Unassociated Document
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
__________
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
PURSUANT
TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF
THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date
of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 14,
2008
__________
HOOKER
FURNITURE CORPORATION
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Virginia
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000-25349
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54-0251350
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(State
or other jurisdiction of
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(Commission
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(I.R.S.
Employer
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incorporation
or organization)
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File
No.)
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Identification
No.)
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440
East
Commonwealth
Boulevard,
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Martinsville,
Virginia
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24112
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(276)
632-0459
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(Address
of principal executive offices)
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(Zip
Code)
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(Registrant’s
telephone number,
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|
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including
area code)
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Check
the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions (see
General
Instruction A.2. below):
o Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
o Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
Item
5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors;
Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain
Officers.
On
November 14, 2008, Hooker Furniture Corporation approved the amendment and
restatement of the Company’s Supplemental Retirement Income Plan. The amendments
to the Plan will take effect December 31, 2008. The changes to the Plan include:
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·
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A
multi-track system for Plan participation. The Plan’s Administrative
Committee will be authorized to designate additional management or
highly-compensated employees to participate in the Plan, subject
to review
by the Company’s Board or Compensation Committee. Plan participants
designated by the Administrative Committee will participate at reduced
benefit levels compared to participants designated by the Company’s Board
of Directors;
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·
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A
revised, more restrictive, definition of “Change in Control”. This change
was adopted to bring the Plan’s definition of “Change in Control” into
compliance with tax law changes affecting non-qualified deferred
compensation plans under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code
and related regulations. “Change in Control” is presently defined under
the Plan as the:
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o
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acquisition
by an individual, entity or group of 40% or more of either the then
outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock or the combined voting
power of the Company’s outstanding
securities;
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o
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replacement
of a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors whose
appointment or election is not approved by a majority of the then
current
members of the Board; or
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o
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approval
by the Company’s shareholders of a reorganization, merger or consolidation
that results in a change of the holders of 50% or more of the then
outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock and the combined voting
power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors or a complete liquidation
or
dissolution of the Company or the sale or other disposition of all
or
substantially all of the assets of the
Company.
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Going
forward “Change in Control” will mean the:
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o
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acquisition
by a person or more than one person acting as a group of 50% or more
of
the combined voting power of the Company’s outstanding securities;
or
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o
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replacement
of a majority of the members of the Board of Directors within a
twelve-consecutive-month period whose appointment or election is
not
endorsed by a majority of the then current members of the
Board;
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·
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Administrative
changes that permit certain non-executive employees of the Company
to
transfer to the Plan from another retirement benefit plan of the
Company
at comparable benefit levels; and
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·
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Changes
required by Internal Revenue Code Section 409A that will delay payments
made to Plan participants who are key employees of the Company for
six-months following their separation from
service.
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This
summary of the terms of the amendments to the Plan is qualified in its entirety
by reference to the text of the amended and restated Plan attached as Exhibit
10.1 to this Form 8-K, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
Item
9.01. Financial
Statements and Exhibits
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit
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Description
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10.1
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2008
Amendment and Restatement of the Hooker Furniture Corporation Supplemental
Retirement Income Plan
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Signature
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto
duly authorized.
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HOOKER
FURNITURE CORPORATION
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By:
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/s/
R. Gary Armbrister
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R.
Gary Armbrister
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Chief
Accounting Officer
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Date:
November 19, 2008
Exhibit
List
Exhibit
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Description
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10.1
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2008
Amendment and Restatement of the Hooker Furniture Corporation Supplemental
Retirement Income Plan
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Unassociated Document
2008
AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE
HOOKER
FURNITURE CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL
RETIREMENT INCOME PLAN
Effective
as of
December
31, 2008
2008
AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE
HOOKER
FURNITURE CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL
RETIREMENT INCOME PLAN
Purpose
The
Board
of Directors of Hooker Furniture Corporation (the “Company”) has determined that
the adoption of the 2008 Amendment and Restatement of the Hooker Furniture
Corporation Supplemental Retirement Income Plan (the “Plan”) will assist it in
attracting and retaining those employees whose judgment, abilities and
experience will contribute to the Company’s continued progress. The Plan is
intended to be unfunded and maintained primarily for the purpose of providing
deferred compensation for a select group of management or highly compensated
employees, as described under sections 201(2), 301(a)(3), and 401(a)(1) of
the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”). The Plan
shall be administered and construed in a manner that is consistent with this
intent.
