Participant Name: | |
Grant Date: | |
Number of Continued Employment Units: | |
Continued Employment Units Vesting Period: | |
PARTICIPANT: | CASELLA WASTE SYSTEMS, INC. 25 Greens Hill Lane Rutland, Vermont 05701 |
__________________________________ | By:_________________________________ |
John W. Casella, Chairman & CEO | |
1. | Grant of Restricted Stock Units. |
2. | Continued Employment RSUs. |
Continued Employment Units | Target Maximum: 100% of the Continued Employment Units on the Cover Sheet |
3. | Determination of Earned Continued Employment Units. |
4. | Cessation of Business Relationship. |
(a) | Definitions. For purposes of this Section: |
(i) | “Beneficiary” shall mean the last person or persons designated as such by the Participant in writing prior to the Participant’s death. If no such person survives the Participant, the Beneficiary shall be the Participant’s estate. |
(ii) | “Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan, provided, however, that if the Participant is party to any employment, severance or other agreement with the Company (any such agreement, an “Employment Agreement”) that contains a definition of “cause,” the meaning ascribed to such term in such Employment Agreement shall apply for purposes of this Section 4. |
(iii) | “Disability” shall have the meaning provided under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(4)(i) and (iii). |
(iv) | “Good Reason” shall mean (A) a material reduction in the Participant’s base compensation; or (B) a requirement that the Participant relocate to, or perform his or her principal job functions at, an office that is more than 100 miles from the office at which the Participant was previously performing his or her principal job functions; provided, however, that no such event shall constitute Good Reason unless (X) the Participant gives the Company a written notice of termination for Good Reason not more than 100 days after the initial existence of the condition, (Y) the grounds for termination (if susceptible to correction) are not corrected by the Company within 30 days of its receipt of such notice and (Z) the Participant’s termination occurs within 180 days following the Company’s receipt of such notice, and provided further that if the Participant is party to an Employment Agreement that contains a definition of “good reason,” the meaning ascribed to such term in such Employment Agreement shall apply for purposes of this Section 4. |
(b) | Death, Disability or Termination Without Cause. If the Participant’s continuous service to the Company as an employee or director (a “Business Relationship”) ceases as a result of the Participant’s (i) death, (ii) Disability, or (iii) termination of employment by the Company without Cause or by the Participant for Good Reason (does not apply to voluntarily termination of employment by Participant), the Participant (or the Participant’s Beneficiary in the event of the Participant’s death) shall be entitled to payment of all Shares. |
(c) | Other Cessation of Business Relationship. If the Participant’s Business Relationship ceases for any reason other than as described in Section 4(b), the Continued Employment Units which have not been earned pursuant to Section 3 prior to such cessation will be forfeited without the payment of any consideration to the Participant, effective as of such cessation, except as provided in this Section. |
(d) | The Participant’s Business Relationship shall be deemed to have ceased on the last day of active service to the Company and shall not be extended by any notice of termination period. For purposes hereof, a Business Relationship shall not be considered as having ceased during any leave of absence if such leave of absence has been approved in writing by the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, service with the Company shall include service with a parent, subsidiary, affiliate or division of the Company. Any change in the type of Business Relationship the Participant has within or among the Company and a parent, subsidiary, affiliate or division of the Company shall not be treated as a cessation of the Business Relationship for purposes of this Section so long as the Participant continuously maintains a Business Relationship. |
5. | Payment. |
(a) | Within 60 days following the date on which any RSUs are earned, the Company shall distribute to the Participant (or to the Participant’s Beneficiary in the event of death) the Shares represented by RSUs that were earned, subject to Section 11 hereof and upon the satisfaction of all other applicable conditions as to the RSUs; provided, however, that the Shares shall be distributed no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Company’s taxable year; provided further, however, that the Shares may be distributed following the date contemplated in this Section to the extent permitted under Section 409A (“Section 409A”) of Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the regulations, including the proposed regulations thereunder (the “Code”) without the payment becoming subject to, and being treated as “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A (such as where the Company reasonably anticipates that the payment will violate federal securities laws or other applicable laws). Payment of any earned RSUs shall be made in whole Shares. Earned RSUs shall be rounded down to the nearest whole Share, and the Company shall pay the value of any fractional Shares to the Participant in cash on the basis of the fair market value per share of Common Stock on the date of distribution (determined by reference to the closing price of the Common Stock on the principal exchange on which the Common Stock trades on the date of distribution, or if such date is not a trading date, on the next preceding trading date). |
(b) | The Company shall not be obligated to issue Shares to the Participant upon the earning of any RSUs unless the issuance and delivery of such Shares shall comply with all relevant provisions of law and other legal requirements including, without limitation, any applicable federal, state or foreign securities laws and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which Shares may be listed. |
(c) | Anything in the foregoing to the contrary notwithstanding, RSUs granted under this Agreement may be suspended, delayed or otherwise deferred for any of the reasons contemplated in Sections 4 and 5 only to the extent such suspension, delay or deferral is permitted under Treas. Reg. §§1.409A-2(b)(7), 1.409A-1(b)(4)(ii) or successor provisions, or as otherwise permitted under Section 409A. |
6. | Option of Company to Deliver Cash. |
7. | Restrictions on Transfer. |
(a) | The Participant shall not sell, assign, transfer, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise encumber or dispose of any RSUs, either voluntarily or by operation of law. Any attempt to dispose of any RSUs in contravention of the above restriction shall be null and void and without effect. |
