The following definitions apply to the terms used in this part:
Benefit plan means any plan, contract, agreement, or other arrangement which is an ``employee welfare benefit plan'' as that term is defined in section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (29 U.S.C. 1002(1)), or other usual and customary plans such as dependent care, tuition reimbursement, group legal services, or cafeteria plans; provided however, that such term shall not include any plan intended to be subject to paragraphs (2)(iii) and (v) of the term golden parachute payment as defined in this section.
Bona fide deferred compensation plan or arrangement means any plan, contract, agreement, or other arrangement whereby:
(1) An entity-affiliated party voluntarily elects to defer all or a portion of the reasonable compensation, wages, or fees paid for services rendered which otherwise would have been paid to such party at the time the services were rendered (including a plan that provides for the crediting of a reasonable investment return on such elective deferrals) and the regulated entity or the Office of Finance either:
(i) Recognizes compensation expense and accrues a liability for the benefit payments according to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP); or
(ii) Segregates or otherwise sets aside assets in a trust which may only be used to pay plan and other benefits and related expenses, except that the assets of such trust may be available to satisfy claims of creditors of the regulated entities or the Office of Finance in the case of insolvency; or
(2) A regulated entity or the Office of Finance establishes a nonqualified deferred compensation or supplemental retirement plan, other than an elective deferral plan described in paragraph (1) of this definition:
(i) Primarily for the purpose of providing benefits for certain entity-affiliated parties in excess of the limitations on contributions and benefits imposed by sections 401(a)(17), 402(g), 415, or any other applicable provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 401(a)(17), 402(g), 415); or
(ii) Primarily for the purpose of providing supplemental retirement benefits or other deferred compensation for a select group of directors, management, or highly compensated employees (excluding severance payments described in paragraph (2)(v) of the term golden parachute payment as defined in this section and permissible golden parachute payments described in Sec. 1231.3(b)); and
(3) In the case of any nonqualified deferred compensation or supplemental retirement plans as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this definition, the following requirements shall apply:
(i) The plan was in effect at least one year prior to any of the events described in paragraph (1)(ii) of the term golden parachute payment as defined in this section;
(ii) Any payment made pursuant to such plan is made in accordance with the terms of the plan as in effect no later than one year prior to any of the events described in paragraph (1)(ii) of the term golden parachute payment as defined in this section and in accordance with any amendments to such plan during such one-year period that do not increase the benefits payable thereunder, provided that changes required by law should be disregarded in determining whether a plan provision has been in effect for one year;
(iii) The entity-affiliated party has a vested right, as defined under the applicable plan document, at the time of termination of employment to payments under such plan;
(iv) Benefits under such plan are accrued each period only for current or prior service rendered to the employer (except that an allowance may be made for service with a predecessor employer);
(v) Any payment made pursuant to such plan is not based on any discretionary acceleration of vesting or accrual of benefits which occurs at any time later than one year prior to any of the events described in paragraph (1)(ii) of the term golden parachute payment as defined in this section;
(vi) The regulated entity or the Office of Finance has previously recognized compensation expense and accrued a liability for the benefit payments according to GAAP, or segregated or otherwise set aside assets in a trust which may only be used to pay plan benefits and related expenses, except that the assets of such trust may be available to satisfy claims of the regulated entity's creditors or the Office of Finance's creditors in the case of insolvency; and
(vii) Payments pursuant to such plans shall not be in excess of the accrued liability computed in accordance with GAAP.
Entity-affiliated party means:
(1) With respect to the Office of Finance, any director, officer, or manager of the Office of Finance; and
(2) With respect to a regulated entity:
(i) Any director, officer, employee, or controlling stockholder of, or agent for, a regulated entity;
(ii) Any shareholder, affiliate, consultant, or joint venture partner of a regulated entity, and any other person as determined by the Director (by regulation or on a case-by-case basis) that participates in the conduct of the affairs of a regulated entity, provided that a member of a Federal Home Loan Bank shall not be deemed to have participated in the affairs of that Federal Home Loan Bank solely by virtue of being a shareholder of, and obtaining advances from, that Federal Home Loan Bank;
(iii) Any independent contractor for a regulated entity (including any attorney, appraiser, or accountant) if:
(A) The independent contractor knowingly or recklessly participates in any violation of any law or regulation, any breach of fiduciary duty, or any unsafe or unsound practice; and
(B) Such violation, breach, or practice caused, or is likely to cause, more than a minimal financial loss to, or a significant adverse effect on, the regulated entity;
(iv) Any not-for-profit corporation that receives its principal funding, on an ongoing basis, from any regulated entity.
