GEO GROUP INC false 0000923796 0000923796 2021-04-28 2021-04-28

 

 

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): April 28, 2021

 

 

THE GEO GROUP, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

 

 

Florida   1-14260   65-0043078

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File Number)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

4955 Technology Way, Boca Raton, Florida   33431
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (561) 893-0101

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

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 (see General Instructions A.2. below):

 

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))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value   GEO   New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934(§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

 

 


Section 5

Corporate Governance and Management

 

Item 5.02.

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

The GEO Group, Inc. (“GEO” or the “Company”) 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders was held on April 28, 2021 (“Annual Meeting”). At the Annual Meeting, the shareholders of the Company approved The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Amended 2018 Plan”) and The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Amended ESPP Plan”).

The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2018 Stock Incentive Plan

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved the Amended 2018 Plan, subject to shareholder approval. The Amended 2018 Plan provides for the awards of incentive and non-qualified options, performance units, performance shares, performance share units, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights and other equity-based incentives to officers, directors, employees (including prospective employees) and consultants of the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates. The Amended 2018 Plan is to be administered by a compensation committee composed of independent directors. The Amended 2018 Plan will advance the interests of the Company and shareholders by: (i) increasing the number of shares authorized for issuance under The GEO Group, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Original 2018 Plan”), which will facilitate continuation of the Company’s equity compensation program, and (ii) incorporating the changes discussed below. A summary of the principal provisions of the Amended 2018 Plan that modify the Original Plan is presented below which is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Amended 2018 Plan, set forth as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Principal Provisions of the Amended 2018 Plan that Modify the Original 2018 Plan

The principal provisions of the Amended 2018 Plan that modify the Original 2018 Plan are described below.

Increase in Authorized Number of Shares. The principal modification to the Original 2018 Plan under the Amended 2018 Plan is an increase in the authorized number of shares available for issuance under the Original 2018 Plan by 16,800,000 shares.

The Company believes that the increase in the number of shares available for issuance under the Amended 2018 Plan will enable the Company to continue to fulfill the purpose of the plan, which is to attract, motivate and retain the Company’s employees, directors and consultants, and provide them with the incentives to pursue the long-term profitability and success of the Company. In this regard, the Company believes that its equity awards promote achievement of longer term corporate goals, align the interests of plan participants with those of the Company’s shareholders and serve as an important element in the Company’s provision of equity compensation that is competitive with other companies seeking comparable talent. In addition, the Company’s equity awards are an important component of the Company’s compensation program and reinforce a pay-for-performance culture. The number of shares that remained available under the Original 2018 Plan was not sufficient to meet the Company’s anticipated needs with respect to the Company’s equity compensation program beyond 2021.

Limitations on Number of Shares Issuable. The Amended 2018 Plan eliminates the limitation in the Original 2018 Plan relating to the maximum number of shares that may be issued pursuant to all awards granted in a fiscal year. The Amended 2018 Plan modifies the limitation on the maximum number of shares that may be subject to grants of incentive stock options from 4,600,000 shares to 16,927,194 shares. The Amended 2018 Plan modifies the limit on the maximum number of shares that may be issued in connection with an award to any one individual during any one fiscal year from 300,000 shares to 600,000 shares.

 

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Reduction of Shares Available for Awards. The Amended 2018 Plan modifies how to calculate the number of shares available for future awards after the grant of an award. Under the Original 2018 Plan, the number of shares of common stock available for future awards is reduced by the full number of shares of common stock subject to any award granted. Under the Amended 2018 Plan, the number of shares of common stock available for future awards is reduced by the full number of shares of common stock subject to any award of options or stock appreciation rights and is reduced by 3.32 shares for every 1 share of common stock subject to an award that may be settled in shares of common stock other than options and stock appreciation rights.

Dividends or Dividend Equivalents. The Amended 2018 Plan provides that no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be paid to participants until such awards vest. In the event that the Compensation Committee provides for the accrual of dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to an award under the Amended 2018 Plan, such dividends or dividend equivalents will be subject to the same terms and conditions as, and shall in no event be paid prior to the vesting of, the award to which they relate.

The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company approved the Amended ESPP Plan, subject to shareholder approval. The Compensation Committee and Board of Directors originally approved The GEO Group, Inc. 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP Plan”) on May 4, 2011 and the ESPP Plan became effective on July 9, 2011, subject to obtaining shareholder approval, which was obtained at the annual shareholders meeting held on May 4, 2012. The Compensation Committee approved the Amended ESPP Plan on March 16, 2021 in order to maintain the qualification of the Amended ESPP Plan under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”) and extend the term of the Amended ESPP Plan as otherwise the ESPP Plan would terminate on June 30, 2021, the last purchase date immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the ESPP Plan. The terms of the Amended ESPP Plan are consistent with the terms of the ESPP Plan and have not been modified from a substantive perspective other than to extend the term of the ESPP Plan and to delete references to pre-approval offering periods and the purchase date for the pre-approval offering periods which are no longer relevant since shareholder approval for the ESPP Plan was obtained on May 4, 2012. The summary of the principal provisions of the Amended ESPP Plan that modify the ESPP Plan presented above is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Amended ESPP Plan, set forth as Exhibit 10.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

 

Item 5.07.

Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

The GEO 2021 Annual Meeting was held on April 28, 2021. The following matters were voted on at the Annual Meeting: (1) the election of nine directors for a term of one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, (2) the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP to serve as GEO’s independent registered public accountants for the 2021 fiscal year, (3) the approval, in a non-binding advisory vote, of the compensation paid to GEO’s named executive officers, as disclosed in GEO’s Proxy Statement for the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and narrative discussion, (4) the approval of The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2018 Stock Incentive Plan, (5) the approval of The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and (6) a shareholder proposal regarding an annual Lobbying Report. The final voting results for each matter submitted to a vote of shareholders at the meeting are set forth below.

 

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1.     All of the Board’s director nominees were elected for a term of one year and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, by the votes set forth in the table below:

 

     Votes For      Votes
Withheld
     Broker
Non-Votes
 

Anne N. Foreman

     53,896,361        3,143,018        28,613,606  

Richard H. Glanton

     52,457,228        4,582,151        28,613,606  

Jose Gordo

     53,774,659        3,264,720        28,613,606  

Duane Helkowski

     55,489,435        1,549,944        28,613,606  

Scott M. Kernan

     54,236,894        2,802,485        28,613,606  

Guido Van Hauwermeiren

     55,509,275        1,530,104        28,613,606  

Christopher C. Wheeler

     54,241,540        2,797,839        28,613,606  

Julie Myers Wood

     51,591,184        5,448,195        28,613,606  

George C. Zoley

     54,777,672        2,797,839        28,613,606  

2.    The appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as GEO’s independent registered public accountants for the 2021 fiscal year was ratified by the shareholders, by the votes set forth in the table below:

 

For:

     84,587,127  

Against:

     672,005  

Abstain:

     393,853  

Broker Non-Votes:

     0  

3.    The shareholders approved, in a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of GEO’s named executive officers, by the votes set forth in the table below:

 

For:

     52,835,279  

Against:

     3,762,935  

Abstain:

     441,165  

Broker Non-Votes:

     28,613,606  

4.    The shareholders approved The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2018 Stock Incentive Plan, by the votes set forth in the table below:

 

For:

     50,361,744  

Against:

     6,266,702  

Abstain:

     410,933  

Broker Non-Votes:

     28,613,606  

5.    The shareholders approved The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, by the votes set forth in the table below:

 

For:

     54,848,708  

Against:

     1,840,892  

Abstain:

     349,779  

Broker Non-Votes:

     28,613,606  

 

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6.    The shareholders approved the shareholder proposal regarding the preparation of an annual Lobbying Report, by the votes set forth in the table below:

 

For:

     37,457,237  

Against:

     19,025,357  

Abstain:

     556,785  

Broker Non-Votes:

     28,613,606  

 

Section 9

Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

Item 9.01.

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

10.1    The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated 2018 Stock Incentive Plan
10.2    The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan
104    Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document).

 

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SIGNATURES

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.

 

    THE GEO GROUP, INC.

May 4, 2021

    By:  

/s/ Brian R. Evans

Date       Brian R. Evans
      Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
      (Principal Financial Officer)

 

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Exhibit 10.1

THE GEO GROUP, INC.

AMENDED AND RESTATED

2018 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

1. ESTABLISHMENT, EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM

The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation (“GEO”) has previously established The GEO Group, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan, effective March 9, 2018. GEO hereby amends and restates The GEO Group, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan as the Amended and Restated The GEO Group, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The effective date of this amendment (the “Amendment Effective Date”) shall be the date that this amendment and restatement is approved by the shareholders of the Company. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 16(l) hereof, the Plan shall terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Amendment Effective Date. Capitalized terms used herein are defined in Annex A attached hereto.

2. PURPOSE

The purpose of the Plan is to enable GEO to attract, retain, reward and motivate Eligible Individuals by providing them with an opportunity to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in GEO and to incentivize them to expend maximum effort for the growth and success of the Company, so as to strengthen the mutuality of the interests between the Eligible Individuals and the shareholders of GEO.

3. ELIGIBILITY

Awards may be granted under the Plan to any Eligible Individual, as determined by the Committee from time to time, on the basis of their importance to the business of the Company pursuant to the terms of the Plan.

4. ADMINISTRATION

(a) Committee. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board. The Board (or those members of the Board who are “independent directors” under the corporate governance requirements of the Listing Market) may, in its discretion, take any action and exercise any power, privilege or discretion conferred on the Committee under the Plan with the same force and effect under the Plan as if done or exercised by the Committee. The Committee shall have full and final authority, subject to and consistent with the provisions of the Plan, to select Eligible Individuals to become Participants, grant Awards, determine the type, number and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, Awards, prescribe Award Agreements (which need not be identical for each Participant) and rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan, construe and interpret the Plan and Award Agreements and correct defects, supply omissions or reconcile inconsistencies therein, and to make all other decisions and determinations as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan. In exercising any discretion granted to the Committee under the Plan or pursuant to any Award, the Committee shall not be required to follow past practices, act in a manner consistent with past practices, or treat any Eligible Individual or Participant in a manner consistent with the treatment of any other Eligible Individual. The Committee cannot grant reload or other automatic Awards made upon exercise of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights under the Plan.

