the event that the Executive materially and willfully breaches any of the provisions of Sections 10, 11, 12 or 13 or engages in any activity that would constitute a material and willful breach save for the Executive’s action being in a state where any of the provisions of Sections 10, 11, 12, 13 or this Section 14 is not enforceable as a matter of law, then the Company’s obligation to pay any remaining severance compensation and benefits that has not already been paid to Executive pursuant to Section 9 shall be terminated.

15. Continued Availability and Cooperation .

(a) Following termination of the Executive’s employment, the Executive agrees that, consistent with the Executive’s business and personal affairs and his fiduciary duties to the Company, he will cooperate fully with the Company and with the Company’s counsel in connection with any present and future actual or threatened litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation involving the Company that relates to events, occurrences or conduct occurring (or claimed to have occurred) during the period of the Executive’s employment by the Company (other than any litigation, administrative proceeding or investigation in which the Executive and the Company are opposing parties); provided, however, nothing in this Section 15 shall require the Executive to cooperate in such a way that would jeopardize his legal interest. Cooperation will include, but is not limited to:

(i) making himself reasonably available for interviews and discussions with the Company’s counsel as well as for depositions and trial testimony;

(ii) if depositions or trial testimony are to occur, making himself reasonably available and cooperating in the preparation therefore, as and to the extent that the Company or the Company’s counsel reasonably requests;

 

- 15 -


(iii) refraining from impeding in any way the Company’s prosecution or defense of such litigation or administrative proceeding; and

(iv) cooperating fully in the development and presentation of the Company’s prosecution or defense of such litigation or administrative proceeding.

(b) The Company will reimburse the Executive for reasonable travel, lodging, telephone and similar expenses, as well as reasonable attorneys’ fees (if the Executive reasonably determines that he should retain independent legal counsel), incurred in connection with any cooperation, consultation and advice rendered under this Agreement after the Executive’s termination of employment.

16. Dispute Resolution .

(a) In the event that the Parties are unable to resolve any controversy or claim arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or breach thereof, either Party to the dispute shall refer the dispute to binding arbitration, which shall be the exclusive forum for resolving such claims. Such arbitration will be administered by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) pursuant to its Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures and governed by Delaware law. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator selected by the Parties according to the rules of JAMS. In the event that the Parties fail to agree on the selection of the arbitrator within 30 days after either Party’s request for arbitration, the arbitrator will be chosen by JAMS. The arbitration proceeding shall commence on a mutually agreeable date within 90 days after the request for arbitration, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties in Kansas, unless the Parties agree otherwise.

(b) The Parties agree that each will bear their own costs and attorneys’ fees. The arbitrator shall not have authority to award attorneys’ fees or costs to any Party.

(c) The arbitrator shall have no power or authority to make awards or orders granting relief that would not be available to a Party in a court of law. The arbitrator’s award is limited by and must comply with this Agreement and applicable federal, state, and local laws. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the Parties.

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no claim or controversy for injunctive or equitable relief contemplated by or allowed under applicable law pursuant to Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 of this Agreement will be subject to arbitration under this Section 16, but will instead be subject to determination in a court of competent jurisdiction as set forth in Section 21, which court shall apply Delaware law consistent with Section 21 of this Agreement, where either Party may seek injunctive or equitable relief.

17. Other Agreements . No agreements (other than the agreements evidencing any grants of equity awards) or representations, oral or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either Party which are not expressly set forth in this Agreement. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that no representations, inducements, promises, or other agreements, orally or otherwise, have been made by any Party, or anyone acting on behalf of such Party, pertaining to the subject matter hereof, which are not embodied herein, and that no prior and/or contemporaneous agreement, statement or promise pertaining to the subject matter hereof that is not contained in this Agreement shall be valid or binding on either Party.

 

- 16 -


18. Withholding of Taxes . The Company will withhold from any amounts payable by it under this Agreement all federal, state, city or other taxes as the Company is required to withhold pursuant to any law or government regulation or ruling.

19. Successors and Binding Agreement .

(a) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor to the Company, including without limitation any persons acquiring directly or indirectly all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise (and such successor shall thereafter be deemed the “Company” for the purposes of this Agreement), but will not otherwise be assignable, transferable or delegable by the Company, except that the Company may assign and transfer this Agreement and delegate its duties thereunder to a wholly owned Subsidiary.

(b) This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees and legatees.

(c) This Agreement is personal in nature and neither of the parties hereto shall, without the consent of the other, assign, transfer or delegate this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder except as expressly provided in Sections 19(a) and 19(b). Without limiting the generality or effect of the foregoing, the Executive’s right to receive payments hereunder will not be assignable, transferable or delegable, whether by pledge, creation of a security interest, or otherwise, other than by a transfer by the Executive’s will or by the laws of descent and distribution and, in the event of any attempted assignment or transfer contrary to this Section 19(c), the Company shall have no liability to pay any amount so attempted to be assigned, transferred or delegated.

20. Notices . All communications, including without limitation notices, consents, requests or approvals, required or permitted to be given hereunder will be in writing and will be duly given when hand delivered or dispatched by electronic facsimile transmission (with receipt thereof confirmed), or five business days after having been mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or three business days after having been sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service such as Federal Express or UPS, addressed to the Company (to the attention of the General Counsel of the Company) at its principal executive offices and to the Executive at his principal residence, or to such other address as any party may have furnished to the other in writing and in accordance herewith, except that notices of changes of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

 

- 17 -


21. Governing Law and Choice of Forum .

(a) This Agreement will be construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

(b) To the extent not otherwise provided for by Section 16 of this Agreement, the Executive and the Company consent to the jurisdiction of all state and federal courts located in Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas, as well as to the jurisdiction of all courts of which an appeal may be taken from such courts, for the purpose of any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of, or in connection with, this Agreement or that otherwise arise out of the employment relationship. Each Party hereby expressly waives any and all rights to bring any suit, action, or other proceeding in or before any court or tribunal other than the courts described above and covenants that it shall not seek in any manner to resolve any dispute other than as set forth in this paragraph. Further, the Executive and the Company each hereby expressly waives any and all objections either may have to venue, including, without limitation, the inconvenience of such forum, in any of such courts. In addition, each of the Parties consents to the service of process by personal service or any manner in which notices may be delivered hereunder in accordance with this Agreement.

22. Validity/Severability . If any provision of this Agreement or the application of any provision is held invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision will not be affected, and the provision so held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal will be reformed to the extent (and only to the extent) necessary to make it enforceable, valid or legal. To the extent any provisions held to be invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal cannot be reformed, such provisions are to be stricken herefrom and the remainder of this Agreement will be binding on the parties and their successors and assigns as if such invalid or illegal provisions were never included in this Agreement from the first instance.

23. Survival of Provisions . Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Parties’ respective rights and obligations under Sections 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 22 and 26, and the indemnification arrangement according to its terms, will survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement or the termination of the Executive’s employment.

24. Representations and Acknowledgements .

(a) The Executive hereby represents that, except as he has disclosed to the Company, he is not subject to any restriction on his ability to enter into this Agreement or to perform his duties and responsibilities hereunder, including, but not limited to, any covenant not to compete with any former employer.

(b) The Executive further represents that, to the best of his knowledge, his performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement with another party, including without limitation any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information, knowledge or data the Executive acquired in confidence or in trust prior to his employment with Old Sprint, and that he will not knowingly disclose to the Company or induce the Company to use any confidential or proprietary information or material belonging to any previous employer not included in the Company Group or others.

 

- 18 -


(c) The Executive hereby represents and agrees that, during the Restricted Period, if the Executive is offered employment or the opportunity to enter into any business activity, whether as owner, investor, executive, manager, employee, independent consultant, contractor, advisor or otherwise, the Executive will inform the offeror of the existence of Sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 of this Agreement and provide the offeror a copy thereof. The Executive authorizes the Company to provide a copy of the relevant provisions of this Agreement to any of the persons or entities described in this Section 24(c) and to make such persons aware of the Executive’s obligations under this Agreement.

25. Compliance with Code Section 409A . With respect to reimbursements or in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement: (a) the Company will not provide for cash in lieu of a right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits to which the Executive has a right under this Agreement, (b) any reimbursement of provision of in-kind benefits made during the Executive’s lifetime (or such shorter period prescribed by a specific provision of this Agreement) shall be made not later than December 31 st of the year following the year in which the Executive incurs the expense, and (c) in no event will the amount of expenses so reimbursed, or in-kind benefits provided, by the Company in one year affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other taxable year. Each payment, reimbursement or in-kind benefit made pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as a separate payment and not one of a series of payments for purposes of Section 409A of the Code. It is intended that any amounts payable under this Agreement and the Company’s and the Executive’s exercise of authority or discretion hereunder shall comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the treasury regulations relating thereto so as not to subject the Executive to the payment of the additional tax, interest and any tax penalty which may be imposed under Code Section 409A. In furtherance of this interest, to the extent that any provision hereof would result in the Executive being subject to payment of the additional tax, interest and tax penalty under Code Section 409A, the parties agree to amend this Agreement in order to bring this Agreement into compliance with Code Section 409A; and thereafter interpret its provisions in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code. Reference to Section 409A of the Code is to Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and will also include any proposed, temporary or final regulations, or any other guidance, promulgated with respect to such Section by the U.S. Department of Treasury or the Internal Revenue Service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no particular tax result for the Executive with respect to any income recognized by the Executive in connection with the Agreement is guaranteed, and the Executive shall be responsible for any taxes, penalties and interest imposed on him under or as a result of Section 409A of the Code in connection with the Agreement.

26. Amendment; Waiver . Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement may not be modified, amended or waived in any manner except by an instrument in writing signed by both Parties hereto. Any waiver shall be in writing and signed by the Party against whom such waiver is sought. No waiver by either Party at any time of any breach by the other Party hereto or compliance with any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other Party will be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time.

 

- 19 -


27. Legal Fees . The Executive shall be entitled reimbursement of reasonable legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement in an amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

28. Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same agreement.

29. Headings . Unless otherwise noted, the headings of sections herein are included solely for convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

30. Defined Terms .

(a) “Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(b) “Base Salary” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(a).

(c) “Board” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

(d) “Bonus Award” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b)(i).

(e) “Bylaws” means the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as may be amended from time to time.

(f) “Capped Bonus Award” shall mean the lesser of the annual Target Bonus or actual performance for such fiscal year in accordance with the then existing terms of the STIP, which shall not be payable until the Compensation Committee has determined that any incentive targets have been achieved and the subsequent designated payout date has arrived.

(g) “Cause” shall mean:

(i) any act or omission constituting a material and intentional breach by the Executive of any provisions of this Agreement after notice is delivered by the Company that identifies the manner in which the breach occurred, if within 30 days of such notice, the Executive fails to cure any such failure capable of being cured;

(ii) the willful and continued failure by the Executive to substantially perform his duties hereunder (other than any such failure resulting from the Executive’s Disability), after demand for performance is delivered by the Company that identifies the manner in which the Company believes the Executive has not performed his duties, if, within 30 days of such demand, the Executive fails to cure any such failure capable of being cured;

(iii) any intentional misconduct materially injurious to the Company or any Subsidiary, financial or otherwise, or including, but not limited to, misappropriation, fraud including with respect to the Company’s accounting and financial statements, embezzlement or conversion by the Executive of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s property in connection with the Executive’s duties or in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company;

 

- 20 -


(iv) the conviction (or plea of no contest) of the Executive for any felony or the indictment of the Executive for any felony including, but not limited to, any felony involving fraud, moral turpitude, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive’s duties or in the course of the Executive’s employment with the Company; provided , however , that if such indictment is resolved without resulting in a conviction, the Executive shall be entitled to the benefits under Section 9(b);

(v) the commission of any intentional or knowing violation of any antifraud provision of the federal or state securities laws;

(vi) there is a final, non-appealable order in a proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction or a final order in an administrative proceeding finding that the Executive committed any willful misconduct or criminal activity (excluding minor traffic violations or other minor offenses) which commission is materially inimical to the interests of the Company or any Subsidiary, whether for his personal benefit or in connection with his duties for the Company or any Subsidiary;

(vii) current alcohol or prescription drug abuse affecting work performance;

(viii) current illegal use of drugs; or

(ix) violation of the Company’s Code of Conduct,

with written notice of termination by the Company for Cause in each case provided under this Section 30(g).

For purposes of this Agreement, no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be deemed “intentional” or “willful” if it was due primarily to an error in judgment or negligence, but shall be deemed “intentional” or “willful” only if done or omitted to be done by the Executive not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the Executive’s action or omission was in the best interest of the Company. Failure to meet performance expectations, unless willful, continuing, and substantial, shall not be considered “Cause.”

(h) “Certificate of Incorporation” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as may be amended from time to time.

(i) “Change in Control” has the meaning set forth in the CIC Severance Plan.

(j) “Chief Executive Officer” has the meaning set forth in Section 3(a).

 

- 21 -


(k) “CIC Severance Plan” means the Company’s Change in Control Severance Plan, as may be amended from time to time, or any successor plan, program or arrangement thereto.

(l) “CIC Severance Protection Period” has the meaning set forth in the CIC Severance Plan.

(m) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, along with Treasury and IRS Interpretations thereof. Reference to any section or subsection of the Code includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

(n) “Common Stock” means common stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share.

(o) “Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(p) “Company Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(a)(i).

(q) “Compensation Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.

(r) “Competitor” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(b).

“Confidentiality Group” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a).

(s) “Developments” has the meaning set forth in Section 13(a).

(t) “Disability” or “Disabled” shall mean:

(i) the Executive’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness to substantially perform his duties and the essential functions of his position, with or without reasonable accommodation, on a full-time basis for six months, and within 30 days after a notice of termination is thereafter given by the Company, the Executive shall not have returned to the full-time performance of the Executive’s duties; and, further,

(ii) the Executive becomes eligible to receive benefits under the LTD Plan;

provided , however , if the Executive shall not agree with a determination to terminate his employment because of Disability, the question of the Executive’s disability shall be subject to the certification of a qualified medical doctor agreed to by the Company and the Executive. The costs of such qualified medical doctor shall be paid for by the Company.

(u) “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

- 22 -


(v) “Employee Plans” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(a).

(w) “Employment Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.

(x) “Executive” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(y) “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following without the Executive’s written consent, unless within 30 days of the Executive’s written notice of termination of employment for Good Reason, the Company cures any such occurrence:

(i) the Company’s material breach of this Agreement;

(ii) a material reduction in the Executive’s Base Salary, as set forth in Section 4(a), or Target Bonus, as set forth in Section 4(b)(i) (that is not in either case agreed to by the Executive), as compared to the corresponding circumstances in place on the Effective Date as may be increased pursuant to Section 4, except for across-the-board reductions generally applicable to all senior executives or

(iii) relocation of the Executive’s principal place of work more than 50 miles without the Executive’s consent; provided , however , that relocation of the Executive to the principal executive offices of the Company in the vicinity of Fairfax County, Virginia, or to the operational offices on the Company in the vicinity of Overland Park, Kansas, shall not constitute Good Reason.

Any occurrence of Good Reason shall be deemed to be waived by the Executive unless the Executive provides the Company written notice of termination of employment for Good Reason within 90 days of the event giving rise to Good Reason.

(z) “JAMS” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.

(aa) “LTD Plan” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(e).

(bb) “LTIP” means the long-term incentive plan described in Section 4(b)(ii).

(cc) “Old Sprint” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(dd) “Participant” has the meaning set forth in the CIC Severance Plan.

(ee) “Parties” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(ff) “Party” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

(gg) “Payment Period” means the period of 24 continuous months, as measured from the Executive’s Separation from Service.

(hh) “Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(b).

(ii) “Proprietary Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 10(a)(i).

 

- 23 -


(jj) “Release” means a release of claims by the Executive in connection with the payment of benefits under this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

(kk) “Release Consideration and Revocation Period” means the combined total of the Release Consideration Period and the Release Revocation Period.

(ll) “Release Consideration Period” means the period of time pursuant to the terms of the Release afforded the Executive to consider whether to sign it.

(mm) “Release Revocation Period” means the period pursuant to the terms of an executed Release in which it may be revoked by the Executive.

(nn) “Restricted Period” means the 24-month period following the Executive’s date of termination of employment with the Company for any reason.

(oo) “Separation from Service” means “separation from service” from the Company and its subsidiaries as described under Section 409A of the Code and the guidance and Treasury regulations issued thereunder. Separation from Service will occur on the date on which the Executive’s level of services to the Company decreases to 21 percent or less of the average level of services performed by the Executive over the immediately preceding 36-month period (or if providing services for less than 36 months, such lesser period) after taking into account any services that the Executive provided prior to such date or that the Company and the Executive reasonably anticipate the Executive may provide (whether as an employee or as an independent contractor) after such date. For purposes of the determination of whether the Executive has had a Separation from Service, the term “Company” shall mean the Company and any affiliate with which the Company would be considered a single employer under Section 414(b) or 414(c) of the Code, provided that in applying Sections 1563(a)(1), (2), and (3) of the Code for purposes of determining a controlled group of corporations under Section 414(b) of the Code, the language “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Sections 1563(a)(1), (2) and (3) of the Code, and in applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 for purposes of determining trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that are under common control for purposes of Section 414(c) of the Code, “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2. In addition, where the use of such definition of “Company” for purposes of determining a Separation from Service is based upon legitimate business criteria, in applying Sections 1563(a)(1), (2), and (3) of the Code for purposes of determining a controlled group of corporations under Section 414(b) of the Code, the language “at least 20 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” at each place it appears in Sections 1563(a)(1), (2) and (3) of the Code, and in applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 for purposes of determining trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that are under common control for purposes of Section 414(c) of the Code, “at least 20 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” at each place it appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2.

(pp) “Separation Plan” means the Company’s Separation Plan Amended and Restated Effective February 9, 2009, as may be amended from time to time or any successor plan, program, arrangement or agreement thereto.

 

- 24 -


(qq) “Specified Employee” shall mean an executive who is a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, as administratively determined by the Board in accordance with the guidance and Treasury regulations issued under Section 409A of the Code.

(rr) “STIP” means the Company’s short-term incentive plan described in Section 4(b)(i).

(ss) “Subsidiary” shall mean any entity, corporation, partnership (general or limited), limited liability company, entity, firm, business organization, enterprise, association or joint venture in which the Company directly or indirectly controls ten percent (10%) or more of the voting interest. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of Section 3(a), “Subsidiary” shall mean any affiliate with which the Company would be considered a single employer as described in the definition of Separation from Service.

(tt) “Target Bonus” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(b)(i).

(uu) “Territory” has the meaning set forth in Section 11(b).

 

 

Signature Page Follows

 

- 25 -


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be signed by an officer pursuant to the authority of its Board, and the Executive has executed this Agreement, as of the day and year first written above.

