§ 30.9 - Q-9: What actions are necessary for a TARP recipient to comply with the standards established under section 111(b)(3)(C) of EESA (the prohibition on golden parachute payments)?

§ 30.9 Q-9: What actions are necessary for a TARP recipient to comply with the standards established under section 111(b)(3)(C) of EESA (the prohibition on golden parachute payments)?

(a) Prohibition on golden parachute payments. To comply with the standards established under section 111(b)(3)(C) of EESA, a TARP recipient must prohibit any golden parachute payment to a SEO and any of the next five most highly compensated employees during the TARP period. A golden parachute payment is treated as paid at the time of departure and is equal to the aggregate present value of all payments made for a departure. Thus, a golden parachute payment during the TARP period may include a right to amounts actually payable after the TARP period.

(b) Examples. The following examples illustrate the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section:

Example 1.

Employee A is a SEO of a TARP recipient. Employee A is entitled to a payment of three times his annual compensation upon an involuntary termination of employment or voluntary termination of employment for good reason, but such amount is not payable unless and until the TARP period expires with respect to TARP recipient. Employee A terminates employment during the TARP period. Because, for purposes of the prohibition on golden parachute payments, the payment is made at the time of departure, Employee A may not obtain the right to the payment upon the termination of employment.

Example 2.

Employee B involuntarily terminated employment on July 1, 2008, at which time Employee B was a SEO of a financial institution. Employee B's employment agreement provided that if Employee B were involuntarily terminated or voluntarily terminated employment for good reason, Employee B would be entitled to a series of five equal annual payments. After the first payment, but before any subsequent payment, the entity became a TARP recipient. Because, for purposes of the prohibition on golden parachute payments, all of the five payments are deemed to have occurred at termination of employment and because, in this case, termination of employment occurred before the beginning of the applicable TARP period, the payment of the four remaining payments due under the agreement will not violate the requirements of this section.