(b) Delegation to Officers or Employees. The Committee may designate officers or employees of the Company to assist the Committee in the administration of the Plan. The Committee may delegate authority to officers or employees of the Company to grant Awards and execute Award Agreements or other documents on behalf of the Committee in connection with the administration of the Plan, subject to whatever limitations or restrictions the Committee may impose in accordance with applicable law and to the extent that such delegation will not result in the loss of an exemption under Rule 16b-3(d)(1) for Awards granted to Participants subject to Section 16 of the

 

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Exchange Act in respect of the Company and will not result in a related-person transaction with an executive officer required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K (in accordance with Instruction 5.a.ii thereunder) under the Exchange Act.

(c) Designation of Advisors. The Committee may designate professional advisors to assist the Committee in the administration of the Plan. The Committee may employ such legal counsel, consultants, and agents as it may deem desirable for the administration of the Plan and may rely upon any advice and any computation received from any such counsel, consultant, or agent. The Company shall pay all expenses and costs incurred by the Committee for the engagement of any such counsel, consultant, or agent.

(d) Participants Outside the U.S. In order to conform with the provisions of local laws and regulations in foreign countries in which the Company operates, the Committee shall have the sole discretion to (i) modify the terms and conditions of the Awards granted under the Plan to Eligible Individuals located outside the United States; (ii) establish subplans with such modifications as may be necessary or advisable under the circumstances present by local laws and regulations; and (iii) take any action which it deems advisable to comply with or otherwise reflect any necessary governmental regulatory procedures, or to obtain any exemptions or approvals necessary with respect to the Plan or any subplan established hereunder.

(e) Liability and Indemnification. No Covered Individual shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan, any Award granted hereunder or any Award Agreement entered into hereunder. The Company shall, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of GEO, indemnify and hold harmless each Covered Individual against any cost or expense (including reasonable attorney fees reasonably acceptable to the Company) or liability (including any amount paid in settlement of a claim with the approval of the Company), and amounts advanced to such Covered Individual necessary to pay the foregoing at the earliest time and to the fullest extent permitted, arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan, any Award granted hereunder or any Award Agreement entered into hereunder. Such indemnification shall be in addition to any rights of indemnification such individuals may have under applicable law or under the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of GEO. Notwithstanding anything else herein, this indemnification will not apply to the actions or determinations made by a Covered Individual with regard to Awards granted to such Covered Individual under the Plan or arising out of such Covered Individual’s own fraud or bad faith.

5. SHARES OF COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN

(a) Shares Available for Awards. The Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be treasury shares or authorized but unissued shares of the Common Stock. The total number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be Sixteen Million Nine Hundred Twenty-Seven Thousand One Hundred Ninety-Four (16,927,194) Shares, including One Hundred Twenty Seven Thousand One Hundred Ninety-Four (127,194) shares that were available for issuance prior to Amendment Effective Date.

(b) Certain Limitations on Specific Types of Awards. The granting of Awards under this Plan shall be subject to the following limitations:

(i) With respect to the shares of Common Stock reserved pursuant to this Section, a maximum of Sixteen Million Nine Hundred Twenty-Seven Thousand One Hundred Ninety-Four (16,927,194) of such shares may be subject to grants of Incentive Stock Options;

(ii) With respect to the shares of Common Stock reserved pursuant to this Section, a maximum of six hundred thousand (600,000) of such shares may be issued in connection with Awards that are settled in Common Stock to any one Eligible Individual during any one fiscal year; and

(iii) The maximum value at Grant Date of Awards that may be granted to any Non-Employee Director during any one fiscal year shall be $500,000.

 

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(c) Reduction of Shares Available for Awards. Upon the granting of an Award, the number of shares of Common Stock available under this Section hereof for the granting of further Awards shall be reduced as follows:

(i) In connection with the granting of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the number of shares of Common Stock shall be reduced by the full number of shares of Common Stock subject to the Option or Stock Appreciation Right; and

(ii) In connection with the granting of an Award that may be settled in Common Stock, other than the granting of an Option or Stock Appreciation Right, the number of shares of Common Stock shall be reduced by 3.32 shares of Common Stock subject to the Award.

(d) Cancelled, Forfeited, or Surrendered Awards. If any Award that may be settled in Common Stock is cancelled, forfeited, terminated or settled in cash for any reason, the shares of Common Stock that were subject to such Award shall, to the extent cancelled, forfeited, terminated or settled in cash, immediately become available for future Awards granted under the Plan as if said Award had never been granted; provided, however, that any shares of Common Stock subject to an Award which are tendered, cancelled, forfeited, withheld or terminated in order to pay the Exercise Price, purchase price or any taxes or tax withholdings on an Award shall not be available for future Awards granted under the Plan. Shares of Common Stock that have been repurchased by the Company using the proceeds from Stock Option exercise shall not be available for future Awards granted under the Plan.

(e) Recapitalization. If the outstanding shares of Common Stock are increased or decreased or changed into or exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of GEO by reason of any recapitalization, reclassification, reorganization, stock split, reverse split, combination of shares, exchange of shares, stock dividend or other distribution payable in capital stock of GEO or other increase or decrease in such shares effected without receipt of consideration by GEO occurring after the Effective Date, an appropriate and proportionate adjustment shall be made by the Committee to (i) the aggregate number and kind of shares of Common Stock available under the Plan (including, but not limited to, the aggregate limits of the number of shares of Common Stock described in Sections 5(c)(i) and (ii), (ii) the limits on the number of shares of Common Stock that may be granted to an Eligible Employee in any one fiscal year, (iii) the calculation of the reduction of shares of Common Stock available under the Plan, (iv) the number and kind of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise (or vesting) of outstanding Awards granted under the Plan; (v) the Exercise Price of outstanding Options granted under the Plan, and/or (vi) the number of shares of Common Stock subject to Awards granted to Non-Employee Directors under Section 10. No fractional shares of Common Stock or units of other securities shall be issued pursuant to any such adjustment under this Section 5(f), and any fractions resulting from any such adjustment shall be eliminated in each case by rounding downward to the nearest whole share or unit. In furtherance of the foregoing, a Participant shall have a legal right to an adjustment to an outstanding Award that constitutes a “share-based payment arrangement” in the event of an “equity restructuring,” as such terms are defined under FASB ASC Topic 718, which adjustment shall preserve without enlarging the value of the Award to the Participant. Any adjustments made under this Section 5(f) with respect to any Incentive Stock Options must be made in accordance with Code Section 424.

6. OPTIONS

(a)    Grant of Options. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may grant to such Eligible Individuals as the Committee may determine, Options to purchase such number of shares of Common Stock and on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. Each grant of an Option shall satisfy the requirements set forth in this Section.

(b) Type of Options. Each Option granted under the Plan may be designated by the Committee, in its sole discretion, as either (i) an Incentive Stock Option, or (ii) a Non-Qualified Stock Option. Options designated as Incentive Stock Options that fail to continue to meet the requirements of Code Section 422 shall be re-designated

 

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as Non-Qualified Stock Options automatically on the date of such failure to continue to meet such requirements without further action by the Committee. In the absence of any designation, Options granted under the Plan will be deemed to be Non-Qualified Stock Options.

(c) Exercise Price. Subject to the limitations set forth in the Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options, the Exercise Price of an Option shall be fixed by the Committee and stated in the respective Award Agreement, provided that the Exercise Price of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option may not be less than Fair Market Value of such Common Stock on the Grant Date, or if greater, the par value of the Common Stock.

(d) Limitation on Option Period. Subject to the limitations set forth in the Plan relating to Incentive Stock Options, Options granted under the Plan and all rights to purchase Common Stock thereunder shall terminate no later than the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date of such Options, or on such earlier date as may be stated in the Award Agreement relating to such Option. In the case of Options expiring prior to the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date, the Committee may in its discretion, at any time prior to the expiration or termination of said Options, extend the term of any such Options for such additional period as it may determine, but in no event beyond the tenth anniversary of the Grant Date thereof.

(e) Limitations on Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Plan, the following provisions shall apply with respect to Incentive Stock Options granted pursuant to the Plan.

(i) Limitation on Grants. Incentive Stock Options may only be granted to Section 424 Employees. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time such Incentive Stock Option is granted) of the shares of Common Stock for which any individual may have Incentive Stock Options which first become vested and exercisable in any calendar year (under all incentive stock option plans of the Company) shall not exceed $100,000. Options granted to such individual in excess of the $100,000 limitation, and any Options issued subsequently which first become vested and exercisable in the same calendar year, shall automatically be treated as Non-Qualified Stock Options.

(ii) Minimum Exercise Price. In no event may the Exercise Price of a share of Common Stock subject to an Incentive Stock Option be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share of Common Stock on the Grant Date.

(iii) Ten Percent Shareholder. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, in the case of Incentive Stock Options granted to a Section 424 Employee who, at the time the Option is granted, owns (after application of the rules set forth in Code Section 424(d)) stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of GEO, such Incentive Stock Options (i) must have an Exercise Price per share of Common Stock that is at least 110% of the Fair Market Value as of the Grant Date of a share of Common Stock, and (ii) must not be exercisable after the fifth anniversary of the Grant Date.

(f) Vesting Schedule and Conditions. Subject to Section 10 of the Plan, no Options may be exercised prior to the satisfaction of the conditions and vesting schedule provided for in the Award Agreement relating thereto.

(g) Exercise. When the conditions to the exercise of an Option have been satisfied, the Participant may exercise the Option only in accordance with the following provisions. The Participant shall deliver to GEO a written notice stating that the Participant is exercising the Option and specifying the number of shares of Common Stock which are to be purchased pursuant to the Option, and such notice shall be accompanied by payment in full of the Exercise Price of the shares for which the Option is being exercised, by one or more of the methods provided for in the Plan. An attempt to exercise any Option granted hereunder other than as set forth in the Plan shall be invalid and of no force and effect.

(h) Payment. Payment of the Exercise Price for the shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option shall be made by one of the following methods:

(i) by cash, certified or cashier’s check, bank draft or money order;

 

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(ii) through the delivery to GEO of shares of Common Stock which have been previously owned by the Participant for the requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to GEO’s earnings for financial reporting purposes; such shares shall be valued, for purposes of determining the extent to which the Exercise Price has been paid thereby, at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise; without limiting the foregoing, the Committee may require the Participant to furnish an opinion of counsel acceptable to the Committee to the effect that such delivery would not result in GEO incurring any liability under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act; or

(iii) by any other method which the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion and to the extent permitted by applicable law, may permit, including, but not limited to, any of the following: (A) through a “cashless exercise sale and remittance procedure” pursuant to which the Participant shall concurrently provide irrevocable instructions (1) to a brokerage firm approved by the Committee to effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and remit to GEO, out of the sale proceeds available on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the aggregate Exercise Price payable for the purchased shares plus all applicable federal, state and local income, employment, excise, foreign and other taxes required to be withheld by the Company by reason of such exercise and (2) to GEO to deliver the certificates for the purchased shares directly to such brokerage firm in order to complete the sale; or (B) by any other method as may be permitted by the Committee.

