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SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLAN

Addendum or Modifications

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Title: SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLAN
Date: 8/5/2009
Industry: Communications Services     Sector: Services

SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLAN, Parties: at&t inc.
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Exhibit 10-a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005

SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYEE

RETIREMENT PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adopted:  November 19, 2004

             Effective:  November 18, 2005

Amended and Restated:  January 1, 2010

 

 

 

 


 

 

2005 SUPPLEMENTAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT PLAN

 

 

1  

Purpose.

 

The purpose of the 2005 Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan (the “SERP” or the "Plan") is to provide Participants with retirement benefits to supplement benefits payable pursuant to qualified group pension plans sponsored by AT&T or an affiliate of AT&T.  The Plan is a successor to the AT&T Supplemental Retirement Income Plan (“SRIP”) that was effective January 1, 1984 and which was amended, effective December 31, 2004, to cease accruals so that the benefits payable under the SRIP shall be grandfathered and administered in accordance with the provisions of the SRIP in a manner that does not invoke Section 409A of the Code.  The Plan is amended and restated herein, effective January 1, 2010.  In order for a Participant to accrue benefits on and after January 1, 2010 pursuant to Section 3.2 below, then the provisions of Section 8.2 shall apply.

 

 

2  

Definitions.

 

For purposes of this Plan, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

 

Administrative Committee . "Administrative Committee" means a Committee, consisting of the SEVP-HR and two or more other members designated by the SEVP-HR, which shall administer the Plan.

 

Agreement .  "Agreement" means the written agreement entered into between AT&T by its SEVP-HR and a Participant prior to January 1, 2009 to carry out the Plan with respect to such Participant.  No Agreements are necessary for Participants who become eligible to participate in the Plan on or after January 1, 2009.

 

AT&T .  "AT&T" means AT&T Inc.

 

Beneficiary .  "Beneficiary" shall mean any beneficiary or beneficiaries designated by the Participant pursuant to the AT&T Rules for Employee Beneficiary Designations as may hereafter be amended from time-to-time ("Rules").  If a Participant fails to execute a Beneficiary designation form with respect to Plan benefits, his or her Beneficiary designation form with respect to his SRIP benefits shall apply with respect to his Plan benefits.  If a Participant fails to execute a Beneficiary designation form with respect to Plan benefits and with respect to SRIP benefits, the default provisions in the Rules shall apply.

 

CEO or Chief Executive Officer.   “CEO” or “Chief Executive Officer” shall mean the Chief Executive Officer of AT&T.

 

Disabled or Disability .  “Disabled” or "Disability" means the Participant’s (i) inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident or health plan covering employees of the Participant’s employer.  The Administrative Committee, in its complete and sole discretion, determines whether a Participant is Disabled.  The Administrative Committee may require that the Participant submit to an examination by a competent physician or medical clinic selected by the Administrative Committee.  On the basis of such medical evidence, the determination of the Administrative Committee as to whether or not a Participant is Disabled shall be conclusive.

 

Earnings .  "Earnings" means for a given calendar year the Participant's: (1) bonus earned as a short term award during the calendar year but not exceeding 200% of the target amount of such bonus (or such other portion of the bonus or target bonus as may be determined by the Human Resources Committee of the Board of AT&T), plus (2) base salary before reduction due to any contribution pursuant to any deferred compensation plan or agreement sponsored by AT&T or an AT&T affiliate, including but not limited to compensation deferred in accordance with Sections 401(k), 125, or 132(f) of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Final Average Earnings .  "Final Average Earnings" means the average of the Participant's Monthly Earnings for the thirty-six (36) consecutive months out of the one hundred twenty (120) months next preceding the Participant's Termination of Employment which yields the highest average earnings.  If the Participant has fewer than thirty-six (36) months of employment, the average shall be taken over his or her period of employment.

 

GAAP Rate .  For a referenced calendar year, "GAAP Rate" means the interest rate used for valuing Plan liabilities on December 31 of the immediately preceding calendar year and for calculating periodic pension expense for the referenced calendar year, both for purposes of AT&T's financial statement reporting requirements.