(b) | The Company shall not be required (i) to transfer on its books any of the RSUs that have been transferred in violation of any of the provisions set forth herein or (ii) to treat as the owner of such RSUs any transferee to whom such RSUs have been transferred in violation of any of the provisions contained herein. |
8. | No Obligation to Continue Business Relationship. |
9. | No Rights as Stockholder. |
10. | Adjustments for Capital Changes; Reorganization and Change in Control Events. |
11. | Withholding Taxes. |
12. | Nature of Grant. |
13. | Miscellaneous. |
(a) | Notices. All notices hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when sent by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, if to the Participant, to the address set forth on the cover sheet or at the most recent address shown on the records of the Company, and if to the Company, to the Company's principal office, attention of the Corporate Secretary. |
(b) | Entire Agreement; Modification. This Agreement (including the cover sheet) and the Plan constitutes the entire agreement between the parties relative to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all other communications between the parties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement. This Agreement may be modified, amended or rescinded by the Committee as it shall deem advisable, subject to any requirement for shareholder approval imposed by applicable law or other applicable rules, including, without limitation, the rules of the stock exchange on which the Shares are listed. If the Committee determines that the Award terms could result in adverse tax consequences to the Participant, the Committee may amend this Agreement without the consent of the Participant in order to minimize or eliminate such tax treatment. |
(c) | Plan Governs. This Agreement is subject to all terms and provisions of the Plan. In the event of a conflict between one or more provisions of this Agreement and one or more provisions of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan will govern. |
(d) | Severability. The invalidity, illegality or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall in no way affect the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision. |
(e) | Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the heirs, legatees, distributees, executors and administrators of the Participant and the successors and assigns of the Company. |
(f) | Participant’s Acceptance. The Participant is urged to read this Agreement carefully and to consult with his or her own legal counsel regarding the terms and consequences of this Agreement and the legal and binding effect of this Agreement. By virtue of his or her acceptance of this Agreement, the Participant is deemed to have accepted and agreed to all of the terms and conditions of this Award and the provisions of the Plan, including as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Committee upon any questions arising under the Plan or this Award. |
(g) | Section 409A. This Agreement, the RSUs and payments made pursuant to this Agreement are intended to comply with or qualify for an exemption from the requirements of Section 409A and shall be construed consistently therewith and shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with that intention. Terms defined in the Agreement shall have the meanings given such terms under Section 409A if and to the extent required to comply with Section 409A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company reserves the right, to the extent the Company deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion, to unilaterally amend the Plan and/or this Agreement to ensure that all RSUs are awarded in a manner that qualifies for exemption from or complies with Section 409A, provided, however, that the Company makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A from applying to this Award of RSUs. Any payments described in this Section 13(g) that are due within the “short term deferral period” as defined in Section 409A shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless applicable law requires otherwise. If and to the extent any portion of any payment, compensation or other benefit provided to the Participant in connection with his or her employment termination is determined to constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A and the Participant is a specified employee as defined in Section 409A(2)(B)(i) of the Code, as determined by the Company in accordance with its procedures, by which determination the Participant hereby agrees that he or she is bound, such portion of the payment, compensation or other benefit shall not be paid before the day that is six months plus one day after the date of separation from service (as determined under Section 409A (the “New Payment Date”)), except as Section 409A may then permit. The aggregate of any payments that otherwise would have been paid to the Participant during the period between the date of separation from service and the New Payment Date shall be paid to the Participant in a lump sum on such New Payment Date, and any remaining payments will be paid on their original schedule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company, its subsidiaries, directors, officers and agents shall have no liability to a Participant, or any other party, if an Award that is intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A is not so exempt or compliant, or for any action taken by the Committee. |
(h) | Governing Law/Choice of Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of the conflicts of laws thereof. For purposes of litigating any dispute that arises directly or indirectly from the relationship of the parties, evidenced by this Award or the Agreement, the parties hereby submit to and consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State of Vermont and agree that such litigation shall be conducted only in the courts of Rutland County, Vermont, or the federal courts for the United States for the District of Vermont, and no other courts, where this Award is made and/or to be performed. |
(i) | Administrator Authority. The Committee will have the power to interpret the Plan and this Agreement and to adopt such rules for the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan as are consistent therewith and to interpret or revoke any such rules (including, but not limited to, the determination of whether or not any RSUs have been earned). All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith will be final and binding upon Participant, the Company and all other interested persons. |
(j) | Electronic Delivery. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the RSUs awarded under and participation in the Plan or future RSUs that may be awarded under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and, if requested, to agree to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company. |