Company: ZEUS
Filing Date: 2025-03-28
Form Type: DEF 14A
Source: 0001437749-25-009843
Chunk: 27

Company: OLYMPIC STEEL INC
Filing Date: 2025-03-28
Form: DEF 14A
Chunk 27
---
 Ms. Christen, that provide for the payment and provision of certain benefits if there is a change in control of the Company and a termination of the executive’s employment with the surviving entity within a certain period after the change in control. We also have entered into agreements with Messrs. Marabito, Greiff and Manson that provide for the payment of certain severance benefits upon termination of employment other than after a change in control of the Company. These agreements help ensure that our executive’s interests remain aligned with those of our shareholders during any time when an executive’s continued employment may be in jeopardy. They also provide some level of income continuity should an executive’s employment be terminated without cause. In late 2023, we adopted an executive severance plan, which streamlined the severance protection offered to key employees. During 2024, all of our named executive officers, except Mr. Siegal and Ms. Christen became participants in the severance plan. The plan is described in further detail below under “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control.”

<div align='center'>18</div>

Other Compensation Policies

Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, generally provides that arrangements involving the deferral of compensation that do not comply in form and operation with Section 409A or are not exempt from Section 409A are subject to increased tax, penalties and interest. If a deferred compensation arrangement does not comply with, or is not exempt from, Section 409A, employees may be subject to accelerated or additional tax, or interest or penalties, with respect to the compensation. The Compensation Committee believes that deferred compensation arrangements that do not comply with Section 409A would be of significantly diminished value to our executives. Accordingly, we intend to design our future deferred compensation arrangements, and have amended our previously adopted deferred compensation arrangements, to either be exempt from, or comply with Section 409A.

Clawback Policy and Provisions.Effective November 2, 2023, in accordance with SEC and Nasdaq requirements, the Company adopted a new Compensation Recoupment Policy (the “Clawback Policy”), which provides for the reasonably prompt recovery (or clawback) of certain excess incentive-based compensation received during an applicable three-year recovery period by current or former executive officers in the event the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws. Excess