Change of Control
Change of Control Severance Plan. Under Ameren’s Second Amended and Restated Change of Control Severance Plan, as amended (the “Change of Control Plan”), designated officers of Ameren and its subsidiaries, including the NEOs, are entitled to receive severance benefits if their employment is terminated without “Cause” (as defined below) or by the NEO for “Good Reason” (as defined below) within two years after a Change of Control. The Change of Control Plan was amended in 2009 to eliminate reimbursement and gross-up payments in connection with any excise taxes that may be imposed on benefits received by any officers who first become designated as entitled to receive benefits under the Change of Control Plan on or after October 1, 2009. Other Ameren plans also carry change of control provisions.
Definitions of Change of Control, Cause and Good Reason
A change of control (“Change of Control”) occurs under the Change of Control Plan, in general, upon:
(i)
the acquisition of 20 percent or more of the outstanding common stock of Ameren or of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of Ameren;
(ii)
a majority change in composition of the board of directors;
(iii)
a reorganization, merger or consolidation, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of Ameren, unless current shareholders continue to own 60 percent or more of the surviving entity immediately following the transaction; or
(iv)
approval by Ameren shareholders of a complete liquidation or dissolution of Ameren.
“Cause” is defined as follows:
(i)
the participant’s willful failure to substantially perform his or her duties with Ameren (other than any such failure resulting from the participant’s disability), after notice and opportunity to remedy;
(ii)
gross negligence in the performance of the participant’s duties which results in material financial harm to Ameren;
(iii)
the participant’s conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony or any other crime involving the personal enrichment of the participant at the expense of Ameren or shareholders of Ameren; or
(iv)
the participant’s willful engagement in conduct that is demonstrably and materially injurious to Ameren, monetarily or otherwise.
“Good Reason” is defined as follows:
(i)
a net reduction of the participant’s authorities, duties or responsibilities as an executive and/or officer of Ameren;
(ii)
required relocation of more than 50 miles;
(iii)
any material reduction of the participant’s base salary or target bonus opportunity;
(iv)
reduction in grant-date value of long-term incentive opportunity;
(v)
failure to provide the same aggregate value of employee benefit or retirement plans in effect prior to a Change of Control;
(vi)
failure of a successor to assume the Change of Control Plan agreements; or
(vii)
a material breach of the Change of Control Plan which is not remedied by the Company within ten business days of receipt of written notice of such breach.
If an NEO’s employment is terminated without Cause or by the NEO for Good Reason within two years after a Change of Control, the NEO will receive a cash lump sum equal to the following:
(i)
unpaid salary and vacation pay through the date of termination;
(ii)
pro rata STIP compensation for the year of termination;
(iii)
three years’ worth of each of base salary and target STIP compensation (two years’ worth for Ms. Amirthalingam);
(iv)
three years’ worth of additional pension credit (two years’ worth for Ms. Amirthalingam); and