 

SPRINT CORPORATION
By:   /s/ Sandra J. Price
Sandra J. Price
Senior Vice President—Human Resources
/s/ Daniel R. Hesse
Daniel R. Hesse

 

- 26 -


Exhibit A

Form of Release

WHEREAS, Sprint Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and (the “Executive”) are parties to that certain employment agreement dated September 18, 2013 (the “Agreement”);

WHEREAS, the Executive’s employment with the Company terminated on [date] (the “Termination Date”); and

WHEREAS, under Section 9(b) of the Agreement, the Executive is required to sign this release (the “Release”) within [45 or 21, as applicable], days after the Termination Date, in order to receive the payments to be made and the benefits to be received by the Executive pursuant to Section 9(b) of the Agreement.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and agreements contained herein and in the Agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, the Executive agrees as follows:

This Release is effective on the Effective Date, as defined in Section 7(b) hereof.

 

1. In consideration of the payments to be made and the benefits to be received by the Executive pursuant to Section 9(b) of the Agreement, the Executive, for himself and the Executive’s dependents, successors, assigns, heirs, executors and administrators (and the Executive’s and their legal representatives of every kind), (the “Executive Releasors”), hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company and its affiliated companies and their past and present parents, subsidiaries, affiliated corporations, partnerships, joint ventures and their successors and assigns (the “Company Affiliated Group”), and their current and former officers, directors, stockholders, members, employees, heirs, assigns, representatives, insurers, agents and counsel and all persons acting by, through, under or in concert with any of them (but as to any such identified categories of persons, including those acting by, through, under or in concert with them, only in such capacity in such designated category or relationship to such designated category) (together with the Company Affiliated Group, the “Company Releasees”), from any and all arbitrations, complaints, claims, charges, demands, controversies, suits, proceedings and causes of action with respect to liabilities, obligations, promises, agreements, damages, costs, losses, debts or expenses including attorneys’ fees and other legal costs, of any kind whatsoever and every description that are related to the Executive’s employment or termination of employment, whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, which the Executive now has, may have, claimed to have, or any time had against any of the Company Affiliated Group arising prior to the Effective Date (as defined in Section 7(b) below) (collectively “ Claims ”), and the Executive agrees not to assert any such Claims.

 

  (a)

More specifically, this release of Claims includes, without express or implied limitation, the release of all Claims of wrongful termination of employment

 

- 27 -


  whether in contract or tort; all Claims of intentional, reckless, or negligent infliction of emotional distress; all Claims of breach of any express or implied contract or express or implied covenant of employment, including the covenant of good faith and fair dealing; all Claims of interference with contractual or advantageous relations, whether prospective or existing; all Claims of deceit or misrepresentation; all Claims of discrimination under local, state or federal law; any legal restrictions on the right of any of the Company Affiliated Group to terminate employees; Claims arising under any federal, state, local statutory or common law or other governmental statute, regulation or ordinance, including, without limitation, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; Section 1981 of Title 42 of the United States Code; 42 U.S.C. §1981; and/or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act; the Older Workers’ Benefit Protection Act; the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Equal Pay Act; the Fair Labor Standards Act; the Family and Medical Leave Act; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act; the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act; all Claims of defamation or damage to reputation; all Claims for reinstatement; all Claims for punitive or emotional distress damages; and all Claims for wages, bonuses, severance, back or front pay or other forms of compensation which are based upon or arise from the acts, practices, transactions, events, and/or facts underlying any wage claim that was or could have been asserted .

 

  (b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall constitute a release by the Executive of any of the following:

 

  (i) any rights he has under the Agreement, including any right to enforce any of the terms thereof, and any rights he has under this Release, including any right to enforce the terms thereof;

 

  (ii) any Claim for payments, benefits or other entitlements, to which the Executive is or will be entitled under the terms of any compensation or benefit plan, program or other arrangement maintained by any of the Company Affiliated Group, including without limitation any incentive or deferred compensation plan, any pension plan or benefits under any medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance or other welfare benefit plan;

 

  (iii) any Claim for indemnification the Executive may have under applicable laws, under the applicable constituent documents (including bylaws and certificates of incorporation) of any of the Company Affiliated Group, under any applicable insurance policy the Company Affiliated Group may maintain, or any under any other agreement with any of the Company Affiliated Group, with respect to any liability, costs or expenses the Executive incurs or has incurred as a director, officer or employee of any of the Company Affiliated Group;

 

- 28 -


  (iv) any Claim the Executive may have to obtain contribution as permitted by law in the event of entry of judgment against the Executive as a result of any act or failure to act for which the Executive and any of the Company Affiliated Group are jointly liable;

 

  (v) any Claim that by law may not be released by private agreement without judicial or governmental review and approval;

 

  (vi) any Claim that arises after the Effective Date; and

 

  (vii) any Claim the Executive has against any of the Company Releasees solely in his capacity as a shareholder of Sprint Corporation or as a former shareholder of Sprint Nextel Corporation.

 

2. The Executive understands and acknowledges that the Company does not admit any violation of law, liability or invasion of any of his rights and that any such violation, liability or invasion is expressly denied. The consideration provided to the Executive for this Release is made for the purpose of settling and extinguishing all claims and rights (and every other similar or dissimilar matter) arising prior to the Effective Date that relate to his employment or termination of employment with the Company that the Executive ever had or now may have against the Company or any of the other company Releasees to the extent provided in this Release. The Executive further agrees and acknowledges that no representations, promises or inducements have been made by any of the Company Releasees to the Executive with respect to this Release other than as appear in the Agreement or this Release.

 

3. The Executive agrees to release and discharge each Company Releasee, not only from any and all claims (to the extent herein provided) which he could make on his own behalf, but also those which may or could be brought by any person or organization on his behalf, for monetary relief, and he specifically waives any right to recovery, directly or indirectly, in connection with any class or collective action or representative proceeding in which a claim or claims against any Company Releasee for monetary relief may arise, in whole or in part, from any event which occurred up through and including the Effective Date.

 

4. The Executive acknowledges that his waiver and release of rights and claims as set forth in this Release is in exchange for valuable consideration which he would not otherwise be entitled to receive.

 

5. The parties understand, agree and intend that, except as otherwise provided in Section 1(b) above, upon the Executive’s receipt of all of the payments and benefits to be paid or provided to him by the Company pursuant to Section 9(b) of the Agreement, he will have received complete satisfaction of any and all claims arising prior to the Effective Date , whether known, suspected, or unknown, that he may have or had against any of the Company Releasees that are related to his employment, or termination of employment, with any of them.

 

- 29 -


6. The Executive agrees to pay any reasonable legal fees or costs incurred by any of the Company Affiliated Group as a result of any breach of his promises in this Release, including his promise to fully release each member of the Company Affiliated Group from all Claims and to compensate any such company for its legal costs, including attorneys’ fees incurred by such company as a result of any breach of the Release, except to the extent that he challenges the validity of the Release under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, in which case such company may only recover such fees and expenses as may be permitted by state and federal law.

 

7. The Executive further represents, agrees and acknowledges that:

 

  (a) he has been advised by the Company to consult with his own legal counsel prior to executing and delivering this Release, has had an opportunity to consult with and to be advised by legal counsel of the Executive’s choice, fully understands the terms of this Release, and enters into this Release freely, voluntarily, without coercion or duress of any kind and intending to be bound;

 

  (b) he has been given the opportunity to consider this Release for a period of at least [45 or 21, as applicable] days. In the event that the Executive has executed this Release within less than such [45- or 21-, as applicable] day period, the Executive acknowledges that his decision to so execute the Release was entirely voluntary and that he had the opportunity to consider this Release for the entire [45- or 21-, as applicable] day period. The Executive and the Company acknowledge that for a period of seven (7) days from the date that the Executive executes this Release (the “Revocation Period”), he shall retain the right to revoke this Release by written notice that is received by the Company’s General Counsel before the end of such Revocation Period. Provided that this Release is not revoked pursuant to the preceding sentence, this Release shall become effective, binding, irrevocable and enforceable on the date immediately following the last day of the Revocation Period (the “Effective Date”). If the Executive exercises his right to revoke this Release, the Executive will forfeit his right to receive any of the benefits provided for herein or therein, without affecting the effectiveness of the termination of the Executive’s employment with the Company, and without altering the termination of the Executive’s employment from all offices and any directorships and any fiduciary positions;

 

  (c) in executing this Release, the Executive does not rely and has not relied upon any representation or statement not set forth herein or in the Agreement made by the Company with regard to the subject matter, basis, or effect of this Release or otherwise; and

 

  (d)

for the purpose of implementing a full and complete release and discharge of the Company Affiliated Group, the Executive expressly acknowledges that this Release is intended to include in its effect, to the extent herein provided, all claims related to his employment or termination of employment with any of the Company Affiliated Group arising before the Effective Date , which the Executive does not know or suspect to exist in his favor at the time of execution

 

- 30 -


  hereof, and that this Release contemplates the extinguishment of any such claim or claims. IN EXECUTING THIS RELEASE, THE EXECUTIVE EXPRESSLY REPRESENTS THAT HE IS DOING SO VOLUNTARILY AND OF HIS OWN FREE WILL AND THAT HE IS OF SOUND MIND AT THE TIME OF SAID EXECUTION.

 

8. The Executive represents that he will not seek to recover any monetary damages in the future with respect to Claims that arose prior to the Effective Date; provided, however, that this shall not limit the Executive from filing a lawsuit for the sole purpose of enforcing the Executive’s rights under this Release.

 

9. The Executive waives and releases any claim that the Executive has or may have to reemployment.

 

10. This Release does not waive any of the rights of any of the Company Affiliated Group to enforce any clawback policy including to the extent it may be required under final New York Stock Exchange (or other applicable exchange) listing standards subsequently adopted. Executive agrees that as of the date set forth below, Executive has not reported information to the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not aware of possible securities law compliance failure at any of the Company Affiliated Group by any person that has not been reported to the General Counsel of the Company and further agrees to report to the General Counsel of the Company information Executive learns about a possible securities law compliance failure by any of the Company Affiliated Group after the date set forth below before taking any further action.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive has executed and delivered this Release on the date set forth below.

 

Dated:              
        Daniel R. Hesse

THIS RELEASE IS INVALID IF SIGNED BY THE EXECUTIVE BEFORE THE

TERMINATION DATE

 

- 31 -

Exhibit 10.2

SPRINT CORPORATION

2007 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

(EFFECTIVE MAY 8, 2007 AND

AMENDED AND RESTATED ON FEBRUARY 11, 2008, NOVEMBER 5, 2008,

FEBRUARY 26, 2010, DECEMBER 17, 2010, MAY 15, 2012 AND

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
1.   Purpose      1   
2.   Definitions      1   
3.   Shares Subject to this Plan      13   
4.   Option Rights      15   
5.   Appreciation Rights      16   
6.   Restricted Stock      18   
7.   Restricted Stock Units      20   
8.   Performance Shares and Performance Units      21   
9.   Awards to Non-Employee Directors      23   
10.   Other Awards      24   
11.   Administration of this Plan      25   
12.   Adjustments      26   
13.   Change in Control      27   
14.   Detrimental Activity      28   
15.   Non-U.S. Participants      29   
16.   Transferability      29   
17.   Withholding Taxes      30   
18.   Compliance with Section 409A of the Code      31   
19.   Effective Date and Term of Plan      31   
20.   Amendments and Termination      32   
21.   Substitute Awards for Awards Granted by Other Entities      33   
22.   Governing Law      34   
23.   Miscellaneous Provisions      34   

 

- i -


SPRINT CORPORATION

2007 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

1. Purpose . The purpose of this 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan is to attract and retain directors, officers, other employees and consultants of Sprint Corporation and its Subsidiaries and to motivate and provide to such persons incentives and rewards for superior performance.

2. Definitions . As used in this Plan:

(a) “Appreciation Right” means a right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan and will include both Free-Standing Appreciation Rights and Tandem Appreciation Rights.

(b) “Authorized Officer” has the meaning specified in Section 11(d) of the Plan.

(c) “Award” means a grant of Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Performance Shares or Performance Units, or a grant or sale of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or other awards contemplated by Section 10 of the Plan.

(d) “Base Price” means the price to be used as the basis for determining the Spread upon the exercise of a Free-Standing Appreciation Right or a Tandem Appreciation Right.

(e) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation and, to the extent of any delegation by the Board to a committee (or subcommittee thereof) pursuant to Section 11 of this Plan, such committee (or subcommittee).

(f) “Business Transaction” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(h)(ii).

(g) “Cause” as a reason for a Participant’s termination of employment shall have the meaning assigned such term in (i) the employment agreement, if any, between the Participant and an Employer, or (ii) during the CIC Severance Protection Period (as defined in the CIC Severance Plan), the CIC Severance Plan, if the Participant is a participant in such plan. If the Participant is not a party to an employment agreement with an Employer in which such term is defined, or if during the CIC Severance Protection Period, the Participant is not a participant in the CIC Severance Plan, then unless otherwise defined in the applicable Evidence of Award, “Cause” shall mean:

(i) the intentional engagement in any acts or omissions constituting dishonesty, breach of a fiduciary obligation, wrongdoing or misfeasance, in each case, in connection with a Participant’s duties or otherwise during the course of a Participant’s employment with an Employer;


(ii) the commission of a felony or the indictment for any felony, including, but not limited to, any felony involving fraud, embezzlement, moral turpitude or theft;

(iii) the intentional and wrongful damaging of property, contractual interests or business relationships of an Employer;

(iv) the intentional and wrongful disclosure of secret processes or confidential information of an Employer in violation of an agreement with or a policy of an Employer;

(v) the continued failure to substantially perform the Participant’s duties for an Employer;

(vi) current alcohol or prescription drug abuse affecting work performance;

(vii) current illegal use of drugs; or

(viii) any intentional conduct contrary to an Employer’s announced policies or practices (including, but not limited to, those contained in the Corporation’s Code of Conduct).

(h) For purposes of this Plan, except as may be otherwise prescribed by the Compensation Committee in an Evidence of Award, a “Change in Control” of the Corporation shall be deemed to have occurred upon the happening of any of the following events, effective with respect to transactions occurring after September 16, 2013:

(i) any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”), except SOFTBANK CORP. or any other entity that “controls,” is “controlled by” or is “under common control” with the Corporation or SOFTBANK CORP. within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation; except , that:

 

  (A) for purposes of this clause (i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (1) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation directly from the Corporation that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors, (2) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation by the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (3) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation by the trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Subsidiary, and (4) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation by any Person pursuant to a Business Transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of clause (ii) below;

 

- 2 -


  (B) if any Person becomes the beneficial owner of thirty percent (30%) or more of combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation as a result of a transaction or series of transactions described in sub-clause (1) of clause (i)(A) above and such Person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation representing one percent (1%) or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation, other than as a result of (x) a transaction described in sub-clause (1) of clause (i)(A) above, or (y) a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the Corporation in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally, then such subsequent acquisition shall be treated as a Change in Control;

 

  (C) a Change in Control will not be deemed to have occurred if a Person becomes the beneficial owner of thirty percent (30%) or more of the Voting Stock of the Corporation as a result of a reduction in the number of shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation outstanding pursuant to a transaction or series of transactions that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors unless and until such Person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of additional shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation representing one percent (1%) or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation, other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the Corporation in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally; and

 

  (D) if at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors determine in good faith that a Person has acquired beneficial ownership of thirty percent (30%) or more of the Voting Stock of the Corporation inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable, but no later than the date, if any, set by the Incumbent Directors, a sufficient number of shares so that such Person beneficially owns less than thirty percent (30%) of the Voting Stock of the Corporation, then no Change in Control shall have occurred as a result of such Person’s acquisition; or

(ii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Corporation with, or the acquisition of the stock or assets of the Corporation by, another Person, or similar transaction (each, a “Business Transaction”), unless, in each case, immediately following such Business Transaction (A) the Voting Stock of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such Business Transaction continues to represent, directly or indirectly, (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Stock of the surviving entity or any

 

- 3 -


parent thereof), more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock or comparable equity interests of the entity resulting from such Business Transaction (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Corporation or all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no Person (other than the Corporation or SOFTBANK CORP. or any other entity that “controls,” is “controlled by” or is “under common control” with the Corporation or SOFTBANK CORP. within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, such entity resulting from such Business Transaction, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Subsidiary or such entity resulting from such Business Transaction) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Transaction, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the entity resulting from such Business Transaction were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Transaction; or

(iii) during any consecutive 18-month period, more than thirty percent (30%) of the Board ceases to be comprised of Incumbent Directors; or

(iv) consummation of a transaction that implements in whole or in part a resolution of the stockholders of the Corporation authorizing a sale of all or substantially all of Corporation’s assets or a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation, except pursuant to a Business Transaction that complies with sub-clauses (A), (B) and (C) of clause (ii) above; or

(v) the cessation of the listing of, or the cessation of the requirement to list, all classes of the Corporation’s equity securities on a national securities exchange.

(i) “CIC Severance Plan” means the Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan, as it may be amended from time to time or any successor plan, program, agreement or arrangement.

(j) “CIC Severance Protection Period” means, except as otherwise provided in a Participant’s Evidence of Award, the time period commencing on the date of the first occurrence of a Change in Control and continuing until the earlier of: (i) the 18-month anniversary of such date, and (ii) the Participant’s death. To the extent provided in a Participant’s Evidence of Award, a CIC Severance Protection Period also shall include the time period before the occurrence of a Change in Control for a Participant who is subject to a Pre-CIC Termination.

(k) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, including any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, along with Treasury and IRS interpretations thereof. Reference to any section or subsection of the Code includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

 

- 4 -


(l) “Common Stock” means the Series 1 common stock, par value $2.00 per share, of the Corporation or any security into which such shares of Common Stock may be changed by reason of any transaction or event of the type referred to in Section 12 of this Plan.

(m) “Compensation Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, or any other committee of the Board or subcommittee thereof authorized to administer this Plan in accordance with Section 11 of the Plan.

(n) “Corporation” means Sprint Corporation, a Delaware corporation, and its successors.

(o) “Date of Grant” means the date as of which an Award is determined to be effective and designated in a resolution by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer and is granted pursuant to the Plan. The Date of Grant shall not be earlier than the date of the resolution and action therein by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer. In no event shall the Date of Grant be earlier than the Effective Date.

