Appeal Procedures. Every claimant shall have the right to appeal an adverse benefits determination to the Plan Administrator (including, but not limited to, whether the Participant’s Separation from Service was for Cause). Such an appeal may be accomplished by a written notice of appeal filed with the Plan Administrator within sixty (60) days after receipt by the claimant of written notification of the adverse benefits determination. Claimants shall have the opportunity to submit written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to the claim for benefits. Claimants will be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to the claimant’s claim for benefits, such relevance to be determined in accordance with [Section 15.2(c)] below. The appeal shall take into account all comments, documents, records, and other information submitted by claimant relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

If a claim is denied in whole or in part, the claimant may appeal the denial by filing a written request for review with the Plan Administrator at the address set forth in Section 10.7(b) within sixty (60) days after the notice of the adverse benefit determination has been received by the claimant. The claimant shall be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to and copies of all documents, records and other information relevant to the claimant’s claim. The claimant may submit written comments, documents, records and other information relating to the claim to the Plan Administrator within the sixty (60) day period. The review on appeal will take into account all information submitted on appeal, whether or not it was provided for in the initial benefit determination. The Plan Administrator shall review the appeal and, within sixty (60) days after receipt of the appeal, give written or electronic notice to the claimant of the decision with respect to the appeal (unless the Plan Administrator determines that special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the appeal, provided the extension does not exceed sixty (60) days and # the special circumstances causing the extension and # the date by which the Plan Administrator expects to render the determination on review are communicated to the claimant in writing within the initial sixty (60) day period). The notice shall be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, and in the case of an adverse determination, such notice shall include # specific reasons for the adverse determination, # references to the specific Plan provisions on which the determination is based, and # 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.

The Plan Administrator shall advise the claimant and such claimant’s representative, in writing, of its decision within 60 days of receipt of the written appeal, unless special circumstances require an extension of such 60-day period for not more than an additional 60 days. Where such extension is necessary, the claimant shall be given written notice of the delay before the expiration of the initial 60-day period, which notice shall set forth the reasons for the delay and the date the Plan Administrator expects to render its decision. In the event of an adverse benefit determination on appeal, the Plan Administrator shall advise the claimant, in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, of # the specific reasons for the adverse benefit determination, and # the specific Plan provisions on which the adverse benefit determination was based. The Plan Administrator’s written notice will advise the claimant of his or her right to receive, upon request and free of charge, copies of all documents, records and other information relevant to such claim.

Appeal Procedures. A request for appeal of a denied claim must be made in writing to the Plan Administrator within 60 days after receiving notice of denial. The decision on appeal shall be made within 60 days after the Plan Administrator’s receipt of a request for appeal, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, in which case a decision shall be rendered not later than 120 days after receipt of a request for appeal. A notice of such an extension must be provided to the Claimant within the initial 60-day period and must explain the special circumstances and provide an expected date of decision. The reviewer shall afford the Claimant an opportunity to review and receive, upon request and without charge, all relevant all documents, records, and other information relevant to the Claimant’s claim for benefits and to submit to the Plan Administrator written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to the claim for benefits. The reviewer shall take into account all comments, documents, records, and other information submitted by the Claimant relating to the claim regardless of whether the information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

Section # Procedure for Filing an Appeal of an Adverse Determination. In order for a communication from a Claimant to constitute a valid appeal, the communication must be submitted by a Claimant in writing on the form designated by the Benefits Committee, or in such other form as may be acceptable to the Benefits Committee, and delivered to the Benefits Committee within 60 days of the Claimant’s receipt of the notice of the Adverse Determination on the Claim. If the Benefits Committee does not receive a valid appeal within 60 days of the delivery to the Claimant of the notice of the Adverse Determination for the related Claim, the Claimant shall be barred from filing an appeal of such Claim, and he or she shall be deemed to have failed to exhaust all administrative remedies under the Plan.

If a claim for benefits under the Plan is denied in full or in part or you receive some other adverse benefit determination, you may appeal the decision to the Plan Administrator. To appeal a decision, you must submit a written document through the U.S. Postal Service or other courier service appealing the denial of the claim within 60 days after the date of the claim denial. If you do not submit an appeal within this 60 day period, you will not be entitled to appeal the denial or adverse benefit determination. You may also include information or other documentation in support of your claim. Upon request, you will be provided reasonable access to and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant (as defined by ERISA) to your claim. You may have a qualified person represent you during the appeal process. You will be notified of a decision within 60 days (which may be extended to 120 days, if required) of the date your appeal is received. If an extension of time is required by the plan, you will receive notice of the reason for the extension within the initial 60-day period and a date by which you can expect a decision.