Document

Exhibit 10.1

ATRICURE, INC.
2018 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
AMENDED AND RESTATED EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2022
1.Purpose.  The purposes of the Plan are as follows:
(a)To assist employees of the Company and its Participating Subsidiaries (as defined below) with the opportunity to acquire stock ownership interest in the Company.  The Plan is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” within the meaning of Section 423(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Plan will be administered and interpreted in accordance with that intent;
(b)To help employees provide for their future security and to encourage them to remain in the employment of the Company; and
(c)To help align the interests of our employees with those of the Company’s shareholders.
2.Definitions.
“Board or Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company, as constituted from time to time.
“Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i)Any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding voting securities; or
(ii)The consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets; or
(iii)The consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its Parent) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or its parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation.
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as it may be amended from time to time.  Any reference to a section of the Code shall be deemed to include a reference to any regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Committee” means the committee appointed by the Board to administer the Plan.








“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share.  “Common Stock” shall also include (i) the common stock  of the surviving corporation in any consolidation, merger or reincorporation effected exclusively to change the domicile of the Company and (ii) such other securities of the Company that may be substituted for Common Stock pursuant to Section 18 hereof.
“Company” means AtriCure, Inc., a Delaware corporation, or any successor corporation (including, without limitation, the surviving corporation in any consolidation, merger or reincorporation effected exclusively to change the domicile of the Company).
“Compensation” means all base straight time gross earnings, non-worked paid hours (PTO, VTO, Holiday, Bereavement, Jury, Excused Paid Time Off, and Parental Leave), annual bonuses as may be elected by an Eligible Employee, and commissions, exclusive of payments for overtime, shift premium, fringe benefits and other compensation paid to an Eligible Employee by the Company or a Participating Subsidiary as compensation for services to the Company or Participating Subsidiary, before deduction for any salary deferral contributions made by the Eligible Employee to any tax-qualified or nonqualified deferred compensation plan.
“Designated Broker” means the financial services firm or other agent designated by the Company to maintain ESPP Share Accounts on behalf of Participants who have purchased shares of Common Stock under the Plan.
“Effective Date” means the date as of which this Plan is adopted by the Board, subject to the Plan obtaining shareholder approval in accordance with Section 19.11 hereof.
“Employee” means any person who renders services to the Company or a Participating Subsidiary as an employee pursuant to an employment relationship with such employer.  For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship shall be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on military leave, sick leave or other leave of absence approved by the Company or a Participating Subsidiary that meets the requirements of Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2).  Where the period of leave exceeds three (3) months, or such other period of time specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2), and the individual’s right to re-employment is not guaranteed by statute or contract, the employment relationship shall be deemed to have terminated on the first day immediately following such three-month period, or such other period specified in Treasury Regulation Section 1.421-1(h)(2).
“Eligible Employee” means an Employee of the Company:
(i)who does not, immediately after the option is granted, own stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of stock of the Company, a Parent or a Subsidiary (as determined under Section 423(b)(3) of the Code);
(ii)whose customary employment is for more than twenty (20) hours per week; and
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(iii)whose customary employment is for more than five (5) months in any calendar year.
For purposes of clause (i), the rules of Section 424(d) of the Code with regard to the attribution of stock ownership shall apply in determining the stock ownership of an individual, and stock which an employee may purchase under outstanding options shall be treated as stock owned by the employee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may exclude from participation in the Plan any Employee who is a “highly compensated employee” of the Company or a Participating Subsidiary (within the meaning of Section 414(q) of the Code) or a sub-set of such highly compensated employees.
“Enrollment Form” means an agreement pursuant to which an Eligible Employee may elect to enroll in the Plan, to authorize a new level of payroll deductions, or to stop payroll deductions and withdraw from an Offering Period.