(p) “Detrimental Activity,” except as may be otherwise specified in a Participant’s Evidence of Award, means:

(i) engaging in any activity of competition, as specified in any covenant not to compete set forth in any agreement between a Participant and the Corporation or a Subsidiary, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s Evidence of Award, during the period of restriction specified in the agreement prohibiting the Participant from engaging in such activity;

(ii) engaging in any activity of solicitation, as specified in any covenant not to solicit set forth in any agreement between a Participant and the Corporation or a Subsidiary, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s Evidence of Award, during the period of restriction specified in the agreement prohibiting the Participant from engaging in such activity;

(iii) the disclosure to anyone outside the Corporation or a Subsidiary, or the use in other than the Corporation’s or a Subsidiary’s business, (A) without prior written authorization from the Corporation, of any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information or material relating to the business of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, acquired by the Participant during his or her service with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, or (B) in violation of any covenant not to disclose set forth in any agreement between a Participant and the Corporation or a Subsidiary, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s Evidence of Award, during the period of restriction specified in the agreement prohibiting the Participant from engaging in such activity;

 

- 5 -


(iv) the (A) failure or refusal to disclose promptly and to assign to the Corporation or a Subsidiary upon request all right, title and interest in any invention or idea, patentable or not, made or conceived by the Participant during his or her service with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, relating in any manner to the actual or anticipated business, research or development work of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or the failure or refusal to do anything reasonably necessary to enable the Corporation or any Subsidiary to secure a patent where appropriate in the United States and in other countries, or (B) violation of any development and inventions provision set forth in any agreement between a Participant and the Corporation or a Subsidiary, including, but not limited to, the Participant’s Evidence of Award;

(v) if the Participant is or was an officer, activity that the Board determines entitles the Corporation to seek recovery from an officer under any policy promulgated by the Board as in effect when an Award was made or vested under this Plan; or

(vi) activity that results in termination of the Participant’s employment for Cause.

(q) “Director” means a member of the Board.

(r) “Disability” shall mean, in the case of an Employee, termination of employment under circumstances that would make the Employee eligible to receive benefits under the Sprint Basic Long-Term Disability Plan, as it may be amended from time to time, or any successor plan, program, agreement or arrangement, and in the case of a Participant who is a Non-Employee Director, termination of service as a Non-Employee Director under circumstances that would make the Non-Employee Director eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. For purposes of paying an amount that is subject to Section 409A of the Code at a time that references Disability, Disability shall mean Separation from Service under these circumstances.

(s) “Effective Date” means the date that this Plan is approved by the stockholders of the Corporation.

(t) “Employee” means any employee of the Corporation or of any Subsidiary.

(u) “Employer” means the Corporation or any successor thereto or a Subsidiary.

(v) “Evidence of Award” means an agreement, certificate, resolution or other written evidence, whether or not in electronic form, that sets forth the terms and conditions of an Award. Each Evidence of Award shall be subject to this Plan and shall contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may approve. An Evidence of Award may be in an electronic medium, may be limited to notation on the books and records of the Corporation and, unless determined otherwise by the Compensation Committee, need not be signed by a representative of the Corporation or a Participant. If an Evidence of Award is limited to notation on the books and records of the Corporation, in the event of any inconsistency between a Participant’s records and the records of the Corporation, the records of the Corporation will control.

 

- 6 -


(w) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Reference to any section or subsection of the Exchange Act includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

(x) “Executive Officer” means an officer of the Corporation that is subject to the liability provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

(y) “Free-Standing Appreciation Right” means an Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan that is not granted in tandem with an Option Right.

(z) “Full-Value Awards” means Awards granted pursuant to the terms of this Plan that result in the Corporation transferring the full value of any underlying share of Common Stock granted pursuant to an Award. Full-Value Awards include all Awards other than Option Rights, Appreciation Rights or other awards granted pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan with rights which are substantially similar to an Option Right or Appreciation Right.

(aa) “Good Reason,” except as may be otherwise specified in a Participant’s Evidence of Award, shall have the meaning assigned such term in (i) the employment agreement, if any, between a Participant and an Employer, or (ii) during the CIC Severance Protection Period (as defined in the CIC Severance Plan), the CIC Severance Plan, if a Participant is a participant in such plan.

(bb) “Incentive Stock Options” means Option Rights that are intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code.

(cc) “Incumbent Directors” means the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, are Directors of the Corporation, and any individual becoming a Director after the Effective Date whose election, nomination for election by the Corporation’s stockholders, or appointment, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the then Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Corporation in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to such nomination); provided , however , that an individual shall not be an Incumbent Director if the individual’s election or appointment to the Board occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or removal of Directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board.

(dd) “Management Objectives” means the measurable performance objective or objectives established pursuant to this Plan for Participants who have received grants of Performance Shares or Performance Units or, when so determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer, Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, other awards contemplated by Section 10 of this Plan or dividend credits pursuant to this Plan. Management Objectives may be described in terms of Corporation-wide objectives or objectives that are related to the performance of a joint venture, Subsidiary, business unit, division, department, business segment, region or function and/or that are related to the performance of the individual Participant. The Management Objectives may be made relative to the performance of other companies or an index covering multiple companies. The Management Objectives applicable to any Qualified Performance-Based Award will be based on specified levels of or growth in one or more of the following criteria:

(i) net sales;

 

- 7 -


(ii) revenue;

(iii) revenue growth or product revenue growth;

(iv) operating income (before or after taxes, including operating income before depreciation and amortization);

(v) income (before or after taxes and before or after allocation of corporate overhead and bonus);

(vi) net earnings;

(vii) earnings per share;

(viii) net income (before or after taxes);

(ix) return on equity;

(x) total stockholder return;

(xi) return on assets or net assets;

(xii) appreciation in and/or maintenance of share price;

(xiii) market share;

(xiv) gross profits;

(xv) earnings (including earnings before taxes, earnings before interest and taxes or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization);

(xvi) economic value-added models or equivalent metrics;

(xvii) reductions in costs;

(xviii) cash flow or cash flow per share (before or after dividends);

(xix) return on capital (including return on total capital or return on invested capital);

(xx) cash flow return on investment;

(xxi) improvement in or attainment of expense levels or working capital levels;

(xxii) operating, gross, or cash margins;

(xxiii) year-end cash;

(xxiv) debt reductions;

(xxv) stockholder equity;

(xxvi) regulatory achievements;

(xxvii) operating performance;

(xxviii) market expansion;

(xxix) customer acquisition;

(xxx) customer satisfaction;

(xxxi) employee satisfaction;

(xxxii) implementation, completion, or attainment of measurable objectives with respect to research, development, products or projects and recruiting and maintaining personnel; or

(xxxiii) a published or a special index deemed applicable by the Compensation Committee or any of the above criteria as compared to the performance of any such index, including, but not limited to, the Dow Jones U.S. Telecom Index.

 

- 8 -


On or before the Date of Grant, in connection with the establishment of Management Objectives, the Compensation Committee may exclude the impact on performance of charges for restructuring, acquisitions, divestitures, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, and other unusual or non-recurring items and the cumulative effects of changes in tax law or accounting principles, as such are defined by generally accepted accounting principles or the Securities and Exchange Commission and as identified in the Corporation’s audited financial statements, notes to such financial statements or management’s discussion and analysis in the Corporation’s annual report or other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission; any such exclusion shall be indicated in the applicable Evidence of Award. With respect to any grant under the Plan, if the Compensation Committee determines that a change in the business, operations, corporate structure or capital structure of the Corporation, or the manner in which it conducts its business, or other events or circumstances render the Management Objectives unsuitable, the Compensation Committee may in its discretion modify such Management Objectives or the related minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement, in whole or in part, as the Compensation Committee deems appropriate and equitable, except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award when such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of such Award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such case, the Compensation Committee will not make any modification of the Management Objectives or the minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement with respect to such Qualified Performance-Based Award.

(ee) “Market Value Per Share” means, as of any particular date the closing sale price of the Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape or, if not listed on such exchange, on any other national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed. If the Common Stock is not traded as of any given date, the Market Value Per Share means the closing price for the Common Stock on the principal exchange on which the Common Stock is traded for the immediately preceding date on which the Common Stock was traded. If there is no regular public trading market for such Common Stock, the Market Value Per Share of the Common Stock shall be the fair market value of the Common Stock as determined in good faith by the Board. The Board is authorized to adopt another fair market value pricing method, provided such method is stated in the Evidence of Award, and is in compliance with the fair market value pricing rules set forth in Section 409A of the Code.

(ff) “Nextel Plan” means the Nextel Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated Incentive Equity Plan.

(gg) “Non-Employee Director” means a member of the Board who is not an Employee.

(hh) “Non-Qualified Options” means Option Rights that are not intended to qualify as “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code.

 

- 9 -


(ii) “Normal Retirement” means, with respect to any Employee, termination of employment (other than termination for Cause or due to death or Disability) at or after age 65. For purposes of paying an amount that is subject to Section 409A of the Code at a time that references Normal Retirement, Normal Retirement shall mean Separation from Service at or after age 65.

(jj) “Optionee” means the Participant named in an Evidence of Award evidencing an outstanding Option Right.

(kk) “Option Price” means the purchase price payable on exercise of an Option Right.

(ll) “Option Right” means the right to purchase shares of Common Stock upon exercise of a Non-Qualified Option or an Incentive Stock Option granted pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan.

(mm) “Participant” means a person who is selected by the Board, the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer to receive benefits under this Plan and who is at the time (i) an Employee or a Non-Employee Director, or (ii) providing services to the Corporation or a Subsidiary, including but not limited to, a consultant, an advisor, independent contractor, or other non-Employee of the Corporation or any one or more of its Subsidiaries.

(nn) “Performance Period” means, in respect of a Performance Share or Performance Unit, a period of time established pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan within which the Management Objectives relating to such Performance Share or Performance Unit are to be achieved.

(oo) “Performance Share” means a bookkeeping entry that records the equivalent of one share of Common Stock awarded pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan.

(pp) “Performance Unit” means a bookkeeping entry awarded pursuant to Section 8 of this Plan that records a unit equivalent to $1.00 or such other value as is determined by the Compensation Committee.

(qq) “Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 2(h)(i).

(rr) “Plan” means this Sprint Corporation 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as it may be amended from time to time.

(ss) “Plan Year” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(g) and (h).

(tt) “Pre-CIC Termination” means the termination of a Participant’s employment without Cause, provided that both (i) the termination was made in the six (6) month period prior to a Change in Control at the request of a third party in contemplation of a Change in Control, and (ii) the Change in Control occurs. For purposes of paying an amount that is subject to Section 409A of the Code at a time that references a Pre-CIC Termination, Pre-CIC Termination shall mean Separation from Service under these circumstances

 

- 10 -


(uu) “Predecessor Plans” means (i) the Management Incentive Stock Option Plan, effective February 18, 1995, (ii) the Sprint 1997 Plan, and (iii) the Nextel Plan.

(vv) “Qualified Performance-Based Award” means any Award or portion of an Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(ww) “Restricted Stock” means shares of Common Stock granted or sold pursuant to Section 6 of this Plan as to which neither the substantial risk of forfeiture nor the prohibition on transfer has expired.

(xx) “Restricted Stock Unit” means an award granted or sold pursuant to Section 7 of this Plan of the right to receive shares of Common Stock or cash at the end of the Restriction Period.

(yy) “Restriction Period” means the period of time during which Restricted Stock Units are subject to restrictions, as provided in Section 7 of this Plan.

(zz) “Separation From Service” means a “separation from service” as such term is defined under Code Section 409A and the Treasury regulations issued thereunder. Except as otherwise required to comply with Code Section 409A, an Employee shall be considered not to have had a Separation From Service where the level of bona fide services performed continues at a level that is at least 21 percent or more of the average level of service performed by the Employee during the immediately preceding 36-month period (or if providing services for less than 36 months, such lesser period) after taking into account any services that the Employee provided prior to such date or that the Corporation and the Employee reasonably anticipate the Employee may provide (whether as an Employee or independent contractor) after such date.

For purposes of the determination of whether a Participant has had a “separation from service” as described under Code Section 409A and the guidance and Treasury regulations issued thereunder, the terms “Sprint,” “employer” and “service recipient” mean Sprint Corporation and any affiliate with which Sprint Corporation would be considered a single employer under Code Section 414(b) or 414(c), provided that in applying Code Sections 1563(a)(1), (2), and (3) for purposes of determining a controlled group of corporations under Code Section 414(b), the language “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent”, each place it appears in Code Sections 1563(a)(1), (2) and (3), and in applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 for purposes of determining trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that are under common control for purposes of Code Section 414(c), “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2.

(aaa) “Six-Month Payment Delay” means the required delay in payment to a Participant who is a “specified employee” of amounts subject to Section 409A that are paid upon Separation from Service, pursuant to Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code. When a Six-Month Delay is required, the payment date shall be not before the date which is six months after the date of Separation from Service or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death. The term specified employee shall have the meaning ascribed to this term under Section 409A of the Code.

 

- 11 -


(bbb) “Spread” means the excess of the Market Value Per Share on the date when an (i) Option Right is exercised over the Option Price, or (ii) Appreciation Right is exercised over the Option Price or Base Price provided for in the related Option Right or Free-Standing Appreciation Right, respectively.

(ccc) “Sprint 1997 Plan” means the 1997 Long-Term Stock Incentive Program, effective April 15, 1997.

(ddd) “Subsidiary” (effective December 8, 2010) means (i) any individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, incorporated organization or government or political subdivision thereof, that directly, or through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Corporation, or (ii) any entity in which the Corporation has a significant equity interest, as determined by the Compensation Committee. “Subsidiary” (prior to December 8, 2010) means a corporation, company or other entity (i) more than 50% of whose outstanding shares or securities (representing the right to vote for the election of directors or other managing authority) are, or (ii) which does not have outstanding shares or securities (as may be the case in a partnership, joint venture or unincorporated association), but more than 50% of whose ownership interest representing the right generally to make decisions for such other entity is, now or hereafter, owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Corporation, except that for purposes of determining whether any person may be a Participant for purposes of any grant of Incentive Stock Options, “Subsidiary” means any corporation in which the Corporation owns or controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the total combined voting power represented by all classes of stock issued by such corporation at the time of grant.

(eee) “Substitute Awards” means Awards that are granted in assumption of, or in substitution or exchange for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity acquired directly or indirectly by the Corporation or with which the Corporation directly or indirectly combines.

(fff) “Tandem Appreciation Right” means an Appreciation Right granted pursuant to Section 5 of this Plan that is granted in tandem with an Option Right.

(ggg) “Ten Percent Stockholder” shall mean any Participant who owns more than 10% of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation, within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.

(hhh) “Termination Date,” for purposes of this Plan, except as may be otherwise prescribed by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer in an Evidence of Award, shall mean (i) with respect to any Employee, the date on which the Employee ceases to be employed by an Employer, or (ii) with respect to any Participant who is not an Employee, the date on which such Participant’s provision of services to the Corporation or any one or more of its Subsidiaries ends.

(iii) “Voting Stock” means securities entitled to vote generally in the election of Directors.

 

- 12 -


3. Shares Subject to this Plan .

(a) Maximum Shares Available Under Plan.

(i) Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 12 of this Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued or delivered under the Plan is 34,500,000 shares of Common Stock plus the shares of Common Stock available under the Sprint 1997 Plan as of April 15, 2007 and the Nextel Plan as of the Effective Date. Any shares of Common Stock underlying Full-Value Awards that are issued or delivered under the Plan or that are granted under any Predecessor Plan after December 31, 2006 shall be counted against the share limit described above as 2.50 shares of Common Stock for every one share of Common Stock issued or delivered in connection with such Full-Value Award, and any shares of Common Stock covered by an Award, other than a Full-Value Award, shall reduce such share limit by one share for every one share of Common Stock covered by such Award. To the extent that a share of Common Stock that was subject to a Full-Value Award that counted as 2.50 shares of Common Stock against the Plan reserve pursuant to the preceding sentence again becomes available for grant under the Plan, as set forth in Section 3(a)(ii)(A), the Plan reserve shall be credited with 2.50 shares of Common Stock, and to the extent that a share of Common Stock that underlies an Award, other than a Full-Value Award, again becomes available for grant under the Plan, as set forth in Section 3(a)(ii)(A), the Plan reserve shall be credited with one share of Common Stock. Common Stock to be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan may be authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock, treasury shares or a combination of the foregoing.

(ii) In addition to the shares of Common Stock authorized in Section 3(a)(i):

 

  (A) any (1) Option Right, Appreciation Right or other Award (that is not a Full-Value Award) granted pursuant to this Plan that terminates or is forfeited without having been exercised in full, (2) Full-Value Award granted pursuant to this Plan that terminates or is forfeited, or (3) Award granted pursuant to this Plan is settled (or can be paid only) in cash, then the underlying shares of Common Stock, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination or cash settlement, again shall be available for grant under this Plan and credited toward the Plan limit as set forth in Section 3(a)(i).

 

  (B)

any (1) option or stock appreciation right granted pursuant to the Predecessor Plans that terminates, is forfeited without having been exercised in full or is settled in cash, then the underlying shares of Common Stock, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination or cash settlement, shall be available for grant under this Plan and credited toward the Plan limit as one share of Common Stock for every one share of Common Stock allocable to any such award, or

 

- 13 -


  (2) award other than an option or a stock appreciation right granted pursuant to the Predecessor Plans that terminates, is forfeited or is settled in cash, then the underlying shares of Common Stock, to the extent of any such forfeiture, termination or cash settlement, shall be available for grant under this Plan and credited toward the Plan limit as 2.50 shares of Common Stock for every one share of Common Stock allocable to any such award.

(iii) Shares of Common Stock that are tendered, whether by physical delivery or by attestation, to the Corporation by a Participant or withheld from the Award by the Corporation as full or partial payment of the exercise or purchase price of any Award or in payment of any applicable withholding for Federal, state, city, local or foreign taxes incurred in connection with the exercise, vesting or earning of any Award under the Plan or under the Predecessor Plans will not become available for future grants under the Plan. With respect to an Appreciation Right, when such Appreciation Right is exercised and settled in shares of Common Stock, the shares of Common Stock subject to such Appreciation Right shall be counted against the shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan as one share of Common Stock for every one share of Common Stock subject thereto, regardless of the number of shares of Common Stock used to settle the Appreciation Right upon exercise.

(b) Life-of-Plan Limits. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3, or elsewhere in this Plan, to the contrary and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 12 of this Plan, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock actually issued or transferred by the Corporation upon the exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not exceed 150,000,000.

(c) Individual Participant Limits. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3, or elsewhere in this Plan, to the contrary and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 12 of this Plan:

(i) No Participant shall be granted Option Rights or Appreciation Rights or other awards granted pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan with rights which are substantially similar to Option Rights or Appreciation Rights, in the aggregate, for more than 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock during any calendar year.

(ii) For grants of Qualified Performance-Based Awards, no Participant shall be granted Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares or other awards granted pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan with rights which are substantially similar to Performance Shares, in the aggregate, for more than 2,500,000 shares of Common Stock during any calendar year.

(iii) For grants of Qualified Performance-Based Awards, no Participant shall be granted Performance Units or other awards granted pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan with rights which are substantially similar to Performance Units, in the aggregate, for more than $10,000,000 during any calendar year.

 

- 14 -


(d) Substitute Awards. Any Substitute Awards granted by the Corporation shall not reduce the shares of Common Stock available for Awards under the Plan and will not count against the limits specified in Section 3(c) above.

4. Option Rights . The Compensation Committee or, in accordance with Section 11(d), an Authorized Officer may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it or the Authorized Officer may determine, grant Option Rights to Participants. Each such grant will utilize any or all of the authorizations as specified in the following provisions:

(a) Each grant will specify the number of shares of Common Stock to which it pertains, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3 of this Plan.