(i) Termination of Employment, Disability or Death. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, upon the termination of the employment or other service of a Participant with Company for any reason, all of the Participant’s outstanding Options (whether vested or unvested) shall be subject to the rules of this paragraph. Upon such termination, the Participant’s unvested Options shall expire. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee may provide, in its sole and absolute discretion, that following the termination of employment or other service of a Participant with the Company for any reason (i) any unvested Options held by the Participant that vest solely upon a future service requirement shall vest in whole or in part, at any time subsequent to such termination of employment or other service, and/or (ii) a Participant or the Participant’s estate, devisee or heir at law (whichever is applicable), may exercise an Option, in whole or in part, at any time subsequent to such termination of employment or other service and prior to the termination of the Option pursuant to its terms. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, temporary absence from employment because of illness, vacation, approved leaves of absence or military service shall not constitute a termination of employment or other service.

(i) Termination for Reason Other Than Cause, Disability or Death. If a Participant’s termination of employment or other service is for any reason other than death, Disability, Cause or a voluntary termination within ninety (90) days after occurrence of an event which would be grounds for termination of employment or other service by the Company for Cause, any Option held by such Participant, may be exercised, to the extent exercisable at termination, by the Participant at any time within a period not to exceed ninety (90) days from the date of such termination, but in no event after the termination of the Option pursuant to its terms.

(ii) Disability. If a Participant’s termination of employment or other service with the Company is by reason of a Disability of such Participant, the Participant shall have the right at any time within a period not to exceed one (1) year after such termination, but in no event after the termination of the Option pursuant to its terms, to exercise, in whole or in part, any vested portion of the Option held by such Participant at the date of such termination; provided, however, that if the Participant dies within such period, any vested Option held by such Participant upon death shall be exercisable by the Participant’s estate, devisee or heir at law (whichever is applicable) for a period not to exceed one (1) year after the Participant’s death, but in no event after the termination of the Option pursuant to its terms.

(iii) Death. If a Participant dies while in the employment or other service of the Company, the Participant’s estate or the devisee named in the Participant’s valid last will and testament or the Participant’s heir at law who inherits the Option has the right, at any time within a period not to exceed one (1) year after the date of such Participant’s death, but in no event after the termination of the Option pursuant to its terms, to exercise, in whole or in part, any portion of the vested Option held by such Participant at the date of such Participant’s death.

 

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(iv) Termination for Cause. In the event the termination is for Cause or is a voluntary termination within ninety (90) days after occurrence of an event which would be grounds for termination of employment or other service by the Company for Cause (without regard to any notice or cure period requirement), any Option held by the Participant at the time of such termination shall be deemed to have terminated and expired upon the date of such termination.

7. STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

(a) Grant of Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may grant to such Eligible Individuals as the Committee may determine, Stock Appreciation Rights, in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. Each grant of a Stock Appreciation Right shall satisfy the requirements as set forth in this Section.

(b) Terms and Conditions of Stock Appreciation Rights. The terms and conditions (including, without limitation, the limitations on the Exercise Price, exercise period, repricing and termination) of the Stock Appreciation Right shall be substantially identical (to the extent possible taking into account the differences related to the character of the Stock Appreciation Right) to the terms and conditions that would have been applicable under Section 6 above were the grant of the Stock Appreciation Rights a grant of an Option.

(c) Exercise of Stock Appreciation Rights. Stock Appreciation Rights shall be exercised by a Participant only by written notice delivered to the General Counsel of GEO, specifying the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Right is being exercised.

(d) Payment of Stock Appreciation Right. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, upon exercise of a Stock Appreciation Right, the Participant or Participant’s estate, devisee or heir at law (whichever is applicable) shall be entitled to receive payment, in cash, in shares of Common Stock, or in a combination thereof, as determined by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion. The amount of such payment shall be determined by multiplying the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of exercise over the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Grant Date, by the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which the Stock Appreciation Rights are then being exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may limit in any manner the amount payable with respect to a Stock Appreciation Right by including such limitation in the Award Agreement.

8. RESTRICTED STOCK

(a) Grant of Restricted Stock. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may grant to such Eligible Individuals as the Committee may determine, Restricted Stock, in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. Each grant of Restricted Stock shall satisfy the requirements as set forth in this Section.

(b) Restrictions. The Committee shall impose such restrictions on any Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan as it may deem advisable.

(c) Certificates and Certificate Legend. With respect to a grant of Restricted Stock, the Company may issue a certificate evidencing such Restricted Stock to the Participant or issue and hold such shares of Restricted Stock for the benefit of the Participant until the applicable restrictions expire. The Company may legend the certificate representing Restricted Stock to give appropriate notice of such restrictions. In addition to any such legends, each certificate representing shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to the Plan shall bear the following legend:

“The sale or other transfer of the shares of stock represented by this certificate, whether voluntary, involuntary, or by operation of law, are subject to certain terms, conditions, and restrictions on transfer as set forth in The GEO Group, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), and in an Agreement entered into by and between the registered owner of such shares and The GEO Group, Inc. (the “Company”), dated         , 20     (the “Award Agreement”). A copy of the Plan and the Award Agreement may be obtained from the Secretary of the Company.”

 

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(d) Removal of Restrictions. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, shares of Restricted Stock shall become freely transferable by the Participant upon the lapse of the applicable restrictions. Once the shares of Restricted Stock are released from the restrictions, the Participant shall be entitled to have the legend required by paragraph (c) above removed from the share certificate evidencing such Restricted Stock and the Company shall pay or distribute to the Participant all dividends and distributions held in escrow by the Company with respect to such Restricted Stock.

(e) Shareholder Rights. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, until the expiration of all applicable restrictions, (i) the Restricted Stock shall be treated as outstanding, and (ii) the Participant holding shares of Restricted Stock may exercise full voting rights with respect to such shares.

(f) Termination of Service. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, if a Participant’s employment or other service with the Company terminates for any reason, all unvested shares of Restricted Stock held by the Participant and any dividends or distributions held in escrow by GEO with respect to such Restricted Stock shall be forfeited immediately and returned to the Company. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee may provide, in its sole and absolute discretion, that following the termination of employment or other service of a Participant with the Company for any reason, any unvested shares of Restricted Stock held by the Participant that vest solely upon a future service requirement shall vest in whole or in part, at any time subsequent to such termination of employment or other service.

9. RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS

(a) Grant of Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may grant to such Eligible Individuals as the Committee may determine. a right to receive Common Stock upon vesting or at the end of a specified deferral period, with any risks of forfeiture or other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose.

(b) Shareholder Rights. Except as otherwise provided in Section 16(d) of the Plan, a Restricted Stock Unit carries no voting or dividend or other rights associated with respect to such underlying Commons Stock prior to the issuance of such shares.

(c) Termination of Service. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, if a Participant’s employment or other service with the Company terminates for any reason prior vesting, all unvested Restricted Stock Units held by the Participant shall be forfeited. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee may provide, in its sole and absolute discretion, that following the termination of employment or other service of a Participant with the Company for any reason, any unvested Restricted Stock Units held by the Participant that vest solely upon a future service requirement shall vest in whole or in part, at any time subsequent to such termination of employment or other service.

10. PERFORMANCE AWARDS

(i) Grant of Performance Awards. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may grant to such Eligible Individuals as the Committee may determine, Performance Shares, Performance Share Units and Performance Units, in such amounts and on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. Each grant of a Performance Award shall satisfy the requirements as set forth in this Section. Performance Shares shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Section 8 of the Plan and Performance Share Units and Performance Units shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Section 9 of the Plan.

(ii) Performance Goals. Performance Goals will be based on one or more of the following criteria, as determined by the Committee in its absolute and sole discretion: (i) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a specified increase in, GEO’s enterprise value or value creation targets; (ii) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a percentage increase in, GEO’s after-tax or pre-tax profits including, without limitation, that attributable to

 

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GEO’s continuing and/or other operations; (iii) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a specified increase relating to, GEO’s operational cash flow or working capital, or a component thereof; (iv) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a specified decrease relating to, GEO’s operational costs, or a component thereof (v) the attainment of a certain level of reduction of, or other specified objectives with regard to limiting the level of increase in all or a portion of bank debt or other of GEO’s long-term or short-term public or private debt or other similar financial obligations of GEO, which may be calculated net of cash balances and/or other offsets and adjustments as may be established by the Committee; (vi) the attainment of a specified percentage increase in earnings per share or earnings per share from GEO’s continuing operations; (vii) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a specified percentage increase in, GEO’s net sales, revenues, net income or earnings before income tax or other exclusions; (viii) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a specified increase in, GEO’s return on capital employed or return on invested capital; (ix) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a percentage increase in, GEO’s after-tax or pre-tax return on shareholder equity; (x) the attainment of certain target levels in the fair market value of GEO’s Common Stock; (xi) the growth in the value of an investment in the Common Stock assuming the reinvestment of dividends; and/or (xii) the attainment of certain target levels of, or a specified increase in, EBITDA (earnings before income tax, depreciation and amortization). In addition, Performance Goals may be based upon the attainment by a subsidiary, division or other operational unit of GEO of specified levels of performance under one or more of the measures described above. Further, the Performance Goals may be based upon the attainment by GEO (or a subsidiary, division, facility or other operational unit of GEO) of specified levels of performance under one or more of the foregoing measures relative to the performance of other corporations. The Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion: (i) designate additional business criteria upon which the Performance Goals may be based; (ii) modify, amend or adjust the business criteria described herein; or (iii) incorporate in the Performance Goals provisions regarding changes in accounting methods, corporate transactions (including, without limitation, dispositions or acquisitions) and similar events or circumstances. Performance Goals may include a threshold level of performance below which no Performance Award will be earned, levels of performance at which a Performance Award will become partially earned and a level at which a Performance Award will be fully earned.

(iii) Terms and Conditions of Performance Awards. The applicable Award Agreement shall set forth the number and type of Performance Awards; (ii) the Performance Period; and the Performance Goals with respect to each such Performance Award; (iii) the maximum shares of Common Stock that may be issued pursuant to a Performance Award and (iv) any other terms and conditions as the Committee determines in its sole and absolute discretion. The Committee shall establish, in its sole and absolute discretion, the Performance Goals for the applicable Performance Period for each Performance Award granted hereunder. Performance Goals for different Participants and for different grants of Performance Awards need not be identical. The Committee may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with Performance Awards, but may not exercise discretion to increase any amount payable in respect of a Performance Award. A holder of a Performance Award is not entitled to the rights of a holder of Common Stock.

