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Exhibit 10.19
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EXECUTION COPY
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EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
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This
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT ("the Agreement") is made and
entered into as of January 1, 2009 (the "Effective Date") by and
between
WESTFIELD BANK , federally-chartered savings bank having
an office at 141 Elm Street, Westfield, Massachusetts 01085 (the
"Bank") and ALLEN J. MILES, III (the "Executive").
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W I T N E S S E T H
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WHEREAS , the
Executive currently serves Executive Vice President and Senior
Lending Officer of the Bank, a subsidiary of Westfield Financial,
Inc. (the "Company"), and the Company;
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WHEREAS , the Bank
desires to assure for itself the continued availability of the
Executive's services as provided in this Agreement and the ability
of the Executive to perform such services with a minimum of
personal distraction in the event of a pending or threatened Change
of Control (as hereinafter defined); and
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WHEREAS , the
Executive is willing to continue to serve the Bank on the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth;
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NOW, THEREFORE , in
consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants and
conditions hereinafter set forth, the Bank and the Executive hereby
agree as follows:
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Section 1.
Employment.
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The Bank agrees to continue
to employ the Executive, and the Executive hereby agrees to such
continued employment, during the period and upon the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement.
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Section 2.
Employment Period; Remaining
Unexpired Employment Period.
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(a) The
terms and conditions of this Agreement shall be and remain in
effect during the period of employment established under this
section 2 ("Employment Period"). The Employment Period shall be for
an initial term of three (3) years beginning on the Effective Date
and ending on the third anniversary date of this Agreement, plus
such extensions, if any, as are provided pursuant to section
2(b).
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(b) The
Board of Directors of the Bank (the "Board") shall conduct an
annual review of the Executive's performance on or about each
anniversary of the Effective Date (each, an "Anniversary Date") and
may, on the basis of such review and by written notice to the
Executive, offer to extend the Employment Period for an additional
one (1)-year period. In such event, the Employment Period shall be
deemed extended in the absence of objection from the Executive by
written notice to the Bank given within ten (10) business days
after his receipt of the Bank's offer of extension. Except as
otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, any reference in
this Agreement to the term "Remaining Unexpired Employment Period"
as of any date shall mean the period beginning on such date and
ending on the day of the third (3 rd )
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anniversary of the last Anniversary Date as of which the
Employment Period was extended pursuant to this Section 2(b).
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(c) Nothing
in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit the Bank at any time
from terminating the Executive's employment during the Employment
Period with or without notice for any reason; provided,
however , that the relative rights and obligations of the Bank
and the Executive in the event of any such termination shall be
determined under this Agreement.
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Section 3.
Duties.
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The Executive shall serve as
Executive Vice President and Senior Lending Officer of the Bank and
the Company, having such power, authority and responsibility and
performing such duties as are prescribed by or under the By-Laws of
the Bank and as are customarily associated with such position.
Subject to section 7 of this Agreement, the Executive shall devote
his full business time and attention (other than during weekends,
holidays, approved vacation periods, and periods of illness or
approved leaves of absence) to the business and affairs of the Bank
and shall use his best efforts to advance the interests of the
Bank.
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Section 4.
Cash Compensation.
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In consideration for the
services to be rendered by the Executive hereunder, the Bank shall
continue to pay to him a salary at an annual rate of $200,000,
payable in approximately equal installments in accordance with the
Bank's customary payroll practices for senior officers. The Board
shall review the Executive's annual rate of salary at such times
during the Employment Period as it deems appropriate, but not less
frequently than once every twelve (12) months, and may, in its
discretion, approve an increase therein. In addition to salary, the
Executive may receive other cash compensation from the Bank for
services hereunder at such times, in such amounts and on such terms
and conditions as the Board may determine from time to time.
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Section 5.
Employee Benefit Plans and
Programs.
