(a) An insured depository institution or depository institution holding company may agree to make or may make a golden parachute payment if and to the extent that:

(1) The appropriate federal banking agency, with the written concurrence of the Corporation, determines that such a payment or agreement is permissible; or

(2) Such an agreement is made in order to hire a person to become an IAP either at a time when the insured depository institution or depository institution holding company satisfies or in an effort to prevent it from imminently satisfying any of the criteria set forth in §359.1(f)(1)(ii), and the institution's appropriate federal banking agency and the Corporation consent in writing to the amount and terms of the golden parachute payment. Such consent by the FDIC and the institution's appropriate federal banking agency shall not improve the IAP's position in the event of the insolvency of the institution since such consent can neither bind a receiver nor affect the provability of receivership claims. In the event that the institution is placed into receivership or conservatorship, the FDIC and/or the institution's appropriate federal banking agency shall not be obligated to pay the promised golden parachute and the IAP shall not be accorded preferential treatment on the basis of such prior approval; or

(3) Such a payment is made pursuant to an agreement which provides for a reasonable severance payment, not to exceed twelve months salary, to an IAP

in the event of a change in control of the insured depository institution; provided, however, that an insured depository institution or depository institution holding company shall obtain the consent of the appropriate federal banking agency prior to making such a payment and this paragraph (a)(3) shall not apply to any change in control of an insured depository institution which results from an assisted transaction as described in section 13 of the Act (12 U.S.C. 1823) or the insured depository institution being placed into conservatorship or receivership; and

(4) An insured depository institution, depository institution holding company or IAP making a request pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) through (3) of this section shall demonstrate that it does not possess and is not aware of any information, evidence, documents or other materials which would indicate that there is a reasonable basis to believe, at the time such payment is proposed to be made, that:

(i) The IAP has committed any fraudulent act or omission, breach of trust or fiduciary duty, or insider abuse with regard to the depository institution or depository institution holding company that has had or is likely to have a material adverse effect on the institution or holding company;

(ii) The IAP is substantially responsible for the insolvency of, the appointment of a conservator or receiver for, or the troubled condition, as defined by applicable regulations of the appropriate federal banking agency, of the insured depository institution, depository institution holding company or any insured depository institution subsidiary of such holding company;

(iii) The IAP has materially violated any applicable federal or state banking law or regulation that has had or is likely to have a material effect on the insured depository institution or depository institution holding company; and

(iv) The IAP has violated or conspired to violate section 215, 656, 657, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1014, 1032, or 1344 of title 18 of the United States Code, or section 1341 or 1343 of such title affecting a federally insured financial institution as defined in title 18 of the United States Code.

(b) In making a determination under paragraphs (a) (1) through (3) of this section, the appropriate federal banking agency and the Corporation may consider:

(1) Whether, and to what degree, the IAP was in a position of managerial or fiduciary responsibility;

(2) The length of time the IAP was affiliated with the insured depository institution or depository institution holding company, and the degree to which the proposed payment represents a reasonable payment for services rendered over the period of employment; and

(3) Any other factors or circumstances which would indicate that the proposed payment would be contrary to the intent of section 18(k) of the Act or this part.

(a) An insured depository institution or depository institution holding company may make or agree to make reasonable indemnification payments to an IAP with respect to an administrative proceeding or civil action initiated by any federal banking agency if:

(1) The insured depository institution's or depository institution holding company's board of directors, in good faith, determines in writing after due investigation and consideration that the institution-affiliated party acted in good faith and in a manner he/she believed to be in the best interests of the institution;

(2) The insured depository institution's or depository institution holding company's board of directors, respectively, in good faith, determines in writing after due investigation and consideration that the payment of such expenses will not materially adversely affect the institution's or holding company's safety and soundness;

(3) The indemnification payments do not constitute prohibited indemnification payments as that term is defined in § 359.1(1); and

(4) The IAP agrees in writing to reimburse the insured depository institution or depository institution holding company, to the extent not covered by payments from insurance or bonds purchased pursuant to §359.1(1)(2), for that

portion of the advanced indemnification payments which subsequently become prohibited indemnification payments, as defined in § 359.1(1)

(b) An IAP requesting indemnification payments shall not participate in any way in the board's discussion and approval of such payments; provided, however, that such IAP may present his/her request to the board and respond to any inquiries from the board concerning his/her involvement in the circumstances giving rise to the administrative proceeding or civil action.

(c) In the event that a majority of the members of the board of directors are named as respondents in an administrative proceeding or civil action and request indemnification, the remaining members of the board may authorize independent legal counsel to review the indemnification request and provide the remaining members of the board with a written opinion of counsel as to whether the conditions delineated in paragraph (a) of this section have been met. If independent legal counsel opines that said conditions have been met, the remaining members of the board of directors may rely on such opinion in authorizing the requested indemnification.