 

Immediate Annuity Value of any AT&T or affiliate Qualified Pensions .  “Immediate Annuity Value of any AT&T or affiliate Qualified Pensions” shall have the meaning as provided in Attachment B.

 

Immediate Annuity Value of SRIP . "Immediate Annuity Value of SRIP" shall have the meaning as provided in Attachment C.

 

Immediate Annuity Value of any other AT&T or affiliate Non-Qualified Pensions other than SERP . "Immediate Annuity Value of any AT&T or affiliate Non-Qualified Pensions other than SERP" shall have the meaning as provided in Attachment D.

 

Mid-Career Hire .   “Mid-Career Hire” means an individual whose Service Commencement Date is on or after the individual’s thirty-fifth (35 th ) birthday.

 

Monthly Earnings .  "Monthly Earnings" means one-twelfth (1/12) of Earnings.

 

Mortality Tables .  "Mortality Tables" means the mortality tables as defined by Code Section 417(e) for valuing minimum lump sum benefits payable from qualified pension plans for the referenced period.

 

Officer . "Officer" shall mean an individual who is designated as an officer level employee for compensation purposes on the records of AT&T.

 

Participant . "Participant" means:

 

 

(a)  

Any person who, as of close of business on December 31, 2004, was employed by an AT&T affiliate and was a participant in the SRIP; or

 

(b)  

Any person who was a participant in the SRIP, terminated employment in 2004 and receives Earnings in 2005; or

 

(c)  

An Officer of AT&T or an AT&T affiliate who is designated by the CEO as eligible to participate in the Plan.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing definition of Participant, the CEO, may, at any time and from time to time, exclude any person or group of persons from being deemed a “Participant” under this plan.

 

An individual’s participation in SERP shall commence as of his or her SERP Effective Date.

 

Retire or Retirement .  "Retire" or "Retirement" shall mean the Termination of Employment of a Participant for reasons other than death, on or after the earlier of the following dates:  (1) the date the Participant is Retirement Eligible or (2) the date the Participant has attained one of the following combinations of age and service at Termination of Employment:

 

 

Years of Service

       Age

 

 

 

25 years or more

50 or older

 

30 years or more

Any age


Retirement Eligible .  "Retirement Eligible" or "Retirement Eligibility" means that a Participant has attained age 55 and has at least five (5) Years of Service.

 

Retirement Percent .  "Retirement Percent" means the percent specified in the Agreement with the Participant (if any) which establishes a Target Retirement Benefit (see Section 3.1) as a percentage of Final Average Earnings. For an individual who becomes a Participant on or after January 1, 2006, "Retirement Percent" means 50 percent unless otherwise provided by the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors of AT&T.

 

SERP Effective Date .  “SERP Effective Date” means the date of the written designation of the Participant’s eligibility to participate in SERP, signed by the CEO.

 

SEVP-HR .  “SEVP-HR” means AT&T’s Senior Executive Vice President responsible for Human Resources matters.

 

Supplemental Retirement Income Plan or SRIP .  "Supplemental Retirement Income Plan” or “SRIP" means the AT&T Inc. Supplemental Retirement Income Plan effective January 1, 1984.

 

Service Commencement Date .  “Service Commencement Date” means the Participant’s employment commencement date with AT&T or any AT&T affiliate, as such date may be adjusted from time-to-time in accordance with rules, policies and procedures generally applied by AT&T to adjust for breaks in service or other periods of time, as reflected in AT&T’s or an AT&T affiliate’s records, all as determined in the discretion of the SEVP-HR.

 

Service Factor .  "Service Factor" means, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Participant and AT&T, either (a) a deduction of 1.43 percent, or .715 percent for Mid-Career Hires, multiplied by the number by which (i) thirty-five (or thirty in the case of a Participant who is an Officer) exceeds (ii) the number of Years of Service of the Participant, or (b) a credit of 0.715 percent multiplied by the number by which (i) the number of Years of Service of the Participant exceeds (ii) thirty-five (or thirty in the case of a Participant who is an Officer).  For purposes of the above computation, a deduction shall result in the Service Factor being subtracted from the Retirement Percent whereas a credit shall result in the Service Factor being added to the Retirement Percent.

