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Document

Exhibit 10.5 

GXO LOGISTICS, INC.
2021 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
SECTION 1.  Purpose.  The purpose of this GXO Logistics, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”) is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by (a) attracting and retaining exceptional directors, officers, employees and consultants (including prospective directors, officers, employees and consultants) of the Company (as defined below) and its Affiliates (as defined below) and (b) enabling such individuals to participate in the long-term growth and financial success of the Company. 
SECTION 2.  Definitions.  As used herein, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:
“Affiliate” means (a) any entity that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by, controls or is under common control with, the Company and/or (b) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, in each case, as determined by the Committee.
“Assumed Spin-Off Award” means an award granted to certain employees, consultants and directors of the Company, XPO Logistics, Inc. and their respective subsidiaries under an equity compensation plan maintained by XPO Logistics, Inc., which Award is assumed by the Company in connection with the Spin-Off, pursuant to the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement.
“Award” means any award that is permitted under SECTION 6 and was granted under the Plan, including an Assumed Spin-Off Award.
“Award Agreement” means any written or electronic agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing any Award, which may (but need not) require execution or acknowledgment by a Participant.
“Applicable Exchange” means the New York Stock Exchange LLC or any other national stock exchange or quotation system on which the Shares may be listed or quoted.
“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Cash Incentive Award” means an Award (a) that is granted pursuant to SECTION 6(f) of the Plan, (b) that is settled in cash and (c) the value of which is set by the Committee and is not calculated by reference to the Fair Market Value of Shares.
“Change of Control” shall (a) have the meaning set forth in an Award Agreement; provided, however, that except in the case of a transaction described in subparagraph (b)(iii) below, any definition of Change of Control set forth in an Award Agreement shall provide that a Change of Control shall not occur until consummation or effectiveness of a change in control of the Company, rather than upon the announcement, commencement, stockholder approval or other potential occurrence of any event or transaction that, if completed, would result in a change in control of the Company, or (b) if there is no definition set forth in an Award Agreement, mean the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i)    during any period, individuals who were directors of the Company on the first day of such period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the first day of such period whose election, or nomination by the Board for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors shall be considered as though such individual were an Incumbent Director, but excluding for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person (as defined below) other than the Board (including without limitation any settlement thereof);
(ii)    the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, a sale of assets) involving the Company (each, a “Reorganization”) if such Reorganization requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders under the law of the Company’s jurisdiction of organization (whether such approval is required for such Reorganization or for the issuance of securities of the Company in such Reorganization), unless, immediately following such Reorganization, (1) individuals and entities who were the “beneficial owners” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (or a successor rule thereto)) of the securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (“Company Voting Securities”) outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of such Reorganization continue to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the corporation or other entity resulting from such Reorganization (including a corporation that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) (the “Continuing Company”) in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Reorganization (excluding, for such purposes, any outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Company that such beneficial owners hold immediately following the consummation of the Reorganization as a result of their ownership prior to such consummation of voting securities of any corporation or other entity involved in or forming part of such Reorganization other than the Company), (2) no “person” (as 

such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) (each, a “Person”) (excluding (x) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Continuing Company or any corporation controlled by the Continuing Company and (y) any one or more Specified Stockholders) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Company and (3) at least 50% of the members of the board of directors of the Continuing Company (or equivalent body) were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the definitive agreement providing for such Reorganization or, in the absence of such an agreement, at the time at which approval of the Board was obtained for such Reorganization;
(iii)    the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company unless such liquidation or dissolution is part of a transaction or series of transactions described in paragraph (ii) above that does not otherwise constitute a Change of Control; or
(iv)    any Person, corporation or other entity or “group” (as used in Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than (A) the Company, (B) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or an Affiliate, (C) any company owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting power of the Company Voting Securities or (D) any one or more Specified Stockholders, including any group in which a Specified Stockholder is a member) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Company Voting Securities; provided, however, that for purposes of this subparagraph (iv), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (w) any acquisition directly from the Company, (x) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or an Affiliate, (y) any acquisition by an underwriter temporarily holding such Company Voting Securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or any acquisition by a pledgee of Company Voting Securities holding such securities as collateral or temporarily holding such securities upon foreclosure of the underlying obligation or (z) any acquisition pursuant to a Reorganization that does not constitute a Change of Control for purposes of subparagraph (ii) above.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof, or such other committee of the Board as may be designated by the Board to administer the Plan.
“Company” means GXO Logistics, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware, together with any successor thereto.
“Deferred Share Unit” means a deferred share unit Award that represents an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.
“Employee Matters Agreement” means the Employee Matters Agreement dated entered into between the Company and XPO Logistics, Inc. in connection with the Spin-Off.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, or any successor statute thereto, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Exercise Price” means (a) in the case of each Option, the price specified in the applicable Award Agreement as the price-per-Share at which Shares may be purchased pursuant to such Option or (b) in the case of each SAR, the price specified in the applicable Award Agreement as the reference price-per-Share used to calculate the amount payable to the applicable Participant pursuant to such SAR.
“Fair Market Value” means, except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, (a) with respect to any property other than Shares, the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Committee and (b) with respect to Shares as of any date, (i) the closing per-share sales price of the Shares as reported by the Applicable Exchange for such stock exchange for such date or if there were no sales on such date, on the closest preceding date on which there were sales of Shares or (ii) in the event there shall be no public market for the Shares on such date, the fair market value of the Shares as determined in good faith by the Committee.
“Incentive Stock Option” means an option to purchase Shares from the Company that (a) is granted under SECTION 6(b) of the Plan and (b) is intended to qualify for special Federal income tax treatment pursuant to Sections 421 and 422 of the Code, as now constituted or subsequently amended, or pursuant to a successor provision of the Code, and which is so designated in the applicable Award Agreement.
												
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“Independent Director” means a member of the Board (a) who is neither an employee of the Company nor an employee of any Affiliate, and (b) who, at the time of acting, is a “Non-Employee Director” under Rule 16b-3.
“Nonqualified Stock Option” means an option to purchase Shares from the Company that (a) is granted under SECTION 6(b) of the Plan and (b) is not an Incentive Stock Option.
“Option” means an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option or both, as the context requires.
“Participant” means any director, officer, employee or consultant (including any prospective director, officer, employee or consultant) of the Company or its Affiliates who is eligible for an Award under SECTION 5 and who is selected by the Committee to receive an Award under the Plan or who receives a Substitute Award pursuant to SECTION 4(c) or an Assumed Spin-Off Award.
“Performance Criteria” means the criterion or criteria that the Committee shall select for purposes of establishing the Performance Goal(s) for a Performance Period with respect to any Performance Award, which may include: (A) share price, (B) net income, earnings or earnings before or after taxes (including earnings before interest and taxes or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) including, in each case, for the avoidance of doubt, on an adjusted basis, (C) operating income, profit, operating profit or economic profit, (D) capital efficiency, (E) cash flow (including specified types or categories thereof including, but not limited to, operating cash flow and free cash flow), (F) cash flow return on capital, (G) revenues (including specified types or categories thereof), (H) return on stockholders’ equity, (I) return on investment or capital, (J) return on assets, (K) gross or net profitability/profit margins, (L) objective measures of productivity or operating efficiency, (M) costs (including specified types or categories thereof), (N) budgeted expenses (operating and capital), (O) market share (in the aggregate or by segment), (P) level or amount of acquisitions (in terms of size, number of transactions or otherwise), (Q) economic value-added, (R), enterprise value, (S) book value, (T) working capital, (U) safety and accident rates, (V) days sales outstanding, (W) customer satisfaction, (X) overall or selected premium or sales, (Y) expense ratio, (Z) gross or unit margin, and (AA) total stockholder return. 
“Performance Formula” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more objective formulas applied against the relevant Performance Goal to determine, with regard to the Performance Award of a particular Participant, whether all, some portion but less than all, or none of such Award has been earned for the Performance Period.
“Performance Goal” means, for a Performance Period, the one or more goals established by the Committee for the Performance Period based upon the Performance Criteria.
“Performance Period” means the one or more periods of time as the Committee may select over which the attainment of one or more Performance Goals shall be measured for the purpose of determining a Participant’s right to and the payment of a Performance Award.
“Performance Award” means an Award under SECTION 6(e) of the Plan that is subject to the achievement of Performance Goals, which value may be paid to the Participant by delivery of such property as the Committee shall determine, including without limitation, cash or Shares, or any combination thereof, upon achievement of such Performance Goals during the relevant Performance Period as the Committee shall establish at the time of such Award or thereafter.
“Restricted Share” means a Share that is granted under SECTION 6(d) of the Plan that is subject to certain transfer restrictions, forfeiture provisions and/or other terms and conditions specified herein and in the applicable Award Agreement.
“RSU” means a restricted stock unit Award that is granted under SECTION 6(d) of the Plan and is designated as such in the applicable Award Agreement and that represents an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities, other Awards or other property in accordance with the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.
“Rule 16b-3” means Rule 16b-3 as promulgated and interpreted by the SEC under the Exchange Act or any successor rule or regulation thereto as in effect from time to time.
“SAR” means a stock appreciation right Award that is granted under SECTION 6(c) of the Plan and that represents an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities, other Awards or other property equal in value to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value per Share over the Exercise Price per Share of the SAR, subject to the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.
“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor thereto and shall include the staff thereof.
“Shares” means shares of common stock of the Company, $0.01 par value, or such other securities of the Company (a) into which such shares shall be changed by reason of a recapitalization, merger, consolidation, split-up, combination, exchange of shares or other similar transaction or (b) as may be determined by the Committee pursuant to SECTION 4(b).
“Specified Stockholder” means Bradley S. Jacobs, Jacobs Private Equity LLC and its Affiliates, or any other entity or organization controlled, directly or indirectly, by Bradley S. Jacobs.
												