Article
I
Definitions
As
defined herein, the following phrases or terms shall have the indicated
meanings:
1.1. “Administrative
Committee” means the Administrative Committee, consisting of at least three
employees of the Company as appointed by the Board, which shall manage and
administer the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Article X.
1.2. “Affiliate”
means any entity that is (i) a member of a controlled group of corporations
as
defined in Section 1563(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the
“Code”), determined without regard to Code Sections 1563(a)(4) and
1563(e)(3)(C), of which the Company is a member according to Code Section
414(b); (ii) an unincorporated trade or business that is under common control
with the Company, as determined according to Code Section 414(c); or (iii)
a
member of an affiliated service group of which the Company is a member according
to Code Section 414(m).
1.3. “Beneficiary”
means the person, persons, entity, entities or the estate of a Participant
entitled to receive a benefit under Section 3.6 of the Plan on account of the
Participant’s death.
1.4. “Board”
means the Board of Directors of the Company.
1.5 “Board
Designated Participant” means an Eligible Employee who (i) has been designated
for participation in the Plan by the Board in accordance with the procedures
set
forth in Section 2.1 of the Plan, and (ii) is not a Transferred Participant
listed on Appendix D to this Plan.
1.6. “Change
in Control” means the date on which the Company at the time of the event
experiences a change in ownership (as described in subsection (i)), or a change
in effective control (as described in subsection (ii)):
(i) any
person or more than one person acting as a group acquires beneficial ownership
of Company stock that, together with the Company stock already held by such
person or group, represents more than 50 percent of the total voting power
of
the Company stock; provided, however, that if any one person or more than one
person acting as a group is considered to own more than 50 percent of the total
voting power of the Company stock, the acquisition of additional stock by the
same person or persons is not considered to cause a change in the ownership
of
the Company for purposes of this subsection (i); or
(ii) a
majority of members of the Board is replaced during a twelve-consecutive-month
period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority
of the members of the Board before the date of the appointment or election;
provided, however, that if any one person or more than one person acting as
a
group is considered to effectively control the Company for purposes of this
subsection (ii), the acquisition of additional control of the corporation by
the
same person or persons is not considered to cause a change in the effective
control for purposes of this subsection (ii).
For
purposes of this Section 1.6, the term “group” shall have the same meaning as in
Section 13(d)(3) of the Act, modified to the extent necessary to comply with
Sections 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v)(B), (vi)(D) or (vii)(C) of the Treasury Regulations
(or any successor provisions). The term “beneficial ownership” shall have the
same meaning as in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Act, modified to the extent
necessary to comply with Section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(v)(iii) of the Treasury
Regulations (or any successor provision). Notwithstanding anything in this
Section 2(e) to the contrary, an event which does not constitute a change in
the
ownership or a change in the effective control of the Company, each as defined
in Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) of the Treasury Regulations (or any successor
provision), shall not constitute a Change of Control for purposes of this
Plan.
1.7. “Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
1.8. “Committee
Designated Participant” means an Eligible Employee who has been designated for
participation in the Plan by the Administrative Committee in accordance with
the
procedures set forth in Section 2.2 of the Plan.
1.9 “Company”
means Hooker Furniture Corporation, a Virginia corporation, and any successor
thereto by merger, purchase or otherwise.
1.10 “Compensation
Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board.
1.11. “Earnings”
means the total base salary and bonuses paid by the Company and any Affiliate
to
the Participant. For purposes of this definition, bonuses do not include any
payment to a Participant to reimburse him in whole or in part for any tax
liability or any other special nonrecurring payment.
1.12. “Eligible
Employee” means an employee of the Company or of an Affiliate who is a member of
a select group of management or highly compensated employees of the Company,
as
described under Sections 201(2), 301(a)(3), and 401(a)(1) of ERISA.
1.13. “Effective
Date” means December 31, 2008.