Golden parachute payment means:
(1) Any payment (or any agreement to make any payment) in the nature of compensation by any regulated entity or the Office of Finance for the benefit of any current or former entity-affiliated party pursuant to an obligation of such regulated entity or the Office of Finance that:
(i) Is contingent on, or by its terms is payable on or after, the termination of such party's primary employment or affiliation with the regulated entity or the Office of Finance; and
(ii) Is received on or after, or is made in contemplation of, any of the following events:
(A) The insolvency (or similar event) of the regulated entity which is making the payment;
(B) The appointment of any conservator or receiver for such regulated entity; or
(C) The regulated entity is in a troubled condition.
(2) Exceptions. The term golden parachute payment shall not include:
(i) Any payment made pursuant to a pension or retirement plan that is qualified (or is intended within a reasonable period of time to be qualified) under section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 401) or pursuant to a pension or other retirement plan that is governed by the laws of any foreign country;
(ii) Any payment made pursuant to a ``benefit plan'' as that term is defined in this section;
(iii) Any payment made pursuant to a ``bona fide deferred compensation plan or arrangement'' as that term is defined in this section;
(iv) Any payment made by reason of death or by reason of termination caused by the disability of an entity-affiliated party; or
(v) Any payment made pursuant to a nondiscriminatory severance pay plan or arrangement that provides for payment of severance benefits to all eligible employees upon involuntary termination other than for cause, voluntary resignation, or early retirement; provided that:
(A) No employee shall receive any such payment that exceeds the base compensation paid to such employee during the 12 months (or such longer period or greater benefit as the Director shall consent to) immediately preceding termination of employment, resignation, or early retirement, and such severance pay plan or arrangement shall not have been adopted, or modified to increase the amount or scope of severance benefits, at a time when the regulated entity or the Office of Finance is in a condition specified in paragraph (1)(ii) of the term golden parachute payment as defined in this section, or in contemplation of such a condition, without the prior written consent of the Director; and
(B) If an employee is an executive officer, as ``executive officer'' is defined under 12 CFR 1230.2, and such employee's base salary exceeds $300,000, then the exception provided under this paragraph (2)(v) shall not apply to that employee; or
(vi) Any severance or similar payment that is required to be made pursuant to a state statute or foreign law that is applicable to all employers within the appropriate jurisdiction (with the exception of employers that may be exempt due to their small number of employees or other similar criteria).
Nondiscriminatory means that the plan, contract, or arrangement in question applies to all employees of a regulated entity or the Office of Finance who meet reasonable and customary eligibility requirements applicable to all employees, such as minimum length of service requirements. A nondiscriminatory plan, contract, or arrangement may provide different benefits based only on objective criteria such as salary, total compensation, length of service, job grade, or classification, which are applied on a proportionate basis (with a variance in severance benefits relating to any criterion of plus or minus ten percent) to groups of employees consisting of not less than the lesser of 33 percent of employees or 1,000 employees.
Payment means:
(1) Any direct or indirect transfer of any funds or any asset;
(2) Any forgiveness of any debt or other obligation;
(3) The conferring of any benefit, including but not limited to stock options and stock appreciation rights; and
(4) Any segregation of any funds or assets, the establishment or funding of any trust or the purchase of or arrangement for any letter of credit or other instrument, for the purpose of making, or pursuant to any agreement to make, any payment on or after the date on which such funds or assets are segregated, or at the time of or after such trust is established or letter of credit or other instrument is made available, without regard to whether the obligation to make such payment is contingent on:
(i) The determination, after such date, of the liability for the payment of such amount; or
(ii) The liquidation, after such date, of the amount of such payment.
Troubled condition means a regulated entity that:
(1) Is subject to a cease-and-desist order or written agreement issued by FHFA that requires action to improve the financial condition of the regulated entity or is subject to a proceeding initiated by the Director, which contemplates the issuance of an order that requires action to improve the financial condition of the regulated entity, unless otherwise informed in writing by FHFA;
(2) Is assigned a composite rating of 4 or 5 by FHFA under its CAMELSO examination rating system as it may be revised from time to time; or
(3) Is informed in writing by the Director that it is in a troubled condition for purposes of the requirements of this part on the basis of the most recent report of examination or other information available to FHFA, on account of its financial condition, risk profile, or management deficiencies. [79 FR 4398, Jan. 28, 2014]