(b) Each Option Right will specify an Option Price per share of Common Stock, which may not be less than the Market Value Per Share on the Date of Grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the Option Price per share of Common Stock shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Market Value Per Share on the Date of Grant.

(c) Each Option Right will specify whether the Option Price will be payable (i) in cash or by check or by wire transfer of immediately available funds, (ii) by the actual or constructive transfer to the Corporation of shares of Common Stock owned by the Optionee for at least 6 months (or other consideration authorized pursuant to Section 4(d)) having a value at the time of exercise equal to the total Option Price, (iii) by a combination of such methods of payment and may either grant to the Participant or retain in the Compensation Committee the right to elect among the foregoing alternatives, or (iv) by such other methods as may be approved by the Compensation Committee. No fractional shares of Common Stock will be issued or accepted.

(d) To the extent permitted by law, any grant may permit deferred payment of the Option Price from the proceeds of sale through a bank or broker designated by, and on a date satisfactory to, the Corporation of some or all of the shares of Common Stock to which such exercise relates.

(e) Successive grants may be made to the same Participant whether or not any Option Rights previously granted to such Participant remain unexercised.

(f) Each grant will specify the period or periods of continuous service by the Optionee with the Corporation or any Subsidiary that is necessary before the Option Rights or installments thereof will become exercisable.

(g) Any grant of Option Rights may specify Management Objectives that must be achieved as a condition to the exercise of such rights. Each grant may specify in respect of such Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and may set forth a formula for determining the number of Option Rights that will become exercisable if performance is at or above the minimum level(s), but falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant will specify that, before the exercise of such Option Rights become exercisable, the Compensation Committee must certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied.

 

- 15 -


(h) Any grant of Option Rights may provide for the earlier exercise of such Option Rights or other modifications in the event of termination without Cause, resignation for Good Reason, Normal Retirement, termination due to death or Disability of the Participant, a Change in Control, or the grant of a Substitute Award.

(i) Option Rights granted under this Plan may be (i) options, including, without limitation, Incentive Stock Options, (ii) Non-Qualified Options, or (iii) combinations of the foregoing. Incentive Stock Options may be granted only to Participants who meet the definition of “employee” under Section 3401(c) of the Code.

(j) The exercise of an Option Right will result in the cancellation on a share-for-share basis of any related Tandem Appreciation Right authorized under Section 5 of this Plan.

(k) No Option Right will be exercisable more than ten (10) years from the Date of Grant. In the case of an Incentive Stock Option granted to an Employee who is a Ten Percent Stockholder, the Incentive Stock Option will not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the Date of Grant.

(l) An Option Right granted hereunder may be exercisable, in whole or in part, by written notice delivered in person, by mail or by approved electronic medium to the Treasurer of the Corporation at its principal office, or by such other means as the Treasurer or other authorized representative of the Corporation shall designate, specifying the number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased and accompanied by payment thereof and otherwise in accordance with the Evidence of Award pursuant to which the Option Right was granted.

(m) No grant of Option Rights will authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on the Option Right.

(n) Each grant of Option Rights will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award, which Evidence of Award will describe such Option Rights, and contain such other terms as the Compensation Committee or Authorized Officer may approve.

(o) Except as provided in an Evidence of Award, in the event of an Optionee’s termination of employment or service, any Option Rights that have not vested as of the Optionee’s Termination Date will be cancelled and immediately forfeited, without further action on the part of the Corporation or the Compensation Committee, and the Optionee will have no further rights in respect of such Option Rights.

5. Appreciation Rights .

(a) The Compensation Committee or, in accordance with Section 11(d), an Authorized Officer may grant (i) to any Optionee, Tandem Appreciation Rights in respect of Option Rights granted hereunder, and (ii) to any Participant, Free-Standing Appreciation Rights. All grants of Appreciation Rights will specify the number of shares of Common Stock to which the grant pertains, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3 of this Plan.

 

- 16 -


(b) A Tandem Appreciation Right will be a right of the Optionee, exercisable by surrender of the related Option Right, to receive from the Corporation an amount determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer, which will be expressed as a percentage of the Spread on the related Option Right (not exceeding 100%) at the time of exercise. Tandem Appreciation Rights must be granted concurrently with the related Option Right.

(c) A Free-Standing Appreciation Right will be a right of the Participant to receive from the Corporation an amount determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer, which will be expressed as a percentage of the Spread (not exceeding one hundred percent (100%)) at the time of exercise.

(d) No grant of Appreciation Rights will authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on the Appreciation Right.

(e) Each grant of Appreciation Rights will utilize any or all of the authorizations as specified in the following provisions:

(i) Any grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise of an Appreciation Right may be paid by the Corporation in cash, in shares of Common Stock or in any combination thereof and may either grant to the Participant or retain in the Compensation Committee the right to elect among those alternatives.

(ii) Any grant may specify that the amount payable on exercise of an Appreciation Right may not exceed a maximum specified by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer at the Date of Grant.

(iii) Any grant may specify waiting periods before exercise and permissible exercise dates or periods.

(iv) Any grant of Appreciation Rights may specify Management Objectives that must be achieved as a condition of the exercise of such Appreciation Rights. Each grant may specify in respect of such Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and may set forth a formula for determining the number of Appreciation Rights that will become exercisable if performance is at or above the minimum level(s), but falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant of such Appreciation Rights will specify that, before the exercise of such Appreciation Rights, the Compensation Committee must certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied.

(v) Any grant of Appreciation Rights may provide for the earlier exercise of such Appreciation Rights or other modifications in the event of termination without Cause, resignation for Good Reason, Normal Retirement, termination due to death or Disability of the Participant, a Change in Control, or the grant of a Substitute Award.

 

- 17 -


(vi) Each grant of Appreciation Rights will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award, which Evidence of Award will describe such Appreciation Rights, identify the related Option Rights (if applicable), and contain such other terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may approve.

(vii) Except as provided in an Evidence of Award, in the event of a Participant’s termination of employment or service, any of the Participant’s Appreciation Rights that have not vested as of the Participant’s Termination Date will be cancelled and immediately forfeited, without further action on the part of the Corporation or the Compensation Committee, and the Participant will have no further rights in respect of such Appreciation Rights.

(f) Any grant of Tandem Appreciation Rights will provide that such Tandem Appreciation Rights may be exercised only at a time when the related Option Right is also exercisable (and will expire when the related Option Right would have expired) and at a time when the Spread is positive, and by surrender of the related Option Right for cancellation. Successive grants of Tandem Appreciation Rights may be made to the same Participant regardless of whether any Tandem Appreciation Rights previously granted to the Participant remain unexercised. In the case of a Tandem Appreciation Right granted in relation to an Incentive Stock Option to an Employee who is a Ten Percent Stockholder on the Date of Grant, the amount payable with respect to each Tandem Appreciation Right shall be equal in value to the applicable percentage of the excess, if any, of the Market Value Per Share on the exercise date over the Base Price of the Tandem Appreciation Right, which Base Price shall not be less than 110 percent of the Market Value Per Share on the date the Tandem Appreciation Right is granted, and the Incentive Stock Option and related Tandem Appreciation Right shall not be exercisable more than five (5) years from the Date of Grant.

(g) Regarding Free-Standing Appreciation Rights only:

(i) Each grant will specify in respect of each Free-Standing Appreciation Right a Base Price, which may not be less than the Market Value Per Share on the Date of Grant;

(ii) Successive grants may be made to the same Participant regardless of whether any Free-Standing Appreciation Rights previously granted to the Participant remain unexercised; and

(iii) No Free-Standing Appreciation Right granted under this Plan may be exercised more than ten (10) years from the Date of Grant.

6. Restricted Stock . The Compensation Committee or, in accordance with Section 11(d), an Authorized Officer may grant or sell Restricted Stock to Participants. Each such grant or sale will utilize any or all of the authorizations as specified in the following provisions:

(a) Each such grant or sale will constitute an immediate transfer of the ownership of shares of Common Stock to the Participant in consideration of the performance of services, entitling such Participant to voting, dividend and other ownership rights, but subject to the substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on transfer hereinafter referred to.

 

- 18 -


(b) Each such grant or sale may be made without additional consideration or in consideration of a payment by such Participant, as determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer at the Date of Grant.

(c) Each such grant or sale will provide that the Restricted Stock covered by such grant or sale that vests upon the passage of time will be subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” within the meaning of Section 83 of the Code, as determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer at the Date of Grant and may provide for the earlier lapse of such substantial risk of forfeiture as provided in Section 6(e) below. In the case of grants that are a form of payment for earned Performance Shares or Performance Units or other awards, such grant may provide for no minimum vesting period.

(d) Each such grant or sale will provide that during the period for which such substantial risk of forfeiture is to continue, the transferability of the Restricted Stock will be prohibited or restricted in the manner set forth in this Plan, and to the extent prescribed by the Compensation Committee at the Date of Grant (which restrictions may include, without limitation, rights of repurchase or first refusal in the Corporation or provisions subjecting the Restricted Stock to a continuing substantial risk of forfeiture in the hands of any transferee).

(e) Any grant of Restricted Stock may specify Management Objectives that, if achieved, will result in termination or early termination of the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock. Each grant may specify in respect of such Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and may set forth a formula for determining the number of shares of Restricted Stock on which restrictions will terminate if performance is at or above the minimum level(s), but falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant or sale of Restricted Stock will specify that, before the termination or early termination of the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock, the Compensation Committee must certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied.

(f) Any grant of Restricted Stock may provide for the earlier lapse or other modification in the event of termination without Cause, resignation for Good Reason, Normal Retirement, termination due to death or Disability of the Participant, Change in Control, or the grant of a Substitute Award.

(g) Any such grant or sale of Restricted Stock may require that any or all dividends or other distributions paid thereon during the period of such restrictions be automatically deferred and/or reinvested in additional shares of Restricted Stock (which may be subject to the same restrictions as the underlying Award) or be paid in cash on a deferred or contingent basis.

(h) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may approve. Unless otherwise directed by the Compensation Committee, (i) all certificates representing shares of Restricted Stock will be

 

- 19 -


held in custody by the Corporation until all restrictions thereon have lapsed, together with a stock power or powers executed by the Participant in whose name such certificates are registered, endorsed in blank and covering such shares of Common Stock, or (ii) all uncertificated shares of Restricted Stock will be held at the Corporation’s transfer agent in book entry form with appropriate restrictions relating to the transfer of such shares of Restricted Stock.

7. Restricted Stock Units . The Compensation Committee or, in accordance with Section 11(d), an Authorized Officer may grant or sell Restricted Stock Units to Participants. Each such grant or sale will utilize any or all of the authorizations as specified in the following provisions:

(a) Each such grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units will constitute the agreement by the Corporation to deliver shares of Common Stock or cash to the Participant in the future in consideration of the performance of services, but subject to the fulfillment of such conditions (which may include the achievement of Management Objectives) during the Restriction Period as the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may specify. Each grant may specify in respect of such Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and may set forth a formula for determining the number of shares of Restricted Stock Units on which restrictions will terminate if performance is at or above the minimum level(s), but falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant or sale of such Restricted Stock Units will specify that, before the termination or early termination of the restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock Units, the Compensation Committee must certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied.

(b) Each such grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units may be made without additional consideration or in consideration of a payment by such Participant that is less than the Market Value Per Share at the Date of Grant.

(c) If the Restriction Period lapses only by the passage of time, each such grant or sale will be subject to a Restriction Period (which may include pro-rata, graded or cliff vesting over such period), as determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer at the Date of Grant. In the case of grants that are a form of payment for earned Performance Shares or Performance Units or other awards, such grant may provide for no Restriction Period.

(d) Each such grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units may provide for the earlier lapse or other modification of such Restriction Period in the event of termination without Cause, resignation for Good Reason, Normal Retirement, termination due to death or Disability of the Participant, a Change in Control, or the grant of a Substitute Award and, to the extent that any grant, sale, or Substitute Award is subject to, or determined to be subject to Section 409A of the Code, the time and form of payment shall be indicated in the Evidence of Award as upon one or more of the permissible payment events under Section 409A of the Code and as subject to the Six-Month Payment Delay, if required.

 

- 20 -


(e) During the Restriction Period, the Participant will have none of the rights of a stockholder of any shares of Common Stock with respect to such Restricted Stock Units, but the Compensation Committee may, at the Date of Grant, authorize the payment of dividend equivalents on such Restricted Stock Units on either a current, deferred or contingent basis, either in cash or in additional shares of Common Stock and, the Evidence of Award shall specify the time of payment of such dividend equivalents and indicate that such payment is subject to the Six-Month Payment Delay, if required.

(f) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units will specify the time and manner of payment of Restricted Stock Units that have been earned and, that such payment is subject to the Six-Month Payment Delay, if required. Any grant or sale may specify that the amount payable with respect thereto may be paid by the Corporation in cash, in shares of Common Stock or in any combination thereof and may either grant to the Participant or retain in the Compensation Committee the right to elect among those alternatives.

(g) Each such grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units will provide that during the period for which such Restriction Period is to continue, the transferability of the Restricted Stock Units will be prohibited or restricted in the manner and to the extent prescribed by the Compensation Committee at the Date of Grant (which restrictions may include, without limitation, rights of repurchase or first refusal in the Corporation or provisions subjecting the Restricted Stock Units to a continuing substantial risk of forfeiture in the hands of any transferee).

(h) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and will contain such terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may approve.

(i) Except as provided in an Evidence of Award, in the event of a Participant’s termination of employment or service, any of the Participant’s Restricted Stock Units that remain subject to the Restriction Period on the Participant’s Termination Date will be cancelled and immediately forfeited without further action on the part of the Corporation or the Compensation Committee, and the Participant will have no further rights in respect of such Restricted Stock Units.

8. Performance Shares and Performance Units . The Compensation Committee or, in accordance with Section 11(d), an Authorized Officer may grant Performance Shares and Performance Units that will become payable to a Participant upon achievement of specified Management Objectives during the Performance Period. Each such grant will utilize any or all of the authorizations as specified in the following provisions:

(a) Each grant will specify the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units to which it pertains, which number may be subject to adjustment to reflect changes in compensation or other factors; provided , however , that no such adjustment will be made in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award where such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the award under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(b) The Performance Period with respect to each Performance Share or Performance Unit will be such period of time, as determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer at the Date of Grant.

 

- 21 -


(c) Any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units will specify Management Objectives, which, if achieved, will result in payment of the Award, and each grant may specify in respect of such specified Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and will set forth a formula for determining the number of Performance Shares or Performance Units that will be earned if performance is at or above the level(s), but falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units will specify that, before the Performance Shares or Performance Units will be earned and paid, the Compensation Committee must certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied.

(d) Any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units may provide for the earlier lapse or other modification in the event of termination without Cause, resignation for Good Reason, Normal Retirement, termination due to death or Disability of the Participant, a Change in Control, or the grant of a Substitute Award and to the extent that any grant or Substitute Award is subject to, or determined to be subject to, Section 409A of the Code, the time and form of payment shall be indicated in the Evidence of Award as upon one or more of the permissible payment events under Section 409A of the Code and, as subject to the Six-Month Payment Delay, if required.

(e) Each grant will specify the time and manner of payment of Performance Shares or Performance Units that have been earned and, that such payment is subject to the Six-Month Delay, if required. Any grant may specify that the amount payable with respect thereto may be paid by the Corporation in cash, in shares of Common Stock, in Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units or in any combination thereof and may either grant to the Participant or retain in the Compensation Committee the right to elect among those alternatives; provided , however , that as applicable, the amount payable may not exceed the maximum amount payable, as may be specified by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer on the Date of Grant.

(f) The Compensation Committee may provide for the payment of dividend equivalents to the holder thereof on either a current, deferred or contingent basis, either in cash or in additional shares of Common Stock. In this case, the Evidence of Award will specify, the time of payment of such dividend equivalents and, that such payment is subject to the Six-Month Delay, if required.

(g) Each grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units will be evidenced by an Evidence of Award and will contain such other terms and provisions, consistent with this Plan, as the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may approve.

(h) Except as provided in an Evidence of Award, in the event of a Participant’s termination of employment or service, any of the Participant’s Performance Shares and Performance Units that remain subject to a Performance Period on the Participant’s Termination Date will be cancelled and immediately forfeited, without further action on the part of the Corporation or the Compensation Committee, and the Participant will have no further rights in respect of such Performance Shares or Performance Units.

 

- 22 -


9. Awards to Non-Employee Directors . The Board may, from time to time and upon such terms and conditions as it may determine, authorize the granting to Non-Employee Directors, Option Rights, Appreciation Rights or other awards contemplated by Section 10 of this Plan and may also authorize the grant or sale of shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units to Non-Employee Directors.

(a) Each grant of Option Rights awarded pursuant to this Section 9 will be upon terms and conditions consistent with Section 4 of this Plan.

(b) Each grant of Appreciation Rights pursuant to this Section 9 will be upon terms and conditions consistent with Section 5 of this Plan.

(c) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock pursuant to this Section 9 will be upon terms and conditions consistent with Section 6 of this Plan.

(d) Each grant or sale of Restricted Stock Units pursuant to this Section 9 will be upon terms and conditions consistent with Section 7 of this Plan.

(e) Non-Employee Directors may be granted, sold, or awarded other awards contemplated by Section 10 of this Plan.

(f) If a Non-Employee Director subsequently becomes an employee of the Corporation or a Subsidiary while remaining a member of the Board, any Award held under this Plan by such individual at the time of such commencement of employment will not be affected thereby.

(g) Non-Employee Directors, pursuant to this Section 9, may be awarded, or may be permitted to elect to receive, pursuant to procedures established by the Board or a committee of the Board, all or any portion of their annual retainer, meeting fees or other fees in shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or other Awards contemplated by Section 10 of this Plan in lieu of cash. Any such election shall comply with Section 409A of the Code, if applicable. The election, if subject to Section 409A of the Code, (i) shall apply to the annual retainer, meeting fees, or other fees earned during the period to which it pertains (the “Plan Year”), (ii) must be received in writing by the administrator of the Plan by the established enrollment deadline of any Plan Year, which must be no later than the last business day of the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year in which that Plan Year commences, in order to cause that Plan Year’s annual retainer, meeting fees, or other fees to be subject to the provision of this Plan, and (iii) must specify the form of distribution (in shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, or other Awards contemplated by Section 10 of the Plan in lieu of cash) to the Non-Employee Director. Any such election is irrevocable on the last day set by the administrator for making elections.