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“Spin-Off” means the distribution of the outstanding Shares to the stockholders of XPO Logistics, Inc. in 2021, pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement between the Company and XPO Logistics, Inc. entered into in connection with such distribution. 
“Subsidiary” means any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, possesses 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of its stock.
“Substitute Awards” shall have the meaning specified in SECTION 4(c).
“Treasury Regulations” means all proposed, temporary and final regulations promulgated under the Code, as such regulations may be amended from time to time (including corresponding provisions of succeeding regulations).
SECTION 3.  Administration.
(a)  Composition of the Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall be composed of one or more directors, as determined by the Board; provided that, to the extent necessary to comply with the rules of the Applicable Exchange and Rule 16b3 and to satisfy any other applicable laws or rules, the Committee shall be composed of two or more directors, all of whom shall be Independent Directors and all of whom shall meet the independence requirements of the Applicable Exchange.
(b)  Authority of the Committee.  Subject to the terms of the Plan and applicable law, and in addition to the other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and plenary authority to administer the Plan, including the authority to (i) designate Participants, (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant, (iii) determine the number of Shares to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards, (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Awards, (v) determine the vesting schedules of Awards and, if certain performance criteria must be attained in order for an Award to vest or be settled or paid, establish such performance criteria and certify whether, and to what extent, such performance criteria have been attained, (vi) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended, (vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee, (viii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any default in and/or supply any omission in, the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award made under, the Plan, (ix) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, (x) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, Awards, (xi) amend an outstanding Award or grant a replacement Award for an Award previously granted under the Plan if, in its sole discretion, the Committee determines that (A) the tax consequences of such Award to the Company or the Participant differ from those consequences that were expected to occur on the date the Award was granted or (B) clarifications or interpretations of, or changes to, tax law or regulations permit Awards to be granted that have more favorable tax consequences than initially anticipated and (xii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.
(c)  Committee Decisions.  Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award shall be within the sole and plenary discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all Persons, including the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award and any stockholder.
(d)  Indemnification.  No member of the Board, the Committee or any employee of the Company (each such person, a “Covered Person”) shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award. Each Covered Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from and against (i) any loss, cost, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Covered Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Covered Person may be a party or in which such Covered Person may be involved by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken under the Plan or any Award Agreement and (ii) any and all amounts paid by such Covered Person, with the Company’s approval, in settlement thereof, or paid by such Covered Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Covered Person; provided that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding, and, once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to a Covered Person to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or other final adjudication, in either case not subject to further appeal, determines that the acts or omissions of such Covered Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Covered Person’s bad faith, fraud or 
												
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willful criminal act or omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Amended and Restated Bylaws, in each case, as may be amended from time to time. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which Covered Persons may be entitled under the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation or Amended and Restated Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such persons or hold them harmless.
(e)  Delegation of Authority to Officers.  The Committee may delegate, on such terms and conditions as it determines in its sole and plenary discretion, to one or more officers of the Company the authority to make grants of Awards to officers (other than any officer subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act), employees and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates (including any prospective officer (other than any such officer who is expected to be subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act), employee or consultant) and all necessary and appropriate decisions and determinations with respect thereto.
(f)  Awards to Non-Employee Directors.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Board may, in its sole and plenary discretion, at any time and from time to time, grant Awards to non-employee directors or administer the Plan with respect to such Awards. In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority and responsibility granted to the Committee herein.
SECTION 4.  Shares Available for Awards; Cash Payable Pursuant to Awards.
(a)  Shares and Cash Available.  Subject to adjustment as provided in SECTION 4(b), the maximum aggregate number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be equal to 11,600,000, which includes Shares subject to all Assumed Spin-Off Awards (the “Plan Share Limit”), of which 11,600,000 Shares may be delivered pursuant to Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan (such amount, the “Plan ISO Limit”).If, after the effective date of the Plan, any Award is forfeited (or otherwise expires, terminates or is canceled without the delivery of all Shares subject thereto), then, in any such case, any number of Shares subject to such Award that were not issued with respect to such Award shall not be treated as issued for purposes of reducing the Plan Share Limit. Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt, if Shares issued upon exercise, vesting or settlement of an Award are, or Shares owned by a Participant are, surrendered or tendered to the Company in payment of the Exercise Price of an Award (including any SAR) or any taxes required to be withheld in respect of an Award or if any Award based on the Fair Market Value of a Share is settled other than wholly by delivery of Shares (including cash settlement), in any such case, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, such surrendered or tendered Shares or Awards not settled with Shares shall not again become available to be delivered pursuant to Awards under the Plan or increase the Plan ISO Limit. The maximum value of Shares available to be granted pursuant to Awards to any non-employee director under the Plan in any fiscal year of the Company shall be equal to $600,000 as of the applicable date of grant. None of the foregoing limitations in this Section 4(a) shall apply to Assumed Spin-Off Awards.  
(b)  Adjustments for Changes in Capitalization and Similar Events.
(i)    In the event of any extraordinary dividend or other extraordinary distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, rights offering, stock split, reverse stock split, split-up or spin-off, the Committee shall equitably adjust any or all of (A) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, including (1) the Plan Share Limit, and (2) the Plan ISO Limit, and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including (1) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate and (2) the Exercise Price, if applicable, with respect to any Award; provided, however, that the Committee shall determine the method and manner in which to effect such equitable adjustment.
(ii)    In the event that the Committee determines that any reorganization, merger, consolidation, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares (including any Change of Control) such that an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its discretion to be appropriate or desirable, then the Committee may (A) in such manner as it may deem appropriate or desirable, equitably adjust any or all of (1) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) with respect to which Awards may be granted, including (W) the Plan Share Limit, and (X) the Plan ISO Limit, and (2) the terms of any outstanding Award, including (X) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate and (Y) the Exercise Price, if applicable, with respect to any Award, (B) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Committee, make provision for a cash payment to the holder of an outstanding Award 
												
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in consideration for the cancelation of such Award, including, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment to the holder of such Option or SAR 
in consideration for the cancelation of such Option or SAR in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the Shares subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR and (C) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Committee, cancel and terminate any Option or SAR having a perShare Exercise Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a Share subject to such Option or SAR without any payment or consideration therefor.
(c)  Substitute Awards.  Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted under the Plan in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by the Company or any of its Affiliates or a company acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines (“Substitute Awards”); provided, however, that in no event may any Substitute Award be granted in a manner that would violate the prohibitions on repricing of Options and SARs, as set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of SECTION 7(b). The number of Shares underlying any Substitute Awards shall be counted against the Plan Share Limit; provided, however, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an entity that is acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines shall not be counted against the Plan Share Limit; provided further, however, that Substitute Awards issued in connection with the assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding stock options intended to qualify for special tax treatment under Sections 421 and 422 of the Code that were previously granted by an entity that is acquired by the Company or any of its Affiliates or with which the Company or any of its Affiliates combines shall be counted against the maximum aggregate number of Shares available for Incentive Stock Options under the Plan.
(d)  Sources of Shares Deliverable Under Awards.  Any Shares delivered pursuant to an Award may consist, in whole or in part, of authorized and unissued Shares or of treasury Shares.
SECTION 5.  Eligibility.  Any director, officer, employee or consultant (including any prospective director, officer, employee or consultant) of the Company or any of its Affiliates shall be eligible to be designated a Participant.  
SECTION 6.  Awards.
(a)  Types of Awards.  Awards may be made under the Plan in the form of (i) Options, (ii) SARs, (iii) Restricted Shares, (iv) RSUs, (v) Deferred Share Units, (vi) Performance Awards (vii) Cash Incentive Awards and (viii) other equity-based or equity-related Awards that the Committee determines are consistent with the purpose of the Plan and the interests of the Company. Awards may be granted in tandem with other Awards. No Incentive Stock Option (other than an Incentive Stock Option that may be assumed or issued by the Company in connection with a transaction to which Section 424(a) of the Code applies) may be granted to a person who is ineligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code.
(b)  Options.
(i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and plenary authority to determine (A) the Participants to whom Options shall be granted, (B) subject to SECTION 4(a), the number of Shares subject to each Option to be granted to each Participant, (C) whether each Option shall be an Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option and (D) the terms and conditions of each Option, including the vesting criteria, term, methods of exercise and methods and form of settlement. In the case of Incentive Stock Options, the terms and conditions of such grants shall be subject to and comply with such rules as may be prescribed by Section 422 of the Code and any regulations related thereto, as may be amended from time to time. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be a Nonqualified Stock Option unless the applicable Award Agreement expressly states that the Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option. If an Option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option, and if, for any reason, such Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option (or portion thereof) shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Stock Option appropriately granted under the Plan; provided that such Option (or portion thereof) otherwise complies with the Plan’s requirements relating to Nonqualified Stock Options.
(ii)  Exercise Price.  The Exercise Price of each Share covered by each Option shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share (determined as of the date the Option is granted); provided, however, in the case of each Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate, the per-Share Exercise Price shall be no less than 110% of the Fair Market Value per Share on the date of the grant. 
												