1.14. “Final
Average Monthly Earnings” means a Participant’s average monthly Earnings during
the 60 consecutive calendar month period ending on the last day of the last
full
month immediately preceding or coinciding with the date on which the
Participant’s employment with the Company or an Affiliate terminates. Months
completed prior to the Plan’s Effective Date shall be taken into account in
computing a Participant’s Final Average Monthly Earnings. In the event that a
Participant does not have 60 consecutive full calendar months of employment
with
the Company or an Affiliate, the average shall be based on the Participant’s
actual number of consecutive full calendar months of employment.
1.15. “Normal
Retirement Age” means the Participant’s 65th
birthday.
1.16. “Participant”
means a Board Designated Participant, a Committee Designated Participant, or
a
Transferred Participant. An individual shall remain a Participant for so long
as
the individual is entitled to receive a vested Supplemental Benefit under the
Plan.
1.17. “Plan”
means the 2008 Amendment and Restatement of the Hooker Furniture Corporation
Supplemental Retirement Income Plan.
1.18. “Section
409A” means Code Section 409A.
1.19. “Separation
from Service” means a “separation from service” as defined by Section
1.409A-1(h) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 409A (or
any
successor provision thereto).
1.20 “Specified
Percentage” means the percentage of a Committee Designated Participant’s Final
Average Monthly Earnings ranging from twenty percent (20%) to thirty five (35%)
in increments of five percent (5%), as determined by the Administrative
Committee. The Specified Percentage of each Committee Designated Participant
shall be listed in Appendix C to this Plan.
1.21. “Supplemental
Benefit” means the benefit described in Article III of the Plan.
1.22. “Transferred
Participant” means an Eligible Employee (i) who has been designated for
participation in the Plan by the Board pursuant to the terms of Section 2.1
of
the Plan, and (ii) who was a party to a Salary Continuation Agreement with
the
Company which entitled the Eligible Employee to receive a “Supplemental Benefit”
computed in the same manner as the Supplemental Benefit described in Section
3.3
of this Plan.
1.23. “Transferred
Specified Percentage” means the percentage of a Transferred Participant’s Final
Average Monthly Earnings used to determine the Transferred Participant’s
Supplemental Benefits, as listed on Appendix D to this Plan.
1.25. “Treasury
Regulations” means the final, temporary or proposed regulations issued by the
Treasury Department and/or Internal Revenue Service as modified in Title 26
of
The United States Code of Federal Regulations. Any references made in the Plan
to specific Treasury Regulations shall also refer to any successor or
replacement regulations thereto.
Article
II
Participation
2.1. Board
Designation. The Board shall designate in its sole discretion the Eligible
Employees who may participate in the Plan from time to time. Board Designated
Participants who are not Transferred Participants shall be identified in the
attached Appendix A. The Board shall also have the authority to designate in
its
sole discretion the Transferred Participants who many participate in the Plan
from time to time. Transferred Participants shall be identified in the attached
Appendix D. A Board Designated Participant or a Transferred Participant shall
continue to participate in the Plan until such date as the Board may declare
that he is no longer a Participant.
2.2. Administrative
Committee Designation. The Administrative Committee may in its discretion
designate other Eligible Employees for participation in the Plan from time
to
time and shall promptly provide written or electronic notification to the
Chairman of the Compensation Committee of each such designation. Each Committee
Designated Participant shall commence participation in the Plan 30 days after
the date on which the Chairman of the Compensation Committee has received such
notification from the Administrative Committee; provided that, the Board or
Compensation Committee may void a Committee Designated Participant’s
participation in the Plan by providing written notice to such participant prior
to the commencement of the participant’s participation in the Plan. A Committee
Designated Participant shall continue to participate in the Plan until such
date
as the Board may declare that he is no longer a Participant. Committee
Designated Participants shall be identified in the attached Appendix
C.
Article
III
Amount
and Payment of Benefits
3.1. Supplemental
Benefit for Board Designated Participants. A Board Designated Participant’s
Supplemental Benefit shall be a monthly retirement benefit equal to forty
percent (40%) of the Participant’s Final Average Monthly Earnings, payable in a
series of equal monthly payments for a period of one-hundred and eighty (180)
months following the Participant’s Separation from Service with the Company or
an Affiliate.
