If the claim is not a Disability Benefit Claim, within ninety (90) days following receipt of such claim by the Committee, notice of any approval or denial thereof, in whole or in part, shall be delivered to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative or such notice of denial shall be sent by mail (postage prepaid) to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative at the address shown on the claim form or such individual’s last known address. The aforesaid ninety (90) day response period may be extended to one hundred eighty (180) days after receipt of the Claimant’s claim if special circumstances exist and if written notice of the extension to one hundred eighty (180) days indicating the special circumstances involved and the date by which a decision is expected to be made is furnished to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative within ninety (90) days after receipt of the Claimant’s claim.

If the claim is a Disability Benefit Claim, within forty‑five (45) days following receipt of such claim by the Committee, notice of any approval or denial thereof, in whole or in part, shall be delivered to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative or such notice of denial shall be sent by mail to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative at the address shown on the claim form or such individual’s last known address. The aforesaid forty‑five (45) day response period may be extended to seventy‑five (75) days after receipt of the Claimant’s claim if it is determined that such an extension is necessary due to matters beyond the control of the Plan and if written notice of the extension to seventy‑five (75) days indicating the circumstances involved and the date by which a decision is expected to be made is furnished to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative within forty‑five (45) days after receipt of the Claimant’s claim. Thereafter, the aforesaid seventy‑five (75) day response period may be extended to one hundred five (105) days after receipt of the Claimant’s claim if it is determined that such an extension is necessary due to matters beyond the control of the Plan and if written notice of the extension to one hundred five (105) days indicating the circumstances involved and the date by which a decision is expected to be made is furnished to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative within seventy‑five (75) days after receipt of the Claimant’s claim. In the event of any such extension, the notice of extension shall specifically explain, to the extent applicable, the standards on which entitlement to a benefit is based, the unresolved issues that prevent a decision on the claim, and the additional information needed to resolve those issues, and the Claimant shall be afforded at least forty‑five (45) days within which to provide any specified information which is to be provided by the Claimant.

Claims (Other than Disability Claims). For all claims other than Disability Claims, within ninety (90) days after receipt of such claim, the Committee will send to the Claimant by certified mail, postage prepaid, notice of the granting or denying, in whole or in part, of such claim, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing the claim. In no event may the extension exceed ninety (90) days from the end of the initial period. If such extension is necessary, the Claimant will be given a notice to this effect prior to the expiration of the initial ninety (90) day period. If the Committee fails to notify the Claimant either that his or her claim has been granted or that it has been denied in whole or in part within the initial ninety (90) day period or prior to the expiration of an extension, if applicable, then the claim shall be deemed to have been denied as of the last day of the applicable period, and the Claimant then may request a review of his or her claim.

If the claim is not a Disability Benefit Claim, the decision on review shall be issued promptly, but no later than sixty (60) days after receipt by the Committee of the Claimant’s request for review, or one hundred twenty (120) days after such receipt if a hearing is to be held or if other special circumstances exist and if written notice of the extension to one hundred twenty (120) days indicating the special circumstances involved and the date by which a decision is expected to be made on review is furnished to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative within sixty (60) days after the receipt of the Claimant’s request for a review.

If the claim is a Disability Benefit Claim, the decision on review shall be issued promptly, but no later than forty‑five (45) days after receipt by the Committee of the Claimant’s request for review, or ninety (90) days after such receipt if a hearing is to be held or if other special circumstances exist and if written notice of the extension to ninety (90) days indicating the special circumstances involved and the date by which a decision is expected to be made on review is furnished to the Claimant or his duly authorized representative within forty‑five (45) days after the receipt of the Claimant’s request for a review.

Denial of Claim. In the case of the denial of a claim respecting benefits paid or payable with respect to a Participant, a written notice will be furnished to the Claimant within 90 days of the date on which the claim is received by the Committee. If special circumstances (such as for a hearing) require a longer period, the Claimant will be notified in writing, prior to the expiration of the 90-day period, of the reasons for an extension of time; provided, however, that no extensions will be permitted beyond 90 days after the expiration of the initial 90-day period.

The claimant (or his or her duly authorized representative) shall have 60 days (or in the case of a disability claim, 180 days) after receipt of notification of the claim denial to request a review of the denial by making written request to the Committee (the “Appeals Committee”), and may have reasonable access to and copies of documents, records and other information relevant to the claim upon request and free of charge, and submit comments, documents, records and other information related to the claim in writing within such period. The claimant shall receive a review of all submitted comments, documents, records and other information related to the claim, regardless of whether the information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

Review of Disability Claims. If a Disability Claim is denied, the Claimant or the Claimant’s duly authorized representative, upon written application, may review pertinent documents, and may submit issues and comments in writing. The request must be addressed to the General Counsel of the Company at its then principal place of business. A Claimant must file such written request for review with the General Counsel within one-hundred-eighty (180) days after the receipt by the Claimant of a notice denying the initial claim or within one-hundred-eighty (180) days after the claim is deemed to be denied. Upon its receipt of the request for review, the General Counsel will notify the Company of the request and the Company will appoint a person other than a member of the Committee to be the claims reviewer. Upon its receipt of the request for review, the Committee must provide the Claimant, free of charge, and as soon as possible, any new or additional evidence considered or the rationale in connection with the Disability Claim. Such information must be provided in advance of the date on which the notice of the denial of the appeal is required to be provided, as discussed below in [Section 6.6(e)(i)], in order to give the Claimant a reasonable opportunity to respond prior to that date. The decision on review shall be rendered not later than forty-five (45) days after the Committee’s receipt of the Claimant’s request for review, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, in which case the forty-five (45) day period may be extended to ninety (90) days if notice is provided to the Claimant in writing within the initial forty-five (45) day period stating the reason for the extension. If notice of the decision on the review is not furnished in accordance with this paragraph (ii), the claim will be deemed denied and the Claimant will be permitted to exercise his or her right to legal remedy pursuant to paragraph # of this [Section 6.6].

Unless such claim is allowed in full by the Committee, written notice of the denial shall be furnished to the claimant within ninety (90) days (which may be extended by a period not to exceed an additional ninety (90) days if special circumstances so require and written notice to the claimant is given prior to the expiration of the initial ninety (90) day period describing such circumstances and indicating the date by which the Committee expects to render its determination) setting forth the following in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant:

Disability Claims. If a claim is related to any distribution or rights to which a Participant or other Claimant may be entitled in connection with the Participant’s termination by reason of suffering a Disability (“Disability Claim”) then, as soon as reasonable but within forty-five (45) days after receipt of such claim, the Committee will send to the Claimant by certified mail, postage prepaid, notice of the granting or denying, in whole or in part of such claim. This period within which the Committee must provide such notice may be extended twice, for up to thirty (30) days per extension, provided that the Committee # determines that an extension is needed and beyond the control of the Plan, and # notifies the Claimant prior to the expiration of the initial forty-five (45) day period or of the first thirty (30) day extension period. In the case of any extension request, the notice of extension shall specifically explain the standards on which entitlement to a benefit is based, the unresolved issues that prevent a decision on the claim, and the additional information needed to resolve those issues, and the Claimant shall be afforded at least forty-five (45) days within which to provide the specified information. If the Committee fails to notify the Claimant either that his or her claim has been granted or that it has been denied in whole or in part within the initial forty-five (45) day period or prior to the expiration of an extension, if applicable, then the claim shall be deemed to have been denied as of the last day of the applicable period, and the Claimant then may request a review of his or her claim. The Committee must ensure that all Disability Claims and appeals are adjudicated in a manner designed to ensure the independence and impartiality of the persons involved in making the Disability determination.