“ESPP Share Account” means an account into which Common Stock purchased with accumulated payroll deductions at the end of an Offering Period are held on behalf of a Participant.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
“Fair Market Value” means as of any date, the value of Common Stock determined as follows:
(i)If the Common Stock is listed on any established stock exchange or a national market system, its Fair Market Value shall be the closing sales price for a share of Common Stock as reported in The Wall Street Journal (or such other source as the Committee may deem reliable for such purposes) for such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the closing sales price on the first trading date immediately prior to such date during which a sale occurred;
(ii)If the Common Stock is not traded on any established stock exchange or a national market system but is quoted on a quotation system, its Fair Market Value shall be the mean between the closing representative bid and asked prices for the Common Stock on such date, or if no sale occurred on such date, the first date immediately prior to such date on which sales prices or bid and asked prices, as applicable, are reported by such quotation system; or
(iii)In the absence of an established market for the Common Stock, the Fair Market Value thereof shall be determined in good faith by the Committee.
“Offering Date” means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period as designated by the Committee.
“Offering or Offering Period” means each period of approximately six (6) months commencing on any January 1 and July 1 and terminating on the last Trading Day on or before 
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the next occurring June 30 or December  31, as applicable, except for the first Offering Period under the Plan, which shall commence on the Effective Date and end on December 31, 2018.  The duration and timing of Offering Periods may be changed pursuant to Section 4 of this Plan, but in no event may an Offering Period have a duration in excess of twenty-seven (27) months.
“Parent” means any corporation, other than the Company, in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Company if, at the time of the determination, each of the corporations other than the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such chain.
“Participant” means an Eligible Employee who is actively participating in the Plan.
“Participating Subsidiaries” means the Subsidiaries that have been designated as eligible to participate in the Plan, and such other Subsidiaries that may be designated by the Committee from time to time in its sole discretion.  The Committee may designate, or terminate the designation of, a subsidiary as a Participating Subsidiary without the approval of the shareholders of the Company.
“Plan” means this AtriCure, Inc. 2018 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as set forth herein, and as amended from time to time.
“Purchase Date” means the last Trading Day of each Offering Period.
“Purchase Price” means 85% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Offering Date or on the Purchase Date, whichever is lower; provided, however that (i) if the Committee so designates, the Committee may set from time to time for future Offering Periods a higher percentage of Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock or a higher dollar amount as the Purchase Price or instead provide that the Purchase Price will be calculated based only on a percentage of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the Purchase Date that is equal to or more than 85%; (ii) the Purchase Price may be adjusted by the Committee pursuant to Section 18 hereof; and (iii) the Purchase Price shall in no event be less than the par value of a share of Common Stock.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
“Subsidiary” means any corporation, domestic or foreign, of which not less than 50% of the combined voting power is held by the Company or a Subsidiary, whether or not such corporation exists now or is hereafter organized or acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary.  In all cases, the determination of whether an entity is a Subsidiary shall be made in accordance with Section 424(f) of the Code.
“Trading Day” means any day on which the national stock exchange upon which the Common Stock is listed is open for trading or, if the Common Stock is not listed on an established stock exchange or national market system, a business day, as determined by the Committee in good faith.
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3.Administration.
3.1The Plan shall be administered by the Committee which shall have the authority to construe and interpret the Plan, prescribe, amend and rescind rules relating to the Plan’s administration and take any other actions necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.  The Committee may correct any defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency or ambiguity in the Plan.  The decisions of the Committee shall be final and binding on all persons.  All expenses of administering the Plan shall be paid by the Company.
3.2The Committee at its option may utilize the services of an agent to assist in the administration of the Plan including establishing and maintaining an individual securities account under the Plan for each Participant.  In its absolute discretion, the Board may at any time and from time to time exercise any and all rights and duties of the Committee under the Plan.
3.3All expenses and liabilities incurred by the Committee in connection with the administration of the Plan shall be borne by the Company.  The Committee may, with the approval of the Board, employ attorneys, consultants, accountants, appraisers, brokers or other persons.  The Committee, the Company and its officers and directors shall be entitled to rely upon the advice, opinions or valuations of any such persons.  All actions taken and all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding upon all Participants, the Company and all other interested persons.  No member of the Board shall be personally liable for any action, determination or interpretation made in good faith with respect to the Plan or the options, and all members of the Board shall be fully protected by the Company in respect to any such action, determination, or interpretation.