3.2. Supplemental
Benefit for Committee Designated Participants. A Committee Designated
Participant’s Supplemental Benefit shall be a monthly retirement benefit equal
to the Specified Percentage of the Participant’s Final Average Monthly Earnings.
A Committee Designated Participant’s Supplemental Benefit shall be payable in a
series of equal monthly payments for one-hundred and eighty (180) months
following the Participant’s Separation from Service with the Company or an
Affiliate.
3.3. Supplemental
Benefit for Transferred Participants. A Transferred Participant’s Supplemental
Benefit shall be a monthly retirement benefit equal to the Transferred Specified
Percentage of the Participant’s Final Average Monthly Earnings. A Transferred
Participant’s Supplemental Benefit shall be payable in a series of equal monthly
payments for one-hundred and eighty (180) months following the Participant’s
Separation from Service with the Company or an Affiliate.
3.4. Entitlement
to Benefit. Each Participant shall be entitled to receive the vested percentage
of his Supplemental Benefit upon his Separation from Service with the Company
or
an Affiliate. A Participant shall become vested in 75% of his Supplemental
Benefit if he remains continuously employed with the Company or an Affiliate
until his attainment of age 60, and shall become ratably vested in the remaining
portion of his Supplemental Benefit if he remains in continuous employment
according to the following vesting schedule:
Attainment
of
Age
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Vested
Percentage
of
the Supplemental
Benefit
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60
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75%
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61
|
80%
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62
|
85%
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63
|
90%
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64
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95%
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65
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100%
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Notwithstanding
the forgoing, the Board may in its discretion designate that a Participant
will
be subject to a vesting schedule different from the schedule contained in this
Section 3.4. Any such designation of an alternative vesting schedule, and the
Participant or Participants to which the alternative vesting schedule applies,
shall be described in the attached Appendix B.
3.5. Time
of
Payment. The vested portion of the Participant’s Supplemental Benefit, if any,
shall begin to be paid on the first day of the month following the Participant’s
Separation from Service or as soon thereafter as is reasonably practicable,
but
no later than the fifteenth (15th)
day of
such month.
3.6. Pre-Retirement
Survivor Benefit. If a Participant dies while employed by the Company and before
commencement of payment of his vested Supplemental Benefit, the Participant’s
Beneficiary shall be entitled to a death benefit equal to Participant’s vested
Supplemental Benefit and payable in accordance with Sections 3.1, 3.2, or 3.3,
and as applicable, 3.4.
3.7. Post-Retirement
Survivor Benefit. If a Participant dies after commencement of payment of his
vested Supplemental Benefit, then the balance of any remaining payment of his
vested Supplemental Benefit shall continue to be paid to his Beneficiary over
the remaining period of such payments.
3.8. Designation
of Beneficiary. A Participant may, at any time and in a manner determined by
the
Administrative Committee, designate a beneficiary and one or more contingent
beneficiaries (which may include the Participant’s estate) to receive any
Supplemental Benefit which may be payable under this Plan upon his death. If
the
Participant does not designate a beneficiary or contingent beneficiary, or
if
the beneficiary and the contingent beneficiaries do not survive the Participant,
such Supplemental Benefit shall be paid to the Participant’s estate. A
Participant may revoke or change any designation made under this Section 3.7
in
a time and manner determined by the Administrative Committee.
3.9. Change
in
Control. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, each Participant who has
not yet begun to receive payment of his Supplemental Benefit shall become fully
vested in his Supplemental Benefit, and the present value of each such
Participant’s Supplemental Benefit shall be paid in a single lump sum to the
Participant (or his Beneficiary in the event of his death) within no later
than
fifteen (15) days following the Change in Control. In addition, the present
value of the unpaid balance of any Participant’s vested Supplemental Benefit for
which payment commenced prior to the Change in Control shall be paid in a single
lump sum to such Participant or his Beneficiary, as applicable, within no later
than fifteen (15) days following the Change in Control. For purposes of this
Section 3.9, the present value of a Participant’s Supplemental Benefit shall be
determined by applying a discount rate equal to the discount rate required
to be
applied for purposes of Code Section 280G and applicable regulations thereunder,
as in effect on the date of the Change in Control.