(d) In the event that all of the members of the board of directors are named as respondents in an administrative proceeding or civil action and the request indemnification, board shall authorize independent legal counsel to review the indemnification request and provide the board with a written opinion of counsel as to whether the conditions delineated in paragraph (a) of this section have been met. If independent legal counsel opines that said conditions have been met, the board of directors may rely on such opinion in authorizing the requested indemnification.

§ 359.6 Filing instructions.

Requests to make excess nondiscriminatory severance plan payments pursuant to §359.1(f)(2)(v) and golden parachute payments permitted by §359.4 shall be submitted in writing to the appropriate regional director (DOS). For filing requirements, consult 12 CFR 303.244. In the event that the consent of

the institution's primary federal regulator is required in addition to that of the FDIC, the requesting party shall submit a copy of its letter to the FDIC to the institution's primary federal regulator. In the case of national banks, such written requests shall be submitted to the OCC. In the case of state member banks and bank holding companies, such written requests shall be submitted to the Federal Reserve district bank where the institution or holding company, respectively, is located. In the case of savings associations and savings association holding companies, such written requests shall be submitted to the OTS regional office where the institution or holding company, respectively, is located. In cases where only the prior consent of the institution's primary federal regulator is required and that agency is not the FDIC, a written request satisfying the requirements of this section shall be submitted to the primary federal regulator as described in this section.

[63 FR 44751, Aug. 20, 1998]

§ 359.7 Applicability in the event of receivership.

The provisions of this part, or any consent or approval granted under the provisions of this part by the FDIC (in its corporate capacity), shall not in any way bind any receiver of a failed insured depository institution. Any consent or approval granted under the provisions of this part by the FDIC or any other federal banking agency shall not in any way obligate such agency or receiver to pay any claim or obligation pursuant to any golden parachute, severance, indemnification or other agreement. Claims for employee welfare benefits or other benefits which are contingent, even if otherwise vested, when the FDIC is appointed as receiver for any depository institution, including any contingency for termination of employment, are not provable claims or actual, direct compensatory damage claims against such receiver. Nothing in this part may be construed to permit the payment of salary or any liability or legal expense of any IAP contrary to 12 U.S.C. 1828(k)(3).

$360.1 Least-cost resolution.

(a) General rule. Except as provided in section 13(c)(4)(G) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1823 (c)(4)(G)), the FDIC shall not take any action, directly or indirectly, under sections 13(c), 13(d), 13(f), 13(h) or 13(k) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1823 (c), (d), (f), (h) or (k)) with respect to any insured depository institution that would have the effect of increasing losses to any insurance fund by protecting:

(1) Depositors for more than the insured portion of their deposits (determined without regard to whether such institution is liquidated); or

(2) Creditors other than depositors.

(b) Purchase and assumption transactions. Subject to the requirement of section 13(c)(4)(A) of the FDI Act (12 U.S.C. 1823(c)(4)(A)), paragraph (a) of this section shall not be construed as prohibiting the FDIC from allowing any person who acquires any assets or assumes any liabilities of any insured depository institution, for which the FDIC has been appointed conservator or receiver, to acquire uninsured deposit liabilities of such institution as long as the applicable insurance fund does not incur any loss with respect to such uninsured deposit liabilities in an amount greater than the loss which would have been incurred with respect to such liabilities if the institution had been liquidated.

[58 FR 67664, Dec. 22, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 37761, July 14, 1998]

§ 360.2 Federal Home Loan banks as secured creditors.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of federal or state law or any other provisions of these regulations,

the receiver of a borrower from a Federal Home Loan Bank shall recognize the priority of any security interest granted to a Federal Home Loan Bank by any member of any Federal Home Loan Bank or any affiliate of any such member, whether such security interest is in specifically designated assets or a blanket interest in all assets or categories of assets, over the claims and rights of any other party (including any receiver, conservator, trustee or similar party having rights of a lien creditor) other than claims and rights that

(1) Would be entitled to priority under otherwise applicable law; and

(2) Are held by actual bona fide purchasers for value or by actual secured parties that are secured by actual perfected security interests.

(b) If the receiver rather than the Bank shall have possession of any collateral consisting of notes, securities, other instruments, chattel paper or cash securing advances of the Bank, the receiver shall, upon request by the Bank, promptly deliver possession of such collateral to the Bank or its designee.

(c) In the event that a receiver is appointed for any member of a Federal Home Loan Bank, the following procedures shall apply:

(1) The receiver and the Bank shall immediately seek and develop a mutually agreeable plan for the payment of any advances made by the Bank to such borrower or for the servicing, foreclosure upon and liquidation of the collateral securing any such advances, taking into account the nature and amount of such collateral, the markets in which such collateral is normally traded or sold and other relevant factors.