 

Termination of Employment .  "Termination of Employment" means the ceasing of the Participant's employment from the AT&T controlled group of companies for any reason whatsoever, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.  A Participant will be deemed to have realized a Termination of Employment at any time that a Participant and the Administrative Committee reasonably anticipate that the bona fide level of services the Participant will perform (whether as an employee or an independent contractor) will be permanently reduced to a level that is less than fifty percent (50%) of the average level of bona fide services the Participant performed during the immediately preceding thirty-six (36) months (or the entire period the Participant has provided services if the Participant has been providing services to the AT&T controlled group of companies less than thirty-six (36) months).

 

Year .   A "Year" is a period of twelve (12) consecutive calendar months.

 

Years of Participation .  "Years of Participation" means the number of each complete Years beginning with the Participant’s SERP Effective Date through each annual anniversary of such date.

 

Years of Service .  "Years of Service" means the number of each complete Years of full-time service as an employee of AT&T or an AT&T affiliate beginning with the Participant’s Service Commencement Date through each annual anniversary of such date, including service prior to the adoption of this Plan. “Years of Service” shall also include, without duplication, (i.) a Participant’s Years of service that are recognized for purposes of the BellSouth Corporation Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan, or (ii.) a Participant’s years of service on the Cingular Wireless payroll during the period beginning on 10/28/01 and ending on or prior to 12/31/04 that were recognized for purposes of the Cingular Wireless SBC Executive Transition Supplemental Retirement Income Plan, but that are not otherwise included pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence.

 

3  

Plan ("SERP") Benefits .

 

              3.1  

SERP Benefit Formula.

 

With respect to (1) a Participant who was a participant in the SRIP prior to January 1, 1998, or (2) a Participant who, prior to January 1, 1998, was an officer of a Pacific Telesis Group ("PTG") company and became a participant in the SRIP after January 1, 1998, the amount of such Participant’s SERP Benefit is calculated as follows:

 

 

 

Final Average Earnings 

Revised Retirement Percentage 

Target Retirement Benefit 

Immediate Annuity Value of any AT&T or affiliate Qualified Pensions 

Immediate Annuity Value of any other AT&T or affiliate Non-Qualified Pensions other than the SERP 

Target Benefit 

Age Discount 

Annual Value of Life with 10 Year Certian SERP Benefit payable as a result of Termination of Employment Before SRIP Reduction 

Immediate Annuity Value of SRIP 

Annual Value of Life with 10 Year Certain SERP Benefit payable as a result of Termination of Employment 

 


 With respect to all other Participants, subject to the provisions of Attachment E, the amount of such Participant’s SERP Benefit is calculated as follows:

 

 

 

Final Average Earnings 

Revised Retirement Percentage 

Target Retirement Benefit 

Age Discount

Discounted Target Benefit

Immediate Annuity Value of any AT&T or affiliate Qualified Pensions

Immediate Annuity Value of SRIP

Immediate Annuity Value of any other AT&T or affiliate Non-Qualified Pensions other than SERP  

Annual Value of Life with 10 Year Certain SERP Benefit payable as a result of Termination of Employment 

 

Where in both of the above cases the following apply:

 

 

(a)

Revised Retirement Percentage = Retirement Percent + Service Factor

 

(b)

For purposes of determining the Service Factor, the Participant's actual Years of Service as of the date of Termination of Employment, to the day, shall be used.

 

(c)

For purposes of determining the Final Average Earnings, the Participant's Earnings history as of the date of Termination of Employment shall be used.

 

(d)

Age Discount means the Participant's SERP Benefit shall be decreased by five-tenths of one percent (.5%) for each month that the date of the Participant’s Termination of Employment precedes the date on which the Participant will attain age 60.


Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at the time of Termination of Employment the Participant is, or has been within the one year period immediately preceding the Participant's Termination of Employment, an Officer with 30 or more Years of Service such Participant's Age Discount shall be zero.

