Claims Procedure. Any employee or other person who believes he or she is entitled to any payment under the Plan may submit a claim in writing to the Committee within 90 days of the earlier of # the date the claimant learned the amount of his or her benefits under the Plan or # the date the claimant learned that he or she will not be entitled to any benefits under the Plan. If the claim is denied (in full or in part), the claimant will be provided a written notice explaining the specific reasons for the denial and referring to the provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based. The notice also will describe any additional information needed to support the claim and the Plan’s procedures for appealing the denial. The denial notice will be provided within 90 days after the claim is received. If special circumstances require an extension of time (up to 90 days), written notice of the extension will be given within the initial 90-day period. This notice of extension will indicate the special circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the Committee expects to render its decision on the claim.

Claims Procedure. If any person believes he is being denied any rights or benefits under the Plan, such person (the “Claimant”) may file a claim in writing with the Committee, or designee thereof (the “Claims Administrator”). If any such claim is wholly or partially denied, the Claims Administrator will notify such person of its decision in writing. Such notification will contain # specific reasons for the denial, # specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions, # a description of any additional material or information necessary for such person to perfect such claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary, and # information as to the steps to be taken if the person wishes to submit a request for review. Such notification will be given within 90 days after the claim is received by the Claims Administrator (or within 180 days, if special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim, and if written notice of such extension and circumstances is given to such person within the initial 90 day period). If such notification is not given within such period, the claim will be considered denied as of the last day of such period and such person may request a review of his claim.

If the Participant or the Participant’s beneficiary (hereinafter referred to as the “Claimant”) is denied all or a portion of any expected benefit under this Plan for any reason, he may file a claim with the Committee. The Committee shall notify the Claimant within ninety (90) days of receipt of the claim of allowance or denial of the claim, unless the claimant receives written notice from the Committee prior to the end of the 90-day period stating the special circumstances requiring an extension of time for decision and the date by which a final decision shall be made. If a decision is not provided within 90 days, the claim is deemed denied, and the Claimant may proceed to request a review of the claim as described in subsection # below. The notice of a denial of benefits shall be in writing, sent by mail to Claimant’s last known address, and shall contain the following information: the specific reasons for the denial; specific reference to pertinent provisions of the Plan on which the denial is based; if applicable, a description of any additional information or material necessary to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such information or material is necessary; and explanation of the review procedure.

Claims Procedure. Any claim by a Participant with respect to eligibility, participation, contributions, benefits or other aspects of the operation of the Plan shall be made in writing to a person designated by the Committee from time to time for such purpose. If the designated person receiving a claim believes, following consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, that the claim should be denied, he or she shall notify the Participant in writing of the denial of the claim within ninety (90) days after his or her receipt thereof. This period may be extended an additional ninety (90) days in special circumstances and, in such event, the Participant shall be notified in writing of the extension, the special circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the Committee expects to make a determination with respect to the claim. If the extension is required due to the Participant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide the claim, the period for making the determination will be tolled from the date on which the extension notice is sent until the date on which the Participant responds to the Plan’s request for information.

Claim Decision. The Claimant shall be notified within ninety (90) days after the claim is filed whether the claim is approved or denied, unless the Plan Committee determines that special circumstances beyond the control of the Plan require an extension of time, in which case the Plan Committee may have up to an additional ninety (90) days to process the claim. If the Plan Committee determines that an extension of time for processing is required, the Plan Committee shall furnish written or electronic notice of the extension to the Claimant before the end of the initial ninety (90) day period. Any notice of extension shall describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Plan Committee expects to render its decision.