3.10. Special
Payment Delay. In the event that (i) a Participant is a Transferred Participant
and (ii) such Transferred Participant incurs a Separation from Service on or
before December 31, 2008, the payment of the Participant’s Supplemental Benefit
shall commence on the six-month anniversary of the date on which his Salary
Continuation Agreement was amended.
3.11. Payment
Delay for Specified Employees. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the
contrary, if the Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of
Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code and Treasury Regulations and other guidance
thereunder, no payment may be made by reason of the Participant’s Separation
from Service before the date which is 6 months after the date of such
Participant’s Separation from Service (or, if earlier, the date of the
Participant’s death). Upon the expiration of the six-month deferral period
referred to in the preceding sentence or the Participant’s death, all payments
deferred pursuant to this Section 3.11 shall be paid to the Participant (or
the
Participant’s Beneficiary in the event of the Participant’s death) in a lump
sum. No interest shall be paid on the amounts for which payment is delayed
pursuant to this Section 3.11. The determination of whether a Participant is
a
“specified employee” for this purpose shall be made in accordance with Section
409A and Treasury Regulations thereunder and in accordance with guidelines
adopted by the Company for such purposes.
Article
IV
Guarantees
The
Company has only a contractual obligation to make payments of the benefits
described in Article III. All benefits are to be satisfied solely out of the
general corporate assets of the Company, which shall remain subject to the
claims of its creditors. No assets of the Company will be segregated or
committed to the satisfaction of its obligations to any Participant or
Beneficiary under this Plan. If the Company, in its sole discretion, elects
to
purchase life insurance on the life of a Participant in connection with the
Plan, the Participant must submit to a physical examination, if required by
the
insurer, and otherwise cooperate in the issuance of such policy or his rights
under the Plan will be forfeited.
Article
V
Termination
of Employment
or
Participation
5.1. The
Plan
does not in any way limit the right of the Company or an Affiliate at any time
and for any reason to terminate the Participant’s employment or terminate such
Participant’s status as an Eligible Employee, or limit the right of the Board
pursuant to Article II to declare that a Participant shall no longer be a
Participant. In no event shall the Plan, by its terms or by implication,
constitute an employment contract of any nature whatsoever between the Company
or an Affiliate and a Participant.
5.2. A
Participant who ceases to be an Eligible Employee, whose employment with the
Company or an Affiliate is terminated or whom the Board declares is no longer
a
Participant shall immediately cease to be a Participant under this Plan and
shall be entitled to receive the vested portion of his accrued Supplemental
Benefit, if any, subject to the provisions of Article III. A Participant on
an
authorized leave of absence from the Company or an Affiliate shall not be deemed
to have terminated employment or to have lost his status as an Eligible Employee
for the duration of such authorized leave of absence.
5.3. A
Participant who ceases to be an employee of the Company or an Affiliate and
who
is subsequently reemployed by the Company or an Affiliate shall not accrue
any
additional benefits on account of such later service for periods in which he
is
not a Participant.
Article
VI
Termination,
Amendment or Modification of Plan
6.1. Except
as
otherwise specifically provided, the Board reserves the right to terminate,
amend or modify this Plan, wholly or partially, at any time and from time to
time.
6.2. Section
6.1 notwithstanding, no action to terminate, amend or modify the Plan shall
be
taken except upon written notice to each Participant to be affected thereby,
which notice shall be given not less than thirty (30) days prior to such action.
Furthermore, no action to terminate, amend or modify the Plan may eliminate
or
reduce in any way the vested portion of the Participant’s accrued vested
Supplemental Benefit.
6.3. Any
notice which shall be or may be given under the Plan shall be in writing and
shall be mailed by United States mail, postage prepaid. If notice is to be
given
to the Company, such notice shall be addressed to its corporate offices;
addressed to the attention of the Corporate Secretary. If notice is to be given
to a Participant, such notice shall be addressed to the Participant’s last known
address.