(iv) Determination and Payment of Performance Awards. As soon as practicable after the end of a Performance Period, the Committee shall determine the extent to which Performance Awards have been earned on the basis of the Company’s actual performance in relation to the established Performance Goals as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement and shall certify these results in writing. As soon as practicable after the Committee has determined that an amount is payable or should be distributed with respect to a Performance Share Unit or Performance Unit, but in any event no later than 70 days following the end of the applicable Performance Period, the Committee shall cause the amount of such Performance Share Unit or Performance Unit to be paid or distributed to the Participant or the Participant’s estate, devisee or heir at law (whichever is applicable). For purposes of making payment or a distribution with respect to a Performance Cash Unit, the value of a share of Common Stock shall be determined by the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the day the Committee designates the Performance Cash Units to be payable.

(v) Termination of Employment. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, if a Participant’s employment or other service with the Company terminates for any reason, all of the Participant’s outstanding Performance Awards shall be subject to the rules of this Section 10.

 

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(vi) Termination for Reason Other Than Death or Disability. If a Participant’s employment or other service with the Company terminates prior to the expiration of a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Awards held by such Participant for any reason other than death or Disability, the outstanding Performance Awards held by such Participant for which the Performance Period has not yet expired shall terminate upon such termination and the Participant shall have no further rights pursuant to such Performance Awards.

(vii) Termination of Employment for Death or Disability. If a Participant’s employment or other service with the Company terminates by reason of the Participant’s death or Disability prior to the end of a Performance Period, the Participant, or the Participant’s estate, devisee or heir at law (whichever is applicable) shall be entitled to a payment or vesting, as the case may be, of the Participant’s outstanding Performance Awards at the end of the applicable Performance Period, pursuant to the terms of the Plan and the Participant’s Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Participant shall be deemed to have earned only that proportion (to the nearest whole unit or share) of the Performance Awards granted to the Participant under such Performance Award as the number of full months of the Performance Period which have elapsed since the first day of the Performance Period for which the Performance Award was granted to the end of the month in which the Participant’s termination of employment or other service, bears to the total number of months in the Performance Period, subject to the attainment of the Performance Goals associated with the Award as certified by the Committee. The right to any remaining Performance Awards shall be canceled and forfeited.

11. VESTING OF AWARDS

Subject to Sections 13 and 14 of the Plan, all Awards under this Plan shall have a minimum vesting schedule of at least one year following the Grant Date. Notwithstanding this minimum vesting requirement, the Committee may impose a vesting schedule of less than one year from the Grant Date on Awards; provided, however, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under this Plan with respect to Awards having a vesting schedule of less than one year shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under this Plan. Awards granted to a Non-Employee Director in lieu of cash compensation shall not be subject to any minimum vesting requirements.

12. OTHER AWARDS

Awards of shares of Common Stock, phantom stock, and other awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, Common Stock, may also be made, from time to time, to Eligible Individuals as may be selected by the Committee. Such Common Stock may be issued in satisfaction of awards granted under any other plan sponsored by the Company or compensation payable to an Eligible Individual. In addition, such awards may be made alone or in addition to or in connection with any other Award granted hereunder. The Committee may determine the terms and conditions of any such award. Each such award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Eligible Individual and the Company which shall specify the number of shares of Common Stock subject to the award, any consideration therefore, any vesting or performance requirements and such other terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion. With respect to the Awards that may be issued solely pursuant to this Section 12 and not pursuant to any other provision of the Plan, a maximum number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which such Awards may be issued, shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan, as described in Section 5(a) of the Plan.

13. CHANGE IN CONTROL

Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of GEO, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion, provide on a case by case basis that (i) some or all outstanding Awards may become immediately exercisable or vested, without regard to any limitation imposed pursuant to this Plan, (ii) that all Awards shall terminate, provided that Participants shall have the right, immediately prior to the occurrence of such Change in Control and during such reasonable period as the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine and designate, to exercise any vested Award in whole or in part, (iii) that all Awards

 

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shall terminate, provided that Participants shall be entitled to a cash payment equal to the Change in Control Price with respect to shares subject to the vested portion of the Award net of the Exercise Price thereof (if applicable), (iv) provide that, in connection with a liquidation or dissolution of GEO, Awards shall convert into the right to receive liquidation proceeds net of the Exercise Price (if applicable) and (v) any combination of the foregoing. In the event that the Committee does not terminate or convert an Award upon a Change in Control of GEO, then the Award shall be assumed, or substantially equivalent Awards shall be substituted, by the acquiring, or succeeding corporation (or an affiliate thereof).

14. CHANGE IN STATUS OF PARENT OR SUBSIDIARY

Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement or otherwise determined by the Committee, in the event that an entity or business unit which was previously a part of the Company is no longer a part of the Company, as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, the Committee may, in its sole and absolute discretion: (i) provide on a case by case basis that some or all outstanding Awards held by a Participant employed by or performing service for such entity or business unit may become immediately exercisable or vested, without regard to any limitation imposed pursuant to this Plan; (ii) provide on a case by case basis that some or all outstanding Awards held by a Participant employed by or performing service for such entity or business unit may remain outstanding, may continue to vest, and/or may remain exercisable for a period not exceeding one (1) year, subject to the terms of the Award Agreement and this Plan; and/or (ii) treat the employment or other services of a Participant employed by such entity or business unit as terminated if such Participant is not employed by GEO or any entity that is a part of the Company immediately after such event.

15. REQUIREMENTS OF LAW

(a) Violations of Law. The Company shall not be required to sell or issue any shares of Common Stock under any Award if the sale or issuance of such shares would constitute a violation by the individual exercising the Award, the Participant or the Company of any provisions of any law or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation any provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and any other federal or state securities laws or regulations. Any determination in this connection by the Committee shall be final, binding, and conclusive. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the exercise of an Award, the issuance of shares pursuant thereto or the grant of an Award to comply with any law or regulation of any governmental authority.

(b) Registration. At the time of any exercise or receipt of any Award, the Company may, if it shall determine it necessary or desirable for any reason, require the Participant (or Participant’s heirs, legatees or legal representative, as the case may be), as a condition to the exercise or grant thereof, to deliver to the Company a written representation of present intention to hold the shares for their own account as an investment and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, the distribution of such shares, except in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws with respect thereto. In the event such representation is required to be delivered, an appropriate legend may be placed upon each certificate delivered to the Participant (or Participant’s heirs, legatees or legal representative, as the case may be) upon the Participant’s exercise of part or all of the Award or receipt of an Award and a stop transfer order may be placed with the transfer agent. Each Award shall also be subject to the requirement that, if at any time the Company determines, in its discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of the shares subject to the Award upon any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body, is necessary or desirable as a condition of or in connection with, the issuance or purchase of the shares thereunder, the Award may not be exercised in whole or in part and the restrictions on an Award may not be removed unless such listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company in its sole discretion. The Participant shall provide the Company with any certificates, representations and information that the Company requests and shall otherwise cooperate with the Company in obtaining any listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval that the Company deems necessary or appropriate. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the

 

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exercisability or vesting of an Award, to cause the exercise of an Award or the issuance of shares pursuant thereto, or to cause the grant of Award to comply with any law or regulation of any governmental authority.

(c) Withholding. The Committee may make such provisions and take such steps as it may deem necessary or appropriate for the withholding of any taxes that the Company is required by any law or regulation of any governmental authority, whether federal, state or local, domestic or foreign, to withhold in connection with the grant or exercise of an Award, or the removal of restrictions on an Award including, but not limited to: (i) the withholding of delivery of shares of Common Stock until the holder reimburses the Company for the amount the Company is required to withhold with respect to such taxes; (ii) the canceling of any number of shares of Common Stock issuable in an amount sufficient to reimburse the Company for the amount it is required to so withhold; (iii) withholding the amount due from any such person’s wages or compensation due to such person; or (iv) requiring the Participant to pay the Company cash in the amount the Company is required to withhold with respect to such taxes.

(d) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Florida.

16. GENERAL PROVISIONS

(a) Award Agreements. All Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement. Each Award Agreement shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award granted and shall contain any additional provisions as the Committee shall deem appropriate, in its sole and absolute discretion (including, to the extent that the Committee deems appropriate, provisions relating to confidentiality, non-competition, non-solicitation and similar matters). The terms of each Award Agreement need not be identical for Eligible Individuals provided that all Award Agreements comply with the terms of the Plan.

(b) Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. No dividends or Dividend Equivalents shall be paid to Participants with respect to unvested Awards until such Awards vest. In the event that the Committee provides for the accrual of dividends or dividend equivalents with respect to an Award, such dividends or dividend equivalents shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as, and shall in no event be paid prior to the vesting of, the Award to which they relate.

(c) Exemptions from Section 16(b) Liability. It is the intent of the Company that the grant of any Awards to or other transaction by a Participant who is subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act shall be exempt from Section 16 pursuant to an applicable exemption (except for transactions acknowledged in writing to be non-exempt by such Participant and sales transactions to persons other than the Company). Accordingly, if any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement does not comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 then applicable to any such transaction, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to the applicable requirements of Rule 16b-3 so that such Participant shall avoid liability under Section 16(b). In the event Rule 16b-3 is revised or replaced, the Board, or the Committee acting on behalf of the Board, may exercise discretion to modify this Plan in any respect necessary to satisfy the requirements of the revised exemption or its replacement.

(d) Purchase Price. To the extent the purchase price of any Award granted hereunder is less than par value of a share of Common Stock and such purchase price is not permitted by applicable law, the per share purchase price shall be deemed to be equal to the par value of a share of Common Stock.

(e) Deferral of Awards. The Committee may from time to time establish procedures pursuant to which a Participant may elect to defer, until a time or times later than the vesting of an Award, receipt of all or a portion of the shares of Common Stock or cash subject to such Award and to receive Common Stock or cash at such later time or times, all on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. The Committee shall not permit the deferral of an Award unless counsel for GEO determines that such action will not result in adverse tax consequences to a Participant under Code Section 409A. If any such deferrals are permitted, then

 

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notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, a Participant who elects to defer receipt of Common Stock shall not have any rights as a shareholder with respect to deferred shares of Common Stock unless and until shares of Common Stock are actually delivered to the Participant with respect thereto, except to the extent otherwise determined by the Committee.