 

Except to true up for an actual short term award paid following Termination of Employment, there shall be no recalculation of the value of a Participant's SERP Benefit hereunder following a Participant's Termination of Employment.

 

3.2.   Vesting.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan:

 

 

           (a)  

upon any Termination of Employment of the Participant for a reason other than death or Disability, AT&T shall have no obligation to the Participant under this Plan if the Participant has less than five (5) Years of Service or, for Participants who are informed, in writing, of their SERP eligibility on or after September 28, 2006, less than four (4) Years of Participation, at the time of Termination of Employment; and

 

            (b)  

the terms and conditions set forth in Section 8.2 shall apply to any benefits accrued on or after January 1, 2010, and in order for a Participant to accrue (or collect) such Plan benefits on or after January 1, 2010, the Participant must comply with the terms and conditions set forth in Section 8.2.

 

 

4  

Election and Form of Distribution of SERP Benefits.

 

4.1  

Normal Form.

 

The normal form of a Participant's benefits hereunder shall be a Life with 10-Year Certain Benefit as described in Section 4.2(a).

 

4.2  

Election Alternatives.

 

Notwithstanding the normal form for distribution of a Participant’s SERP Benefits, a Participant may elect one of the following Benefit Payout Alternatives:

 

 

         (a)

Life with a 10-Year Certain Benefit .  An annuity payable during the longer of (i) the life of the Participant or (ii) the 10-year period commencing on the Participant’s Termination of Employment and ending on the day next preceding the tenth anniversary of such date (the "Life With 10-Year Certain Benefit").  If a Participant who is receiving a Life with 10-Year Certain Benefit dies prior to the expiration of the 10-year period described in this Section 4.2(a), the Participant's Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive the remaining Life With 10-Year Certain Benefit installments which would have been paid to the Participant had the Participant survived for the entire such 10-year period.

 

          (b)

Joint and 100% Survivor Benefit .  A joint and one hundred percent (100%) survivor annuity payable for life to the Participant and at his or her death to his or her Beneficiary, in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount payable during the Participant's life, for life (the "Joint and 100% Survivor Benefit").

 

          (c)

Joint and 50% Survivor Benefit .  A joint and fifty percent (50%) survivor annuity payable for life to the Participant and at his or her death to his or her Beneficiary, in an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the amount payable during the Participant's life, for life (the "Joint and 50% Survivor Benefit").

 

          (d)

Lump Sum Benefit .  A lump sum benefit, which shall apply only if the Participant has attained the age of fifty-five (55) years as of his or her Termination of Employment.  If a Participant elects a lump sum benefit but realizes a Termination of Employment prior to attaining age fifty-five (55), the Participant’s SERP Benefit shall be paid as provided in Section 4.2(a), 4.2(b) or 4.2(c), as elected or deemed elected by the Participant.

 

The Benefit Payout Alternatives described in Section 4.2(b), 4.2(c) and 4.2(d) shall be the actuarially determined equivalent (using the same reasonable actuarial assumptions and methods for valuing each Benefit Payout Alternative as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her complete and sole discretion) of the Life With 10-Year Certain Benefit that is converted by such election.  The amount of a Participant's lump sum benefit shall be calculated as of the Participant's Termination of Employment by applying the Mortality Tables and the GAAP Rate, both as in effect for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year of the Participant’s Termination of Employment, but using the Participant’s age, Years of Service and other factors as of the Participant’s Termination of Employment.

 

4.3  

Distribution Election.

 

              (a)

Individual Who Is A Participant On or Before December 31, 2008 .  An individual who was a Participant on or before December 31, 2008 may make an irrevocable election of a Benefit Payout Alternative before the earlier of December 31 of the year immediately preceding his or her Termination of Employment or December 31, 2008 by delivery of such election, in writing, telecopy, email or in another electronic format, pursuant to or as instructed by the SEVP-HR (as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her sole and absolute discretion).

