EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Employee Stock Ownership Plan And Trust

EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST

15. EMPLOYEE STOCK OWNERSHIP PLAN AND TRUST

We established an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) effective January 1, 1989. Any employee of the Bank is eligible to become a participant in the ESOP upon reaching 21 years of age and credited with one-year of service (1,000 hours of service). The employee may enter the Plan on the January 1^st that occurs nearest the date on which the employee first satisfies the age and service requirements described above. No contributions by employees are permitted. The amount and time of contributions are at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors of the Bank. The contribution for all participants is based solely on each participant’s respective regular or base salary and wages paid by the Bank including commissions, bonuses and overtime, if any.

The Company recognizes expense when the contribution is approved by the Board of Directors. The total expenses amounted to $540,000, $540,000 and $510,000, during the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, the plan owned 361,565 shares of common stock of the Company.

A participant vests in the ESOP based upon the participant’s credited years of service. The vesting schedule is as follows:

●	1 Year of Service	0% Vested
●	2 Years of Service	25% Vested
●	3 Years of Service	50% Vested
●	4 Years of Service	75% Vested
●	5 Years of Service	100% Vested

Periodically, the Internal Revenue Service “IRS” requires a restatement of a qualified retirement plan to ensure that the plan document includes provisions required by legislative and regulatory changes made since the last restatement. There have been no substantive changes to the plan. The Board of Directors approved a restated plan, on January 26, 2012 (incorporated as Exhibit 10.5 in the 2011 10-K). The Plan was submitted to the IRS for approval and a determination letter was issued September 26, 2013, stating that the plan satisfies the requirements of Code Section 4975(e)(7). On January 26, 2017, the Board of Directors approved a restated plan (incorporated as Exhibit 10.6 in the 2016 10-K). The Plan was submitted to the IRS for approval and a determination letter was issued November 17, 2017, stating that the plan satisfies the requirements of Code Section 4975(e)(7).