(f) Prospective Employees. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, any Award granted to a Prospective Employee shall not become vested prior to the date the Prospective Employee first becomes an employee of the Company.

(g) Issuance of Certificates; Shareholder Rights. GEO shall deliver to the Participant a certificate evidencing the Participant’s ownership of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Award as soon as administratively practicable after satisfaction of all conditions relating to the issuance of such shares. A Participant shall not have any of the rights of a shareholder with respect to such Common Stock prior to satisfaction of all conditions relating to the issuance of such Common Stock, and, except as expressly provided in the Plan, no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights of any kind for which the record date is prior to the date on which all such conditions have been satisfied.

(h) Transferability of Awards. A Participant may not Transfer an Award other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Awards may be exercised during the Participant’s lifetime only by the Participant. No Award shall be liable for or subject to the debts, contracts, or liabilities of any Participant, nor shall any Award be subject to legal process or attachment for or against such person. Any purported Transfer of an Award in contravention of the provisions of the Plan shall have no force or effect and shall be null and void, and the purported transferee of such Award shall not acquire any rights with respect to such Award. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion permit the Transfer of an Award to a Participant’s “family member” as such term is defined in the Form S-8 Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, under such terms and conditions as specified by the Committee; provided, however, that the Participant will not directly or indirectly receive any payment of value in connection with the transfer of the Award. In such case, such Award shall be exercisable only by the transferee approved of by the Committee. To the extent that the Committee permits the Transfer of an Incentive Stock Option to a “family member”, so that such Option fails to continue to satisfy the requirements of an incentive stock option under the Code such Option shall automatically be re-designated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option.

(i) Buyout and Settlement Provisions. Except as prohibited in Section 16(k)(ii) of the Plan, the Committee may at any time on behalf of GEO offer to buy out any Awards previously granted based on such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine which shall be communicated to the Participants at the time such offer is made.

(j) Use of Proceeds. The proceeds received by GEO from the sale of Common Stock pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall constitute general funds of GEO.

(k) Modification or Substitution of an Award.

(i) Generally. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee may modify outstanding Awards. Notwithstanding the following, no modification of an Award shall adversely affect any rights or obligations of the Participant under the applicable Award Agreement without the Participant’s consent. The Committee in its sole and absolute discretion may rescind, modify, or waive any vesting requirements or other conditions applicable to an Award.

(ii) Limitation on Repricing. Unless such action is approved by GEO’s shareholders in accordance with applicable law: (i) no outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right granted under the Plan may be amended to provide an Exercise Price that is lower than the then-current Exercise Price of such outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right (other than adjustments to the Exercise Price pursuant to Sections 5(f) and 13); (ii) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right when its Exercise Price is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the underlying Common Stock and grant in substitution therefore new

 

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Awards, equity, cash or other property (other than adjustments pursuant to Section 13); (iii) the Committee may not authorize the repurchase of an outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right which has an Exercise Price that is higher than the then-current fair market value of the Common Stock (other than adjustments pursuant to Section 13); (iv) the Committee may not cancel any outstanding Option or Stock Appreciation Right and grant in substitution therefore new Awards as part of a strategy to materially enhance the position of the holder of such Options or Stock Appreciation Rights with respect to their value as of the time of such substitution (other than adjustments pursuant to Section 13), and (v) the Committee may not take any other action that is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles (other than adjustments pursuant to Sections 5(f) and 13). A cancellation and exchange or substitution described in clauses (ii) and (iv) of the preceding sentence will be considered a repricing regardless of whether the Option, Restricted Stock or other equity is delivered simultaneously with the cancellation, regardless of whether it is treated as a repricing under generally accepted accounting principles, and regardless of whether it is voluntary on the part of the Participant.

(l) Amendment and Termination of Plan. The Board may, at any time and from time to time, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as to any shares of Common Stock as to which Awards have not been granted; provided, however, that the approval of the shareholders of GEO in accordance with applicable law and the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of GEO shall be required for any amendment (other than those permitted under Section 5 or 13): (i) that changes the class of individuals eligible to receive Awards under the Plan; (ii) that increases the maximum number of shares of Common Stock in the aggregate that may be subject to Awards that are granted under the Plan; or (iii) that proposes to eliminate a requirement provided herein that the shareholders of GEO must approve an action to be undertaken under the Plan. Except as permitted under Section 5 or Section 13 hereof, no amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall, without the consent of the holder of an Award, alter or impair rights or obligations under any Award theretofore granted under the Plan. Awards granted prior to the termination of the Plan may extend beyond the date the Plan is terminated and shall continue subject to the terms of the Plan as in effect on the date the Plan is terminated.

(m) Code Section 409A. The Award Agreement for any Award that the Committee reasonably determines to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” under Code Section 409A (a “Section 409A Plan”), and the provisions of the Plan applicable to that Award, shall be construed in a manner consistent with the applicable requirements of Code Section 409A, and the Committee, in its sole discretion and without the consent of any Participant, may amend any Award Agreement (and the provisions of the Plan applicable thereto) if and to the extent that the Committee determines that such amendment is necessary or appropriate to comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A. If any Award constitutes a Section 409A Plan, then the Award shall be subject to the following additional requirements, if and to the extent required to comply with Code Section 409A:

(i) Payments under the Section 409A Plan may not be made earlier than (u) the Participant’s “separation from service”, (v) the date the Participant becomes “disabled”, (w) the Participant’s death, (x) a “specified time (or pursuant to a fixed schedule)” specified in the Award Agreement at the date of the deferral of such compensation, (y) a “change in the ownership or effective control of the corporation, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets” of the corporation, or (z) the occurrence of an “unforeseeable emergency”;

(ii) The time or schedule for any payment of the deferred compensation may not be accelerated, except to the extent provided in applicable Treasury Regulations or other applicable guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service;

(iii) Any elections with respect to the deferral of such compensation or the time and form of distribution of such deferred compensation shall comply with the requirements of Code Section 409A(a)(4); and

(iv) In the case of any Participant who is a “specified employee”, a distribution on account of a “separation from service” may not be made before the date which is six months after the date of the Participant’s “separation from service” (or, if earlier, the date of the Participant’s death).

(v) For purposes of the foregoing, the terms in quotations shall have the same meanings as those terms have for purposes of Code Section 409A, and the limitations set forth herein shall be applied in such manner (and only

 

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to the extent) as shall be necessary to comply with any requirements of Code Section 409A that are applicable to the Award.

(n) Notification of 83(b) Election. If in connection with the grant of any Award, any Participant makes an election permitted under Code Section 83(b), such Participant must notify GEO in writing of such election within ten (10) days of filing such election with the Internal Revenue Service.

(o) Detrimental Activity. All Awards shall be subject to cancellation by the Committee in accordance with the terms of this Section 16(o) if the Participant engages in any Detrimental Activity. To the extent that a Participant engages in any Detrimental Activity at any time prior to, or during the one year period after, any exercise or vesting of an Award but prior to a Change in Control, the Company shall, upon the recommendation of the Committee, in its sole and absolute discretion, be entitled to (i) immediately terminate and cancel any Awards held by the Participant that have not yet been exercised, and/or (ii) with respect to Awards of the Participant that have been previously exercised, recover from the Participant at any time within two (2) years after such exercise but prior to a Change in Control (and the Participant shall be obligated to pay over to the Company with respect to any such Award previously held by such Participant): (A) with respect to any Options exercised, an amount equal to the excess of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock for which any Option was exercised over the Exercise Price paid (regardless of the form by which payment was made) with respect to such Option; (B) with respect to any Award other than an Option, any shares of Common Stock granted and vested pursuant to such Award, and if such shares are not still owned by the Participant, the Fair Market Value of such shares on the date they were issued, or if later, the date all vesting restrictions were satisfied; and (C) any cash or other property (other than Common Stock) received by the Participant from the Company pursuant to an Award. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that a Participant engages in any Detrimental Activity at any time prior to any exercise of an Award and the Company exercises its remedies pursuant to this Section 16(o) following the exercise of such Award, such exercise shall be treated as having been null and void, provided that the Company will nevertheless be entitled to recover the amounts referenced above.

(p) Disclaimer of Rights. No provision in the Plan, any Award granted hereunder, or any Award Agreement entered into pursuant to the Plan shall be construed to confer upon any individual the right to remain in the employ of or other service with the Company or to interfere in any way with the right and authority of the Company either to increase or decrease the compensation of any individual, including any holder of an Award, at any time, or to terminate any employment or other relationship between any individual and the Company. The grant of an Award pursuant to the Plan shall not affect or limit in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve or liquidate, or to sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

(q) Unfunded Status of Plan. The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive and deferred compensation. With respect to any payments as to which a Participant has a fixed and vested interest but which are not yet made to such Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company.

(r) Nonexclusivity of Plan. The adoption of the Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations upon the right and authority of the Board to adopt such other incentive compensation arrangements (which arrangements may be applicable either generally to a class or classes of individuals or specifically to a particular individual or individuals) as the Board in its sole and absolute discretion determines desirable.

(s) Other Benefits. No Award payment under the Plan shall be deemed compensation for purposes of computing benefits under any retirement plan of the Company or any agreement between a Participant and the Company, nor affect any benefits under any other benefit plan of the Company now or subsequently in effect under which benefits are based upon a Participant’s level of compensation.

(t) Headings. The section headings in the Plan are for convenience only; they form no part of this Agreement and shall not affect its interpretation.

 

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(u) Pronouns. The use of any gender in the Plan shall be deemed to include all genders, and the use of the singular shall be deemed to include the plural and vice versa, wherever it appears appropriate from the context.

(v) Successors and Assigns. The Plan shall be binding on all successors of the Company and all successors and permitted assigns of a Participant, including, but not limited to, a Participant’s estate, devisee, or heir at law.

(w) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable by any court of law in any jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof and thereof shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms, and all provisions shall remain enforceable in any other jurisdiction.

(x) Notices. Any communication or notice required or permitted to be given under the Plan shall be in writing, and mailed by registered or certified mail or delivered by hand, to GEO, to its principal place of business, attention: Joseph Negron, General Counsel, The GEO Group Inc., and if to the holder of an Award, to the address as appearing on the records of the Company.

 

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ANNEX A

DEFINITIONS

2014 Award means any outstanding award under the 2014 Plan that can be settled in Common Stock.

2014 Plan” means the amended and restated The GEO Group, Inc. 2014 Stock Incentive Plan, effective May 2, 2014.

“Award” means any Common Stock, Option, Performance Unit, Performance Share, Performance Share Unit, Restricted Stock, Stock Appreciation Right or any other award granted pursuant to the Plan.