(h) Non-Employee Directors may under policies approved from time to time by the Board or a committee of the Board, elect to defer their annual retainer, meeting fees or other fees and, in which case, the shares of Common Stock purchased under Section 9(g) will be payable to a trust. The election: (i) shall apply to the annual retainer and fees earned during the period to which it pertains (the “Plan Year”) and shall specify the applicable percentage of such annual retainer and fees that such Non-Employee Director wishes to direct to the trust, (ii) must

 

- 23 -


be received in writing by the administrator of the Plan by the established enrollment deadline of any Plan Year which must be no later than the last business day of the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year in which that Plan Year commences, in order to cause that Plan Year’s annual retainer and fees to be subject to the provisions of this Plan, and (iii) must specify the time and manner of the distribution of the shares of Common Stock to the Non-Employee Director. Any such election is irrevocable on the last day set by the administrator for making elections. The shares of Common Stock covered by this election will be issued in the name of the trustee of the trust for the benefit of the Non-Employee Director; provided , however , that each Non-Employee Director shall be entitled to vote the shares of Common Stock. The trustee shall retain all dividends (which shall be reinvested in shares of Common Stock) and other distributions paid or made with respect thereto in the trust, and all dividends and other distributions will be paid in accordance with the election applicable to the underlying annual retainer and fees. The shares of Common Stock credited to the account of an Non-Employee Director shall remain subject to the claims of the Corporation’s creditors, and the interests of the Non-Employee Director in the trust may not be sold, hypothecated or transferred (including, without limitation, transferred by gift or donation) while such shares of Common Stock are held in the trust.

(i) Notwithstanding anything in Section 5, 6 or 7 to the contrary, each grant pursuant to this Section 9 may specify the period or periods of continuous service, if any, by the Non-Employee Director with the Corporation that are necessary before such awards or installments thereof shall become fully exercisable or restrictions thereon will lapse, which shall be determined on the Date of Grant.

10. Other Awards .

(a) The Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may, subject to limitations under applicable law, authorize grants or sales to any Participant other awards that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, (i) shares of Common Stock or factors that may influence the value of such shares, including, without limitation, convertible or exchangeable debt securities, other rights convertible or exchangeable into shares of Common Stock, purchase rights for shares of Common Stock, awards with value and payment contingent upon performance of the Corporation or specified Subsidiaries, affiliates or other business units thereof or any other factors designated by the Compensation Committee, and awards valued by reference to the book value of shares of Common Stock or the value of securities of, or the performance of specified Subsidiaries or affiliates or other business units of, the Corporation, (ii) cash, or (iii) any combination of the foregoing. The Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer shall determine the terms and conditions of such awards, which may include the achievement of Management Objectives, which may specify in respect of such Management Objectives a minimum acceptable level or levels of achievement and may set forth a formula for determining the portion or all of the award on which restrictions will terminate if performance is at or above the minimum level(s), but falls short of full achievement of the specified Management Objectives. The grant or sale of such award will specify that, before the termination or early termination of the restrictions applicable to such award, the Compensation Committee must certify that the Management Objectives have been satisfied. Shares of Common Stock delivered pursuant to an award in the nature of a purchase right granted under this Section 10 shall be purchased for such consideration, paid for at such time, by such methods, and in such forms, including, without limitation, cash, shares of Common Stock, other awards, notes or other property, as the Compensation Committee shall determine.

 

- 24 -


(b) Each grant may specify the period or periods of continuous service, if any, by the Participant with the Corporation or any Subsidiary that are necessary before such awards or installments thereof shall become fully transferable, which shall be determined by the Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer on the Date of Grant.

(c) Each grant may provide for the earlier termination of the period or periods of continuous service or other modifications in the event of termination without Cause, resignation for Good Reason, Normal Retirement, termination due to death or Disability of the Participant, a Change in Control, or the grant of a Substitute Award and, to the extent that any grant or Substitute Award is subject to, or determined to be subject to, Section 409A of the Code, the time and form of payment shall be indicated in the Evidence of Award as upon one or more of the permissible payment events under Section 409A of the Code and, as subject to the Six-Month Payment Delay, if required.

(d) The Compensation Committee may authorize grants or sales of shares of Common Stock as a bonus, or may grant other awards in lieu of obligations of the Corporation or a Subsidiary to pay cash or deliver other property under this Plan or under other plans or compensatory arrangements, subject to such terms as shall be determined by the Compensation Committee.

(e) Each grant or sale pursuant to this Section 10 may be made without additional consideration from the Participant or in consideration of a payment by the Participant that is less than the Market Value Per Share on the Date of Grant; provided , however , that with respect to a payment of an award that is substantially similar to an Option Right, no such payment shall be less than Market Value Per Share on the Date of Grant.

11. Administration of this Plan .

(a) This Plan will be administered by the Compensation Committee. The Board or the Compensation Committee, as applicable, may from time to time delegate all or any part of its authority under this Plan to any other committee of the Board or subcommittee thereof consisting exclusively of not less than two or more members of the Board, each of whom shall be a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated under the Exchange Act, an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and an “independent director” within the meaning of the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, as constituted from time to time. To the extent of any such delegation, references in this Plan to the Board or the Compensation Committee, as applicable, will be deemed to be references to such committee or subcommittee.

(b) The interpretation and construction by the Compensation Committee of any provision of this Plan or of any agreement, notification or document evidencing the grant of an Award, and any determination by the Compensation Committee pursuant to any provision of this Plan or of any such agreement, notification or document will be final and conclusive.

 

- 25 -


(c) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Board or the Compensation Committee, as applicable, may, from time to time, delegate to one or more of its members or to one or more officers of the Corporation, or to one or more agents or advisors, such administrative duties or powers as it may deem advisable, and the Board, the Compensation Committee, the committee, or any person to whom duties or powers have been delegated as aforesaid, may employ one or more persons to render advice with respect to any responsibility the Board or the Compensation Committee, the committee or such person may have under this Plan.

(d) To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Compensation Committee may, by resolution, authorize one or more Executive Officers of the Corporation (each, an “Authorized Officer”), including the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, to do one or both of the following on the same basis as the Compensation Committee: (i) designate Participants to be recipients of Awards under this Plan, (ii) determine the size of any such Awards; provided , however , that (A) the Compensation Committee shall not delegate such responsibilities to any Executive Officer for Awards granted to a Participant who is an Executive Officer, a Director, or a more than 10% beneficial owner of any class of the Corporation’s equity securities that is registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, as determined by the Board in accordance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and (B) the resolution providing for such authorization sets forth the total number of shares of Common Stock the Authorized Officer(s) may grant, and (iii) the Authorized Officer(s) shall report periodically to the Compensation Committee, as the case may be, regarding the nature and scope of the Awards granted pursuant to the authority delegated. In no event shall any such delegation of authority be permitted with respect to Awards to any Executive Officer or any person subject to Section 162(m) of the Code.

12. Adjustments . The Board shall make or provide for such adjustments in the numbers of shares of Common Stock covered by outstanding Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Shares, Performance Units and, if applicable, in the number of shares of Common Stock covered by other awards granted pursuant to Section 10 hereof, in the Option Price and Base Price provided in outstanding Option Rights and Appreciation Rights, and in the kind of shares covered thereby, as is equitably required to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of Participants or Optionees that otherwise would result from (i) any stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, recapitalization or other change in the capital structure of the Corporation, or (ii) any merger, consolidation, spin-off, split-off, spin-out, split-up, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation or other distribution of assets, issuance of rights or warrants to purchase securities, or (iii) any other corporate transaction or event having an effect similar to any of the foregoing; however, in the event of any such transaction or event, any adjustments shall be in compliance with or maintain exemption from Section 409A of the Code. Such adjustments shall be made automatically, without the necessity of Board action, on the customary arithmetical basis in the case of any stock split, including a stock split effected by means of a stock dividend, and in the case of any other dividend paid in shares of Common Stock; however, any adjustment shall be in compliance with or maintain exemption from Section 409A of the Code. Moreover, in the event of any such transaction or event specified in this Section 12, the Board, in its discretion, and subject to ensuring compliance with or exemption from Section 409A of the Code, may provide in substitution for any or all outstanding Awards under this Plan such alternative consideration (including cash), if any, as it may determine, in good faith, to be equitable in the circumstances

 

- 26 -


and may require in connection therewith the surrender of all Awards so replaced. The Board also shall make or provide for such adjustments in the numbers of shares specified in Section 3 of this Plan as is appropriate to reflect any transaction or event described in this Section 12; provided , however , that any such adjustment to the number specified in Section 3(b) will be made only if and to the extent that such adjustment would not cause any Option Right intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option to fail so to qualify.

13. Change in Control .

(a) Except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award or by the Compensation Committee at the Date of Grant, to the extent outstanding Awards granted under this Plan are not assumed, converted or replaced by the resulting entity in the event of a Change in Control, all outstanding Awards that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable, all restrictions with respect to outstanding Awards shall lapse and become vested and non-forfeitable, and any specified Management Objectives with respect to outstanding Awards shall be deemed to be satisfied at target. If the Award is considered a “deferral of compensation” (as such term is defined under Code Section 409A), and if the failure of the Award to be assumed, converted or replaced by the resulting entity following the Change in Control would result in a payment of deferred compensation upon the closing of such Change in Control, except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award, the payment will occur within 30 days after the Change in Control, provided that such Change in Control may be treated as a change in ownership of the Corporation, a change in the effective control of the Corporation or a change in the effective ownership of a substantial portion of the Corporation’s assets as described in Treasury regulations issued under Code Section 409A (each a “Code Section 409A Change in Control”).

(b) Except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award or by the Compensation Committee, to the extent outstanding Awards granted under this Plan are assumed, converted or replaced by the resulting entity in the event of a Change in Control, any outstanding Awards that are subject to Management Objectives shall be converted by the resulting entity, as if target performance had been achieved as of the date of the Change in Control, and each award of: (i) Performance Shares or Performance Units shall continue to vest during the remaining Performance Period, (ii) Restricted Stock shall continue to be subject to a “substantial risk of forfeiture” for the remaining applicable period, (iii) Restricted Stock Units shall continue to vest during the Restriction Period, and (iv) all other Awards shall continue to vest during the applicable vesting period, if any.

(c) Except as otherwise provided in an Evidence of Award or by the Compensation Committee, to the extent outstanding Awards granted under this Plan are either assumed, converted or replaced by the resulting entity in the event of a Change in Control, if a Participant’s service is terminated without Cause by the Corporation, any of its Subsidiaries or the resulting entity or a Participant resigns his or her employment with an Employer for Good Reason, in either case, during the CIC Severance Protection Period, all outstanding Awards held by the Participant that may be exercised shall become fully exercisable and all restrictions with respect to outstanding Awards shall lapse and become vested and non-forfeitable.

 

- 27 -


(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in the event of a Change in Control, the Board in its discretion, may provide for the cancellation of each outstanding and unexercised Option Right or Appreciation Right in exchange for a cash payment to be made within 60 days of the Change in Control in an amount equal to the amount by which the highest price per share of Common Stock paid for a share of Common Stock in the Change in Control exceeds the Option Price or Base Price, as applicable, multiplied by the number of shares of Common Stock granted under the Option Right or Appreciation Right.

(e) Notwithstanding any provision of this Plan to the contrary, to the extent an Award shall be deemed to be vested or restrictions lapse, expire or terminate upon the occurrence of a Change in Control and such Change in Control is not a Code Section 409A Change in Control, then even though such Award may be deemed to be vested or restrictions lapse, expire or terminate upon the occurrence of the Change in Control or any other provision of this Plan, payment will be made, to the extent necessary to comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, to the Participant on the earliest of: (i) the Participant’s Separation from Service with the Corporation; provided , however , that if the Participant is a “specified employee” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), the payment date shall be the date that is six (6) months after the date of the Participant’s Separation from Service with the Employer, (ii) the date payment otherwise would have been made in the absence of any provisions in this Plan to the contrary (provided such date is permissible under Section 409A of the Code), or (iii) the Participant’s death.

(f) Unless otherwise provided in a Participant’s employment agreement, if any, between the Participant and an Employer or any other arrangement with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to which the Participant is a party or participant, if the acceleration of exercisability under this Section 13, together with all other payments or benefits contingent on the Change in Control within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, results in any portion of such payments or benefits not being deductible by the Corporation as a result of the application of Section 280G of the Code, the payments or benefits shall be reduced until the entire amount of the payments or benefits is deductible. The reduction shall be effected from Awards made under this Plan by the exclusion, first, of Awards, or portions thereof, that are not permitted to be valued under Treasury Regulation section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24(c), or any successor provision, and, second, of Awards, or portions thereof, that are permitted to be valued under Treasury Regulation section 1.280G-1, Q&A 24(c).

14. Detrimental Activity .

(a) Any Evidence of Award may provide that if the Board or the Compensation Committee determines a Participant has engaged in any Detrimental Activity, either during service with the Corporation or a Subsidiary or within a specified period after termination of such service, then, promptly upon receiving notice of the Board’s finding, the Participant shall:

(i) forfeit that Award to the extent then held by the Participant;

(ii) in exchange for payment by the Corporation or the Subsidiary of any amount actually paid therefor by the Participant, return to the Corporation or the Subsidiary, all shares of Common Stock that the Participant has not disposed of that had been acquired pursuant to that Award;

 

- 28 -


(iii) with respect to any shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to that Award that were disposed of, pay to the Corporation or the Subsidiary, in cash, the difference between:

(A) any amount actually paid by the Participant, and

(B) the Market Value Per Share of the shares of Common Stock on the date acquired; and

(iv) pay to the Corporation or the Subsidiary in cash the Spread, with respect to any Option Rights or Appreciation Rights exercised where no shares of Common Stock were retained by the Participant upon such exercise.

(b) To the extent that such amounts are not paid to the Corporation or the Subsidiary, the Corporation may seek other remedies, including a set off of the amounts so payable to it against any amounts that may be owing from time to time by the Corporation or a Subsidiary to the Participant for any reason, including, without limitation, wages, deferred compensation or vacation pay. To the extent that any set off under this section of the Plan causes the Participant to become subject to taxes under Section 409A of the Code, the responsibility for payment of such taxes lies solely with the Participant.

15. Non-U.S. Participants . In order to facilitate the making of any grant or combination of grants under this Plan, the Board or the Compensation Committee may provide for such special terms for awards to Participants who are foreign nationals or who are employed by the Corporation or any Subsidiary outside of the United States of America or who provide services to the Corporation or any Subsidiary under an agreement with a foreign nation or agency, as the Board or the Compensation Committee may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, tax policy or custom. Moreover, the Compensation Committee may approve such supplements to or amendments, restatements or alternative versions of this Plan (including, without limitation, sub-plans) 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, and the Secretary of the Board or other appropriate officer of the Corporation may certify any such document as having been approved and adopted in the same manner as this Plan. No such special terms, supplements, amendments or restatements, however, will 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 stockholders of the Corporation.

16. Transferability .

(a) Except as otherwise determined by the Board or the Compensation Committee pursuant to the provisions of Section 16(c), no Award or dividend equivalents paid with respect to Awards made under this Plan shall be transferable by the Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution, and may be otherwise transferred in a manner that protects the interest of the Corporation as the Board or the Compensation Committee may

 

- 29 -


determine; provided , that if so determined by the Compensation Committee, each Participant may, in a manner established by the Board or the Compensation Committee, designate a beneficiary to exercise the rights of the Participant with respect to any Award upon the death of the Participant and to receive shares of Common Stock or other property issued upon such exercise.

(b) The Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may specify at the Date of Grant that part or all of the shares of Common Stock that are (i) to be issued or transferred by the Corporation upon the exercise of Option Rights or Appreciation Rights, upon the termination of the Restriction Period applicable to Restricted Stock Units or upon payment under any grant of Performance Shares or Performance Units or (ii) no longer subject to the substantial risk of forfeiture and restrictions on transfer referred to in Section 6 of this Plan, will be subject to further restrictions on transfer.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 16(a), the Board or the Compensation Committee may determine that Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options) may be transferable by a Participant, without payment of consideration therefor by the transferee, only to any one or more family members (as defined in the General Instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act of 1933) of the Participant; provided , however , that (i) no such transfer shall be effective unless reasonable prior notice thereof is delivered to the Corporation and such transfer is thereafter effected in accordance with any terms and conditions that shall have been made applicable thereto by the Board or the Compensation Committee, and (ii) any such transferee shall be subject to the same terms and conditions hereunder as the Participant.

17. Withholding Taxes . To the extent that the Corporation is required to withhold federal, state, local or foreign taxes in connection with any payment made or benefit realized by a Participant or other person under this Plan, and the amounts available to the Corporation for such withholding are insufficient, it will be a condition to the receipt of such payment or the realization of such benefit that the Participant or such other person make arrangements satisfactory to the Corporation for payment of the balance of such taxes required to be withheld, which arrangements (in the discretion of the Compensation Committee) may include relinquishment of a portion of such benefit. If a Participant’s benefit is to be received in the form of shares of Common Stock, and such Participant fails to make arrangements for the payment of tax, the Corporation shall withhold such shares of Common Stock having a value equal to the amount required to be withheld. Notwithstanding the foregoing, when a Participant is required to pay the Corporation an amount required to be withheld under applicable income and employment tax laws, the Participant may elect to satisfy the obligation, in whole or in part, by electing to have withheld, from the shares required to be delivered to the Participant, shares of Common Stock having a value equal to the amount required to be withheld (except in the case of Restricted Stock where an election under Section 83(b) of the Code has been made), or by delivering to the Corporation other shares of Common Stock held by such Participant. In no event shall the Market Value Per Share of the shares of Common Stock to be withheld pursuant to this section to satisfy applicable withholding taxes in connection with the benefit exceed the minimum amount of taxes required to be withheld or such other amount that will not result in a negative accounting impact. Participants shall also make such arrangements as the Corporation may require for the payment of any withholding tax obligation that may arise in connection with the disposition of shares of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of Option Rights.

 

- 30 -


18. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code .

(a) To the extent applicable, it is intended that this Plan and any grants made hereunder are exempt from Section 409A of the Code or are structured in a manner that would not cause a Participant to be subject to taxes and interest pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. This Plan and any grants made hereunder shall be administrated in a manner consistent with this intent, and any provision that would cause this Plan or any grant made hereunder to become subject to taxation under Section 409A of the Code shall have no force and effect until amended to comply with Section 409A of the Code (which amendment may be retroactive to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code and may be made by the Corporation without the consent of Participants).

(b) In order to determine for purposes of Section 409A of the Code whether a Participant is employed by a member of the Corporation’s controlled group of corporations under Section 414(b) of the Code (or by a member of a group of trades or businesses under common control with the Corporation under Section 414(c) of the Code) and, therefore, whether the shares of Common Stock that are or have been purchased by or awarded under this Plan to the Participant are shares of “service recipient” stock within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code:

(i) In applying Code Section 1563(a)(1), (2) and (3) for purposes of determining the Corporation’s controlled group under Section 414(b) of the Code, the language “at least 50 percent” is to be used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Code Section 1563(a)(1), (2) and (3); and

(ii) In applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 for purposes of determining trades or businesses under common control with the Corporation for purposes of Section 414(c) of the Code, the language “at least 50 percent” is to be used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2.

19. Effective Date and Term of Plan .

(a) This Plan will be effective as of the Effective Date. No grant will be made under this Plan more than ten (10) years after the date on which this Plan is first approved by the stockholders of the Corporation, but all grants made on or prior to such date will continue in effect thereafter subject to the terms thereof and of this Plan.