4.Eligibility.  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in a manner that is consistent with Section 423 of the Code, any individual who is an Eligible Employee as designated by the Committee for a particular Offering Period shall be eligible to participate in such Offering Period, subject to the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Eligible Employee shall be granted an option under the Plan if such option would permit his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (described in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company and its Subsidiaries to accrue at a rate that exceeds $25,000 of the Fair Market Value of such stock (determined at the time the option is granted) for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding at any time.
5.Offering Periods.  The Plan shall be implemented by a series of consecutive Offering Periods, each of which shall be six (6) months in duration, with new Offering Periods commencing on or about January 1 and July 1 of each year (or such other times as determined by the Committee).  The Committee shall have the authority to change the duration, frequency, start and end dates of Offering Periods.
6.Participation.
6.1Enrollment; Payroll Deductions.  An Eligible Employee may elect to participate in the Plan by properly completing an Enrollment Form, which may be electronic, and 
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submitting it to the Company, in accordance with the enrollment procedures established by the Committee.  Participation in the Plan is entirely voluntary.  By submitting an Enrollment Form, the Eligible Employee authorizes payroll deductions from his or her pay check in an amount equal to at least 1%, but not more than 10% of his or her Compensation on each pay day occurring during an Offering Period (or such other maximum percentage as the Committee may establish from time to time before an Offering Period begins).  Payroll deductions shall commence on the first payroll date following the Offering Date and end on the last payroll date on or before the Purchase Date.  The Company shall maintain records of all payroll deductions but shall have no obligation to pay interest on payroll deductions or to hold such amounts in a trust or in any segregated account.  Unless expressly permitted by the Committee, a Participant may not make any separate contributions or payments to the Plan.
6.2Election Changes.  During an Offering Period, a Participant may decrease or increase his or her rate of payroll deductions applicable to such Offering Period.  The Committee may limit the number of election changes made by a Participant in an Offering Period.  To make such a change, the Participant must submit a new Enrollment Form authorizing the new rate of payroll deductions at least five (5) business days before the Purchase Date.
6.3Automatic Re-enrollment.  The deduction rate selected in the Enrollment Form shall remain in effect for subsequent Offering Periods unless the Participant (a) submits a new Enrollment Form authorizing a new level of payroll deductions in accordance with Section 6, (b) withdraws from the Plan in accordance with Section 10, or (c) terminates employment or otherwise becomes ineligible to participate in the Plan.
7.Grant of Option.  On each Offering Date, each Participant in the applicable Offering Period shall be granted an option to purchase, on the Purchase Date, a number of shares of Common Stock determined by dividing the Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions by the applicable Purchase Price; provided, however, that in no event shall any Participant purchase more than 2,500 shares of Common Stock during an Offering Period (subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 18 and the limitations set forth in Section 13 of the Plan).
8.Exercise of Option/Purchase of Shares.  A Participant’s option to purchase shares of Common Stock will be exercised automatically on the Purchase Date of each Offering Period.  The Participant’s accumulated payroll deductions will be used to purchase the maximum number of whole shares that can be purchased with the amounts in the Participant’s notional account.  No fractional shares may be purchased but notional fractional shares of Common Stock will be allocated to the Participant’s ESPP Share Account to be aggregated with other notional fractional shares of Common Stock on future Purchase Dates, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant in accordance with Section 10 or termination of employment in accordance with Section 11.
9.Transfer of Shares.  As soon as reasonably practicable after each Purchase Date, the Company will arrange for the delivery to each Participant of the shares of Common Stock purchased upon exercise of his or her option.  The Committee may permit or require that the shares be deposited directly into an ESPP Share Account established in the name of the Participant with a Designated Broker and may require that the shares of Common Stock be 
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retained with such Designated Broker for a specified period of time.  Participants will not have any voting, dividend or other rights of a shareholder with respect to the shares of Common Stock subject to any option granted hereunder until such shares have been delivered pursuant to this Section 9.
10.Withdrawal.