 

              (b)

Individual Who Becomes A Participant After December 31, 2008 .  An individual who becomes a Participant after December 31, 2008 may make an irrevocable election of a Benefit Payout Alternative no later than the thirtieth (30 th ) day immediately following the Participant’s SERP Effective Date by delivery of such election in writing, telecopy, email or in another electronic format, pursuant to or as instructed by the SEVP-HR (as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her sole and absolute discretion).

 

              (c)

Failure to Timely Make a Distribution Election .  If a Participant fails to make a timely election of a Benefit Payout Alternative as provided in Section 4.3(a) or 4.3(b), such Participant shall be deemed to have elected and such Participant's form of benefit shall be the Life With 10-Year Certain Benefit described in Section 4.2(a).

 

               (d)

Death of or Divorce from Annuitant During Participant’s Lifetime .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, in the event of the death of a designated annuitant during the life of the Participant, the Participant's election to have a Benefit Payout Alternative described in Section 4.2(b) or 4.2(c) shall, without any action by the Participant, be revoked, and the Participant’s benefit, or remaining benefit, under the Plan, as the case may be, shall be paid as provided in Section 4.2(a).  Any conversion of benefit from one form to another pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph shall use the same reasonable actuarial assumptions and methods for valuing each annuity form of benefit before and after the death of the designated annuitant and shall be subject to actuarial adjustment (as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her complete and sole discretion) such that the Participant's new benefit is the actuarial equivalent of the Participant's remaining prior form of benefit.  Payments pursuant to Participant's new form of benefit shall be effective commencing with the first monthly payment for the month following the death of the annuitant.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, in the event of the divorce or legal separation of the Participant, the Participant’s election to have a Benefit Payout Alternative described in Section 4.2(b) or 4.2(c), with a survivor annuity for the benefit of the Participant's former spouse as Beneficiary, shall, without any action by the Participant, be revoked, and the Participant's benefit, or remaining benefit, under the Plan, as the case may be, shall be paid as provided in Section 4.2(a) (using the same reasonable actuarial assumptions and methods for valuing each annuity form of benefit before and after the divorce or legal separation  and shall be subject to actuarial adjustment (as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her complete and sole discretion).  In such event, the 10-Year period as described in Section 4.2(a) shall be the same 10-year period as if such form of benefit was the form of benefit originally selected and the expiration date of such period shall not be extended beyond its original expiration date.  Payments pursuant to Participant’s new form of benefit shall be effective commencing with the first monthly payment following notice from the Participant to the SEVP-HR after the divorce (or legal separation) becomes final.

 

              (e)

Special Provisions for Lump Sum Benefit Election .  A Participant who elects a lump sum benefit under Section 4.2(d) must, contemporaneous with such Lump Sum Benefit election, elect a specific number of year(s), not to exceed twenty (20) years, following his or her Termination of Employment upon which the lump sum benefit (including any interest accrued thereon) shall be distributed; provided, however ,

 

                            (i)

the Participant may not receive more than thirty percent (30%) of his or her lump sum benefit (excluding any interest thereon) until the third (3 rd ) anniversary of his or her Termination of Employment; provided , however , if the Participant is age sixty (60) or older as of his or her Termination of Employment, the Participant, if elected in his or her timely filed election of a Benefit Payout Alternative, may receive one hundred percent (100%) of his or her lump sum benefit upon the day that is six (6) months following his or her Termination of Employment if he or she agrees, in writing, substantially in the form provided in Attachment A, not to compete with an Employer Business within the meaning of Section 8.2 for a period of three (3) years from such Participant’s Termination of Employment and further agrees that if he or she fails to abide by such agreement, the non-compete agreement is challenged, or the non-compete agreement is unenforceable, he or she shall forfeit all benefits hereunder and repay the lump sum benefit to AT&T; and

 

                             (ii)

prior to distribution of the Participant’s lump sum benefit, interest on such lump sum benefit shall accrue and shall be added to the Participant’s lump sum benefit or distributed monthly, as elected by the Participant in his or her election of a Benefit Payout Alternative.

 

A Participant’s lump sum benefit payment schedule must comply with the rules for payment schedules as adopted by the SEVP-HR (as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her sole and absolute discretion), which, for example, may require payment of principal to be made no more frequently than once per calendar year.