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(iii)  Vesting and Exercise.  Subject to Section 6(i), each Option shall be vested and exercisable at such times, in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its sole and plenary discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement or thereafter. Except as otherwise specified by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, each Option may only be exercised to the extent that it has already vested at the time of exercise. Each Option shall be deemed to be exercised when written or electronic notice of such exercise has been given to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Award by the person entitled to exercise the Award and full payment 
pursuant to SECTION 6(b)(iv) for the Shares with respect to which the Award is exercised has been received by the Company. Exercise of each Option in any manner shall result in a decrease in the number of Shares that thereafter may be available for sale under the Option and, except as expressly set forth in SECTION 4(a) and SECTION 4(c), in the number of Shares that may be available for purposes of the Plan, by the number of Shares as to which the Option is exercised. The Committee may impose such conditions with respect to the exercise of each Option, including any conditions relating to the application of Federal or state securities laws, as it may deem necessary or advisable.
(iv)  Payment.
(A)    No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the aggregate Exercise Price therefor is received by the Company, and the Participant has paid to the Company (or the Company has withheld in accordance with SECTION 9(d)) an amount equal to any Federal, state, local and foreign income and employment taxes required to be withheld. Such payments may be made in cash (or its equivalent) or, in the Committee’s sole and plenary discretion, (1) by exchanging Shares owned by the Participant (which are not the subject of any pledge or other security interest), (2) if there shall be a public market for the Shares at such time, subject to such rules as may be established by the Committee, through delivery of irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell the Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver cash promptly to the Company, (3) by having the Company withhold Shares from the Shares otherwise issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Option or (4) through any other method (or combination of methods) as approved by the Committee; provided that the combined value of all cash and cash equivalents and the Fair Market Value of any such Shares so tendered to the Company, together with any Shares withheld by the Company in accordance with this SECTION 6(b)(iv) or SECTION 9(d), as of the date of such tender, is at least equal to such aggregate Exercise Price and the amount of any Federal, state, local or foreign income or employment taxes required to be withheld, if applicable.
(B)    Wherever in the Plan or any Award Agreement a Participant is permitted to pay the Exercise Price of an Option or taxes relating to the exercise of an Option by delivering Shares, the Participant may, subject to procedures satisfactory to the Committee, satisfy such delivery requirement by presenting proof of beneficial ownership of such Shares, in which case the Company shall treat the Option as exercised without further payment and shall withhold such number of Shares from the Shares acquired by the exercise of the Option.
(v)  Expiration.  Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, each Option shall expire immediately, without any payment, upon the earlier of (A) the tenth anniversary of the date the Option is granted (or, in the case of each Incentive Stock Option granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such Option, owns stock representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any Affiliate, the fifth anniversary of the date the Option is granted) and (B) three months after the date the Participant who is holding the Option ceases to be a director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or one of its Affiliates. In no event may an Option be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the date the Option is granted.
(c)  SARs.
(i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and plenary authority to determine (A) the Participants to whom SARs shall be granted, (B) subject to SECTION 4(a), the number of SARs to be granted to each Participant, (C) the Exercise Price thereof and (D) the conditions and limitations applicable to the exercise thereof.
(ii)  Exercise Price.  The Exercise Price of each Share covered by a SAR shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such Share (determined as of the date the SAR is granted). 
(iii)  Vesting and Exercise.  Each SAR shall entitle the Participant to receive an amount upon exercise equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise of the SAR over the Exercise Price thereof. The Committee shall determine, in its sole and plenary discretion, whether a SAR shall be settled in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards, other property or a combination of any of the foregoing. Subject to 
												
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Section 6(i), each SAR shall be vested and exercisable at such times, in such manner and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may, in its discretion, specify in the applicable Award Agreement or thereafter.
(iv)  Other Terms and Conditions.  Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the Committee shall determine, at or after the grant of a SAR, the vesting criteria, term, methods of exercise, methods and form of settlement and any other terms and conditions of any SAR; provided, however, that in no event may any SAR be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the date the SAR is granted. Any determination by the Committee that is made pursuant to this SECTION 6(c)(iv) may be changed by the Committee from time to time and may govern the exercise of SARs granted or exercised thereafter.
(v)  Substitution SARs.  The Committee shall have the ability to substitute, without the consent of the affected Participant or any holder or beneficiary of SARs, SARs settled in Shares (or SARs settled in Shares or cash in the Committee’s discretion) (“Substitution SARs”) for outstanding Nonqualified Stock Options (“Substituted Options”); provided that (A) the substitution shall not otherwise result in a modification of the terms of any Substituted Option, (B) the number of Shares underlying the Substitution SARs shall be the same as the number of Shares underlying the Substituted Options and (C) the Exercise Price of the Substitution SARs shall be equal to the Exercise Price of the Substituted Options. If, in the opinion of the Company’s auditors, this provision creates adverse accounting consequences for the Company, it shall be considered null and void.
(vi)  Expiration.  Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, each SAR shall expire immediately, without any payment, upon the earlier of (A) the tenth anniversary of the date the SAR is granted and (B) three months after the date the Participant who is holding the SAR ceases to be a director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or one of its Affiliates. In no event may a SAR be exercisable after the tenth anniversary of the date the SAR is granted.
(d)  Restricted Shares and RSUs.
(i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and plenary authority to determine (A) the Participants to whom Restricted Shares and RSUs shall be granted, (B) subject to SECTION 4(a), the number of Restricted Shares and RSUs to be granted to each Participant, (C) the duration of the period during which, and the conditions, if any, under which, the Restricted Shares and RSUs may vest or may be forfeited to the Company and (D) the terms and conditions of each such Award, including the vesting criteria, term, methods of exercise and methods and form of settlement.
(ii)  Transfer Restrictions.  Restricted Shares and RSUs may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise encumbered except as provided in the Plan or as may be provided in the applicable Award Agreement; provided, however, that the Committee may in its discretion, determine that Restricted Shares and RSUs may be transferred by the Participant for no consideration. Each Restricted Share may be evidenced in such manner as the Committee shall determine. If certificates representing Restricted Shares are registered in the name of the applicable Participant, such certificates must bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares, and the Company may, at its discretion, retain physical possession of such certificates until such time as all applicable restrictions lapse.
(iii)  Payment/Lapse of Restrictions.  Each RSU shall be granted with respect to a specified number of Shares (or a number of Shares determined pursuant to a specified formula) or shall have a value equal to the Fair Market Value of a specified number of Shares (or a number of Shares determined pursuant to a specified formula). RSUs shall be paid in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, as determined in the sole and plenary discretion of the Committee, upon the lapse of restrictions applicable thereto, or otherwise in accordance with the applicable Award Agreement. 
(e)  Performance Awards.
(i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have sole and plenary authority to determine the Participants to whom Performance Awards shall be granted.
(ii)  Performance Goals.  The Committee shall set Performance Goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are met during a Performance Period, will determine in accordance with SECTION 4(a) the number of Shares and/or amount of cash or other property that will be paid out to the Participant pursuant to the Performance Award.
												
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(iii)  Earning of Performance Awards.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance Awards shall be entitled to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of, and at the times specified in, the applicable Award Agreement, a payout of the Shares, cash or other property earned by the Participant over the Performance Period pursuant to the Performance Award, to be determined by the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, as a function of the extent to which the corresponding Performance Goals have been achieved.
(iv)  Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Awards.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, may pay earned Performance Awards in the form of Shares, cash or other property (or in a combination thereof) that have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the value of the earned Performance Awards at the close of the applicable Performance Period. Such Shares may be granted subject to any restrictions in the applicable Award Agreement deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form and timing of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. 
(f)  Cash Incentive Awards.
(i)  Grant.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, shall have the authority to determine (A) the Participants to whom Cash Incentive Awards shall be granted, (B) subject to SECTION 4(a), the number of Cash Incentive Awards to be granted to each Participant, (C) the duration of the period during which, and the conditions, if any, under which, the Cash Incentive Awards may vest or may be forfeited to the Company and (D) the other terms and conditions of the Cash Incentive Awards. Each Cash Incentive Award shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. The Committee shall set performance goals or other payment conditions in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which they are met during a specified performance period, shall determine the number and/or value of Cash Incentive Awards that shall be paid to the Participant.
(ii)  Earning of Cash Incentive Awards.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, after the applicable vesting period has ended, the holder of Cash Incentive Awards shall be entitled to receive a payout of the number and value of Cash Incentive Awards earned by the Participant over the specified performance period, to be determined by the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, as a function of the extent to which the corresponding performance goals or other conditions to payment have been achieved.
(g)  Other Stock-Based Awards.  Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority to grant to Participants other equity-based or equity-related Awards (including, but not limited to, Deferred Share Units and fully vested Shares) (whether payable in cash, equity or otherwise) in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine; provided that any such Awards must comply, to the extent deemed desirable by the Committee, with Rule 16b-3 and applicable law.
(h)  Dividends and Dividend Equivalents.  In the sole and plenary discretion of the Committee, an Award, other than an Option or SAR or a Cash Incentive Award, may provide the Participant with dividends or dividend equivalents, payable in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee in its sole and plenary discretion, including, (i) payment directly to the Participant, or (ii) reinvestment in additional Shares, Restricted Shares or other Awards; provided, however, that no dividend or dividend equivalent may be delivered or paid in respect of an Award prior to the vesting of such Award.
(i)  Minimum Vesting Provision.  All Awards granted hereunder shall be subject to a designated vesting period of at least one year following the date of grant, except that (A) up to five percent of shares available for grant under the Plan and (B) the Assumed Spin-Off Awards may be granted without regard to this requirement.
SECTION 7.  Amendment and Termination.
(a)  Amendments to the Plan.  Subject to any applicable law or government regulation and to the rules of the Applicable Exchange, the Plan may be amended, modified or terminated by the Board without the approval of the stockholders of the Company, except that stockholder approval shall be required for any amendment that would (i) increase the Plan Share Limit or the Plan ISO Limit, (ii) change the class of employees or other individuals eligible to participate in the Plan, (iii) constitute a material increase in the benefits to be provided to eligible employees within the meaning of the New York Stock Exchange rules as of the date hereof, or (iv) result in the amendment, cancelation or action described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the second sentence of SECTION 7(b) being permitted without approval by the Company’s stockholders; provided, however, that any adjustment under SECTION 4(b) shall not constitute an increase for purposes of SECTION 7(a)(i). No amendment, modification or termination of the Plan may, without the consent of the Participant to whom any Award shall theretofore have been granted, materially and adversely affect the rights of such Participant (or his or her transferee) under such Award, unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement.
												