10.1Withdrawal Procedure.  A Participant may withdraw from an Offering by submitting to the Company a revised Enrollment Form indicating his or her election to withdraw at least five (5) days before the Purchase Date.  The accumulated payroll deductions held on behalf of a Participant in his or her notional account (that have not been used to purchase shares of Common Stock) shall be paid to the Participant promptly following receipt of the Participant’s Enrollment Form indicating his or her election to withdraw and the Participant’s option shall be automatically terminated.  If a Participant withdraws from an Offering Period, no payroll deductions will be made during any succeeding Offering Period, unless the Participant re-enrolls in accordance with Section 6 of the Plan.
10.2Effect on Succeeding Offering Periods.  A Participant’s election to withdraw from an Offering Period will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in succeeding Offering Periods that commence following the completion of the Offering Period from which the Participant withdraws.
11.Termination of Employment; Change in Employment Status.  Upon termination of a Participant’s employment for any reason, including death, disability or retirement, or a change in the Participant’s employment status following which the Participant is no longer an Eligible Employee, which in either case occurs before the Purchase Date, the Participant will be deemed to have withdrawn from the Plan and the payroll deductions in the Participant’s notional account (that have not been used to purchase shares of Common Stock) shall be returned to the Participant, or in the case of the Participant’s death, to the person(s) entitled to such amounts under Section 17, and the Participant’s option shall be automatically terminated
12.Interest.  No interest shall accrue on or be payable with respect to the payroll deductions of a Participant in the Plan.
13.Shares Reserved for Plan.
13.1Number of Shares.  The maximum number of shares of Common Stock reserved as authorized for the grant of options under the Plan is 500,000 shares.  If any right granted under the Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the Common Stock not purchased under such right shall again become available for issuance under the Plan.  In addition, any unused shares reserved under the AtriCure, Inc. 2008 Employee Stock Purchase Plan shall become available for issuance under this Plan and if any right granted under the AtriCure, Inc. 2008 Employee Stock Purchase Plan shall for any reason terminate without having been exercised, the Common Stock not purchased under such right shall become available for issuance under this Plan. The shares of Common Stock may be newly issued shares, treasury shares or shares acquired on the open market.
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13.2Over-subscribed Offerings.  The number of shares of Common Stock which a Participant may purchase in an Offering under the Plan may be reduced if the Offering is over-subscribed.  No option granted under the Plan shall permit a Participant to purchase shares of Common Stock which, if added together with the total number of shares of Common Stock purchased by all other Participants in such Offering would exceed the total number of shares of Common Stock remaining available under the Plan.  If the Committee determines that, on a particular Purchase Date, the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which options are to be exercised exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock then available under the Plan, the Company shall make a pro rata allocation of the shares of Common Stock remaining available for purchase in as uniform a manner as practicable and as the Committee determines to be equitable.
14.Transferability.  No payroll deductions credited to a Participant, nor any rights with respect to the exercise of an option or any rights to receive Common Stock hereunder may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution, or as provided in Section 17 hereof) by the Participant.  Any attempt to assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of such rights or amounts shall be without effect.
15.Application of Funds.  All payroll deductions received or held by the Company under the Plan may be used by the Company for any corporate purpose to the extent permitted by applicable law, and the Company shall not be required to segregate such payroll deductions or contributions.
16.Statements.  Participants will be provided with statements at least annually which shall set forth the contributions made by the Participant to the Plan, the Purchase Price of any shares of Common Stock purchased with accumulated funds, the number of shares of Common Stock purchased, and any payroll deduction amounts remaining in the Participant’s notional account.
17.Designation of Beneficiary.
17.1A Participant may file, on forms supplied by the Committee, a written designation of beneficiary who is to receive any shares of Common Stock and cash in respect of any fractional shares of Common Stock, if any, from the Participant’s ESPP Share Account under the Plan in the event of such Participant’s death.  In addition, a Participant may file a written designation of beneficiary who is to receive any cash withheld through payroll deductions and credited to the Participant’s notional account in the event of the Participant’s death prior to the Purchase Date of an Offering Period.