 

If the payment schedule elected by a Participant does not comply with the rules for payment schedules, (i) thirty percent (30%) of such Participant’s lump sum benefit shall be paid to the Participant upon the date that is six (6) months following the Participant’s Termination of Employment, and (ii) the remaining seventy percent (70%) shall be paid to the Participant on the third (3 rd ) anniversary of such Participant’s Termination of Employment.

 

             (f)

Lump Sum Benefit Account Balance .  From and after a Participant’s Termination of Employment, the SEVP-HR shall maintain records of a lump sum benefit account balance for each Participant who elected a lump sum benefit.  During such period of time that all or any portion of a Participant’s lump sum benefit is not paid, interest shall be credited using the same methodology used by AT&T for financial accounting purposes using the GAAP Rate that was used to calculate such Participant’s lump sum benefit.  Payments of principal and interest shall be deducted from the lump sum benefit account balance.

 

A Participant whose employment has not terminated may change a prior distribution election at any time on or before December 31, 2008, provided, however, if the Participant’s employment terminates for any reason in the calendar year in which the new distribution election is filed, such new election shall be null and void.  In the event the Participant’s new election is null and void, the Participant’s prior election, if any, shall apply.  If there is no prior election, the Plan’s default distribution provisions shall apply.

 

5  

Death or Disability Benefits.                                                                            

 

5.1  

Death Following Termination of Employment.

 

If a Participant who has commenced payment of his or her SERP benefit hereunder dies, his or her Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive the remaining SERP benefit in accordance with the Benefit Payout Alternative elected or deemed elected by the Participant.

 

5.2  

Death Prior to Termination of Employment.

 

If a Participant dies prior to his or her Termination of Employment, a pre-retirement death benefit will be calculated and paid as though the Participant had Retired  (determined without regard to the 5 Years of Service or the 4 Years of Participation requirements) on the day prior to the date of death.  The pre-retirement death benefit shall be paid at such time and in such form as timely elected or deemed elected by the Participant; provided, if the Participant elected or is deemed to have elected any form of an annuity, such pre-retirement death benefit shall be paid as a Beneficiary Life Annuity (as such term is hereinafter described) based on the life expectancy of the Beneficiary, and, if the Participant elected or is deemed to have elected a Life with a 10-Year Certain Benefit, such Beneficiary Life Annuity shall continue for the longer of (i) the Beneficiary’s life, or (ii) the 10 year period commencing on the Participant’s death.  If paid as a Beneficiary Life Annuity, such benefit shall be the actuarially determined equivalent using the same reasonable actuarial assumptions and methods (as determined by the SEVP-HR in his or her complete and sole discretion) of the Life With 10-Year Certain Benefit that would have been paid to the Participant had he or she Retired on the day immediately prior to his or her death.  If the Participant had timely elected and qualified to receive a Lump Sum Benefit, it shall be calculated in the same manner as provided in Section 4.2 as if the Participant were alive; e.g., calculated as of the Participant's death applying the Mortality Tables and the GAAP Rate, both as in effect for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year of the Participant’s death, but using the Participant’s age, Years of Service and other factors as of the Participant’s date of death.

 

5.3  

Disability.

 

Upon a Participant's Termination of Employment and contemporaneous qualification for receipt of long term disability benefits under an AT&T or AT&T affiliate sponsored long term disability benefit plan in which the Participant participates prior to being Retirement Eligible (without regard to the 5 Years of Service or 4 Years of Participation requirements), the Participant will continue to accrue Years of Service during such disability until the earliest of his or her:

 

              (a)

Recovery from Disability,

 

               (b)

Retirement (determined without regard to the 5 Years of Service or 4 Years of Participation requirements), or

 

               (c)

Death.

 

Upon the occurrence of either (a) Participant's recovery from Disability prior to his or her Retirement Eligibility if Participant does not return to employment, or (b) Participant's Retirement (determined without regard to the 5 Years of Service or 4 Years of Participation requirements), the Participant shall be entitled to receive a SERP Benefit as if he or she realized a Termination of Employment as of the date of such occurrence.