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During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall be treated as an employee of the Bank
and shall be entitled to participate in and receive benefits under
any and all qualified or non-qualified retirement, pension,
savings, profit-sharing or stock bonus plans, any and all group
life, health (including hospitalization, medical and major
medical), dental, accident and long term disability insurance
plans, and any other employee benefit and compensation plans
(including, but not limited to, any incentive compensation plans or
programs, stock option and appreciation rights plans and restricted
stock plans) as may from time to time be maintained by, or cover
employees of, the Bank in accordance with the terms and conditions
of such employee benefit plans and programs and compensation plans
and programs and consistent with the Bank's customary
practices.
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Section 6.
Indemnification and Insurance.
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(a) During
the Employment Period and for a period of six (6) years thereafter,
the Bank shall cause the Executive to be covered by and named as an
insured under any policy or
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contract of insurance obtained by it to insure its directors and
officers against personal liability for acts or omissions in
connection with service as an officer or director of the Bank or
service in other capacities at the request of the Bank. The
coverage provided to the Executive pursuant to this section 6 shall
be of the same scope and on the same terms and conditions as the
coverage (if any) provided to other officers or directors of the
Bank.
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(b) To
the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, during the
Employment Period and for a period of six (6) years thereafter, the
Bank shall indemnify the Executive against and hold him harmless
from any costs, damages, losses and exposures arising out of a bona
fide action, suit or proceeding in which he may be involved by
reason of his having been a director or officer of the Bank to the
fullest extent and on the most favorable terms and conditions that
similar indemnification is offered to any director or officer of
the Bank or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof.
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(c) The
Executive, the Company and the Bank agree that the termination
benefits described in this Section 6 are intended to be exempt from
Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code ("Section 409A") pursuant
to Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(10) as certain
indemnification and liability insurance plans.
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Section 7.
Outside Activities.
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The Executive may serve as a
member of the boards of directors of such business, community and
charitable organizations as he may disclose to and as may be
approved by the Board (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld); provided, however , that such service shall not
materially interfere with the performance of his duties under this
Agreement. The Executive may also engage in personal business and
investment activities which do not materially interfere with the
performance of his duties hereunder; provided, however ,
that such activities are not prohibited under any code of conduct
or investment or securities trading policy established by the Bank
and generally applicable to all similarly situated Executives. The
Executive may also serve as an officer or director of the Company
on such terms and conditions as the Company and the Bank may
mutually agree upon, and such service shall not be deemed to
materially interfere with the Executive's performance of his duties
hereunder or otherwise result in a material breach of this
Agreement. If the Executive is discharged or suspended, or is
subject to any regulatory prohibition or restriction with respect
to participation in the affairs of the Bank, he shall not directly
or indirectly provide services to or participate in the affairs of
the Bank in a manner inconsistent with the terms of such discharge
or suspension or any applicable regulatory order.
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Section 8.
Working Facilities and
Expenses.
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The Executive's principal
place of employment shall be at the Bank's executive offices at the
address first above written or at such other location as the Bank
and the executive may mutually agree upon. The Bank shall provide
the Executive at his principal place of employment with a private
office, secretarial services and other support services and
facilities suitable to his position with the Bank and necessary or
appropriate in connection with the performance of his assigned
duties under this Agreement. The Bank shall provide to the
Executive for his exclusive use an automobile owned or leased by
the Bank and appropriate to
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his position, to be used in the performance of his duties
hereunder, including commuting to and from his personal residence.
The Bank shall reimburse the Executive for his ordinary and
necessary business expenses, including, without limitation, all
expenses associated with his business use of the aforementioned
automobile, fees for memberships in such clubs and organizations as
the Executive and the Bank shall mutually agree are necessary and
appropriate for business purposes, and his travel and entertainment
expenses incurred in connection with the performance of his duties
under this Agreement, in each case upon presentation to the Bank of
an itemized account of such expenses in such form as the Bank may
reasonably require. Expense reimbursements shall occur at the time
provided in any relevant reimbursement policy or procedure of the
Bank and in any event not later than the last day of the calendar
year immediately following the calendar year in which the
reimbursable expense is incurred.
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Section 9.