17.2Such designation of a beneficiary may be changed by the Participant at any time by written notice to the Company.  In the event of the death of a Participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under the Plan who is living at the time of such Participant’s death, the Company shall deliver such shares and/or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such 
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shares and/or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.
18.Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization; Dissolution or Liquidation; Change in Control.
18.1Changes in Capitalization.  Subject to any required action by the shareholders of the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock which have been authorized for issuance under the Plan but not yet placed under option, the maximum number of shares each Participant may purchase during each Offering Period (pursuant to Section 7 hereof), as well as the price per share and the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been “effected without receipt of consideration.” Such adjustment shall be made by the Committee, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price of shares of Common Stock subject to an option.
18.2Dissolution or Liquidation.  In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Offering Period then in progress shall be shortened by setting a new Exercise Date (the “New Exercise Date”), and shall terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Committee.  The New Exercise Date shall be before the effective date of the Company’s proposed dissolution or liquidation.  The Committee shall notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s option shall be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.
18.3Merger or Change in Control.  In the event of a merger or Change in Control, the Offering Period with respect to each outstanding option will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date and will end on the New Exercise Date.  The New Exercise Date will occur before the date of the Company’s proposed merger or Change in Control.  The Committee will notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.
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19.General Provisions.
19.1Equal Rights and Privileges.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary and in accordance with Section 423 of the Code, all Eligible Employees who are granted options under the Plan shall have the same rights and privileges.
19.2No Right to Continued Service.  Neither the Plan nor any compensation paid hereunder will confer on any Participant the right to continue as an Employee or in any other capacity.
19.3Rights as Shareholder.  A Participant will become a shareholder with respect to the shares of Common Stock that are purchased pursuant to options granted under the Plan when the shares are transferred to the Participant’s ESPP Share Account.  A Participant will have no rights as a shareholder with respect to shares of Common Stock for which an election to participate in an Offering Period has been made until such Participant becomes a shareholder as provided above.
19.4Successors and Assigns.  The Plan shall be binding on the Company and its successors and assigns.
19.5Entire Plan.  This Plan constitutes the entire plan with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior plans with respect to the subject matter hereof.
19.6Compliance with Law.  The obligations of the Company with respect to payments under the Plan are subject to compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.  Common Stock shall not be issued with respect to an option granted under the Plan unless the exercise of such option and the issuance and delivery of the shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto shall comply with all applicable provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the shares of Common Stock may then be listed.
19.7Notice of Disqualifying Dispositions.  Each Participant shall give the Company prompt written notice of any disposition or other transfer of shares of Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an option acquired under the Plan, if such disposition or transfer is made within two years after the Offering Date or within one year after the Purchase Date.
19.8Term of Plan.  The Plan shall become effective on the Effective Date and, unless terminated earlier pursuant to Section 19.9, shall have a term of ten (10) years.
19.9Amendment or Termination.  The Committee may, in its sole discretion, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan at any time and for any reason.  If the Plan is terminated, the Committee may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or once shares of Common Stock have been purchased on the next Purchase Date (which may, in the discretion of the Committee, be accelerated) or permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment in accordance with Section 18).  If 
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any Offering Period is terminated before its scheduled expiration, all amounts that have not been used to purchase shares of Common Stock will be returned to Participants (without interest, except as otherwise required by law) as soon as administratively practicable.
19.10Applicable Law.  The laws of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning the construction, validity and interpretation of the Plan, without regard to such state’s conflict of law rules.
19.11Shareholder Approval.  The Plan shall be subject to approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months before or after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.
19.12Section 423.  The Plan is intended to qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code.  Any provision of the Plan that is inconsistent with Section 423 of the Code shall be reformed to comply with Section 423 of the Code.
19.13Withholding.  To the extent required by applicable Federal, state or local law, a Participant must make arrangements satisfactory to the Company for the payment of any withholding or similar tax obligations that arise in connection with the Plan.
19.14Severability.  If any provision of the Plan shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision hereof, and the Plan shall be construed as if such invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.
19.15Headings.  The headings of sections herein are included solely for convenience and shall not affect the meaning of any of the provisions of the Plan.






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