 

For purposes of calculating the foregoing benefit, the Participant's Final Average Earnings shall be determined using his or her Earnings history as of the date of his or her Disability.

 

If a Participant who continues to have a Disability dies prior to his or her Retirement Eligibility (without regard to the 5 Years of Service or 4 Years of Participation requirements), the Participant will be treated in the same manner as if he or she had died while in employment (See Section 5.2).

 

6  

Payment of Benefits.

 

6.1  

Commencement of Payments.

 

              (a)

Except as provided in Section 5.3, benefit payments shall commence pursuant to the Benefit Payout Alternative elected by the Participant in his or her Agreement on the date that is six (6) months following his or her Termination of Employment; provided, however, if the Participant dies after Termination of Employment and prior to the lapse of such six (6) month period, benefit payments shall commence upon the Participant’s death.  If a Participant elected (or is deemed to have elected) an annuity form of benefit under Section 4.2(a), 4.2(b) or 4.2(c), the aggregate monthly amount that would be paid between the Participant’s Termination of Employment through the date that benefit payments actually commence, shall be paid in a lump sum on the date that benefit payments actually commence hereunder.  In addition, during the period of time between a Participant’s Termination of Employment and the date that annuity payments hereunder actually commence, interest shall be credited on the withheld annuity amounts for such period of time that each annuity payment is withheld.  The credited interest shall be paid in a lump sum on the date that payments hereunder actually commence.  Interest shall be credited using the GAAP Rate in effect for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year of the Participant’s Termination of Employment.

 

               (b)

Notwithstanding the designation of a specific date for commencement of payment of a distribution hereunder, commencement of payments under this Plan may be delayed for administrative reasons in the discretion of the SEVP-HR, but shall begin not later than sixty (60) days following the date upon which payment(s) would otherwise commence under this Plan. A Participant shall not have the right to designate or participate in the decision as to the taxable year of benefit commencement.

 

6.2  

Withholding; Unemployment Taxes.

 

              (a)

A payment may be made from the Plan to reflect the payment of state, local, or foreign tax obligations arising from participation in the Plan that apply to an amount deferred under the Plan before the amount is paid or made available to a Participant (the “State, Local, or Foreign Tax Amount”).  Such payment may not exceed the amount of such taxes due as a result of participation in the Plan.  Such payment may be made by distributions to the Participant in the form of withholding pursuant to provisions of applicable state, local, or foreign law or by distribution directly to the Participant.  Additionally, a payment may be made from the Plan to pay the income tax at source on wages imposed under Code Section 3401 as a result of the payment of the State, Local, or Foreign Tax Amount and to pay the additional income tax at source on wages attributable to such additional Code Section 3401 wages and taxes.  However, the total payment under this Section 6.2 (a) shall not exceed the aggregate of the State, Local, or Foreign Tax Amount and the income tax withholding related to such State, Local, or Foreign Tax Amount.

 

               (b)

A payment may be made from the Plan to pay the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax imposed by Code Sections 3101, 3121(a), and 3121(v)(2) on compensation deferred under the Plan (the “FICA Amount”).  Additionally, a payment may be made from the Plan to pay the income tax at source on wages imposed under Code Section 3401 or the corresponding withholding provisions of applicable state, local or foreign tax laws as a result of the payment of the FICA Amount and to pay the additional income tax at source on wages attributable to the pyramiding section 3401 wages and taxes.  However, the total payment under this Section 6.2 (b) shall not exceed the aggregate of the FICA Amount and the income tax withholding related to such FICA Amount.

 

6.3  

Recipients of Payments; Designation of Beneficiary.

 

All payments to be made under the Plan shall be made to the Participant during his or her lifetime, provided that if the Participant dies prior to the completion of such payments, then all subsequent payments under the Plan shall be made to the Participant's Beneficiary or Beneficiaries.

 

In the event of the death of a Participant, distributions/benefits under this Plan shall pass to the Beneficiary (ies) designated by the Participant in accordance with this Plan and the Rules.


 
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