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(b)  Amendments to Awards.  The Committee may waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively;
provided, however, that, except as set forth in the Plan, unless otherwise provided by the Committee in the applicable Award Agreement, any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancelation or termination that would materially and adversely impair the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the applicable Participant, holder or beneficiary. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, in no event may any Option or SAR (i) be amended to decrease the Exercise Price thereof, (ii) be cancelled at a time when its Exercise Price exceeds the Fair Market Value of the underlying Shares in exchange for another Option or SAR or any Restricted Share, RSU, other equity-based Award, award under any other equity-compensation plan or any cash payment or (iii) be subject to any action that would be treated, for accounting purposes, as a “repricing” of such Option or SAR, unless such amendment, cancellation or action is approved by the Company’s stockholders. For the avoidance of doubt, an adjustment to the Exercise Price of an Option or SAR that is made in accordance with SECTION 4(b) or SECTION 8 shall not be considered a reduction in Exercise Price or “repricing” of such Option or SAR.
(c)  Adjustment of Awards Upon the Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events.  Subject to the final sentence of SECTION 7(b), the Committee is hereby authorized to make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in, Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, the events described in SECTION 4(b) or the occurrence of a Change of Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or of changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange, accounting principles or law (i) whenever the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, determines that such adjustments are appropriate or desirable, including, without limitation, providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards, accelerating the exercisability of, lapse of restrictions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time for exercise prior to the occurrence of such event, (ii) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, by providing for a cash payment to the holder of an Award in consideration for the cancelation of such Award, including, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment to the holder of such Option or SAR in consideration for the cancelation of such Option or SAR in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the Shares subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price of such Option or SAR and (iii) if deemed appropriate or desirable by the Committee, in its sole and plenary discretion, by canceling and terminating any Option or SAR having a perShare Exercise Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value of a Share subject to such Option or SAR without any payment or consideration therefor.
SECTION 8.  Change of Control.
(a)  General.  The provisions of this Section 8 shall, subject to Section 4(b), apply notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, except to the extent the Committee specifically provides otherwise in an Award Agreement.
(b)  Impact of Change of Control.  Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, except as otherwise provided in Section 8(e), each Award shall be replaced pursuant to Section 4(b) with an award that meets the requirements of this Section 8(b) (any award meeting the requirements of this Section 8(b), a “Replacement Award” and any award intended to be replaced by a Replacement Award, a “Replaced Award”). An Award shall meet the conditions of this Section 8(b) (and hence qualify as a Replacement Award) if: (i) it is of the same type as the Replaced Award; (ii) it has a value equal to the value of the Replaced Award as of the date of the Change of Control; (iii) if the underlying Replaced Award was an equity-based award, it relates to publicly traded equity securities of the Company or the entity surviving the Company following the Change of Control; (iv) it contains terms relating to vesting (including with respect to a termination of employment or service) that are substantially identical to those of the Replaced Award; and (v) its other terms and conditions are not less favorable to the Participant than the terms and conditions of the Replaced Award (including the provisions that would apply in the event of a subsequent Change of Control) as of the date of the Change of Control. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, a Replacement Award may take the form of a continuation of the applicable Replaced Award if the requirements of the preceding sentence are satisfied. If a Replacement Award is granted, the Replaced Award shall not vest upon the Change of Control. The determination whether the conditions of this Section 8(b) are satisfied shall be made by the Committee, as constituted immediately before the Change of Control, in its sole discretion.
(c)  Termination of Employment.  Upon a termination of employment or service of a Participant occurring upon or during the two years immediately following the date of a Change of Control by reason of death, disability, by the Company without Cause (as defined in Section 8(d)), or, only to the extent specified in an Award Agreement, by the Participant for “Good Reason” (as defined in Section 8(d)), (i) all Replacement Awards held by such Participant shall vest in full, be free of restrictions, and be earned in an amount equal to the full value of such Replacement Award, and (ii) unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, any Option or SAR held by the Participant as of the date of the Change of Control that remains outstanding as of the date of such 
												
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termination of employment or service may thereafter be exercised, until (A) in the case of Incentive Stock Options, the last date on which such Incentive Stock Options would be exercisable in the absence of this Section 8(c), and (B) in the case of Nonqualified Stock Options and SARs, the later of (x) the last date on which such Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR would be exercisable upon the relevant termination of employment in the absence of this Section 8(c) and (y) the earlier of (1) the first anniversary of such termination of employment or service and (2) expiration of the term of such Nonqualified Stock Option or SAR.
(d)  Definitions.  The following terms shall have the following meanings for purposes of this Section 8 only:
(i)  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in an applicable Award Agreement, “Cause” shall mean (A) the Participant’s dereliction of duties or gross negligence or failure to perform his duties or refusal to follow any lawful directive of the officer to whom he reports; (B) the Participant’s abuse of or dependency on alcohol or drugs (illicit or otherwise) that adversely affects his performance of duties for the Company; (C) the Participant’s commission of any fraud, embezzlement, theft or dishonesty or any deliberate misappropriation of money or other assets of the Company; (D) the Participant’s breach of any fiduciary duties of the Company; (E) any act, or failure to act, by the Participant in bad faith to the detriment of the Company; (F) the Participant’s failure to cooperate in good faith with a governmental or internal investigation of the Company or any of its directors, managers, officers or employees, if the Company requests the Participant’s cooperation; (G) the Participant’s failure to follow Company policies, including the Company’s code of conduct and/or ethics policy, as may be in effect from time to time; or (H) the Participant’s conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony or any serious crime; provided that in cases where cure is possible, the Participant shall first be provided with a 15-day cure period. 
(ii)  Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in an applicable Award Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean (A) a material breach by the Company of the Participant’s applicable Award Agreement or (B) a reduction in the Participant’s base salary; provided that the Company shall first be provided with a 30-day cure period following receipt of written notice from the Participant setting forth in reasonable detail the specific conduct of the Company that is alleged to constitute Good Reason, to cease and to cure, any conduct specified in such written notice; provided, further, that such notice shall be provided to the Company within 45 days of the occurrence of the conduct alleged to constitute Good Reason and if, at the end of the cure period, the circumstance alleged to constitute Good Reason has not been remedied the Participant will be entitled to terminate his employment for Good Reason during the 30-day period that follows the end of the cure period. If the Participant does not terminate employment or service during such 30-day period, he will not be permitted to terminate his employment for Good Reason as a result of such event or condition.
(e)  Awards not Replaced.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, in the event that an Award shall not be replaced pursuant to Section 4(b) with a Replacement Award meeting the requirements of Section 8(b), any such Award that is (i) an outstanding Option or SAR then held by a Participant that is unexercisable or otherwise unvested shall automatically become exercisable or otherwise vested, as the case may be, as of immediately prior to the Change of Control, (ii) a Cash Incentive Award or a Performance Award shall be paid out as if the date of the Change of Control were the last day of the applicable Performance Period and “target” performance levels had been attained and (iii) not described in clause (i) or (ii) of this Section 8(e) then held by a Participant that is unexercisable, unvested or still subject to restrictions or forfeiture, shall automatically be exercisable and vested and all restrictions and forfeiture provisions related thereto shall lapse as of immediately prior to such Change of Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, this Section 8 shall be applicable only to the extent specifically provided in the Award Agreement and permitted pursuant to Section 11(e). Nothing in this Section 8 shall preclude the Company from settling upon a Change of Control an Award if it is not replaced by a Replacement Award, to the extent effectuated in accordance with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(j)(ix).
SECTION 9.  General Provisions.
(a)  Nontransferability.  Except as otherwise specified in the applicable Award Agreement, during the Participant’s lifetime each Award (and any rights and obligations thereunder) shall be exercisable only by the Participant, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative, and no Award (or any rights and obligations thereunder) may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate; provided that (i) the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance and (ii) the Board or the Committee may permit further transferability, on a general or specific basis, and may impose conditions and limitations on any permitted transferability; provided, however, that Incentive Stock Options shall not be transferable in any way that would violate Section 1.422-2(a)(2) of the Treasury Regulations and in no event may any Award (or any rights and obligations thereunder) be transferred in any way in 
												