Claims Procedure and Review. In the event that any Eligible Employee or other individual believes he or she is entitled to a benefit under the Plan which has not been paid, the Eligible Employee or other individual must bring a claim for benefits under this [Section 5.6]. Claims for benefits under the Plan shall be made in writing to the Plan Administrator. If a claim for benefits is wholly or partially denied, the Plan Administrator shall, within a reasonable period of time but no later than ninety days after receipt of the claim (or 180 days after receipt of the claim if special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim), notify the claimant of the denial. Such notice shall # be in writing, # be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, # contain the specific reason or reasons for denial of the claim, # refer specifically to the pertinent Plan provisions upon which the denial is based, # describe any additional material or information necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim (and explain why such material or information is necessary), # explain the Plan’s claim review procedure including steps to be taken if the claimant wishes to appeal the denial of the claim, and # include a statement of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA upon completion of the Plan’s claim review procedure. Within sixty (60) days of the receipt by the claimant of this notice, the claimant may file a written appeal with the Plan Administrator. In connection with the appeal, the claimant may review plan documents and may submit written issues and comments. The Plan Administrator shall deliver to the claimant a written decision on the appeal promptly, but not later than sixty days after the receipt of the claimant’s appeal (or one hundred twenty (120) days after receipt of the claimant’s appeal if there are special circumstances which require an extension of time for processing). Such decision shall # be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, # include specific reasons for the decision, # refer specifically to the Plan provisions upon which the decision is based, # include a statement of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA upon completion of the Plan’s claim review procedure, and # include a statement of the claimant’s right to access and receive copies, upon request and free of charge, of all documents and other information relevant to such claim for benefits. If a claimants claim is denied, in whole or in part, the claimant (or any individual authorized by such claimant) will be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant (within the meaning of 29 C.F.R. § 2560.503l(m)(8)) to his or her claim. Likewise, a claimant (or any individual authorized by such claimant) who submits a written request to appeal a denied claim shall have the right to submit any comments, documents, records or other information relating to the claim that he or she wished to provide. If special circumstances require an extension for the Plan Administrator to reach a decision, up to one hundred eighty (180) or one hundred twenty (120) days, whichever applies, the Plan Administrator shall send written notice of the extension. This notice shall indicate the special circumstances requiring the extension and state when the Plan Administrator expects to render the decision.

A Participant may file a claim with respect to amounts asserted to be due hereunder by filing a written claim with the Committee specifying the nature of such claim in detail. The Committee shall notify the claimant within 60 days as to whether the claim is allowed or denied, unless the claimant receives written notice from the Committee prior to the end of the 60 day period stating that special circumstances require an extension of time for a decision on the claim, in which case the period shall be extended by an additional 60 days. Notice of the Committee's decision shall be in writing, sent by mail to the Participant's last known address and, if the claim is denied, such notice shall # state the specific reasons for denial, # refer to the specific provisions of the Plan upon which such denial is based, and # if applicable, describe any additional information or material necessary to perfect the claim, an explanation of why such information or material is necessary, and an explanation of the review procedure in [Section 7.4(b)].

Claims Procedure. Any claim by a Participant with respect to eligibility, participation, contributions, benefits or other aspects of the operation of the Plan shall be made in writing to a person designated by the Administrator from time to time for such purpose. If the designated person receiving a claim believes, following consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, that the claim should be denied, he or she shall notify the Participant in writing of the denial of the claim within ninety (90) days after his or her receipt thereof. This period may be extended an additional ninety (90) days in special circumstances and, in such event, the Participant shall be notified in writing of the extension, the special circumstances requiring the extension of time and the date by which the Administrator expects to make a determination with respect to the claim. If the extension is required due to the Participant’s failure to submit information necessary to decide the claim, the period for making the determination will be tolled from the date on which the extension notice is sent until the date on which the Participant responds to the Plan’s request for information.

Claims Procedures. Any Participant, former Participant or Beneficiary may file a written claim with the Administrative Committee setting forth the nature of the benefit claimed, the amount thereof, and the basis for claiming entitlement to such benefit. The Administrative Committee shall determine the validity of the claim and communicate a decision to the claimant promptly and, in any event, not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the claim. The claim may be deemed by the claimant to have been denied for purposes of further review described below in the event a decision is not furnished to the claimant within such ninety (90) day period. If additional information is necessary to make a determination on a claim, the claimant shall be advised of the need for such additional information within forty-five (45) days after the date of the claim. The claimant shall have up to one hundred and eighty (180) days to supplement the claim information, and the claimant shall be advised of the decision on the claim within forty-five (45) days after the earlier of the date the supplemental information is supplied or the end of the one hundred and eighty (180) day period. Every claim for benefits which is denied shall be denied by written notice setting forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant # the specific reason or reasons for the denial, # specific reference to any provisions of the Plan (including any internal rules, guidelines, protocols, criteria, etc.) on which the denial is based, # description of any additional material or information that is necessary to process the claim, and # an explanation of the procedure for further reviewing the denial of the claim and shall include an explanation of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA [Section 502(a)] in the event of an adverse determination on review.

Claim Decision. The Claimant shall be notified within forty-five (45) days after the claim is filed whether the claim is approved or denied, unless the Plan Committee determines that special circumstances beyond the control of the Plan require an extension of time, in which case the Plan Committee may have up to two additional thirty (30) day periods to make a decision. If the Plan Committee determines that an extension of time for processing is required, the Plan Committee shall furnish written or electronic notice of the extension to the Claimant before the end of the initial forty-five (45) day period. Any notice of extension shall describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Plan Committee expects to render its decision.