Termination of Employment with
Severance Benefits.
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(a) The
Executive shall be entitled to the severance benefits described in
section 9(b) in the event that:
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(i) his
employment with the Bank terminates during the Employment Period as
a result of the Executive's voluntary resignation within ninety
(90) days following:
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(A) the
failure of the Board to appoint or re-appoint or elect or re-elect
the Executive to the position with the Bank stated in section 3 of
this Agreement;
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(B) if
the Executive is a member of the Board, the failure of the
shareholders of the Bank to elect or re-elect the Executive to the
Board or the failure of the Board (or the nominating committee
thereof) to nominate the Executive for such election or
re-election;
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(C) the
expiration of a thirty (30)-day period following the date on which
the Executive gives written notice to the Bank of its material
failure, whether by amendment of the Bank's Restated Organization
Certificate, the Bank's By-Laws, action of the Board or the Bank's
shareholders or otherwise, to vest in the Executive the functions,
duties, or responsibilities prescribed in section 3 of this
Agreement, unless, during such thirty (30)-day period, the Bank
cures such failure;
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(D) the
expiration of a thirty (30)-day period following the date on which
the Executive gives written notice to the Bank of its material
breach of any term, condition or covenant contained in this
Agreement (including, without limitation any reduction of the
Executive's rate of base salary in effect from time to time and any
change in the terms and conditions of any compensation or benefit
program in which the Executive participates which, either
individually or together with other changes, has a material adverse
effect on the aggregate value of his total compensation package),
unless, during such thirty (30)-day period, the Bank cures such
failure;
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(E) a
change in the Executive's principal place of employment to a place
that is not the principal executive office of the Bank, or a
relocation of the
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Bank's principal executive office to a location that is both
more than twenty-five (25) miles away from the Executive's
principal residence and more than twenty-five (25) miles away from
the location of the Bank's principal executive office on the date
of this Agreement; or
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(F) any
material breach by the Bank of any material term, condition or
covenant contained in this Agreement; provided, however,
that the Executive shall have given notice of such materials
adverse effect to the Bank, and the Bank has not fully cured such
failure within thirty (30) days after such notice is deemed given;
or
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(ii) the
Executive's employment with the Bank is terminated by the Bank for
any reason other than for "cause" as provided in section 11(a).
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(b) Upon
the occurrence of any of the events described in section 9(a) of
this Agreement, the Bank shall pay and provide to the Executive
(or, in the event of his death thereafter and prior to payment, to
his estate):
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(i) his
earned but unpaid salary (including, without limitation, all items
which constitute wages under applicable law and the payment of
which is not otherwise provided for in this section 9(b)) as of the
date of the termination of his employment with the Company and the
Bank, such payment to be made at the time and in the manner
prescribed by law applicable to the payment of wages but in no
event later than thirty (30) days after termination of employment
as defined in Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h)(1)(ii);
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(ii) the
benefits, if any, to which he is entitled as a former employee
under the employee benefit plans and programs and compensation
plans and programs maintained for the benefit of the Company's and
the Bank's officers and employees;
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(iii) continued
group life, health (including hospitalization, medical and major
medical), dental, accident and long-term disability insurance
benefits on substantially the same terms and conditions (including
any required premium-sharing arrangements, co-payments and
deductibles) in effect for them immediately prior to the
Executive's termination for the Remaining Unexpired Employment
Period for the Executive and his dependents. The coverage provided
under this section 9(b)(iii) may, at the election of the Company,
be secondary to the coverage provided pursuant to section 9(b)(ii)
and to any employer-paid coverage provided by a subsequent employer
or through Medicare, with the result that benefits under the other
coverages will offset the coverage required by this section
9(b)(iii). The Executive, the Company and the Bank agree that the
termination benefits described in this Section 9(b)(iii) are
intended to be exempt from Section 409A pursuant to Treasury
Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(1) as non-taxable benefits