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exchange for value. All terms and conditions of the Plan and all Award Agreements shall be binding upon any permitted successors and assigns.
(b)  No Rights to Awards.  No Participant or other Person shall have any claim to be granted any Award, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated.
(c)  Share Certificates.  All certificates for Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC, the Applicable Exchange and any applicable Federal or state laws, and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.
(d)  Withholding.
(i)  Authority to Withhold.  A Participant may be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any Award, from any payment due or transfer made under any Award or under the Plan or from any compensation or other amount owing to a Participant, the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property) of any applicable withholding taxes in respect of an Award, its exercise or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Committee or the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such taxes.
(ii)  Alternative Ways to Satisfy Withholding Liability.  Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, subject to the Committee’s discretion, a Participant may satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by delivery of Shares owned by the Participant (which are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) having a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability or by having the Company withhold from the number of Shares otherwise issuable pursuant to the exercise of the Option or SAR, or the lapse of the restrictions on any other Award (in the case of SARs and other Awards, if such SARs and other Awards are settled in Shares), a number of Shares having a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability.
(e)  Section 409A.
(i)  It is intended that the provisions of the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Each payment under any Award shall be treated as a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code. In no event may a Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment to be made under any Award.
(ii)  No Participant or the creditors or beneficiaries of a Participant shall have the right to subject any deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) payable under the Plan to any anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment or garnishment. Except as permitted under Section 409A of the Code, any deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) payable to any Participant or for the benefit of any Participant under the Plan may not be reduced by, or offset against, any amount owing by any such Participant to the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(iii)  If, at the time of a Participant’s separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code), (A) such Participant shall be a specified employee (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and using the identification methodology selected by the Company from time to time) and (B) the Company shall make a good faith determination that an amount payable pursuant to an Award constitutes deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) the payment of which is required to be delayed pursuant to the six-month delay rule set forth in Section 409A of the Code in order to avoid taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, then the Company shall not pay such amount on the otherwise scheduled payment date but shall instead pay it on the first business day after such six-month period. Such amount shall be paid without interest, unless otherwise determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion, or as otherwise provided in any applicable employment agreement between the Company and the relevant Participant.
(iv)  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, in light of the uncertainty with respect to the proper application of Section 409A of the Code, the Company reserves the right to make amendments to any Award as the Company deems necessary or desirable to avoid the imposition of taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. In any case, a Participant shall be solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on such Participant or for such Participant’s account in connection with an Award (including any 
												
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taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code), and neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties.
(f)  Award Agreements.  Each Award hereunder shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto, including the effect on such Award of the death, disability or termination of employment or service of a Participant and the effect, if any, of such other events as may be determined by the Committee.
(g)  No Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements.  Nothing contained in the Plan shall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other compensation arrangements, which may, but need not, provide for the grant of options, restricted stock, shares, other types of equity-based awards (subject to stockholder approval if such approval is required) and cash incentive awards, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.
(h)  No Right to Employment.  The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as a director, officer, employee or consultant of or to the Company or any Affiliate, nor shall it provide a Participant with any rights to continued service on the Board. Further, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment or discontinue any directorship or consulting relationship, free from any liability or any claim under the Plan, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any Award Agreement.
(i)  No Rights as a Stockholder.  No Participant or holder or beneficiary of any Award shall have any rights as a stockholder with respect to any Shares to be distributed under the Plan until he or she has become the holder of such Shares. In connection with each grant of Restricted Shares, except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant shall be entitled to the rights of a stockholder (including the right to vote) in respect of such Restricted Shares. Except as otherwise provided in SECTION 4(b), SECTION 7(c) or the applicable Award Agreement, no adjustments shall be made for dividends or distributions on (whether ordinary or extraordinary, and whether in cash, Shares, other securities or other property), or other events relating to, Shares subject to an Award for which the record date is prior to the date such Shares are delivered. 
(j)  Governing Law.  The validity, construction and effect of the Plan and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan and any Award Agreement shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
(k)  Severability.  If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
(l)  Other Laws; Restrictions on Transfer of Shares.  The Committee may refuse to issue or transfer any Shares or other consideration under an Award if, acting in its sole and plenary discretion, it determines that the issuance or transfer of such Shares or such other consideration might violate any applicable law or regulation or entitle the Company to recover the same under Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, and any payment tendered to the Company by a Participant, other holder or beneficiary in connection with the exercise of such Award shall be promptly refunded to the relevant Participant, holder or beneficiary. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no Award granted hereunder shall be construed as an offer to sell securities of the Company, and no such offer shall be outstanding, unless and until the Committee in its sole and plenary discretion has determined that any such offer, if made, would be in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Federal and any other applicable securities laws.
(m)  No Trust or Fund Created.  Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on one hand, and a Participant or any other Person, on the other. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive payments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Company or such Affiliate.
(n)  Recoupment of Awards.  Any Award Agreement may provide for recoupment by the Company of all or any portion of an Award if the Company’s financial statements are required to be restated due to noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the Federal securities laws or as otherwise determined by the Committee. This SECTION 9(n) shall not be the Company’s exclusive remedy with respect to such matters.
												
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(o)  No Fractional Shares.  No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.
(p)  Requirement of Consent and Notification of Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code or Similar Provision.  No election under Section 83(b) of the Code (to include in gross income in the year of transfer the amounts specified in Section 83(b) of the Code) or under a similar provision of law may be made unless expressly permitted by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement or by action of the Committee in writing prior to the making of such election. If an Award recipient, in connection with the acquisition of Shares under the Plan or otherwise, is expressly permitted under the terms of the applicable Award Agreement or by such Committee action to make such an election and the Participant makes the election, the Participant shall notify the Committee of such election within ten days of filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service (or any successor thereto) or other governmental authority, in addition to any filing and notification required pursuant to regulations issued under Section 83(b) of the Code or any other applicable provision.
(q)  Requirement of Notification Upon Disqualifying Disposition Under Section 421(b) of the Code.  If any Participant shall make any disposition of Shares delivered pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances described in Section 421(b) of the Code (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions) or any successor provision of the Code, such Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten days of such disposition.
(r)  Headings and Construction.  Headings are given to the Sections and subsections of the Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of the Plan or any provision thereof. Whenever the words “include”, “includes” or “including” are used in this Plan, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “but not limited to”.
(s)  Assumed Spin-Off Awards.  Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, each Assumed Spin-Off Award shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the equity compensation plan and award agreement to which such Award was subject immediately prior to the Spin-Off, subject to the adjustment of such Award by the Compensation Committee of XPO Logistics, Inc. and the terms of the Employee Matters Agreement, provided that following the date of the Spin-Off, each such Award shall relate solely to Shares and be administered by the Committee in accordance with the administrative procedures in effect under this Plan. 
SECTION 10.  Term of the Plan.
(a)  Effective Date.  Prior to the Spin-Off, this Plan was approved by the Board and by XPO Logistics, Inc. as the sole shareowner of the Company.  The Plan shall be effective as of  the date on which the Spin-Off occurs (the “Effective Date”).
(b)  Expiration Date.  No Award shall be granted under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award granted hereunder, and the authority of the Board or the Committee to amend, alter, adjust, suspend, discontinue or terminate any such Award or to waive any conditions or rights under any such Award, shall nevertheless continue thereafter.
												
		14Document

Exhibit 10.6

GXO LOGISTICS, INC.
SEVERANCE PLAN
SECTION 1
PURPOSE OF THE PLAN
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of GXO Logistics, Inc. (the “Company”) desires to provide financial assistance to select executives upon certain terminations of employment in accordance with the terms and conditions of the GXO Logistics, Inc. Severance Plan (this “Plan”). 
The Board also recognizes that the possibility of a Change in Control (as defined in Section 2.6) of the Company, and the uncertainty it could create, may result in the loss or distraction of executives of the Company to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders. The Board considers the avoidance of such loss and distraction to be essential to protecting and enhancing the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. The Board also believes that when a Change in Control is perceived as imminent, or is occurring, the Board should be able to receive and rely on disinterested service from executives regarding the best interests of the Company and its shareholders without concern that employees might be distracted or concerned by the personal uncertainties and risks created by the perception of an imminent or occurring Change in Control.
Therefore, in order to fulfill the above purposes, the Plan was adopted by the Board and shall become effective on the Effective Date (as defined in Section 2.13).
SECTION 2
DEFINITIONS
Certain capitalized terms used herein have the definitions given to such terms in the first place in which they are used. As used herein, the following capitalized words and phrases shall have the following respective meanings:
2.1    “Affiliate” means any entity controlled by, controlling or under common control with the Company.
2.2    “Annual Base Salary” means the annual base salary paid or payable, including any base salary that is subject to deferral, to the Participant by the Company or any of the Affiliates at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Date of Termination or, if the Date of Termination is during a Change in Control Period, the rate in effect (or required to be in effect before any diminution that is a basis of the Participant’s termination for Good Reason) immediately prior to the Change in Control, or, if higher, immediately prior to the Date of Termination.
2.3    “Benefit Continuation Period” means (a) with respect to the CEO, a period of eighteen (18) months following the Date of Termination and (b) with respect to all other Participants, a period of twelve (12) months following the Date of Termination.