(b) Upon the Effective Date, no further grants of awards are permitted under the Predecessor Plans. All awards under the Predecessor Plans that remain outstanding shall be administered and paid in accordance with the provisions of the applicable Predecessor Plan and award agreement.

 

- 31 -


20. Amendments and Termination .

(a) The Board may at any time and from time to time, to the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code, amend, suspend or terminate this Plan in whole or in part; provided , however , that if an amendment to this Plan (i) would materially increase the benefits accruing to Participants under this Plan, (ii) would materially increase the number of securities which may be issued under this Plan, (iii) would materially modify the requirements for participation in this Plan, or (iv) must otherwise be approved by the stockholders of the Corporation in order to comply with applicable law or the rules of the New York Stock Exchange or, if the shares of Common Stock are not traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the principal national securities exchange upon which the shares of Common Stock are traded or quoted, then, such amendment will be subject to stockholder approval and will not be effective unless and until such approval has been obtained.

(b) Termination of this Plan will not affect the rights of Participants or their successors under any Awards outstanding hereunder and not exercised in full on the date of termination.

(c) The Board or the Compensation Committee will not, without the further approval of the stockholders of the Corporation, authorize the amendment of any outstanding Option Right or Appreciation Right to reduce the Option Price or Base Price, respectively. No Option Right or Appreciation Right will be cancelled and replaced with awards having a lower Option Price or Base Price, respectively, or for another award, or for cash without further approval of the stockholders of the Corporation, except as provided in Section 12. Furthermore, no Option Right or Appreciation Right will provide for the payment, at the time of exercise, of a cash bonus or grant of Option Rights, Appreciation Rights, Performance Shares, Performance Units, or grant or sale of Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or other awards pursuant to Section 10 of this Plan, without further approval of the stockholders of the Corporation. Except for the Option Exchange Program as specifically described below, this Section 20(c) is intended to prohibit the repricing of “underwater” Option Rights or Appreciation Rights without stockholder approval and will not be construed to prohibit the adjustments provided for in Section 12 of this Plan.

Stock Option Exchange Program . Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, including but not limited to the foregoing paragraph, the Corporation, by action of the Compensation Committee, may effect an option exchange program (the “Option Exchange Program”), to be commenced through an option exchange offer in 2010. Under any option exchange offer, Eligible Employees would be offered the opportunity to exchange Eligible Options (the “Surrendered Option”) for new Options (the “New Options”) as follows:

 

  (1) each New Option shall have a “value” (determined in accordance with a generally accepted valuation method as of a date prior to the commencement of any exchange offer) substantially equal to the value of the Surrendered Option;

 

  (2) the Compensation Committee shall determine exchange ratios for the Option Exchange Program consistent with the foregoing pursuant to which each New Option shall represent the right to purchase fewer Option Shares than the Option Shares underlying the Surrendered Option, and the per share exercise price of each New Option shall be not less than the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of issuance of the New Option;

 

  (3) each Surrendered Option shall be exchanged for a New Option with 50% vesting upon each of one and two years, and an expiration date seven years, after the grant date.

 

- 32 -


Eligible Employees means employees of the Corporation other than its “named executive officers” and Eligible Options means any Option other than a New Option where, as of the date specified by the terms of the exchange offer (which date shall be not more than ten business days prior to any exchange offer), the per share exercise price of such Option is greater than the higher of (a) the then-current 52-week high per share trading price of our Common Stock and (b) 150% of the then-current per share trading price of our Common Stock. Subject to the foregoing, the Compensation Committee shall be permitted to determine additional terms, restrictions or requirements relating to the Option Exchange Program.

(d) If permitted by Section 409A of the Code, in case of termination of service by reason of death, Disability or Normal Retirement, or in the case of unforeseeable emergency or other special circumstances, of a Participant who holds an Option Right or Appreciation Right not immediately exercisable in full, or any shares of Restricted Stock as to which the substantial risk of forfeiture or the prohibition or restriction on transfer has not lapsed, or any Restricted Stock Units as to which the Restriction Period has not been completed, or any Performance Shares or Performance Units which have not been fully earned, or any other awards made pursuant to Section 10 subject to any vesting schedule or transfer restriction, or who holds shares of Common Stock subject to any transfer restriction imposed pursuant to Section 16 of this Plan, the Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the time at which such Option Right, Appreciation Right or other award may be exercised or the time at which such substantial risk of forfeiture or prohibition or restriction on transfer will lapse or the time when such Restriction Period will end or the time at which such Performance Shares or Performance Units will be deemed to have been fully earned or the time when such transfer restriction will terminate or may waive any other limitation or requirement under any such award, except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award where such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of the Award under Section 162(m) of the Code.

(e) Subject to Section 20(c) hereof, the Compensation Committee may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted under this Plan prospectively or retroactively, except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award where such action would result in the loss of the otherwise available exemption of such Award under Section 162(m) of the Code. In such case, the Compensation Committee will not make any modification of the Management Objectives or the level or levels of achievement with respect to such Qualified Performance-Based Award. Subject to Section 12 above, no amendment shall materially impair the rights of any Participant without his or her consent.

21. Substitute Awards for Awards Granted by Other Entities . Substitute Awards may be granted under this Plan for grants or awards held by Employees of a company or entity who become Employees of the Corporation or a Subsidiary as a result of the acquisition, merger or consolidation of the employer company by or with the Corporation or a Subsidiary. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law and notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the terms, provisions and benefits of the Substitute Awards so granted may vary from those set forth in or required or authorized by this Plan to such extent as the Compensation Committee at the time of the grant may deem appropriate to conform, in whole or part, to the terms, provisions and benefits of grants or awards in substitution for which they are granted.

 

- 33 -


22. Governing Law . This Plan and all grants and Awards and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal substantive laws of the State of Kansas.

23. Miscellaneous Provisions .

(a) The Corporation will not be required to issue any fractional shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Plan. The Board or the Compensation Committee may provide for the elimination of fractions or for the settlement of fractions in cash.

(b) This Plan will not confer upon any Participant any right with respect to continuance of employment or other service with the Corporation or any Subsidiary, nor will it interfere in any way with any right the Corporation or any Subsidiary would otherwise have to terminate such Participant’s employment or other service at any time.

(c) To the extent that any provision of this Plan would prevent any Option Right that was intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option from qualifying as such, that provision will be null and void with respect to such Option Right. Such provision, however, will remain in effect for other Option Rights and there will be no further effect on any provision of this Plan.

(d) The Compensation Committee or an Authorized Officer may provide for termination of an Award in the case of termination of employment or service of a Participant or any other reason; provided , however , that all Awards of a Participant will be immediately forfeited and cancelled to the extent the Participant’s employment or service has been terminated for Cause, and the Participant will have no further rights in respect of such Awards.

(e) No Award under this Plan may be exercised by the holder thereof if such exercise, and the receipt of cash or stock thereunder, would be, in the opinion of counsel selected by the Compensation Committee, contrary to law or the regulations of any duly constituted authority having jurisdiction over this Plan.

(f) Except as required by Section 409A of the Code in connection with a Separation from Service, absence on leave approved by a duly constituted officer of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries shall not be considered interruption or termination of service of any Employee for any purposes of this Plan or Awards granted hereunder, except that no Awards may be granted to an Employee while he or she is absent on leave.

(g) Except as specifically provided in Section 9(h), no Participant shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any shares of Common Stock subject to Awards granted to him or her under this Plan prior to the date as of which he or she is actually recorded as the holder of such shares upon the stock records of the Corporation.

(h) The Compensation Committee may condition the grant of any Award or combination of Awards authorized under this Plan on the surrender or deferral by the Participant of his or her right to receive a cash bonus or other compensation otherwise payable by the Corporation or a Subsidiary to the Participant.

 

- 34 -


(i) Except with respect to Option Rights and Appreciation Rights, the Compensation Committee may permit Participants to elect to defer the issuance of shares of Common Stock or the settlement of Awards in cash under this Plan pursuant to such rules, procedures or programs as it may establish for purposes of this Plan. The Compensation Committee also may provide that deferred issuances and settlements include the payment or crediting of dividend equivalents or interest on the deferral amounts. All elections and deferrals permitted under this provision shall comply with Section 409A of the Code, including setting forth the time and manner of the election (including a compliant time and form of payment), the date on which the election is irrevocable, and whether the election can be changed until the date it is irrevocable.

(j) Any Award granted under the terms of this Plan may specify in the Evidence of Award that the Participant is subject to restrictive covenants including, but not limited to, covenants not to compete and covenants not to solicit, unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee.

(k) Participants shall provide the Corporation with a completed, written election form setting forth the name and contact information of the person who will have beneficial ownership rights of Awards made to the Participant under this Plan upon the death of the Participant.

(l) If any provision of this Plan is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, or would disqualify this Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Board or the Compensation Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended or limited in scope to conform to applicable laws or, in the discretion of the Board or the Compensation Committee, it shall be stricken and the remainder of this Plan shall remain in full force and effect.

 

- 35 -

Exhibit 10.3

SPRINT CORPORATION

CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE PLAN

(Effective January 1, 2007 and

Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2008 and September 17, 2013)


SPRINT CORPORATION

CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE PLAN

(Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2008 and September 17, 2013)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Article

        

Page

 
ARTICLE ONE   INTRODUCTION      1   
ARTICLE TWO   DEFINITIONS      3   
ARTICLE THREE   ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION      12   
ARTICLE FOUR   SEVERANCE BENEFITS      13   
ARTICLE FIVE   AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION      19   
ARTICLE SIX   MISCELLANEOUS      20   
APPENDIX I   PLAN PARTICIPANTS      27   
APPENDIX II   APPLICABLE BENEFITS AND PERIODS      28   
APPENDIX III   PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS      29   

 

- i -


ARTICLE ONE

INTRODUCTION

 

1.01 Purpose of the Plan

The Sprint Corporation Change in Control Severance Plan (the “Plan”) provides primarily for severance compensation benefits for certain key employees following termination of employment in connection with and/or following a Change in Control. Given the level of acquisition and change in control activity in today’s business environment, the Board recognizes and understands that many key employees face uncertainty with respect to their job security. In addition, the Board believes that the concerns of key employees regarding a possible Change in Control transaction may cause them to consider career changes in an effort to assure financial security for themselves and their families. Consequently, the Corporation desires to increase the willingness of its key employees to remain with the Corporation (or its Subsidiaries) notwithstanding the employment uncertainties related to a possible Change in Control by providing certain economic benefits in the event of a Change in Control, thus allowing such key employees to make career decisions without undue time pressure and financial uncertainty.

The Plan is intended to provide severance compensation and benefits pursuant to the Plan if a Change in Control of the Corporation has occurred and the Participant’s employment is either (a) terminated by a Company without Cause or (b) voluntarily terminated by the Participant for Good Reason in accordance with the terms of this Plan. The purpose and intent of the Plan is to help the Corporation attract and retain key employees and reduce distractions resulting from a potential Change in Control. The Board has considered the effect that a Change in Control of the Corporation may have on key employees of the Corporation and its Subsidiaries, and has found that such a Plan is in the best interest of the Corporation and its stockholders.

Capitalized terms used throughout the Plan have the meanings set forth in Article Two, except as otherwise defined in the Plan or where the context clearly requires otherwise.

 

1.02 Plan Status

The Plan is intended to be a plan providing Severance Benefits following a Change in Control. The Plan is intended to be a top hat plan for a select group of management or highly compensated executives, subject only to the administration and enforcement provisions of ERISA.

 

1.03 Entire Plan

This document, including any Appendix hereto, and any documents incorporated herein by reference set forth the provisions of the Plan effective as of the date of this current amendment and restatement of the Plan.

 

1


1.04 Administration

The Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”) shall administer the Plan; provided , however , that none of the members of the Compensation Committee will be a Participant. The powers and duties of the Compensation Committee in administering the Plan are set forth in Section 6.02.

 

2


ARTICLE TWO

DEFINITIONS

 

2.01 Defined Terms. For purposes of this Plan the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

  (a) Accounting Firm ” means a nationally recognized accounting firm, or actuarial, benefits or compensation consulting firm (with experience in performing the calculations regarding the applicability Section 280G of the Code and of the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code) selected by the Corporation.

 

  (b) Applicable Multiple ” means the number specified under the heading “Applicable Multiple” on Appendix II for the Participant’s designated Severance Benefit Classification.

 

  (c) Applicable Period ” means the period specified under the heading “Applicable Period” on Appendix II for the Participant’s designated Severance Benefits Classification.

 

  (d) Base Salary ” means the annual base salary of any Participant, exclusive of any bonus, special pay or other benefits a Participant may receive, and for purposes of Article Four means such annual base salary in effect (i) on the date immediately preceding the date of the relevant Change in Control or (ii) on the date of the Participant’s termination of employment with a Company, whichever is higher.

 

  (e) Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

  (f) Business Transaction ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(h)(ii).

 

  (g) Cause ” means a termination of a Participant’s employment due to the Participant’s:

 

  (i) conviction of, or entering into a plea of either guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony, including, but not limited to, a felony involving moral turpitude, embezzlement, theft or similar act that occurred during or in the course of the Participant’s employment with a Company;

 

  (ii) willful and continued failure to substantially perform his duties for a Company, after receiving written notice from or on behalf of such Company and having had a thirty (30) day opportunity to cure the deficiency;

 

  (iii) willful misconduct or gross negligence that results in material harm to a Company; or

 

  (iv) willful violation of the Corporation’s policies that results in material harm to a Company.

 

3


For purposes of this Plan, an act, or failure to act, shall not be deemed to be “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Participant in bad faith or without a reasonable belief that the action or omission was in the best interests of a Company.

 

  (h) Change in Control ” means, effective with respect to transactions occurring after September 16, 2013, the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

  (i) any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a “Person”), except SOFTBANK CORP. or any other entity that “controls,” is “controlled by” or is “under common control with the Corporation or SOFTBANK CORP. within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation; except , that:

 

  (A) for purposes of this clause (i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (1) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation directly from the Corporation that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors, (2) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation by the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (3) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation by the trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Subsidiary, and (4) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Corporation by any Person pursuant to a Business Transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of clause (ii) below;

 

  (B) if any Person becomes the beneficial owner of thirty percent (30%) or more of combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation as a result of a transaction or series of transactions described in sub-clause (1) of clause (i)(A) above and such Person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation representing one percent (1%) or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation, other than as a result of (x) a transaction described in sub-clause (1) of clause (i)(A) above, or (y) a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the Corporation in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally then such subsequent acquisition shall be treated as a Change in Control;

 

  (C)

a Change in Control will not be deemed to have occurred if a Person becomes the beneficial owner of thirty percent (30%) or more of the Voting Stock of the Corporation as a result of a reduction in the number of shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation outstanding pursuant to a transaction or series of

 

4


  transactions that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors unless and until such Person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of additional shares of Voting Stock of the Corporation representing one percent (1%) or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Corporation, other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the Corporation in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally; and

 

  (D) if at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors determine in good faith that a Person has acquired beneficial ownership of thirty percent (30%) or more of the Voting Stock of the Corporation inadvertently, and such Person divests as promptly as practicable, but no later than the date, if any, set by the Incumbent Directors a sufficient number of shares so that such Person beneficially owns less than thirty percent (30%) of the Voting Stock of the Corporation, then no Change in Control shall have occurred as a result of such Person’s acquisition; or

 

  (ii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Corporation with, or the acquisition of the stock or assets of the Corporation by, another Person, or similar transaction (each, a “Business Transaction”), unless, in each case, immediately following such Business Transaction (A) the Voting Stock of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such Business Transaction continues to represent, directly or indirectly, (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Stock of the surviving entity or any parent thereof), more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock or comparable equity interests of the entity resulting from such Business Transaction (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Corporation or all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no Person (other than the Corporation or SOFTBANK CORP. or any other entity that “controls,” is “controlled by” or is “under common control with the Corporation or SOFTBANK CORP. within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, such entity resulting from such Business Transaction, or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any Subsidiary or such entity resulting from such Business Transaction) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Transaction, and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the entity resulting from such Business Transaction were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business Transaction; or

 

5


  (iii) during any consecutive eighteen (18) month period, more than thirty percent (30%) of the Board ceases to be comprised of Incumbent Directors;

 

  (iv) consummation of a transaction that implements in whole or in part a resolution of the stockholders of the Corporation authorizing a sale of all or substantially all of Corporation’s assets or a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation, except pursuant to a Business Transaction that complies with sub-clauses (A), (B) and (C) of clause (ii) above; or

 

  (v) the cessation of the listing of, or the cessation of the requirement to list, all classes of the Corporation’s equity securities on a national securities exchange.

 

  (i) Chief Executive Officer ” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.

 

  (j) CIC Severance Protection Period ” means the time period commencing on the date of the first occurrence of a Change in Control and continuing until the earlier of (i) the 18-month anniversary of such date or (ii) the Participant’s death. A CIC Severance Protection Period shall also include the time period before the occurrence of a Change in Control for Participants who are subject to a Pre-CIC Termination with respect to the affected Participant.

 

  (k) Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and the proposed, temporary and final regulations promulgated thereunder. Reference to any section or subsection of the Code includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

 

  (l) Company ” means as the context requires, the Corporation, any Participating Employer, or any entity to which a Participant’s employment is transferred, at the direction of the Corporation, and with which the Corporation would be considered a single employer as described in the definition of Separation from Service.

 

  (m) Compensation Committee ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.04.

 

  (n) Corporation ” means Sprint Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or any successor company.

 

  (o) Director ” means a member of the Board.

 

  (p) Effective Date ” means January 1, 2007.

 

  (q) Employment Agreement ” means any written employment agreement between a Company and a Participant.

 

  (r) ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Reference to any section or subsection of ERISA includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

 

6


  (s) Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder. Reference to any section or subsection of the Exchange Act includes reference to any comparable or succeeding provisions of any legislation that amends, supplements or replaces such section or subsection.

 

  (t) Excise Tax ” shall mean, collectively, (i) the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code by reason of being “contingent on a change in ownership or control” of the Corporation, within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, or (ii) any similar tax imposed by state or local law, or (iii) any interest or penalties with respect to any excise tax described in clause (i) or (ii).