Article
VII
Other
Benefits and Agreements
The
benefits provided for a Participant and his Beneficiary under the Plan are
in
addition to any other benefits available to such Participant under any other
plan or program maintained by the Company or any Affiliate for their employees.
The Plan shall supplement and shall not supersede, modify or amend any other
plan or program of the Company or an Affiliate in which a Participant is
participating.
Article
VIII
Restrictions
on Transfer of Benefits
No
right
or benefit under the Plan shall be subject to anticipation, alienation, sale,
assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge, and any attempt to do so shall be
void. No right or benefit hereunder shall in any manner be liable for or subject
to the debts, contracts, liabilities, or torts of the person entitled to such
benefit. If any Participant or Beneficiary under the Plan should become bankrupt
or attempt to anticipate, alienate, sell, assign, pledge, encumber or charge
any
right to a benefit hereunder, then such right or benefit, in the discretion
of
the Board, shall cease and terminate, and, in such event, the Board may hold
or
apply the same or any part thereof for the benefit of such Participant or
Beneficiary, his or her spouse, children, or other dependents, or any of them,
in such manner and in such portion as the Board may deem
proper.
Article
IX
Claims
Procedures
9.1. Any
claim
by a Participant or Beneficiary (the “claimant”) with respect to eligibility,
participation, contributions, benefits or other aspects of the operation of
the
Plan shall be made in writing to the Administrative Committee.
9.2. If
the
claim is denied in whole or in part, the claimant shall be furnished written
notice of the denial of the claim within ninety (90) days after the
Administrative Committee’s receipt of the claim, or within one hundred eighty
(180) days after such receipt if special circumstances require an extension
of
time. If special circumstances require an extension of time, the claimant shall
be furnished written notice prior to the termination of the initial ninety
(90)
day period which explains the special circumstances requiring an extension
of
time and the day by which the Administrative Committee expects to render the
benefit determination. A written notice of denial of the claim shall contain
the
following information:
|
(a)
|
Specific
reason or reasons for denial,
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(b)
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Specific
reference to pertinent Plan provisions on which the denial is
based,
|
|
(c)
|
A
description of any additional material or information necessary for
the
claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why the material
or
information is necessary, and
|
|
(d)
|
A
description of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable
to the procedures, including a statement of the claimant’s right to bring
a civil action under Section 502(a) of ERISA following a denial upon
review of the claim.
|
9.3. The
claimant may appeal the denial of a claim by submitting a written request for
review to the Board, as the case may be, within sixty (60) days following the
date the claimant received written notice of the denial of his or her claim.
The
Board shall afford the claimant a full and fair review of the decision denying
the claim that takes into account all comments, documents, records and other
information submitted by the claimant relating to the claim, without regard
to
whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial
determination, and, if so requested, shall:
|
(a)
|
provide,
upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to and copies
of all
documents, records and other information relevant to the claim,
and
|
|
(b)
|
permit
the claimant to submit written comments, documents, records and other
information relating to the claim.
|
9.4. The
decision on review by the Board shall be in writing and shall be issued within
sixty (60) days following receipt of the request for review. The period for
decision may be extended to a date not later than one hundred twenty (120)
days
after such receipt if the Board determines that special circumstances require
extension. If special circumstances require an extension of time, the claimant
shall be furnished written notice prior to the termination of the initial sixty
(60) day period which explains the special circumstances requiring an extension
of time and the date by which the Board expects to render its decision on
review. The decision on review shall include:
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(a)
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Specific
reason or reasons for the adverse determination,
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(b)
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references
to the specific Plan provisions on which the determination is
based,
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(c)
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a
statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request
and free
of charge, reasonable access to and copies of all documents, records
and
other information relevant to the claimant’s claim, and
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(d)
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a
statement of the claimant’s right to bring an action under Section 502(a)
of ERISA.
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9.5. For
purposes of this Article IX, any action required or authorized to be taken
by
the claimant may be taken by a representative authorized in writing by the
claimant to represent him.
Article
X
Administration
of the Plan
10.1. The
Plan
shall be administered by the Administrative Committee. Subject to the provisions
of the Plan, the Administrative Committee may adopt such rules and regulations
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes hereof. Except as specifically
provided in Article IX, the Administrative Committee’s interpretation and
construction of any provision of the Plan shall be final and
conclusive.