2.4    “Cause” shall means (a) the Participant’s dereliction of duties or gross negligence or failure to perform his duties or refusal to follow any lawful directive of the officer to whom he reports; (b) the Participant’s abuse of or dependency on alcohol or drugs (illicit or otherwise) that adversely affects his performance of duties for the Company or an Affiliate; (c) the Participant’s commission of any fraud, embezzlement, theft or dishonesty or any deliberate misappropriation of money or other assets of the Company or an Affiliate; (d) the Participant’s breach of any fiduciary duties of the Company or any Affiliate; (e) any act, or failure to act, by the Participant in bad faith to the detriment of the Company or an Affiliate; (f) the Participant’s failure to cooperate in good faith with a governmental or internal investigation of the Company or an Affiliate or any of its directors, managers, officers or employees, if the Company requests the Participant’s cooperation; (g) the Participant’s failure to follow Company policies, including the Company’s code of conduct and/or ethics policy, as may be in effect from time to time; (h) the Participant’s conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony or any serious crime; provided that in cases where cure is possible, the Participant shall first be provided with a 15-day cure period; or (i) other than during a Change in Control Period, any other matter which the Company or as relevant Affiliate reasonably considers justifies or would justify the Participant's summary dismissal including without limitation in accordance with the Participant's contract of employment or local law. 
2.5    “CEO” means the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.
2.6    “Change in Control” shall mean any of the following:
(i)    during any period, individuals who were directors of the Company on the first day of such period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the first day of such period whose election, or nomination by the Board for election by the Company’s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors shall be considered as though such individual were an Incumbent Director, but excluding for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person (as defined below) other than the Board (including without limitation any settlement thereof);
(ii)    the consummation of a merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, a sale of assets) involving the Company (each, a “Reorganization”) if such Reorganization requires the approval of the Company’s stockholders under the law of the Company’s jurisdiction of organization (whether such approval is required for such Reorganization or for the issuance of securities of the Company in such Reorganization), unless, immediately following such Reorganization, (1) individuals and entities who were the “beneficial owners” (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (or a successor rule thereto)) of the securities eligible to vote for the election of the Board (“Company Voting Securities”) outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of such Reorganization continue to beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the 
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combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the corporation or other entity resulting from such Reorganization (including a corporation that, as a result of such transaction, owns the Company either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries) (the “Continuing Company”) in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Reorganization (excluding, for such purposes, any outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Company that such beneficial owners hold immediately following the consummation of the Reorganization as a result of their ownership prior to such consummation of voting securities of any corporation or other entity involved in or forming part of such Reorganization other than the Company), (2) no “person” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) (each, a “Person”) (excluding (x) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Continuing Company or any corporation controlled by the Continuing Company and (y) any one or more Specified Stockholders) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Continuing Company and (3) at least 50% of the members of the board of directors of the Continuing Company (or equivalent body) were Incumbent Directors at the time of the execution of the definitive agreement providing for such Reorganization or, in the absence of such an agreement, at the time at which approval of the Board was obtained for such Reorganization;
(iii)    the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company unless such liquidation or dissolution is part of a transaction or series of transactions described in paragraph (ii) above that does not otherwise constitute a Change of Control; or 
(iv)    any Person, corporation or other entity or “group” (as used in Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (other than (A) the Company, (B) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or an Affiliate, (C) any company owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the voting power of the Company Voting Securities or (D) any one or more Specified Stockholders, including any group in which a Specified Stockholder is a member) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Company Voting Securities; provided, however, that for purposes of this subparagraph (iv), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (w) any acquisition directly from the Company, (x) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or an Affiliate, (y) any acquisition by an underwriter temporarily holding such Company Voting Securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or any acquisition by a pledgee of Company Voting Securities holding such securities as collateral or temporarily holding such securities upon foreclosure of the underlying obligation or (z) any acquisition pursuant to a Reorganization that does not constitute a Change in Control for purposes of subparagraph (ii) above.
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2.7    “Change in Control Period” means the period commencing on, and including, the date of a Change in Control and ending on, and including, the second anniversary of the date of such Change in Control.
2.8    “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
2.9    “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.
2.10    “Company” means GXO Logistics, Inc. and any successor(s) thereto or, if applicable, the ultimate parent of any such successor.
2.11    “Date of Termination” means the date of receipt of a Notice of Termination from the Company or the Participant, as applicable, or any later date specified in the Notice of Termination (subject to the notice and cure periods in the definition of Good Reason). If the Participant’s employment is terminated by reason of death, the Date of Termination shall be the date of death of the Participant. If the Participant’s employment is terminated by reason of Disability, the Date of Termination shall be the date on which the Participant becomes eligible for benefits under the Company’s (or as, relevant, any Affiliate's) long-term disability plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Date of Termination of any U.S. Taxpayer Participant occur until such U.S. Taxpayer Participant experiences a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and the date on which such separation from service takes place shall be the “Date of Termination.”
2.12    “Disability” shall have the meaning given to such term in the Company’s (or as, relevant, any Affiliate's)long -term disability plan applicable to the Participant.
2.13    “Effective Date” means the date on which the Separation (as defined in Section 2.23) occurs.
2.14    “Good Reason” means the occurrence of any of the following events or circumstances during a Change in Control Period and without the Participant’s prior written consent:
(a)    A material reduction of the Participant’s Annual Base Salary from that in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control (or if higher, that in effect at any time thereafter), other than pursuant to a general reduction in Annual Base Salary that applies on a uniform basis to all similarly situated executives of the Company or, as relevant, the Affiliate which employs the Participant;
(b)    A material reduction in the Participant’s target annual cash bonus opportunity from that in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control (or, if higher, that in effect at any time thereafter);
(c)    A material, adverse change in the Participant’s title, reporting relationship, authority, duties, or responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control; or
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(d)    The failure of the Company to obtain an agreement from any successor to the Company to assume and agree to perform the obligations under this Plan with respect to the Participant.
In order to invoke a termination for Good Reason, the Participant shall provide written notice to the Company of the existence of one or more of the conditions described in clauses (a) through (d) within 90 days of the initial existence of such condition, describing in reasonable detail such condition, and the Company shall have 30 days following receipt of such written notice (the “Cure Period”) during which it may remedy the condition. In the event that the Company fails to remedy the condition constituting Good Reason during the applicable Cure Period, the “separation from service” (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) of any U.S. Taxpayer Participant, or, for any Non-U.S. Participant, their termination of employment, must occur, if at all, within 30 days following the earlier of (i) the end of the Cure Period, or (ii) the date the Company provides written notice to the Participant that it does not intend to cure such condition. The Participant’s mental or physical incapacity following the occurrence of an event described above in clauses (a) through (d) shall not affect the Participant’s ability to terminate employment for Good Reason and the Participant’s death following delivery of a Notice of Termination for Good Reason shall not affect the Participant’s estate’s entitlement to the severance payments and benefits provided hereunder upon a termination of employment for Good Reason.
2.15    “Multiple” means (a) for the CEO, two and one-half (2.5) and (b) for all other Participants, two (2).
2.16    "Non-U.S. Participant" means any Participant other than a U.S. Taxpayer Participant.
2.17    “Notice of Termination” means a written notice delivered to the other party that (a) indicates the specific termination provision in this Plan relied upon, (b) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Participant’s employment under the provision so indicated, and (c) if the Date of Termination is other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies the Date of Termination (which Date of Termination shall be: (i) for any U.S. Taxpayer Participant, not more than 30 days after the giving of such notice or 90 days in the case of a termination for Good Reason); or (ii) for any Non-U.S. Participant, no later than the expiry of their contractual notice period. Any termination by the Company for Cause or by the Participant for Good Reason shall be communicated by a Notice of Termination to the other party hereto given in accordance with Section 10.7 of this Plan. The failure by the Participant or the Company to set forth in the Notice of Termination any fact or circumstance that contributes to a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the Participant or the Company, respectively, hereunder or preclude the Participant or the Company, respectively, from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing the Participant’s or ]the Company’s respective rights hereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, any notice served under the Plan will not affect the Company's or any Affiliate's ability to exercise any of its rights in relation to termination or notice under the relevant Participant's contract of employment.
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2.18    “Participant” means (a) the CEO, (b) each other executive officer of the Company, and (c) any other executive employed by the Company or any Affiliate who is selected by the Committee for participation in the Plan and notified of the same in writing.
2.19    “Plan” means this GXO Logistics, Inc. Severance Plan.
2.20    “Qualifying CIC Termination” means any termination of a Participant’s employment, during a Change in Control Period (a) by the Participant for Good Reason or (b) by the Company or as relevant any Affiliate other than for Cause, death or Disability.
2.21    “Qualifying Non-CIC Termination” means any termination of a Participant’s employment (a) by the Company or as relevant any Affiliate other than for Cause, death or Disability and (b) that is not a Qualifying CIC Termination.
2.22    “Salary Continuation Period” means (a) with respect to the CEO, the period of eighteen (18) months immediately following the Date of Termination and (b) with respect to all other Participants, the period of twelve (12) months immediately following the Date of Termination.
2.23    “Target Annual Bonus” means the Participant’s target annual cash bonus in effect immediately prior to the Date of Termination or if the Date of Termination is during a Change in Control Period, the Participant’s target annual cash bonus in effect (or required to be in effect before any diminution that is a basis of the Participant’s termination for Good Reason) immediately prior to the Change in Control, or, if higher, immediately prior to the Date of Termination.
2.24    “Separation” means the separation of the Company from XPO Logistics, Inc. pursuant to which the Company becomes a separate publicly traded company.