(2) In the event that the receiver and the Bank shall not, in good faith, be able to develop such a mutually agreeable plan, or, in the interim, the Bank in good faith reasonably concludes that the value of such collateral is decreasing, because of interest rate or other market changes, at such a rate that to delay liquidation or other exercise of the Bank's rights as a secured party for the development of a mutually agreeable plan could reasonably cause the value of such collateral to decrease to

an amount that is insufficient to satisfy the Bank's claim in full, the Bank may, at any time thereafter if permitted to do so by the terms of the advances or other security agreement with such borrower or otherwise by applicable law, proceed to foreclose upon, sell, lease or otherwise dispose of such collateral (or any portion thereof), or otherwise exercise its rights as a secured party, provided that the Bank acts in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner and otherwise in accordance with applicable law.

(3) The foregoing provisions of this paragraph (c) shall not apply in the event that a purchase and assumption transaction is entered into regarding any such member.

(d) The Bank's rights pursuant to the second sentence of section 10(d) of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act shall not be affected or diminished by any provisions of state law that may be applicable to a security interest in property of the member.

(e) The receiver for a borrower from a Federal Home Loan Bank shall allow a claim for a prepayment fee by the Bank if, and only if:

(1) The claim is made pursuant to a written contract that provides for a prepayment fee, provided, however, that such prepayment fee allowed by the receiver shall not exceed the present value of the loss attributable to the difference between the contract rate of the secured borrowing and the reinvestment rate then available to the Bank; and

(2) The indebtedness owed to the Bank by such borrower is secured by sufficient collateral in which a perfected security interest in favor of the Bank exists or as to which the Bank's security interest is entitled to priority under section 306(d) of the Competitive Equality Banking Act of 1987 (CEBA) (12 U.S.C. 1430(e), footnote (1), or otherwise so that the aggregate of the outstanding principal on the advances secured by such collateral, the accrued but unpaid interest thereon and the prepayment fee applicable to such advances can be paid in full from the amounts realized from such collateral. For purposes of this paragraph (e)(2), the adequacy of such collateral shall be

determined as of the date such prepayment fees shall be due and payable under the terms of the written contract providing therefor.

[54 FR 19156, May 4, 1989. Redesignated at 54 FR 42801, Oct. 18, 1989, and further redesignated at 55 FR 46496, Nov. 5, 1990. Redesignated at 58 FR 67664, Dec. 22, 1993, as amended at 63 FR 37761, July 14, 1998]

§360.3 Priorities.

(a) Unsecured claims against an association or the receiver that are proved to the satisfaction of the receiver shall have priority in the following order:

(1) Administrative expenses of the receiver, including the costs, expenses, and debts of the receiver;

(2) Administrative expenses of the association, provided that such expenses were incurred within thirty (30) days prior to the receiver's taking possession, and that such expenses shall be limited to reasonable expenses incurred for services actually provided by accountants, attorneys, appraisers, examiners, or management companies, or reasonable expenses incurred by employees which were authorized and reimbursable under a pre-existing expense reimbursement policy, that, in the opinion of the receiver, are of benefit to the receivership, and shall not include wages or salaries of employees of the association;

(3) Claims for wages and salaries, including vacation and sick leave pay and contributions to employee benefit plans, earned prior to the appointment of the receiver by an employee of the association whom the receiver determines it is in the best interests of the receivership to engage or retain for a reasonable period of time;

(4) If authorized by the receiver, claims for wages and salaries, including vacation and sick leave pay and contributions to employee benefits plans, earned prior to the appointment of the receiver, up to a maximum of three thousand dollars ($3,000) per person, by an employee of the association not engaged or retained pursuant to a determination by the receiver pursuant to the third category above;

(5) Claims of governmental units for unpaid taxes, other than Federal income taxes, except to the extent subordinated pursuant to applicable law; but

no other claim of a governmental unit shall have a priority higher than that of a general creditor under paragraph (a)(6) of this section;

(6) Claims for withdrawable accounts, including those of the Corporation as subrogee or transferee, and all other claims which have accrued and become unconditionally fixed on or before the date of default, whether liquidated or unliquidated, except as provided in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section, provided, however, that if the association is chartered and was operated under the laws of a state that provided a priority for holders of withdrawable accounts over such other claims or general creditors, such priority within this paragraph (a)(6) shall be observed by the receiver; and provided further, that if deposits of a Federal association are booked or registered at an office of such association that is located in a State that provides such priority with respect to State-chartered associations, such deposits in a Federal association shall have priority over such other claims or general creditors, which shall be observed by the receiver;

(7) Claims other than those that have accrued and become unconditionally fixed on or before the date of default, including claims for interest after the date of default on claims under paragraph (a)(6) of this section, Provided that any claim based on an agreement for accelerated, stipulated, or liquidated damages, which claim did not accrue prior to the date of default, shall be considered as not having accrued and become unconditionally fixed on or before the date of default;

(8) Claims of the United States for unpaid Federal income taxes;

(9) Claims that have been subordinated in whole or in part to general creditor claims, which shall be given the priority specified in the written instruments that evidence such claims; and

(10) Claims by holders of nonwithdrawable accounts, including stock, which shall have priority within this paragraph (a)(10) in accordance with the terms of the written instruments that evidence such claims.

(b) Interest after the date of default on claims under paragraph (a)(6) of this