 

  (u) Good Reason ” means a Participant’s resignation from employment with a Company in accordance with Section 6.15(b) after any of the actions listed below are directed at the Participant without the Participant’s written consent (unless cured prior to such resignation):

 

  (i) Such Company’s material breach of an Employment Agreement with the Participant, if any;

 

  (ii) significant and adverse change in duties and responsibilities which results in a change in a Participant’s tier (and adjusting as appropriate for any changes to the Corporation’s system of classifying employees implemented subsequent to the Effective Date) as compared with a Participant’s responsibilities or duties immediately prior to the Change in Control;

 

  (iii) reduction in a Participant’s Base Salary as compared with the Participant’s Base Salary immediately prior to the Change in Control, except for across-the-board reductions generally applicable to all senior executives;

 

  (iv) reduction in a Participant’s Target Bonus as compared with the Participant’s Target Bonus in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, except for across-the-board reductions generally applicable to all senior executives;

 

  (v) the failure to provide long-term incentive opportunities to the Participant at a level that is generally comparable to all senior executives;

 

  (vi) reduction in the aggregate value of Section 2.01(u)(iii), (iv) and (v) as compared with such benefits in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, except for across-the-board reductions of not more than ten percent (10%) generally applicable to all senior executives;

 

  (vii) reduction in aggregate employee benefits provided to the Participant as compared to the value of aggregate employee benefits provided immediately prior to the Change in Control, except for across-the-board reductions generally applicable to all senior executives;

 

7


  (viii) a Company requires the Participant to have the Participant’s principal location of work changed to a location more than fifty (50) miles from the location thereof immediately prior to the Change in Control; or

 

  (ix) failure of any successor to a Company to assume the Participant’s Employment Agreement or this Plan, as applicable;

provided , however , that a Participant’s right to resign his employment for Good Reason will lapse unless such resignation occurs within sixty (60) days of the event giving rise to Good Reason in accordance with Section 6.15(b) (the “Good Reason Period”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the lapse of such Participant’s right to resign for Good Reason will only apply to the event giving rise to Good Reason. For the avoidance of doubt, the Participant shall have the right to resign for Good Reason, as provided in this Section 2.01(u), upon the occurrence of a subsequent and independent event giving rise to Good Reason.

 

  (v) Good Reason Period ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(u).

 

  (w) Incumbent Directors ” means the individuals who, as of the Effective Date, are Directors of the Corporation, and any individual becoming a Director after the Effective Date whose election, nomination for election by the Corporation’s stockholders, or appointment, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the then Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Corporation in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without objection to such nomination); provided , however , that an individual shall not be an Incumbent Director if such individual’s election or appointment to the Board occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act) with respect to the election or removal of Directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board.

 

  (x) Initial Term ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02.

 

  (y) JAMS ” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.08(a).

 

  (z) Parties ” has the meaning set fourth in Section 6.08(a).

 

  (aa) Participant ” means each full-time employee of a Company who is recommended to the Compensation Committee by the Chief Executive Officer for participation in the Plan and whose participation in the Plan has been approved by the Compensation Committee as provided in Article Three and who continues to remain employed by a Company either up through a Change in Control or up to a termination of employment that qualifies as a Pre-CIC Termination, except as otherwise removed from Participation pursuant to Article Three.

 

8


  (bb) Participating Employer ” means the Corporation and any Subsidiary of the Corporation that is designated as a Participating Employer under the Plan by the Board, excluding, however, any division of the Corporation or of a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation that is designated by the Board as ineligible to participate in the Plan. Appendix III contains a list of the Participating Employers currently participating in the Plan that have adopted the Plan pursuant to Article Six.

 

  (cc) Payment ” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.05.

 

  (dd) Person ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(h)(i).

 

  (ee) Plan ” has the meaning set forth in Section 1.01, as such may be amended from time to time, or any successor plan, program or arrangement thereto.

 

  (ff) Pre - CIC Termination ” means the termination of a Participant without Cause if (i) the termination occurs in the six-month period before a Change in Control at the request of a third party in contemplation of a Change in Control, (ii) the Change in Control occurs, and (iii) the termination constitutes a Separation from Service.

 

  (gg) Release ” means a release of claims and a non-compete agreement and other restrictive covenants in a form provided to the Participant by the Corporation in connection with the payment of benefits under this Plan.

 

  (hh) Release Consideration and Revocation Period ” means the combined total of the Release Consideration Period and the Release Revocation Period.

 

  (ii) Release Consideration Period ” means the period of time pursuant to the terms of a Release afforded a Participant to consider whether to sign it.

 

  (jj) Release Revocation Period ” means the period pursuant to the terms of an executed Release in which it may be revoked by a Participant.

 

  (kk) Renewal Term ” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02.

 

  (ll) Separation from Service ” means “separation from service” from an Employer as described under Code Section 409A and any governing Internal Revenue Service guidance and Treasury regulations. A Participant who is a Board member does not have a Separation from Service until he or she has a Separation from Service with respect to both his or her employment and his or her Board membership. “Employer” means the Corporation and any affiliate with which the Corporation is treated as a single employer under Code Section 414(b) or 414(c), as modified in (i) and (ii) below.

 

  (i) 50 Percent-Owned Entities . In applying Code Sections 1563(a)(1), (2), and (3) to Code Section 414(b), the language “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears. In applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 to trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that are under common control under Code Section 414(c), “at least 50 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears.

 

9


  (ii) 20 Percent-Owned Entities . In addition to (i) above, where the Compensation Committee determines that legitimate business criteria exist with respect to a particular entity, in applying Code Sections 1563(a)(1), (2), and (3) under Code Section 414(b), the language “at least 20 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears. In applying Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2 to trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) that are under common control for purposes of Code Section 414(c), “at least 20 percent” is used instead of “at least 80 percent” each place it appears.

 

  (iii) Service Level . A Separation from Service occurs when the Participant’s level of services drops to 21 percent or less of the average level of service provided by the Participant over the immediately preceding 36-month period (or if providing services for less than 36 months, that lesser period). If a Participant’s status changes from an employee to an independent contractor, or from an independent contractor to an employee, services provided in both capacities are taken into account.

 

  (mm) Separation Plan ” means the Corporation’s Separation Plan as may be amended from time to time or any successor plan, program, arrangement or agreement thereto.

 

  (nn) Severance Benefits ” means Severance Pay and the other benefits payable to a Participant pursuant to Article Four of the Plan.

 

  (oo) Severance Benefits Classification ” means a Participant’s severance benefits classification, as specified for the Participant on Appendix I and as set forth on Appendix II.

 

  (pp) Severance Pay ” means the cash severance payments payable to a Participant pursuant to Section 4.01 of the Plan.

 

  (qq) Specified Employee ” means a Participant who is a “specified employee” of the Corporation for purposes of Code Section 409A, as administratively determined by the Board of Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the guidance and Treasury regulations issued under Code Section 409A.

 

  (rr) STIP ” means the Corporation’s short term incentive plan, under Section 8 of the Corporation’s Omnibus Incentive Plan, effective May 8, 2007, as may be amended from time to time, or any successor plan, program or arrangement thereto.

 

  (ss) Subsidiary ” means any entity in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns more than fifty percent (50%) of such entity’s equity interest by vote and value.

 

10


  (tt) Target Bonus ” means a Participant’s target (i.e., based on 100% attainment of stated objectives) short-term incentive opportunity under the STIP.

 

  (uu) Voting Stock ” means securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

11


ARTICLE THREE

ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

 

3.01 Eligibility on the Effective Date

Each full-time employee of the Corporation or a Participating Employer who has been recommended to the Compensation Committee to be a Tier I or Tier II Executive by the Chief Executive Officer and whose participation in the Plan has been approved by the Compensation Committee, as of the Effective Date will be a Participant in the Plan.

 

3.02 Future Eligibility

Except as provided in the next sentence, each full-time employee of the Corporation or a Participating Employer who is recommended to the Compensation Committee to be a Tier I or Tier II Executive by the Chief Executive Officer will be a Participant in the Plan only if the Compensation Committee approves his or her participation after the Effective Date and before a Change in Control.

 

3.03 Plan Participants

Appendix I lists, as of the date of this current amendment and restatement of the Plan, the individuals whom the Compensation Committee has designated as Participants in accordance with Sections 3.01 and 3.02.

 

3.04 End of Participation

At any time prior to the six (6) month period preceding the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Compensation Committee may authorize a Company to provide a Participant with written notice of termination of the Participant’s designation as a Participant in the Plan.

 

12


ARTICLE FOUR

SEVERANCE BENEFITS

 

4.01 Severance Benefits

 

  (a) Eligibility . A Participant will be eligible for the Severance Benefits described in this Section, subject to the remainder of this paragraph and Section 4.02, if a Change in Control occurs and, during the CIC Severance Protection Period, (a) a Company terminates the Participant’s employment without Cause (b) the Participant voluntarily terminates employment for Good Reason during the applicable Good Reason Period or (c) the Company that employs the Participant ceases to constitute a single employer with the Corporation, as described in the definition of Separation from Service, and such termination of employment or change in status constitutes a Separation from Service. In addition, as a condition of receiving Severance Benefits, the Participant must execute a Release within the Release Consideration Period and deliver it to the Company with the Release Revocation Period expired without revocation.

 

  (b) Amount, Time, and Form of Benefit . A Participant described in (a) above will be entitled to the following benefits, subject to the conditions described below.

 

  (i) Pro Rata Target Bonus for Performance Periods Beginning on or Before January 1, 2009 . In lieu of any benefit that may be paid under the STIP, the prorated portion of the Participant’s Target Bonus for the year in which the Participant’s Separation from Service occurs (prorated for the portion of the performance period before the Separation from Service date in accordance with the terms of the STIP and related administrative guidelines under the STIP). This amount is payable in a lump sum on the Separation from Service date. A resignation for Good Reason under this Plan is deemed to be a termination without Cause under the STIP.

 

  (ii) Pro Rata Bonus for Performance Periods Beginning After January 1, 2009 . In lieu of any benefit that may be paid under the STIP, a prorated portion of the Participant’s bonus (determined as described below) for the year in which the Participant’s Separation from Service occurs (prorated for the portion of the performance period before Separation from Service date in accordance with the terms of the STIP and related administrative guidelines under the STIP). If the Separation from Service occurs in the same calendar year in which the Change in Control occurs, the prorated bonus will be based on a prorated portion of the Participant’s Target Bonus payable in a lump sum on the Separation from Service date. If the Separation from Service occurs after the calendar year in which the Change in Control occurs, the prorated bonus will be based on a prorated portion of the Participant’s actual bonus for the performance period, based on satisfaction of the pre-established performance targets, payable in a lump sum on the date payments under the STIP are paid to Executives who remain employed but no later than March 15 of the year following the Separation from Service date.

 

13


  (iii) CIC Severance Amount . Except as provided in the next sentence, an amount—payable in accordance with (iv) below—equal to: the Participant’s Applicable Multiple (based on the Participant’s Severance Benefits Classification) multiplied by the sum of the Participant’s (x) Base Salary and (y) Target Bonus, in each case, for the year in which the Participant’s termination occurs (“CIC Severance Amount”). If, however, the Participant’s Separation from Service is for Good Reason due to a reduction of the Participant’s Target Bonus under Section 2.01(u)(iv), the Participant’s Target Bonus under this subsection will be the Participant’s Target Bonus in effect immediately before the reduction.

 

  (iv) Form and Timing of Payment . The CIC Severance Amount under (iii) above is payable at the time and in the form provided in this subsection, subject to the six-month delay for Specified Employees under Section 4.02(b). This amount is composed of two parts: the amount to which the Participant would otherwise be entitled under an Employment Agreement or Separation Plan with respect to Base Salary and annual short term incentive compensation in the absence of this Plan, assuming the conditions resulting in entitlement to such benefits has occurred, (“Base Severance Amount”), and the additional amount, if any, provided under (iii) above (“CIC Enhancement”). These amounts are payable as follows, depending for each individual Participant upon whether the Change in Control is a “change in control event” as defined in the applicable Section 409A Treasury Regulations (“409A CIC”) or not (“Non-409A CIC”).

 

  (A) 409A CIC . All CIC Severance Amounts payable as a result of a 409A CIC are payable in a lump sum. For any Participant whose Separation from Service occurs before a Change in Control under circumstances constituting a Pre-CIC Termination, any CIC Severance Amount payable under this Plan is reduced by amounts previously paid with respect to Base Salary and annual short term incentive compensation under an Employment Agreement or Separation Plan to the Participant for any period after the Separation from Service. The CIC Severance Amount is payable on (x) the Executive’s Separation from Service date; or (y) for a Pre-CIC Termination, the closing date of the 409A CIC, except that if the Release Consideration and Revocation Period ends on or after December 15 of the calendar year in which the Participant incurs a Separation from Service, the CIC Severance Amount is payable on the first business day in the following calendar year.

 

  (B)

Non-409A CIC . All CIC Enhancements payable as a result of a Non-409A CIC are payable in a lump sum. All Base Severance Amounts payable as a result of a Separation from Service in connection with a Non-409A CIC are payable in the form provided

 

14


  under the applicable Employment Agreement or Separation Plan. For any Participant whose Separation from Service occurs before a Change in Control under circumstances constituting a Pre-CIC Termination, any Base Severance Amount payable under this Plan is reduced by amounts previously paid with respect to Base Salary and annual short term incentive compensation under an Employment Agreement or Separation Plan to the Participant for any period after the Separation from Service. The CIC Severance Amounts are payable (or installment payments will commence) on (x) the Executive’s Separation from Service date; or (y) for a Pre-CIC Termination, the closing date of the Non-409ACIC, except that if the Release Consideration and Revocation Period ends on or after December 15 of the calendar year in which the Participant incurs a Separation from Service, any payments under this section 4.01(b)(iv)(B) that are otherwise payable in the calendar year of the Participant’s Separation from Service shall be paid in a lump sum on the first business day of the following calendar year.

 

  (v) Health Coverage . A Participant may continue participation at then-existing participation and coverage levels for the Applicable Period following the Separation from Service in the Corporation’s group health and life insurance plans comparable to the terms in effect from time to time for the Corporation’s senior executives, including any co-payment and premium payment requirements, except that: (A) after the Applicable Period expires, the Participant will retain any rights to continue coverage under the group health plans under the benefits continuation provisions pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code and to continue coverage under any life insurance plans by paying the applicable premiums of such plans; (B) the Participant will no longer be eligible to receive the benefits otherwise receivable under this subsection as of the date that the Participant becomes eligible to receive comparable benefits from a new employer or otherwise; and (C) no Company may provide a cash payment in lieu of the benefits provided under this subsection.

 

  (vi) Outplacement . For a period ending on the last day of the second calendar year following the year in which the Participant’s Separation from Service occurred, the Participant will receive outplacement services from a firm selected by the applicable Company, at the Company’s expense, in an amount not to exceed $35,000. No Company may provide a cash payment in lieu of this outplacement benefit.

 

  (c) Equity and Long-Term Incentives . This Plan does not affect the vesting or payment of any equity or long-term incentive grants or awards. Unvested equity and other long-term incentives as specified in individual award agreements, if applicable, shall vest and pay with respect to each Participant in accordance with their terms.

 

15


  (d) Reimbursements . Any reimbursements by a Company to a Participant of any eligible expenses under this Plan that are not otherwise exempt from Code Section 409A (“Reimbursements”) will be made promptly and, in any event, on or before the last day of the Participant’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense was incurred. The amount of any Reimbursements, and the value of any in-kind benefits not otherwise exempt from Code Section 409A to be provided during any taxable year of a Participant will not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other of taxable years of such Participant, except for any limit on the amount of expenses that may be reimbursed under an arrangement described in Code Section 105(b). The right to Reimbursements, or in-kind benefits, will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

  (e) Benefits in Lieu of Other Severance . Any Severance Benefits payable under this Section 4.01 will be paid solely in lieu of, not in addition to, any severance amounts payable under an Employment Agreement or Separation Plan on account of the Participant’s termination from employment, except to the extent that the Employment Agreement provides greater benefits than the Severance Benefits under this Plan. If the Employment Agreement provides a greater benefit, that excess amount will be paid in accordance with the Employment Agreement. In no event may there be duplication of benefits under this Plan and any Employment Agreement or Separation Plan.

 

4.02 Section 409A

 

  (a) In General . The Company intends that benefits provided under the Plan will not be subject to tax under Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Plan is to be interpreted and construed consistent with this intent. To the extent that any provision of the Plan were to conflict with section 409A or that the administration of the Plan were to fail to satisfy the requirements of section 409A, that provision will be deemed null and void to the extent permitted by applicable law.

 

  (b) Distributions . Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, distributions under the Plan may only be made upon an event and in a manner permitted under Code Section 409A. In no event may a Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of payment, except as permitted by Code Section 409A. The right to a series of payments under the Plan will be treated as a right to a series of separate payments. If a distribution or benefit subject to Code Section 409A is being made to a Specified Employee due to the Participant’s Separation from Service, distribution or payment will be delayed until the earlier to occur of the Participant’s death or the day that is six months and one day following the Participant’s Separation from Service (the “Delay Period”). The postponed payments will be paid to the Participant on the last day of the Delay Period.

 

16


  (c) No Representations or Warranties . The Corporation does not, however, assume any economic burdens associated with Code Section 409A. Although the Corporation intends to administer the Plan to prevent taxation under Code Section 409A, it does not represent or warrant that the Plan complies with any provision of federal, state, local, or non-United States law. The Corporation, its subsidiaries, and their respective directors, officers, employees and advisers will not be liable to any Participant (or any other individual claiming a benefit through the Participant) for any tax, interest, or penalties the Participant may owe as a result of participation in the Plan. And neither the Corporation nor its subsidiaries or affiliates have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise protect any Participant from any obligation to pay taxes under Code Section 409A.

 

4.03 Forfeiture

Any right of the Participant to receive Severance Benefits hereunder shall be forfeited to the extent of any amounts payable or benefits due after any breach of Section 6.09 by the Participant.

 

4.04 Legal Fees

All expenses of a Participant incurred in enforcing the Participant’s rights and/or to recover the Participant’s benefits under this Article Four, including but not limited to, attorneys’ fees, court costs, arbitration costs, and other expenses shall be paid by the Corporation. The Corporation shall pay, or reimburse the Participant for such fees, costs and expenses, promptly upon presentment of appropriate documentation, but only if, to the extent and at the earliest date(s) such payment or reimbursement does not violate Code Section 409A.

 

4.05 Applicable Provisions if Excise Tax Applies

Anything in the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, if it is determined (as hereafter provided) that any payment or distribution by or on behalf of a Company to or for the benefit of the Participant, whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of the Plan or otherwise pursuant to or by reason of any other agreement, policy, plan, program or arrangement, including without limitation any stock option, stock appreciation right or similar right, or the lapse or termination of any restriction on or the vesting or exercisability of any of the foregoing (a “Payment”), would be subject to the Excise Tax, but for the application of this sentence, then the Payment shall be reduced to the minimum extent necessary (but in no event to less than zero) so that no portion of any such Payment, as so reduced, constitutes an “Excess Parachute Payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code; provided, however, that the foregoing reduction shall be made only if and to the extent that such reduction would result in an increase in the aggregate Payment to be provided, determined on an after-tax basis (taking into account the Excise Tax imposed, any tax imposed by any comparable provision of state law, and any applicable federal, state and local income taxes). The fact that the Participant’s right to a Payment may be reduced by reason of the limitations contained in this Section 4.05 shall not of itself limit or otherwise affect any other rights of the Participant other than under the Plan. In the event that a Payment intended to be provided under the Plan is required to be reduced pursuant to this Section 4.05, the Corporation may effect such reduction in any manner it deems appropriate.