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(iv) a
lump sum payment in an amount equal to the estimated present value
of the salary that the Executive would have earned if he had
continued working for the Company and the Bank during the Remaining
Unexpired Employment Period at the highest annual rate of salary
achieved during the period of three (3) years ending
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immediately prior to the date of termination (the "Salary
Severance Payment"). The Salary Severance Payment shall be computed
using the following formula:
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n
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(BS/PR)
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SSP= 3
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[
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[1 + (I / PR)]
n
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]
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where "SSP" is the amount of the Salary Severance Payment
(before the deduction of applicable federal, state and local
withholding taxes); "BS" is the highest annual rate of salary
achieved by the Executive during the period of three (3) years
ending immediately prior to the date of termination; "PR" is the
number of payroll periods that occur during a year under the
Company's normal payroll practices; "I" equals the applicable
federal short term rate established under section 1274 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code") for the month in which
the Executive's termination of employment occurs (the "Short Term
AFR") and "n" equals the product of the Remaining Unexpired
Employment Period at the Executive's termination of employment
(expressed in years and fractions of years) multiplied by the
number of payroll periods that occur during a year under the
Company's and the Bank's normal payroll practices. The Salary
Severance Payment shall be made within five (5) business days after
the Executive's termination of employment and shall be in lieu of
any claim to a continuation of base salary which the Executive
might otherwise have and in lieu of cash severance benefits under
any severance benefits program which may be in effect for officers
or employees of the Bank or the Company;
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(v) a
lump sum payment in an amount equal to the estimated present value
of the annual bonuses that the Executive would have earned if he
had continued working for the Company and the Bank during the
Remaining Unexpired Employment Period at the highest annual rate of
salary achieved during the period of three (3) years ending
immediately prior to the date of termination (the "Bonus Severance
Payment"). The Bonus Severance Payment shall be computed using the
following formula:
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BSP = SSP x (ABP /
ASP)
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where "BSP" is the amount of the Bonus Severance Payment (before
the deduction of applicable federal, state and local withholding
taxes); "SSP" is the amount of the Salary Severance Payment (before
the deduction of applicable federal, state and local withholding
taxes); "BP" is the aggregate of the annual bonuses paid or
declared (whether or not paid) for the most recent period of three
(3) calendar years to end on or before the Executive's termination
of employment; and "SP" is the aggregate base salary actually paid
to the Executive during such period of three (3) calendar years
(excluding any year for which no bonus was declared or paid). The
Bonus Severance Payment shall be made within five (5) business days
after the Executive's termination of employment and shall be in
lieu of any claim to a continuation of participation in annual
bonus plans of the Bank or the Company which the Executive might
otherwise have;
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(vi) a
lump sum payment in an amount equal to the estimated present value
of the long-term incentive bonuses that the Executive would have
earned if he had continued working for the Company and the Bank
during the Remaining Unexpired Employment Period (the "Incentive
Severance Payment"). The Incentive Severance Payment shall be
computed using the following formula:
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ISP = (SSP / RUP) x
(ALTIP / ALTSP) x Y
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where "ISP" is the amount of the Incentive Severance Payment
(before the deduction of applicable federal, state and local
withholding taxes); "SSP" is the amount of the Salary Severance
Payment (before the deduction of applicable federal, state and
local withholding taxes); "ALTIP" is the aggregate of the most
recently paid or declared (whether or not paid) long-term incentive
compensation payments (but not more than three (3) such payments)
for performance periods that end on or before the Executive's
termination of employment; "ALTSP" is the aggregate base salary
actually paid to the Executive during the performance periods
covered by the payments included in "ALTIP" and excluding base
salary paid for any period for which no long-term incentive
compensation payment was declared or paid; "RUP" is the Remaining
Unexpired Employment Period, expressed in years and fractions of
years; and "Y" is the aggregate (expressed in years and fractions
of years) of the Remaining Unexpired Employment Period plus the