“Award Agreement” means a written agreement entered into by GEO and a Participant setting forth the terms and conditions of the grant of an Award to such Participant.

“Board” means the board of directors of GEO.

“Cause” means, with respect to a termination of employment or other service with the Company, a termination of employment or other service due to a Participant’s dishonesty, fraud, insubordination, willful misconduct, refusal to perform services (for any reason other than illness or incapacity) or materially unsatisfactory performance of the Participant’s duties for the Company; provided, however, that if the Participant and the Company have entered into an employment agreement or consulting agreement which defines the term Cause, the term Cause shall be defined in accordance with such agreement with respect to any Award granted to the Participant on or after the effective date of the respective employment or consulting agreement. The Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion whether Cause exists for purposes of the Plan.

“Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the occurrence of any of the following after the Effective Date:

(a) any “person” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act (other than GEO, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company, or any company owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of GEO in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of common stock of GEO), is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of GEO representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of GEO’s then outstanding securities;

(b) during any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in paragraph (a), (c), or (d) of this Section) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by GEO’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board;

(c) consummation of a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or other business combination of GEO with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of GEO outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of GEO or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; provided, however, that a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of GEO (or similar transaction) in which no person acquires more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the combined voting power of GEO’s then outstanding securities shall not constitute a Change in Control; or

(d) the shareholders of GEO approve a plan of complete liquidation of GEO, and such liquidation occurs, or the consummation of the sale or disposition by GEO of all or substantially all of GEO’s assets other than (x) the

 

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sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of GEO to a person or persons who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of GEO at the time of the sale or (y) pursuant to a spin-off type transaction, directly or indirectly, of such assets to the shareholders of GEO.

However, to the extent that Code Section 409A would cause an adverse tax consequence to a Participant using the above definition, the term “Change in Control” shall have the meaning ascribed to the phrase “Change in the Ownership or Effective Control of a Corporation or in the Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Assets of a Corporation” under Treasury Department Proposed Regulation 1.409A-3(g)(5), as revised from time to time in either subsequent proposed or final regulations, and in the event that such regulations are withdrawn or such phrase (or a substantially similar phrase) ceases to be defined, as determined by the Committee.

“Change in Control Price” means the price per share of Common Stock paid in any transaction related to a Change in Control of GEO.

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

“Committee” means the Committee designated to administer the Plan in accordance with Section 4.

“Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of GEO.

“Company” means The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation, the subsidiaries of The GEO Group, Inc., and all other entities whose financial statements are required to be consolidated with the financial statements of The GEO Group, Inc. pursuant to United States generally accepted accounting principles, and any other entity determined to be an affiliate of The GEO Group, Inc. as determined by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion.

“Covered Individual” means any current or former member of the Committee, any current or former officer or director of the Company, or any individual designated pursuant to Section 4(c).

“Detrimental Activity” means any of the following: (i) the disclosure to anyone outside the Company, or the use in other than the Company’s business, without written authorization from the Company, of any confidential information or proprietary information, relating to the business of the Company, acquired by a Participant prior to a termination of the Participant’s employment or service with the Company; (ii) activity while employed or providing services that is classified by the Company as a basis for a termination for Cause; (iii) the Participant’s Disparagement, or inducement of others to do so, of the Company or its past or present officers, directors, employees or services; or (iv) any other conduct or act determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, to be injurious, detrimental or prejudicial to the interests of the Company. For purposes of subparagraph (i) above, the Chief Executive Officer and the General Counsel of the Company shall each have authority to provide the Participant with written authorization to engage in the activities contemplated thereby and no other person shall have authority to provide the Participant with such authorization.

“Disability” means a “permanent and total disability” within the meaning of Code Section 22(e)(3); provided, however, that if a Participant and the Company have entered into an employment or consulting agreement which defines the term Disability for purposes of such agreement, Disability shall be defined pursuant to the definition in such agreement with respect to any Award granted to the Participant on or after the effective date of the respective employment or consulting agreement. The Committee shall determine in its sole and absolute discretion whether a Disability exists for purposes of the Plan.

“Disparagement” means making any comments or statements to the press, the Company’s employees, clients or any other individuals or entities with whom the Company has a business relationship, which could adversely affect in any manner: (i) the conduct of the business of the Company (including, without limitation, any products or business plans or prospects), or (ii) the business reputation of the Company or any of its products, or its past or present officers, directors or employees.

 

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“Dividend Equivalents” means an amount equal to the cash or stock dividends paid by the Company upon one share of Common Stock subject to an Award granted to a Participant under the Plan.

“Effective Date” shall mean March 9, 2018, subject to the Plan being approved by the shareholders of GEO in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida.

“Eligible Individual” means any employee, officer, director (employee or non-employee director) or consultant of the Company and any Prospective Employee to whom Awards are granted in connection with an offer of future employment with the Company.

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

“Exercise Price” means the purchase price per share of each share of Common Stock subject to an Award.

“Fair Market Value” means, unless otherwise required by the Code, as of any date, the last sales price reported for the Common Stock on the day immediately prior to such date (i) as reported by the national securities exchange in the United States on which it is then traded, or (ii) if not traded on any such national securities exchange, as quoted on an automated quotation system sponsored by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or if the Common Stock shall not have been reported or quoted on such date, on the first day prior thereto on which the Common Stock was reported or quoted; provided, however, that the Committee may modify the definition of Fair Market Value to reflect any changes in the trading practices of any exchange or automated system sponsored by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. on which the Common Stock is listed or traded. If the Common Stock is not readily traded on a national securities exchange or any system sponsored by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Committee.

“GEO” means The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation.

“Grant Date” means the date on which the Committee approves the grant of an Award or such later date as is specified by the Committee and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.

“Incentive Stock Option” means an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Code Section 422.

“Listing Market” means the New York Stock Exchange or, if the securities of the Company are not then listed on the New York Stock Exchange, such other national securities exchange on which any securities of the Company are listed for trading, and if not listed for trading on any national securities exchange, or an automated quotation system sponsored by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

“Non-Employee Director” means a director of GEO who is not an active employee of the Company.

“Non-Qualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

“Option” means an option to purchase Common Stock granted pursuant to Sections 6 of the Plan.

“Participant” means any Eligible Individual who holds an Award under the Plan and any of such individual’s successors or permitted assigns.

“Performance Award” means an award of Performance Shares, Performance Share Units or Performance Units.

“Performance Goals” means the specified performance goals that have been established by the Committee in connection with an Award.

“Performance Period” means the period during which Performance Goals must be achieved in connection with an Award granted under the Plan.

 

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“Performance Shares” means Restricted Stock that is subject to the achievement of certain Performance Goals being attained during a Performance Period pursuant to Section 9 hereunder.

“Performance Share Unit” means a right to receive a fixed number of shares of Common Stock, or the cash equivalent, that is contingent on the achievement of certain Performance Goals during a Performance Period.

“Performance Unit” means a right to receive a designated dollar value, or shares of Common Stock of the equivalent value, that is contingent on the achievement of certain Performance Goals during a Performance Period.

“Person” shall mean any person, corporation, partnership, joint venture or other entity or any group (as such term is defined for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), other than a parent or subsidiary.

“Plan” means this The GEO Group, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan.

“Prospective Employee” means any individual who has committed to become an employee of the Company within sixty (60) days from the date an Award is granted to such individual.

“Restricted Stock” means Common Stock subject to certain restrictions, as determined by the Committee, and granted pursuant to Section 8 hereunder.

Restricted Stock Unit” means a right to receive Common Stock upon vesting or at the end of a specified deferral period, with any risks of forfeiture or other restrictions as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may impose.

“Section 424 Employee” means an employee of GEO or any “subsidiary corporation” or “parent corporation” as such terms are defined in and in accordance with Code Section 424. The term “Section 424 Employee” also includes employees of a corporation issuing or assuming any Options in a transaction to which Code Section 424(a) applies.

“Stock Appreciation Right” means the right to receive all or some portion of the increase in value of a fixed number of shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 7 hereunder.

“Transfer” means, as a noun, any direct or indirect, voluntary or involuntary, exchange, sale, bequeath, pledge, mortgage, hypothecation, encumbrance, distribution, transfer, gift, assignment or other disposition or attempted disposition of, and, as a verb, directly or indirectly, voluntarily or involuntarily, to exchange, sell, bequeath, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, encumber, distribute, transfer, give, assign or in any other manner whatsoever dispose or attempt to dispose of.

 

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Exhibit 10.2

THE GEO GROUP, INC.

EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

1. EFFECTIVE DATE, TERM AND PURPOSE. The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation (“GEO”) has previously established The GEO Group, Inc. 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, effective July 9 2011. GEO hereby amends and restates The GEO Group, Inc. 2011 Employee Stock Purchase Plan as the Amended and Restated The GEO Group, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”). The Company is seeking shareholder approval of this amendment in order to maintain the qualification of the Plan under Section 423 of the Code. The effective date of this amendment (the “Amendment Effective Date”) shall be July 9, 2021, provided it is approved by the shareholders of the Company prior to such date. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section 15(c) hereof, the Plan shall terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Amendment Effective Date. Capitalized terms used herein are defined in Annex A attached hereto. The purpose of the Plan is to encourage stock ownership by employees of the Company in order to increase their identification with the Company’s goals and secure a proprietary interest in the Company’s success. Capitalized terms herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in Section 17.

2. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the Plan Administrator. The Plan Administrator shall have full discretionary authority to interpret and construe any provision of the Plan, to adopt such rules and regulations for administering the Plan as it may deem necessary in order to comply with the requirements of Code Section 423 and all such authority that may be necessary or helpful to enable it to discharge its responsibilities with respect to the Plan. Decisions of the Plan Administrator shall be final and binding on all parties having an interest in the Plan. Subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations, the Plan Administrator may, in its discretion, from time to time, delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers under the Plan to any employee or group of employees of the Company, and revoke any such delegation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board, in its absolute discretion, may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights, duties and responsibilities of the Plan Administrator under the Plan, including, but not limited to, establishing procedures to be followed by the Plan Administrator.

3. STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN.

a. The stock purchasable under the Plan shall be shares of authorized but unissued or reacquired Common Stock, including shares of Common Stock purchased on the open market. Beginning on the Amendment Effective Date, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance over the term of the Plan shall not exceed 506,023 shares.

b. In the event of any of the following transactions affecting the Common Stock: any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares, or other similar change affecting the outstanding Common Stock, or a merger, consolidation, acquisition of property or shares, spin-off, other distribution of stock or property (including any extraordinary cash or stock dividend), or liquidation or other similar event affecting the Company, then equitable adjustments shall be made to (i) the maximum number and class of securities issuable under the Plan, (ii) the maximum number and class of securities purchasable per Participant on any one Purchase Date, (iii) the maximum number and class of securities purchasable in total by all Participants on any one Purchase Date, and (iv) the number and class of securities and the price per share in effect under each outstanding purchase right. The adjustments shall be made in such manner as the Plan Administrator deems appropriate in order to prevent the dilution or enlargement of benefits under the outstanding purchase rights, and such adjustments shall be final, binding and conclusive on the holders of those rights.

4. ELIGIBILITY.

a. Participation in the Plan is voluntary. Subject to Section 4(b) below, each Employee who has been employed by the Company for at least one year and whose customary employment is more than 20 hours per week will be eligible to participate in the Plan.

 

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b. Notwithstanding any provisions of the Plan to the contrary, no Employee shall be eligible to purchase Common Stock under the Plan (i) to the extent that, immediately after such purchase, such Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of GEO or of any Subsidiary and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of GEO or of any Subsidiary, or (ii) if such Employee is both a highly compensated employee (within the meaning of section 414(q) of the Code) and an officer of the Company subject to the disclosure requirements of section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

5. PARTICIPATION. An eligible Employee may participate in the Plan by completing the Enrollment Application. Participation in the Plan shall commence as soon as administratively possible after the Enrollment Application has been processed by the Company. Subject to Section 8(b) hereof, Participant’s enrollment in the Plan and any Payroll Deduction shall terminate as of the date he or she no longer meet the eligibility requirements of Section 4.

6. OFFERING PERIODS.

a. Shares of Common Stock shall be offered for purchase under the Plan through a series of Offering Periods until such time as (i) the maximum number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall have been purchased or (ii) the Plan shall have been sooner terminated. At the discretion of the Plan Administrator, Offering Periods may overlap one another.

b. Unless otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator prior to the start date of any Offering Period, each Offering Period shall begin on the first day of each month and end on the last day of such month. Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan to the contrary, an Offering Period shall not be of a duration which exceeds twenty-four (24) months.

7. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS.

a. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan Administrator, at the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan (or at any subsequent time while the Participant is still an eligible Employee), the Participant shall elect to have Payroll Deductions made with respect to the Payroll Salary paid during any Payroll Period. A Payroll Deduction may not be less than $5 or more than $500 for any Payroll Period. Payroll Deductions for a Participant shall become effective as soon as administratively possible after filing the appropriate form with the Plan Administrator or its designee and shall end when terminated by the Participant, unless earlier terminated pursuant to the Plan.

b. Notwithstanding anything to the foregoing, the Participant’s Payroll Deduction shall not exceed the Participant’s Payroll Salary as reduced, either by application of applicable law or otherwise, by any deductions including, without limitation, (i) any income or employment tax withholdings, (ii) any contributions made by the Participant to any Code Section 401(k) salary deferral plan or any Code Section 125 cafeteria benefit program now or hereafter established by the Company or any Corporate Affiliate, (iii) and child or spousal support obligations, or (iv) wage garnishments.

c. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan Administrator or the terms of this Plan, a Participant’s Payroll Deduction will remain in effect for each subsequent Payroll Period throughout the current and subsequent Offering Periods except to the extent such Payroll Deduction is changed in accordance with the terms of this Plan.

d. Except as otherwise provided by the Plan Administrator or the terms of this Plan, a Participant may, at any time discontinue, increase or decrease his or her rate of Payroll Deduction to become effective as soon as administratively possible after filing the appropriate form with the Plan Administrator or its designee.

e. All Payroll Deductions made for a Participant shall be credited to his or her Payroll Deduction Account. A Participant may not make any additional payments or contributions to his or her Payroll Deduction Account unless otherwise provided for by the Plan Administrator.

 

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f. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with the terms of this Plan, a Participant’s Payroll Deductions may be decreased by the Company to zero at any time. Payroll deductions shall recommence at the rate provided in such Participant’s Payroll Deduction elections when first permitted under this Plan, unless terminated by the Participant.

g. No interest shall accrue on Payroll Deductions of a Participant in the Plan.

8. PURCHASE RIGHTS.

a. Grant of Purchase Right. A Participant shall be granted a separate purchase right for each Offering Period in which he or she is enrolled. The purchase right shall be granted on the start date of the Offering Period and shall provide the Participant with the right to purchase shares of Common Stock, on the Purchase Date of such Offering Period, upon the terms set forth below. A Participant shall execute any forms or documents in connection with his or her purchase rights (not inconsistent with the Plan) as the Plan Administrator may deem advisable.

b. Purchase of Common Stock. Each purchase right shall be automatically exercised on the Purchase Date. The purchase shall be effected by applying the funds in the Participant’s Payroll Deductions Account on the Purchase Date to the purchase shares of Common Stock by dividing the amount of money in such Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account in the Plan by the applicable Purchase Price; provided that such purchase shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3, 4, 7 and 9 hereof. At the discretion of the Plan Administrator, fractional shares may be purchased. A Participant shall automatically purchase Common Stock on the Purchase Date even if such Participant is no longer employed with the Company or is no longer eligible to participate in the Plan as of the Purchase Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Participant terminates employment with the Company more than 90 days before the next Purchase Date or becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 4(b)(i) hereof, then the funds in such Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account shall be promptly refunded to the Participant and no Common Stock shall be purchased with the funds in such Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account.

c. Purchase Price. Unless otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator prior to the beginning of an Offering Period, the purchase price per share at which Common Stock will be purchased on the Participant’s behalf on each Purchase Date within a particular Offering Period shall be equal to ninety-five percent (95%) of the Fair Market Value per share of Common Stock on such Purchase Date. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan, the Purchase price may not be less than the lesser of (i) eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the first day of the Offering Period; or (ii) eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the applicable Purchase Date.

d. Maximum Number of Purchasable Shares. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable per Participant on any one Purchase Date shall not exceed Five Hundred (500) shares, subject to periodic adjustments in the event of certain changes in the Company’s capitalization. In addition, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable in total by all Participants in the Plan on any one Purchase Date shall not exceed Twenty Thousand (20,000) shares, subject to periodic adjustments in the event of certain changes in the Company’s capitalization. Notwithstanding the above, the Plan Administrator shall have the discretionary authority, exercisable prior to the start of any Offering Period under the Plan, to increase or decrease the limitations to be in effect for the number of shares purchasable per Participant and in total by all Participants enrolled in that particular Offering Period on each Purchase Date which occurs during that Offering Period.

e. Excess Payroll Deductions. Except as provided below, any Payroll Deductions not applied to the purchase of shares of Common Stock on any Purchase shall be held for the purchase of Common Stock on the next Purchase Date. Notwithstanding the above, any Payroll Deductions not applied to the purchase of Common Stock by reason of the limitation on the maximum number of shares purchasable per Participant or in total by all Participants on the Purchase Date or any other reason shall be promptly refunded. In the event the Participant is

 

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not employed by the Company on the Purchase Date, any funds remaining in the Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account immediately following the Purchase Date shall be refunded as soon as administratively possible.

f. Suspension of Payroll Deductions. In the event that a Participant is, by reason of the accrual limitations in Section 9, precluded from purchasing additional shares of Common Stock on one or more Purchase Dates during the Offering Period in which he or she is enrolled, then no further Payroll Deductions shall be collected from such Participant with respect to those Purchase Dates. The suspension of such deductions shall not terminate the Participant’s purchase right for the Offering Period in which he or she is enrolled, and Payroll Deductions shall automatically resume on behalf of such Participant once he or she is again able to purchase shares during that Offering Period in compliance with the accrual limitations of Section 9.

g. Withdrawal from Offering Period. Except as otherwise provided for by the Plan Administrator or pursuant to the terms of this Plan, a Participant may not withdraw from any Offering Period in which he or she is enrolled or has Payroll Deductions in his or her Payroll Deduction Account. To the extent the Plan Administrator permits a Participant to withdraw from an Offering Period, all the funds in such Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account shall be distributed to the Participant, no further Payroll Deductions shall be collected from the Participant with respect to that Offering Period and such withdrawal shall be irrevocable with respect to such Offering Period.

h. Termination of Purchase Right. Except as provided in Section 8(b), in the event a Participant ceases to remain eligible to participate in the Plan for any reason while his or her purchase right remains outstanding, then that purchase right shall immediately terminate, and all of the Participant’s Payroll Deductions for the Offering Period in which the purchase right so terminates shall be refunded as soon as administratively possible.

i. Proration of Purchase Rights. Should the total number of shares of Common Stock to be purchased pursuant to outstanding purchase rights on any particular date exceed the number of shares then available for issuance under the Plan or the limit on the maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable in total by all Participants on any one Purchase Date, the Plan Administrator shall make a pro-rata allocation of the shares available or purchasable on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, and the Payroll Deductions of each Participant, to the extent in excess of the aggregate purchase price payable for the Common Stock pro-rated to such individual, shall be refunded.

j. Delivery of Stock. As promptly as practicable after each Purchase, the Company shall arrange the delivery to each Participant the shares of Common Stock purchased by such Participant. At the Company’s sole election, the Company may deliver such shares in certificated or book entry form. Alternatively, the Company may issue and deliver certificates for the number of shares of Common Stock purchased by all Participants to a firm which is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, as selected by the Company, which shares shall be maintained by such firm in a separate brokerage account for each Participant.

k. Stockholder Rights. A Participant shall have no shareholder rights with respect to the shares subject to his or her outstanding purchase right until the shares are purchased on the Participant’s behalf in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and the Participant has become a holder of record of the purchased shares.

9. ACCRUAL LIMITATIONS.

a. No Participant shall be entitled to accrue rights to acquire Common Stock pursuant to any purchase right outstanding under this Plan if and to the extent such accrual, when aggregated with (i) rights to purchase Common Stock accrued under any other purchase right granted under this Plan and (ii) similar rights accrued under other employee stock purchase plans (within the meaning of Code Section 423) of the Company or any Corporate Affiliate, would otherwise permit such Participant to purchase more than Twenty Five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) worth of stock of GEO or any Corporate Affiliate (determined on the basis of the Fair Market Value per share on the date or dates such rights are granted) for each calendar year such rights are at any time outstanding.