2.25    “Specified Stockholder” means Brad Jacobs, Jacobs Private Equity LLC and its Affiliates, or any other entity or organization controlled, directly or indirectly, by Brad Jacobs. 
2.26    “Subsidiary” means any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, possesses 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of its voting securities.
2.27    "U.S. Taxpayer Participant" means any Participant whose compensation income is subject to taxation in the United States of America.
SECTION 3
SEPARATION BENEFITS
3.1    Qualifying Non-CIC Termination. If a Participant experiences a Qualifying Non-CIC Termination, the Company shall pay or provide to the Participant the following payments and benefits at the time or times set forth below, subject to Section 9 and subject to (other than in the case of the Accrued Obligations and Other Benefits) the Participant’s execution of a general release of claims and settlement agreement in the form delivered to the Participant by the Company or as relevant Affiliate on or within 5 days after the Date of Termination (the “Release Agreement”) and return of all property of the Company and its Affiliates including any laptops or other electronic devices (with the data intact) and such Release Agreement becoming effective 
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and irrevocable in accordance with its terms no later than the sixtieth (60th) day following the Date of Termination:
(a)    a lump sum payment in cash payable within 30 days following the Date of Termination, equal to the sum of (A) the Participant’s accrued but unpaid Annual Base Salary through the Date of Termination, (B) any annual incentive payment earned by the Participant for a performance period that was completed prior to the Date of Termination where such payment remains due and outstanding, (C) any accrued and unused vacation pay or other paid time off, and (D) subject to any expenses policy in force from time to time, any business expenses incurred by the Participant that are unreimbursed as of the Date of Termination, in each case, to the extent not theretofore paid (the sum of the amounts described in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Accrued Obligations”); provided that, for any U.S. Taxpayer Participant, notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of clauses (A) and (B), if such U.S. Taxpayer Participant has made an irrevocable election under any deferred compensation arrangement subject to Section 409A of the Code to defer any portion of the Annual Base Salary or annual incentive payment described in clause (A) or (B) above, then for all purposes of this Section 3 (including, without limitation, Section 3.1(a) and 3.2(a)), such deferral election, and the terms of the applicable arrangement, shall apply to the same portion of the amount described in such clauses (A) or (B), and such portion shall not be considered as part of the “Accrued Obligations” but shall instead be an “Other Benefit” (as defined below);
(b)    a lump sum payment payable in cash no later than 70 days following the Date of Termination equal to the product of (A) the Target Annual Bonus and (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs from the first day of such fiscal year to and including the Date of Termination, and the denominator of which is the total number of days in such fiscal year, reduced by any annual bonus payment to which the Participant has been paid or is otherwise entitled, in each case, for the same period of service, and subject to any applicable deferral election on the same basis as set forth in the proviso to Section 3.1(a) (the “Prorated Bonus”);
(c)    continuation of Annual Base Salary for the Salary Continuation Period paid to the Participant ratably over the Salary Continuation Period in accordance with the Company’s (or as relevant Affiliate's) regularly scheduled payroll dates; provided that any payments due within 70 days following the Date of Termination shall be paid on the first payroll date coincident with or immediately following the 70th day immediately following the Date of Termination;
(d)    at the option of the Company, either (1) for the Benefit Continuation Period, healthcare benefit coverage to the Participant (and the Participant’s dependents who were covered by healthcare benefit coverage (including medical, prescription, dental and vision) pursuant to a plan sponsored by the Company or an Affiliate as of immediately prior to the Date of Termination, if any (the “eligible dependents”)), with the requirement for the Participant (or the eligible dependents) to pay a monthly premium at 
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the active employee rate for such healthcare benefit coverage as if the Participant had continued employment with the Company during the Benefit Continuation Period; provided that, for any U.S. Taxpayer Participant, the receipt of such heath care benefit shall be conditioned upon the Participant making a timely election to receive COBRA coverage provided to former employees under Section 4980B of the Code and continuing such coverage during the Benefit Continuation Period so long as it is available or (2) a cash lump sum payment equal to the amount of the employer contribution, based on the rates and coverage elections in effect at the Date of Termination, that would be been provided towards healthcare benefit coverage for the Participant and the Participant’s eligible dependents during the Benefit Continuation Period had the Participant remained employed with the Company or as relevant Affiliate during such period (the “Healthcare Benefit”); and
(e)    to the extent not theretofore paid or provided, any other amounts or benefits required to be paid or provided or which the Participant is eligible to receive under any plan, program, policy or practice or contract or agreement of the Company and the Affiliated Entities, including amounts credited to the Participant’s account under any deferred compensation plan, payable pursuant to the terms of such plan, program, policy or practice (such other amounts and benefits shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Other Benefits”).
3.2    Qualifying CIC Termination. If a Participant experiences a Qualifying CIC Termination, the Company shall pay or provide to the Participant the following payments and benefits at the time or times set forth below, subject to Section 9 and subject to (other than in the case of the Accrued Obligations and Other Benefits) the Participant’s execution of a Release Agreement (provided that such Release Agreement shall not contain any new or additional restrictive covenants), and return of all property of the Company and its Affiliates including any laptops or other electronic devices (with the data intact) and such Release Agreement becoming effective and irrevocable in accordance with its terms no later than the seventieth (70th) day following the Date of Termination:
(a)    a lump sum payment in cash payable within 30 days following the Date of Termination equal to the Accrued Obligations;
(b)    a lump sum payment in cash payable within 70 days of the Date of Termination equal to the Prorated Bonus;
(c)    a lump sum payment in cash payable within 70 days of the Date of Termination equal to the product of (1) the Multiple and (2) the sum of (A) the Participant’s Annual Base Salary and (B) the Target Annual Bonus; 
(d)    the Healthcare Benefits; and 
(e)    Other Benefits payable pursuant to the terms of such plan, program, policy or practice or contract or agreement.
For U.S. Taxpayer Participant, then notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any payment or benefit that constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 
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409A of the Code, if the Change in Control does not constitute an event described in Section 409A(a)(2)(v) of the Code and the regulations thereunder, then solely to the extent necessary to avoid the application of additional taxes and penalties on such payment or benefit under Section 409A of the Code, such payment or benefit shall be paid or provided on the same schedule that would have applied to such payment or benefit in connection with a Qualifying Non-CIC Termination. 
SECTION 4
GOLDEN PARACHUTE EXCISE TAX 
4.1    The provisions of this Section 4 shall apply to U.S. Taxpayer Participants only.
4.2    If a Participant has a Qualifying CIC Termination, anything in this Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, in the event the Accounting Firm (as defined below) shall determine that receipt of all Payments (as defined below) would subject the Participant to the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code, the Accounting Firm shall determine whether to reduce any of the Payments paid or payable pursuant to this Plan (the “Plan Payments”) so that the Parachute Value (as defined below) of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount (as defined below). The Plan Payments shall be so reduced only if the Accounting Firm determines that the Participant would have a greater Net After-Tax Receipt (as defined below) of aggregate Payments if the Plan Payments were so reduced. If the Accounting Firm determines that the Participant would not have a greater Net After-Tax Receipt of aggregate Payments if the Plan Payments were so reduced, the Participant shall receive all Plan Payments to which the Participant is entitled hereunder.
4.3    If the Accounting Firm determines that aggregate Plan Payments should be reduced so that the Parachute Value of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount, the Company shall promptly give the Participant notice to that effect and a copy of the detailed calculation thereof. All determinations made by the Accounting Firm under this Section 4 shall be binding upon the Company and the Participant and shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable and in no event later than 15 days following the Date of Termination. For purposes of reducing the Plan Payments so that the Parachute Value of all Payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount, only amounts payable under this Plan (and no other Payments) shall be reduced. The reduction of the amounts payable hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by reducing the Plan Payments and benefits that have a Parachute Value in the following order: Section 3.2(b), Section 3.2(c), Section 3.2(e) and Section 3.2(d) in each case, beginning with payments or benefits that do not constitute non-qualified deferred compensation and reducing payments or benefits in reverse chronological order beginning with those that are to be paid or provided the farthest in time from the Date of Termination, based on the Accounting Firm’s determination. All reasonable fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company.
4.4    To the extent requested by the Participant, the Company shall cooperate with the Participant in good faith in valuing, and the Accounting Firm shall take into account the value of, services provided or to be provided by the Participant (including, without limitation, the Participant’s agreeing to refrain from performing services pursuant to a covenant not to compete or similar covenant, before, on or after the date of a change in ownership or control of the 
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Company (within the meaning of Q&A-2(b) of the final regulations under Section 280G of the Code), such that payments in respect of such services may be considered reasonable compensation within the meaning of Q&A-9 and Q&A-40 to Q&A-44 of the final regulations under Section 280G of the Code and/or exempt from the definition of the term “parachute payment” within the meaning of Q&A-2(a) of the final regulations under Section 280G of the Code in accordance with Q&A-5(a) of the final regulations under Section 280G of the Code.
4.5    The following terms shall have the following meanings for purposes of this Section 5:
(a)    “Accounting Firm” shall mean a nationally recognized certified public accounting firm or other professional organization that is a certified public accounting firm recognized as an expert in determinations and calculations for purposes of Section 280G of the Code that is selected by the Company prior to a Change in Control for purposes of making the applicable determinations hereunder, which firm shall not, without the Participant’s consent, be a firm serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control.
(b)    “Net After-Tax Receipt” shall mean the present value (as determined in accordance with Sections 280G(b)(2)(A)(ii) and 280G(d)(4) of the Code) of a Payment net of all taxes imposed on the Participant with respect thereto under Sections 1 and 4999 of the Code and under applicable state and local laws, determined by applying the highest marginal rate under Section 1 of the Code and under state and local laws which applied to the Participant’s taxable income for the immediately preceding taxable year, or such other rate(s) as the Accounting Firm determines to be likely to apply to the Participant in the relevant tax year(s).
(c)    “Parachute Value” of a Payment shall mean the present value as of the date of the Change in Control for purposes of Section 280G of the Code of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a “parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, as determined by the Accounting Firm for purposes of determining whether and to what extent the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code will apply to such Payment.
(d)    “Payment” shall mean any payment, benefit or distribution in the nature of compensation (within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code) to or for the benefit of the Participant, whether paid, payable or provided pursuant to this Plan or otherwise.
(e)    “Safe Harbor Amount” shall mean the maximum Parachute Value of all Payments that the Participant can receive without any Payments being subject to the Excise Tax.
4.6    The provisions of this Section 4 shall survive the expiration of this Plan.
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SECTION 5