 

17


  (a) All determinations required to be made under this Section 4.05, including whether an Excise Tax is payable by the Participant and the amount of such Excise Tax, shall be made by the Accounting Firm. The Corporation shall direct the Accounting Firm to submit its determination and detailed supporting calculations to the relevant Company and the Participant within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date of the Participant’s termination, if applicable, and any other such time or times as may be requested by such Company or the Participant. If the Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by the Participant, it shall, at the same time as it makes such determination, furnish the Participant with an opinion that the Participant has substantial authority not to report any Excise Tax on the Participant’s federal, state, local income or other tax return.

 

  (b) The Corporation and the Participant shall each provide the Accounting Firm access to and copies of any books, records and documents in the possession of the Corporation or the Participant, as the case may be, reasonably requested by the Accounting Firm, and otherwise cooperate with the Accounting Firm in connection with the preparation and issuance of the determination contemplated by Section 4.05(a). Any reasonable determination by the Accounting Firm of the type contemplated by Section 4.05(a) (and supported by the calculations done by the Accounting Firm) shall be binding upon such Company and the Participant.

 

  (c) The federal, state and local income or other tax returns filed by the Participant shall be prepared and filed on a consistent basis with the determination of the Accounting Firm with respect to the Excise Tax, if any, payable by the Participant. The Participant shall make proper payment of the amount of any Excise Tax, and upon request, provide to the Corporation true and correct copies (with any amendments) of the Participant’s federal income tax return as filed with the Internal Revenue Service and corresponding state and local tax returns, if relevant, as filed with the applicable taxing authority, and such other documents reasonably requested by the Corporation, evidencing such filing and payment.

 

  (d) The Corporation will pay the fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm for its services in connection with the determinations and calculations contemplated by Section 4.05(a) and Section 4.05(c). If such fees and expenses are initially paid by the Participant, subject to Section 4.02, the Corporation shall reimburse the Participant the full amount of such fees and expenses within ten (10) business days after receipt from the Participant of reasonable evidence of payment.

 

18


ARTICLE FIVE

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

5.01 Amendment

The Corporation reserves the right to amend, modify or change the Plan, at any time without any Participant’s consent; provided , however , that any amendment, modification or change that adversely affects a Participant’s severance benefits and/or rights will not apply to a Participant if the revision is made within six (6) months prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control without the Participant’s written consent (and before all payments and benefits hereunder or at or following the occurrence of such Change in Control associated with such Change in Control are paid or made available as set forth herein), except as may be otherwise required to comply with changes in applicable laws or regulations, including as set forth in Section 4.02.

 

5.02 Termination

The term of the Plan shall be for an initial term of two (2) years commencing on the Effective Date and shall continue through December 31, 2008 (the “Initial Term”); provided , however , that at the end of the Initial Term and on each succeeding anniversary of the Effective Date, the Plan will be automatically extended by an additional one (1) year (each, a “Renewal Term”), unless, not less than one (1) year prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term, a Company has given the Participants written notice of nonrenewal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, following the commencement of any discussions with a third party that result in a Change in Control, the Plan shall continue subject to Section 5.01, until the applicable Participating Employer has fully performed all of such Participating Employer’s obligations under the Plan with respect to all Participants, and shall have paid all Severance Benefits under the Plan in full to all Participants.

 

19


ARTICLE SIX

MISCELLANEOUS

 

6.01 Participant Rights

Each Company intends this Plan to constitute a legally enforceable obligation between (A) such Company and (B) each Participant.

It is also intended that the Plan shall confer vested and non-forfeitable rights for each Participant to receive benefits to which the Participant is entitled under the terms of the Plan with Participants being third party beneficiaries.

Except as provided in the definitions of Cause and Good Reason, nothing in this Plan shall be construed to confer on any Participant any right to continue in the employ of any Company or a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation or to affect in any way the right of the Corporation or a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation to terminate a Participant’s employment without prior notice at any time for any reason or no reason.

 

6.02 Authority of the Compensation Committee

 

  (a) The Compensation Committee will administer the Plan and have the full authority and discretion necessary to accomplish that purpose, including, without limitation, the authority and discretion to:

 

  (i) resolve all questions relating to the eligibility of Participants;

 

  (ii) determine the amount of benefits, if any, payable to Participants under the Plan and determine the time and manner in which such benefits are to be paid;

 

  (iii) engage any administrative, legal, tax, actuarial, accounting, clerical, or other services it deems appropriate in administering the Plan;

 

  (iv) construe and interpret the Plan, supply omissions from, correct deficiencies in and resolve inconsistencies or ambiguities in the language of the Plan, resolve inconsistencies or ambiguities between the provisions of this document, and adopt rules for the administration of the Plan which are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan document;

 

  (v) compile and maintain all records it determines to be necessary, appropriate or convenient in connection with the administration of the Plan; and

 

  (vi) resolve all questions of fact relating to any matter for which it has administrative responsibility.

 

  (b) The Compensation Committee shall perform all of the duties and may exercise all of the powers and discretion that the Compensation Committee deems necessary or appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, including, but not limited to, delegation of any of its duties to one or more authorized officers, and shall do so in a uniform, nondiscriminatory manner.

 

20


  (c) Any failure by the Compensation Committee to apply any provisions of this Plan to any particular situation shall not represent a waiver of the Compensation Committee’s authority to apply such provisions thereafter. Every interpretation, choice, determination or other exercise of any power or discretion given either expressly or by implication to the Compensation Committee shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties having or claiming to have an interest under the Plan or otherwise directly or indirectly affected by such action, without restriction, however, on the right of the Compensation Committee to reconsider and redetermine such action.

 

  (d) Any decision rendered by the Compensation Committee and any review of such decision shall be limited to determining whether the decision was so arbitrary and capricious as to be an abuse of discretion. The Compensation Committee may adopt such rules and procedures for the administration of the Plan as are consistent with the terms hereof.

 

6.03 Claims Procedure

 

  (a) With respect to any claim for benefits which are provided exclusively under this Plan, the claim shall be approved or denied by the Compensation Committee within sixty (60) days following the receipt of the information necessary to process the claim. If the Compensation Committee denies a claim for benefits in whole or in part, it will give written notice of the decision to the claimant or the claimant’s authorized representative, which notice will set forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, stating the specific reasons for such denial, make specific reference to the pertinent Plan provisions on which the decision was based, and provide any other additional information, as applicable, required by 29 Code of Federal Regulations Section 2560.503-1 applicable to the Plan.

 

  (b) With respect to any claim for benefits which, under the terms of the Plan, are provided under another employee benefit plan maintained by a Company, the Compensation Committee shall determine claims regarding the Participant’s eligibility under the Plan in accordance with the preceding paragraph, but the administration of any other claim with respect to such benefits (including the amount of such benefits) shall be subject to the claims procedure specified in such other employee benefit plan or program.

Appeals with respect to any claim for benefits which, under the terms of the Plan, are provided under another employee benefit plan maintained by a Company (e.g., group health, life insurance, etc.), shall be subject to the claims and appeals procedure specified in such other employee benefit plan.

 

21


6.04 Records and Reports

The Compensation Committee will maintain adequate records of all of their proceedings and acts and all such books of account, records, and other data as may be necessary for administration of the Plan. The Compensation Committee will make available to each Participant upon the Participant’s request such of the Plan’s records as pertain to him for examination at reasonable times during normal business hours.

 

6.05 Reliance on Tables, Etc.

In administering the Plan, the Compensation Committee is entitled to the extent permitted by law to rely conclusively upon all tables, valuations, certificates, opinions and reports which are furnished by accountants, legal counsel or other experts employed or engaged by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee will be fully protected in respect of any action taken or suffered by the Compensation Committee in good faith reliance upon all such tables, valuations, certificates, reports, opinions or other advice. The Compensation Committee is also entitled to rely upon any data or information furnished by a Participating Employer or by a Participant as to any information pertinent to any calculation or determination to be made under the provisions of the Plan, and, as a condition to payment of any benefit under the Plan the Compensation Committee may request a Participant to furnish such information as it deems necessary or desirable in administering the Plan.

 

6.06 Availability of Plan Information and Documents

Any Participant having a question concerning the administration of the Plan or the Participant’s eligibility for participation in the Plan or for the payment of benefits under the Plan may contact the Compensation Committee and request a copy of the Plan document. Each Participating Employer will keep copies of this Plan document, exhibits and amendments hereto, and any related documents on file in its administrative offices, and such documents will be available for review by a Participant or a designated representative of the Participant at any reasonable time during regular business hours. Reasonable copying charges for such documents will be paid by the party requesting copies.

 

6.07 Expenses

All Plan administration expenses incurred by the Compensation Committee shall be paid by the Corporation and all other administration expenses incurred by a Company shall be paid by such Company.

 

6.08 Dispute Resolution

 

  (a)

If the Participant and any Company (collectively, the “Parties”) are unable to resolve any controversy or claim arising out of or in connection with this Plan or breach thereof, either Party shall refer the dispute to binding arbitration, which shall be the exclusive forum of resolving such claims. Such arbitration will be administered by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”)

 

22


  pursuant to its Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures and governed by Kansas law. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator selected by the Parties according to the rules of JAMS. If the Parties fail to agree on the selection of the arbitrator within thirty (30) days after either the Participant or such Company’s request for arbitration, the arbitrator will be chosen by JAMS. The arbitration proceeding shall commence on a mutually agreeable date within ninety (90) days after the request for arbitration, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, and in the location where the Participant worked during the six (6) months immediately prior to the request for arbitration to the extent such location is Kansas or Virginia, and if not, the location will be Kansas, unless the Parties agree otherwise.

 

  (b) Such Company shall reimburse the Participant for legal fees and expenses incurred in connection with a dispute resolved under this Section 6.08. The arbitrator shall not have authority to award attorneys’ fees or costs to either of the Parties in any manner not consistent with this Section 6.08(b).

 

  (c) The arbitrator shall have no power or authority to make awards or orders granting relief that would not be available to a party in a court of law. The arbitrator’s award is limited by and must comply with the terms of the Plan, including without limitation, Section 6.02(d) and applicable federal, state, and local laws. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the Parties.

 

6.09 Continued Cooperation

 

  (a) Following termination of the Participant’s employment, the Participant shall cooperate fully with the Corporation and with the Corporation’s counsel in connection with any present and future actual or threatened litigation or administrative proceeding involving any Company that relates to events, occurrences or conduct occurring (or claimed to have occurred) during the period of the Participant’s employment by any Company. This cooperation by the Participant will include, but not be limited to:

 

  (i) making himself reasonably available for interviews and discussions with the Corporation’s counsel as well as for depositions and trial testimony;

 

  (ii) if depositions or trial testimony are to occur, making himself reasonably available and cooperating in the preparation therefore as and to the extent that the Corporation or the Corporation’s counsel reasonably requests;

 

  (iii) refraining from impeding in any way the Corporation’s prosecution or defense of such litigation or administrative proceeding; and

 

  (iv) cooperating fully in the development and presentation of the Corporation’s prosecution or defense of such litigation or administrative proceeding.

 

23


  (b) The Participant will be reimbursed by the Corporation for reasonable travel, lodging, telephone and similar expenses, as well as reasonable attorneys’ fees (if independent legal counsel is necessary), incurred in connection with any cooperation, consultation and advice rendered under this Section 6.09. The Participant shall not unreasonably withhold the Participant’s availability for such cooperation, consultation and advice.

 

6.10 Adoption Procedure for Participating Employer

 

  (a) Any Subsidiary of the Corporation may become a Participating Employer under the Plan provided that (i) the Board approves the adoption of the Plan by such Subsidiary and designates such Subsidiary as a Participating Employer in the Plan and (ii) by appropriate resolutions of the board of directors or other governing body of such Subsidiary, such Subsidiary agrees to become a Participating Employer under the Plan and also agrees to be bound by any other terms and conditions which may be required by the Board or the Compensation Committee, provided that such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the purposes of the Plan.

 

  (b) A Participating Employer may withdraw from participation in the Plan, subject to approval by the Compensation Committee, by providing written notice to the Compensation Committee that withdrawal has been approved by the board of directors or other governing body of the Participating Employer; provided , however , following the commencement of any discussion with a third party that ultimately results in a Change in Control, the Compensation Committee shall have no authority to approve the withdrawal of any Participating Employer until such time as the Corporation and each Subsidiary of the Corporation (as appropriate) shall have fully performed all of their obligations under the Plan with respect to all Participants, and shall have paid all Severance Benefits under the Plan in full to all Participants. The Board may at any time remove a Participating Employer from participation in the Plan by providing written notice to the Participating Employer that it has approved removal; provided , however , following the commencement of any discussion with a third party that ultimately results in a Change in Control, the Board shall have no authority to remove or approve the withdrawal of any Participating Employer until such time as the Corporation and each Subsidiary of the Corporation (as appropriate) shall have fully performed all of their obligations under the Plan with respect to all Participants, and shall have paid all Severance Benefits under the Plan in full to all Participants. The Board will act in accordance with this Article pursuant to unanimous written consent or by majority vote at a meeting.

 

6.11 Effect on Other Benefits

Except as otherwise provided herein, the Plan shall not affect any Participant’s rights or entitlement under any other retirement or employee benefit plan offered to him by the Corporation or a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation (as appropriate) as of the date of the Participant’s termination of employment, except that effective with respect to any benefits payable to a Participant in connection with a Change in Control after September 16, 2013, any such benefits shall be reduced by any payments made by such Participant’s Participating Employer to comply with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or any similar state or local law applying to disclocated workers, to the extent allowed by law.

 

24


6.12 Successors

The Plan shall be binding upon any successor in interest of any Company and shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Participant’s assigns or heirs.

 

6.13 Construction

In determining the meaning of the Plan, words imparting the masculine gender shall include the feminine and the singular shall include the plural, unless the context requires otherwise. Headings of sections and subsections of the Plan are for convenience only and are not intended to modify or affect the meaning of the substantive provisions of the Plan. Unless otherwise stated, references to Sections are references to Sections of this Plan.

 

6.14 References to Other Plans and Programs

Each reference in the Plan to any plan, policy or program, the Plan or document of the Corporation or a Subsidiary or affiliate of the Corporation shall include any amendments or successor provisions thereto without the necessity of amending the Plan for such changes.

 

6.15 Notices

 

  (a) General . Notices and all other communications contemplated by this Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when personally delivered or when mailed by U.S. registered or certified mail, return receipt requested and postage prepaid. In the case of the Participant, (i) mailed notices shall be addressed to the Participant at the Participant’s home address which was most recently communicated to the Corporation in writing or (ii) in the case of a Participant who is an employee, distributed to the employee at his or her place of employment in compliance with 29 Code of Federal Regulations Section 2520.104b-1(c). In the case of any Company, mailed notices shall be addressed to the Corporation’s corporate headquarters, and all notices shall be directed to the attention of its General Counsel.

 

  (b) Notice of Termination . Any notice of Cause by a Company or by the Participant for Good Reason shall be communicated by a notice of termination to the other party given in accordance with this Section 6.15. Such notice shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Plan relied upon, shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide the basis for termination under the provision so indicated, and shall specify the Participant’s date of termination.

 

25


6.16 No Duty to Mitigate

The Participant shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment contemplated under this Plan, nor shall such payment be reduced by any earnings that the Participant may receive from any other source, except as provided in this Plan. The Participant’s coverage under any medical, dental, vision and employee life insurance plans will terminate as of the date that the Participant becomes eligible for comparable benefits of another employer.

 

6.17 Withholding of Taxes

Any Company will withhold from any amounts payable under this Plan all federal, state and local tax or other taxes as such Company is required to withhold pursuant to any law or government regulation or rule.

 

6.18 Governing Law and Choice of Forum

 

  (a) Except to the extent that the Plan may be subject to the provisions of ERISA, the Plan will be construed and enforced according to the laws of the State of Kansas, without giving effect to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

  (b) Except as otherwise required by ERISA, every right of action by a Participant with respect to the Plan shall be barred after the expiration of three (3) years from the date of termination of employment or the date of receipt of the notice of denial of a claim for benefits or eligibility, if earlier. If ERISA’s limitation on legal action does not apply, the laws of the State of Kansas with respect to the limitations of legal actions shall apply and the cause of action must be brought within the limitations provided under the laws of the State of Kansas.

 

6.19 Validity/Severability

If any provision of this Plan or the application of any provision to any person or circumstances is held invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal, the remainder of this Plan and the application of such provision to any other person or circumstances will not be affected, and the provision so held to be invalid or unenforceable will be reformed to the extent (and only to the extent) necessary to make it enforceable or valid. To the extent any provisions held to be invalid or unenforceable cannot be reformed, such provisions are to be stricken here from and the remainder of this Plan will be binding on the Parties and their successors and assigns as if such invalid or illegal provisions were never included in this Plan from the first instance.

 

6.20 Survival of Provisions.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, the Parties’ respective rights and obligations under Sections 4.02, 6.01, 6.08, 6.09 and 6.10 will survive any termination or expiration of this Plan or the termination of the Participant’s employment for any reason whatsoever.

 

26


APPENDIX I

PLAN PARTICIPANTS

As of September 17, 2013

 

NAME

  

SEVERANCE BENEFIT CLASSIFICATION

Paget Alves    Tier I
Steven Elfman    Tier I
Joseph Euteneuer    Tier I
Daniel Hesse    Tier I
Robert L. Johnson    Tier I
Charles Wunsch    Tier I
Fared Adib    Tier II
Robert Azzi    Tier II
Stephen Bye    Tier II
Peter Campbell    Tier II
Marci Carris    Tier II
Matthew Carter    Tier II
Dow Draper    Tier II
John Dupree    Tier II
Jeff Hallock    Tier II
Jaime Jones    Tier II
Vonya McCann    Tier II
William Malloy    Tier II
Sandra Price    Tier II
Thomas Roberts    Tier II
Michael Schwartz    Tier II
Wallace Souder    Tier II
William White    Tier II

 

27


APPENDIX II

APPLICABLE BENEFITS AND PERIODS

As of September 17, 2013

 

Severance Benefits

Classification

  

Applicable Multiple

  

Applicable Period

Tier I Executive    2    2 Years
Tier II Executive    1.5    1.5 Years

 

28


APPENDIX III

PARTICIPATING EMPLOYERS

As of September 17, 2013

Nextel Communications, Inc.

Nextel South Corp.

Nextel of Texas, Inc.

Nextel Communications of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc.

Nextel West Corp.

Nextel West Services LLC

Nextel of California, Inc.

Nextel of New York, Inc.

Nextel Systems Corp.

US Telecom, Inc.

UCOM, Inc.

AirGate PCS, Inc.

Alamosa Missouri, LLC

Alamosa Wisconsin Limited Partnership

Southwest PCS, L.P.

SPCS Caribe Inc.

Sprint International Caribe, Inc.

Sprint/United Management Company

Sprint Nextel Corporation

Texas Telecommunications, LP

UbiquiTel Operating Company

Washington Oregon Wireless, LLC

 

29