 

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b. For purposes of applying such accrual limitations to the purchase rights granted under the Plan, the right to acquire Common Stock under each outstanding purchase right shall accrue on the Purchase Date during the Offering Period.

c. If by reason of such accrual limitations, any purchase right of a Participant does not accrue for a particular Offering Period, then the Payroll Deductions that the Participant made during that Offering Period shall be promptly refunded.

d. In the event there is any conflict between the provisions of this Section and one or more provisions of the Plan or any instrument issued thereunder, the provisions of this Section shall be controlling.

10. TRANSFERABILITY AND LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER OF COMMON STOCK. Neither Payroll Deductions credited to a Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account nor any rights with regard to the purchase of Common Stock under this Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed. Except as otherwise provided for by the Board, Shares of Common Stock purchased pursuant to this Plan may not be assigned, sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by a Participant for 1 year following the Purchase Date; provided, however, that this restriction on transferability of Common Stock shall not apply following a Change in Control.

11. CONDITIONS UPON ISSUANCE OF SHARES. Shares shall not be purchased or issued under this Plan unless the purchase, issuance and delivery of such shares will comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares may then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to purchase Common Stock, the Company may require the Participant who is making such purchase to represent and warrant that the shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law. Additionally, the Company may require that shares acquired through the Plan be held by the Participant for a minimum period of time before such shares may be transferred. The Company may require a legend setting forth any applicable transfer restrictions to be stamped or otherwise written on the certificates of shares purchased through the Plan.

12. CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the event of a Change in Control of the Company, each outstanding purchase right shall automatically be exercised, immediately prior to the effective date of such Change in Control. Any applicable limitation on the number of shares of Common Stock purchasable per Participant shall continue to apply to any such purchase, but not the limitation applicable to the maximum number of shares of Common Stock purchasable in total by all Participants on any one Purchase Date. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 12 to the contrary, the Plan Administrator may in its discretion determine that any outstanding purchase rights shall be terminated prior to the effective date of a Change in Control, in which case all Payroll Deductions in each Participant’s Payroll Deduction Account shall be promptly refunded. Unless otherwise provided by the Board all Payroll Deductions shall cease following the Change in Control.

13. USE OF FUNDS. All Payroll Deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such Payroll Deductions.

14. TERM OF PLAN. Subject to the Plan being approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock which are present or represented and entitled to vote and voted at a meeting on or before the date which is no later than twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board, the Plan shall become effective July 9, 2021. Unless sooner terminated by the Board, the Plan shall terminate upon the earliest of (i) the last Purchase Date immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the Plan, and (ii) the date on which all shares available for issuance under the Plan shall have been sold pursuant to purchase rights exercised under the Plan. No further purchase rights shall be granted or exercised, and no further Payroll Deductions shall be made after Plan termination.

 

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15. AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION.

a. The Board may at any time and for any reason terminate or amend the Plan. Except as explicitly provided in the Plan, no amendment may make any change with respect to the purchase of Common Stock under this Plan which is to occur within 30 days following such amendment. In the event the Plan is terminated, a new Purchase Date shall be set forth (the “Termination Purchase Date”). The Termination Purchase Date shall be before the date of Plan termination. The Plan Administrator shall notify each Participant in writing, at least fourteen (14) business days prior to the Termination Purchase Date, that the Purchase Date has been changed to the Termination Purchase Date. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code (or any successor rule or provision or any other applicable law, regulation or stock exchange rule), GEO shall obtain shareholder approval in such a manner and to such a degree as required, in connection with Plan amendment or termination. There shall be no Payroll Deductions following the Termination Purchase Date.

b. In no event may the Board effect any of the following amendments or revisions to the Plan without the approval of the GEO’s shareholders: (i) increase the number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the Plan, except for permissible adjustments in the event of certain changes in GEO’s capitalization, (ii) alter the purchase price formula so as to reduce the purchase price payable for the shares of Common Stock purchasable under the Plan, (iii) modify the eligibility requirements for participation in the Plan, or (iv) any other amendment requiring shareholder approval under any applicable law, regulation or rule.

c. Notwithstanding Section 15(a) above, the Plan may be amended or terminated immediately upon Board action, if and to the extent necessary to assure that the Company will not recognize, for financial reporting purposes, any additional compensation expense in connection with the shares of Common Stock offered for purchase under the Plan, should the financial accounting rules applicable to the Plan as of the effective date of the Plan be subsequently revised so as to require the Company to recognize compensation expense in the absence of such amendment or termination.

16. MISCELLANEOUS.

a. Purchase Rights Carry Same Rights and Privileges. To the extent required to comply with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code, all Employees eligible to participate in the Plan shall have the same rights and privileges hereunder.

b. Administrative Costs. All costs and expenses incurred in the administration of the Plan, including purchase of shares under the Plan, shall be paid by the Company; however, each Plan Participant shall bear all costs and expenses incurred by such individual in the sale or other disposition of any shares purchased under the Plan.

c. Notices. All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan shall be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

d. No Employment Rights. The Plan does not, directly or indirectly, create in any person any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company or any Subsidiary, and it shall not be deemed to interfere in any way with the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s right to terminate, or otherwise modify, any employee’s employment at any time.

e. Headings. Any headings or subheadings in the Plan are inserted for convenience of reference only and are to be ignored in the construction or interpretation of any provisions hereof.

f. Gender and Tense. Any words herein used in the masculine shall be read and construed in the feminine when appropriate. Words in the singular shall be read and construed as though in the plural, and vice-versa, when appropriate.

g. Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida to the extent not preempted by federal law.

 

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h. Regulatory Approvals and Compliance. The Company’s obligation to sell and deliver Common Stock under the Plan is at all times subject to all approvals of and compliance with the (i) regulations of any applicable stock exchanges and (ii) any governmental authorities required in connection with the authorization, issuance, sale or delivery of such Common Stock, as well as federal, state and foreign securities laws.

i. Severability. In the event that any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal, invalid, or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be fully severable, but shall not affect the remaining provisions of the Plan, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision had not been included herein.

j. Withholding. To the extent that the Company has any federal, state, or other tax withholding obligations, the Company may, but shall not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Stock by the Participant.

k. No Guarantee of Tax Consequences. The Company does not make any commitment or guarantee that any particular tax treatment shall apply or be available to any person participating or eligible to participate in the Plan, including, without limitation, any tax imposed by the United States or any state thereof, any estate tax, or any tax imposed by a foreign government.

l. Electronic or Telephonic Elections. The Company may, in its discretion, permit Participants to make electronic elections or telephonic elections in lieu of any written enrollment agreement.

17. DEFINITIONS.

a. “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of GEO or a committee of the Board as from time to time appointed by the Board.

b. “Change in Control shall be deemed to occur upon:

(i) any “person” as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (other than GEO, any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company, or any company owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of GEO in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of common stock of GEO), is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), directly or indirectly, of securities of GEO representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of GEO’s then outstanding securities;

(ii) during any period of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in paragraph (a), (c), or (d) of this Section) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by GEO’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board;

(iii) a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or other business combination of GEO with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of GEO outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of GEO or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation; provided, however, that a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of GEO (or similar transaction) in which no person acquires more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the combined voting power of GEO’s then outstanding securities shall not constitute a Change in Control; or

 

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(iv) the shareholders of GEO approve a plan of complete liquidation of GEO, and such liquidation occurs, or the consummation of the sale or disposition by GEO of all or substantially all of GEO’s assets other than (x) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of GEO to a person or persons who beneficially own, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of GEO at the time of the sale or (y) pursuant to a spin-off type transaction, directly or indirectly, of such assets to the shareholders of GEO.

c. “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

d. “Common Stock” shall mean the common stock of GEO par value $0.01 per share.

e. “Company” shall mean GEO and any Corporate Affiliate of GEO.

f. “Corporate Affiliate shall mean (i) any parent or subsidiary corporation of GEO (as determined in accordance with Code Section 424), whether now existing or subsequently established.

g. “Employee” shall mean any individual who is an employee of the Company for federal income tax purposes.

h. “Enrollment Application” shall mean any enrollment forms or procedures, including payroll deduction authorizations, effectuated by any means prescribed by the Plan Administrator or its designee, including by means of internet or telephone-based communications.

i. “Fair Market Value” shall mean, as of any date, the closing sales price of Common Stock on that date as listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, including without limitation the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in The Wall Street Journal or such other source as the Plan Administrator deems reliable. In the event that Fair Market Value is to be determined for a day which is not a Trading Day, the Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price of the Common Stock on the immediately preceding Trading Day. In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Plan Administrator.

j. “GEO” shall mean The GEO Group, Inc., a Florida corporation.

k. “Offering Period” shall mean a period of time during which Common Stock is offered to Participants to purchase with payroll deductions accumulated at the end of the period, as set forth in Section 6 of the Plan.

l. “Participant” shall mean an eligible Employee who is participating in the Plan or, if applicable, such Participant’s estate, legal guardian or heir at law.

m. “Payroll Deduction” shall mean the amount a Participant elects to have deducted from his Payroll Salary during any Payroll Period in accordance with Section 7 of the Plan.

n. “Payroll Deduction Account” shall mean a bookkeeping entry that shows the amount of money available for purchase of Common Stock for a Participant under the Plan from Payroll Deductions.

o. “Payroll Period” shall mean the period of time for which each Employee is paid according to the schedule determined by the Company, such that immediately after the last day of such period no base compensation is owed by the Company to the Employee.

p. “Payroll Salary” shall mean (i) the full base salary (including overtime) paid to a Participant by the Company during any Payroll Period. Except as otherwise determined by the Plan Administrator, Payroll Salary shall not include bonuses, commissions. Payroll Salary shall be calculated before deduction of (A) any income or employment tax withholdings, or (B) any contributions made by the Participant to any Code Section 401(k) salary deferral plan or any Code Section 125 cafeteria benefit program now or hereafter established by the

 

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Company or any Corporate Affiliate. However, Payroll Salary shall not include any non-cash items, severance or notice pay, expense allowances or reimbursements, income attributable to stock options or other stock-base compensation or contributions, or any other forms of extraordinary compensation.

q. “Plan” shall mean this The GEO Group, Inc. Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

r. “Plan Administrator” shall mean the Board or a committee appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.

s. “Purchase Date” shall mean the last business day of each month, unless otherwise provided in the Plan or determined in writing by the Plan Administrator.

t. “Purchase Price” shall mean an amount equal to ninety-five percent (95%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Purchase Date, unless otherwise provided in the Plan or determined in writing by the Plan Administrator.

u. “Subsidiary” shall mean any domestic corporation other than GEO which, pursuant to Section 424(f) of the Code, is included in an unbroken chain of corporations beginning with GEO if, each of the corporations other than the last corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of capital stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.

v. “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which national stock exchanges are open for trading.

 

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