Exhibit 10.1
VERIS RESIDENTIAL, INC. DODD-FRANK CLAWBACK POLICY
Veris Residential (“Company”) has adopted this clawback policy (the “Policy”) effective as of October 2, 2023 (the “Effective Date”) as a supplement to any other clawback policies in effect now or in the future at the Company. To the extent this Policy applies to compensation payable to a person covered by this Policy, it shall be the only clawback policy applicable to such compensation and no other clawback policy shall apply; provided that, if such other policy provides that a greater amount of such compensation shall be subject to clawback, such other policy shall apply to the amount in excess of the amount subject to clawback under this policy. This Policy shall be interpreted to comply with the clawback rules found in 229 C.F.R. §240.10D and the related listing rules of the national securities exchange or national securities association (“Exchange”) on which the Company has listed securities, and, to the extent this Policy is any manner deemed inconsistent with such rules, this Policy shall be treated as retroactively amended to be compliant with such rules.
1. Definitions. 229 C.F.R. §240.10D-1(d) defines the terms “Executive Officer,” “Financial Reporting Measure,” “Incentive-Based Compensation,” and “Received.” As used herein, these terms shall have the same meaning as in that regulation.
2. Application of the Policy. This Policy shall only apply in the event that the issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the issuer with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, including any required accounting restatement to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements, or that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period.
3. Recovery Period. The Incentive-Based Compensation subject to clawback is the Incentive-Based Compensation Received during the three completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date that the issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement as described in section 2, provided that the person served as an Executive Officer at any time during the performance period applicable to the Incentive-Based Compensation in question. The date that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement shall be determined pursuant to 229 C.F.R. §240.10D-1(b)(1)(ii).
(a) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Policy shall only apply if the Incentive-Based Compensation is Received (1) while the issuer has a class of securities listed on an Exchange and (2) on or after October 2, 2023.
(b) See 229 C.F.R. §240.10D-1(b)(1)(i) for certain circumstances under which the Policy will apply to Incentive-Based Compensation received during a transition period arising due to a change in the Company’s fiscal year.
4. Erroneously Awarded Compensation. The amount of Incentive-Based Compensation subject to the Policy (“Erroneously Awarded Compensation”) is the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation Received that exceeds the amount of Incentive Based-Compensation that otherwise would have been Received had it been determined based on the restated amounts and shall be computed without regard to any taxes paid, as determined by the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors of the Company. If the Committee cannot determine the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation received by an Executive Officer directly from the information in the accounting restatement, then the Committee will make its determination based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the accounting restatement.
(a) For Incentive-Based Compensation based on stock price or total shareholder return, where the amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in an accounting restatement: (1) the amount shall be based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the accounting restatement on the stock price or total shareholder return upon which the Incentive-Based Compensation was received; and (2) the Company must maintain documentation of the determination of that reasonable estimate and provide such documentation to the Exchange.
5. Method of Recoupment. The Committee will determine, in its sole discretion, the method for recouping Erroneously Awarded Compensation hereunder which may include, without limitation: (a) requiring reimbursement of cash Incentive-Based Compensation previously paid; (b) seeking recovery of any gain realized on the vesting, exercise, settlement, sale, transfer, or other disposition of any equity-based awards; (c) offsetting the recouped amount from any compensation otherwise owed by the Company to the an Executive Officer; (d) cancelling outstanding vested or unvested equity awards; and/or (e) taking any other remedial and recovery action permitted by law, as determined by the Committee. In addition, the Committee may determine that, to the extent practicable, recovery or offset will be made against similar forms of compensation as the Erroneously Awarded Compensation that is subject to recovery under this Policy. The Company shall recover reasonably promptly any Erroneously Awarded Compensation except to the extent that the conditions of paragraphs (a), (b), or (c) below apply. The Committee shall determine the repayment schedule, if any, for each amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation in a manner that complies with this “reasonably promptly” requirement. Such determination shall be consistent with any applicable legal guidance, by the SEC, judicial opinion, or otherwise. The determination of “reasonably promptly” may vary from case to case and the Committee is authorized to adopt additional rules to further describe what repayment schedules satisfy this requirement.
(a) Erroneously Awarded Compensation need not be recovered if the direct expense paid to a third party to assist in enforcing the Policy would exceed the amount to be recovered and the Committee has made a determination that recovery would be impracticable. Before concluding that it would be impracticable to recover any amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation based on expense of enforcement, the Company shall make a reasonable attempt to recover such Erroneously Awarded Compensation, document such reasonable attempt(s) to recover, and provide that documentation to the Exchange.
(b) Erroneously Awarded Compensation need not be recovered if recovery would violate home country law where that law was adopted prior to November 28, 2022. Before concluding that it would be impracticable to recover any amount of Erroneously Awarded Compensation based on violation of home country law, the Company shall obtain an opinion of home country counsel, acceptable to the Exchange, that recovery would result in such a violation and shall provide such opinion to the Exchange.
(c) Erroneously Awarded Compensation need not be recovered if recovery would likely cause an otherwise tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to employees of the registrant, to fail to meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(13) or 26 U.S.C. 411(a) and regulations thereunder.
6. Committee decisions. The Committee is authorized to interpret and construe this Policy and to make all determinations necessary, appropriate or advisable for the administration of this Policy. Decisions of the Committee with respect to this Policy shall be final, conclusive and binding on all Executive Officers subject to this policy, unless determined to be an abuse of discretion.
7. No Indemnification. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other policy of the Company or any agreement between the Company and an Executive Officer, no Executive Officer shall be indemnified by the Company against the loss of any Erroneously Awarded Compensation.
8. Agreement to Policy by Executive Officers. The Committee shall take reasonable steps to inform Executive Officers of this Policy and obtain their agreement to this Policy, which steps may constitute the inclusion of this Policy as an attachment to any award that is accepted by the Executive Officer.
9. Other Recoupment Rights. The Company intends that this Policy will be applied to the fullest extent of the law. The Company may require that any employment agreement, equity award agreement, or similar agreement entered into on or after the Effective Date shall, as a condition to the grant of any benefit thereunder, require an Executive Officer to agree to abide by the terms of this Policy. Any right of recoupment under this Policy is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other remedies or rights of recoupment that may be available to the Company pursuant to the terms of any similar policy in any employment agreement, equity award agreement, or similar agreement and any other legal remedies available to the Company.