number of years and fraction of years that have elapsed since the
end of the last performance period for which a long-term incentive
payment has been declared and paid. In the event that the
Executive's employment terminates prior to the payment date under
any long-term incentive compensation plan, then for purposes of
computing the Incentive Severance Payment, the "ALTIP" shall be
deemed to be the average of the target and maximum award level
under such plan and the "ALTSP" shall be deemed to be the
Executive's annual base salary as in effect on the Executive's
termination of employment. The Incentive Severance Payment shall be
made within five (5) business days after the Executive's
termination of employment and shall be in lieu of any claim to a
continuation of participation in cash long-term incentive
compensation plans of the Bank or the Company which the Executive
might otherwise have;
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(vii) a
lump sum payment in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of: (A)
the present value of the aggregate benefits to which he would be
entitled under any and all tax-qualified and non-tax-qualified
defined benefit plans maintained by, or covering employees of, the
Company or the Bank (the "Pension Plans") if he had continued
working for the Company and the Bank during the Remaining Unexpired
Employment Period; over (B) the present value of the benefits to
which the Executive and his spouse and/or designated beneficiaries
are actually entitled under such plans (the "Pension Severance
Payment"). The Pension Severance Payment shall be computed
according to the following formula:
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PSP = PPB - APB
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where "PSP" is the amount of the Pension Severance Payment
(before deductions for applicable federal, state and local
withholding taxes); "APB" is the aggregate lump sum present value
of the actual vested pension benefits payable under the Pension
Plans in the
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form of a straight life annuity beginning at the earliest date
permitted under the Pension Plans, computed on the basis of the
Executive's life expectancy at the earliest date on which payments
under the Pension Plans could begin, determined by reference to
Table VI of section 1.72-9 of the Income Tax Regulations (the
"Assumed Life Expectancy"), and on the basis of an interest rate
assumption equal to the average bond-equivalent yield on United
States Treasury Securities with a Constant Maturity of thirty (30)
Years for the month prior to the month in which the Executive's
termination of employment occurs (the "30-Year Treasury Rate"); and
"PPB" is the lump sum present value of the pension benefits
(whether or not vested) that would be payable under the Pension
Plans in the form of a straight life annuity beginning at the
earliest date permitted under the Pension Plans, computed on the
basis that the Executive's actual age at termination of employment
is his attained age as of his last birthday that would occur during
the Remaining Unexpired Employment Period, that his service for
benefit accrual purposes under the Pension Plans is equal to the
aggregate of his actual service plus the Remaining Unexpired
Employment Period, that his average compensation figure used in
determining his accrued benefit is equal to the highest annual rate
of salary achieved by the Executive during the period of three (3)
years ending immediately prior to the date of termination, that the
Executive's life expectancy at the earliest date on which payments
under the Pension Plans could begin is the Assumed Life Expectancy
and that the interest rate assumption used is equal to the 30-Year
Treasury Rate. The Pension Severance Payment shall be made within
five (5) business days after the Executive's termination of
employment and shall be in lieu of any claim to any actual increase
in his accrued benefit in the Pension Plans in respect of the
Remaining Unexpired Employment Period; provided, however ,
that if the Pension Severance Payment represents the benefits under
a non-tax-qualified benefit plan, the payment shall be paid in the
same time and form as provided under the related non-tax-qualified
benefit plan;
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(viii) a
lump sum payment in an amount equal to the present value of the
additional employer contributions that would have been credited
directly to his account(s) under any and all tax-qualified and
non-tax-qualified defined contribution plans maintained by, or
covering employees of, the Bank and the Company (the "Non-ESOP DC
Plans"), plus the fair market value of the additional shares of
employer securities or other property that would have been
allocated to his account as a result of employer contributions or
dividends under any tax-qualified leveraged employee stock
ownership plan and any related non-tax-qualified supplemental plan
maintained by, or covering employees of, the Bank and the Company
(the "ESOP Plans") if he had continued in employment during the
Remaining Unexpired Employment Period (the "Defined Contribution
Severance Payment"). The Defined Contribution Severance Payment
shall be computed according to the following formula:
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DCSP = [SSP x (EC /
BS)] + [(STK + PROP) x Y]
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where: "DCSP" is th
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