NONDUPLICATION; LEGAL FEES; NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS
5.1    Offset for Other Employment or Work. Any compensation earned by a Participant from any other work, whether as an employee or an independent contractor, during the Salary Continuation Period or in the case of a Qualifying CIC Termination, during the period of time represented by the severance multiple (i.e., two and one half (2.5) equates to 30 months from the Date of Termination and two (2) equates to twenty four-months from the Date of Termination) (the “Severance Period”) shall reduce on a dollar for dollar (or as relevant the local country currency) basis, the amount paid by the Company under Section 3.1 or 3.2, as applicable. To the extent that compensation under Section 3.1 or 3.2 is already received by the Participant from the Company in a lump sum payment or otherwise and there is no further compensation that may be reduced, the Participant shall immediately on demand repay the Company on an after-tax basis the amount that should have been reduced as determined in writing by the Company. The Participant shall notify the Company in writing within 7 days if such Participants earns any compensation during the Severance Period.
5.2    Nonduplication. The amount of any payment under Section 3.1(c) and 3.2(c) of this Plan will be offset and reduced (but not below zero) by the full amount and/or value of any severance benefits, compensation and benefits provided during any notice period, pay in lieu of notice, mandated termination indemnities, or similar benefits that the Participant may separately be entitled to receive from the Company or any Affiliate based on any employment agreement, confidential information protection agreement or other contractual obligation (whether individual or union/works council) or statutory scheme. If a U.S. Taxpayer Participant’s employment is terminated because of a plant shut-down or mass layoff or other event to which the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 or similar state law (collectively, “WARN”) applies, then the amount of the severance payment under Section 3.1(c) and 3.2(c) of this Plan to which the Participant is entitled shall be reduced, dollar for dollar, by the amount of any pay provided to the Participant in lieu of the notice required by WARN, and the Benefits Continuation Period shall be reduced for any period of benefits continuation or pay in lieu thereof provided to Participant due to the application of WARN.
5.3    Legal Fees. Solely during the Change in Control Period, the Company agrees to pay as incurred (within 10 business days following the Company’s receipt of an invoice from the Participant), to the full extent permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses that the Participant may reasonably incur as a result of any contest by the Company, the Participant or others of the validity or enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Plan or any guarantee of performance thereof (including as a result of any contest (regardless of the outcome) by the Participant about the amount of any payment pursuant to this Plan) (each, a “Contest”), plus, in each case, interest on any delayed payment to which the Participant is ultimately determined to be entitled at the applicable federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(A) of the Code (“Interest”) based on the rate in effect for the month in which such legal fees and expenses were incurred.
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SECTION 6
AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
The Plan may be terminated or amended in any respect by resolution adopted by the Committee; provided that, in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, this Plan may not be terminated or amended in any manner that would adversely affect the rights of Participants in connection with a Qualifying CIC Termination; provided, further, that following a Change in Control, this Plan shall continue in full force and effect and shall not terminate, expire or be amended until after all Participants who become entitled to any payments or benefits hereunder in connection with a Qualifying CIC Termination shall have received such payments and benefits in full pursuant to Section 3.
SECTION 7
PLAN ADMINISTRATION
7.1    General. The Committee is responsible for the general administration and management of this Plan (the committee acting in such capacity, the “Plan Administrator”) and shall have all powers and duties necessary to fulfill its responsibilities, including, but not limited to, the discretion to interpret and apply the provisions of this Plan and to determine all questions relating to eligibility for benefits under this Plan, to interpret or construe ambiguous, unclear, or implied (but omitted) terms in any fashion it deems to be appropriate, and to make any findings of fact needed in the administration of this Plan. Following a Change in Control, the validity of any such interpretation, construction, decision, or finding of fact shall be given de novo review if challenged in court, by arbitration, or in any other forum, and such de novo standard shall apply notwithstanding the grant of full discretion hereunder to the Plan Administrator or characterization of any such decision by the Plan Administrator as final or binding on any party.
7.2    Not Subject to ERISA. This Plan does not require an ongoing administrative scheme and, therefore, is intended to be a payroll practice which is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). However, if it is determined that this Plan is subject to ERISA, (i) it shall be considered to be an unfunded plan maintained by the Company primarily for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated employees (a “top-hat plan”), and (ii) it shall be administered in a manner which complies with the provisions of ERISA that are applicable to top-hat plans.
7.3    Indemnification. To the extent permitted by law, the Company shall indemnify the Plan Administrator, whether the Committee or the Independent Committee, from all claims for liability, loss, or damage (including the payment of expenses in connection with defense against such claims) arising from any act or failure to act in connection with this Plan.
SECTION 8
SUCCESSORS; ASSIGNMENT
8.1    Successors. The Company shall require any corporation, entity, individual or other person who is the successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) to all or substantially all the business and/or assets of the Company 
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to expressly assume and agree to perform, by a written agreement in form and in substance satisfactory to the Company, all of the obligations of the Company under this Plan. As used in this Plan, the term “Company” shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Plan by operation of law, written agreement or otherwise.
8.2    Assignment of Rights. It is a condition of this Plan, and all rights of each person eligible to receive benefits under this Plan shall be subject hereto, that no right or interest of any such person in this Plan shall be assignable or transferable in whole or in part, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution or other operation of law, including, but not by way of limitation, lawful execution, levy, garnishment, attachment, pledge, bankruptcy, alimony, child support or qualified domestic relations order.
SECTION 9
SECTION 409A OF THE CODE
9.1    The provisions of this Section 9 shall apply to U.S. Taxpayer Participants only.
9.2    General. The obligations under this Plan are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code or an exemption or exclusion therefrom and shall in all respects be administered in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Any payments that qualify for the “short-term deferral” exception, the separation pay exception or another exception under Section 409A of the Code shall be paid under the applicable exception to the maximum extent possible. For purposes of nonqualified deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code, each payment of compensation under this Plan shall be treated as a separate payment of compensation. All payments to be made upon a termination of employment under this Plan may only be made upon a “separation from service” under Section 409A of the Code to the extent necessary in order to avoid the imposition of penalty taxes on a Participant pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. In no event may a Participant, directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment under this Plan.
9.3    Reimbursements and In-Kind Benefits. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Plan, all reimbursements and in-kind benefits provided under this Plan that are subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in accordance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, including without limitation, where applicable, the requirement that (i) in no event shall the Company’s obligations to make such reimbursements or to provide such in-kind benefits apply later than the Participant’s remaining lifetime (or if longer, through the 20th anniversary of the Effective Date; (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits provided, during a calendar year may not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits to be provided, in any other calendar year; (iii) the reimbursement of an eligible fees and expenses shall be made no later than the last day of the calendar year following the year in which the applicable fees and expenses were incurred; provided that the Participant shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and expenses at least 10 days before the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year in which such fees and expenses were incurred; and (iv) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.
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9.4    Delay of Payments. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, if a Participant is considered a “specified employee” for purposes of Section 409A of the Code (as determined in accordance with the methodology established by the Company as in effect on the Date of Termination), any payment or benefit that constitutes nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code that is otherwise due to be paid to such Participant under this Agreement during the six-month period immediately following such Participant’s separation from service (as determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Code) on account of such Participant’s separation from service shall be accumulated and paid to such Participant with Interest (based on the rate in effect for the month in which the Participant’s separation from service occurs) on the first business day of the seventh month following the Participant’s separation from service (the “Delayed Payment Date”), to the extent necessary to avoid penalty taxes or accelerated taxation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code. If such Participant dies during the postponement period, the amounts and entitlements delayed on account of Section 409A of the Code shall be paid to the personal representative of his or her estate on the first to occur of the Delayed Payment Date or 30 calendar days after the date of such Participant’s death.
SECTION 10
MISCELLANEOUS
10.1    Controlling Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflicting provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware to be applied. In furtherance of the foregoing, the internal laws of the State of Delaware will control the interpretation and construction of this Agreement, even if under such jurisdiction’s choice of law or conflict of law analysis, the substantive law of some other jurisdiction would ordinarily apply.
10.2    Withholding. The Company may withhold from any amount payable or benefit provided under this Plan such federal, state, local, foreign and other taxes and/ or social security payments as are required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
10.3    Gender and Plurals. Wherever used in this Plan document, words in the masculine gender shall include masculine or feminine gender, and, unless the context otherwise requires, words in the singular shall include the plural, and words in the plural shall include the singular.
10.4    Plan Controls. In the event of any inconsistency between this Plan document, the Service Agreement and any other communication regarding this Plan, this Plan document controls. The captions in this Plan are not part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect.
10.5    Not an Employment Contract. Neither this Plan nor any action taken with respect to it shall confer upon any person the right to continued employment with the Company or any Affiliate.
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10.6    Notices.
(a)    Any notice required to be delivered to the Company by a Participant hereunder shall be properly delivered to the Company when personally delivered to, or actually received through the U.S. mail or electronic mail (e-mail) (so long as confirmation of receipt of e-mail is requested or received) by:
GXO Logistics, Inc.
Two American Lane
Greenwich, Connecticut 06831
Attention:    General Counsel
E-mail:     Karlis.Kirsis@gxo.com
(b)    Any notice required to be delivered to the Participant by the Company hereunder shall be properly delivered to the Participant when the Company delivers such notice by e-mail (so long as confirmation of receipt of e-mail is requested or received), personally or by placing said notice in the U.S. mail registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid to that person’s last known address as reflected on the books and records of the Company.
10.7    Severability. If any provision of this Plan is held invalid or unenforceable, its invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Plan, and this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been included in this Plan.
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