10.2. The
Company shall indemnify and save harmless each member of the Administrative
Committee against any and all expenses and liabilities arising out of his
membership on such Administrative Committee, excepting only expenses and
liabilities arising out of his own willful misconduct. Expenses against which
a
member of the Administrative Committee shall be indemnified hereunder shall
include without limitation, the amount of any settlement or judgment, costs,
counsel fees, and related charges reasonably incurred in connection with a
claim
asserted, or a proceeding brought or settlement thereof. The foregoing right
of
indemnification shall be in addition to any other rights to which any such
member may be entitled.
10.3. In
addition to the powers hereinabove specified, the Administrative Committee
shall
have the power to compute and certify the amount and kind of benefits from
time
to time payable to Participants and their Beneficiaries under the Plan, to
authorize all disbursements for such purposes, and to determine whether a
Participant is entitled to a benefit under Article III.
10.4. To
enable
the Administrative Committee to perform its functions, the Company shall supply
full and timely information to the Administrative Committee on all matters
relating to the Earnings of all Participants, their retirement, death or other
cause for termination of employment, and such other pertinent facts as the
Committee may require.
Article
XI
Miscellaneous
11.1. The
Plan
shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns (subject to
the
powers set forth in Article VI) and upon a Participant, his Beneficiary, and
their respective assigns, heirs, executors and administrators.
11.2. To
the
extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan shall be governed and construed
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without regard to the conflict
of
law provisions of any jurisdiction.
11.3. Masculine
pronouns wherever used shall include feminine pronouns and the use of the
singular shall include the plural.
11.4. All
amounts payable under the Plan shall be reduced for the amounts required to
be
withheld pursuant to applicable federal, state or local withholding tax
requirements or any similar provisions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Company may, in its discretion, pay withholding taxes from other amounts payable
by the Company to a Participant or Beneficiary to the extent such withholding
taxes are due prior to the time that benefits are payable under the
Plan.
11.5 It
is
intended that this Plan comply with Section 409A and any regulations, guidance
and transition rules issued thereunder, and the Plan shall be interpreted and
operated consistently with that intent. If the Administrative Committee shall
determine that any provisions of this Plan do not comply with the requirements
of Section 409A, the Administrative Committee shall have the authority to amend
the Plan to the extent necessary (including retroactively) in order to preserve
compliance with said Section 409A. The Administrative Committee shall also
have
the express discretionary authority to take such other actions as may be
permissible to correct any failures to comply with Section 409A.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, this instrument has been executed this 14th day of
November,
2008.
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HOOKER
FURNITURE CORPORATION
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By:
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/s/
Edwin L. Ryder
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|
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Title:
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Executive
Vice President - Finance and
Administration
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APPENDIX
A
BOARD
DESIGNATED PARTICIPANTS
The
following Eligible Employees have been designated by the Board of Directors
as
Participants in the Plan:
Participants
who commenced participation on December 1, 2003:
R.
Gary
Armbrister
Raymond
T. Harm
Henry
P.
Long, Jr.
E.
Larry
Ryder
Michael
P. Spece
Paul
B.
Toms, Jr.
Participants
who commenced participation on April 1, 2007:
Bruce
R.
Cohenour
APPENDIX
B
ALTERNATIVE
VESTING SCHEDULES
In
accordance with the provisions of Section 3.4 of the Plan, the Board has
determined that the following alternative vesting schedule(s) shall apply to
the
following Plan Participants:
A. Vesting
Schedule for Michael P. Spece
Michael
P. Spece shall become 100% vested in his Supplemental Benefit if he remains
continuously employed with the Company until his attainment of age
60.
APPENDIX
C
COMMITTEE
DESIGNATED PARTICIPANTS
The
following Eligible Employees have been designated by the Administrative
Committee as Participants in the Plan:
Name
of Participant
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Specified
Percentage
|
Participation
Commencement Date
|
APPENDIX
D
TRANSFERRED
PARTICIPANTS
Transferred
Participant
|
Transferred
Specified Percentage
|
Participation
Commencement Date
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