The Dice Holdings, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Stock Plan

EX-10.14 3 dex1014.htm THE DICE HOLDINGS, INC. 2005 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN The Dice Holdings, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Stock Plan

Exhibit 10.14

DICE HOLDINGS, INC. 2005 OMNIBUS STOCK PLAN

(Amended and Restated Effective as of November 7, 2005)

1.	Purpose

The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means through which the Company and its Affiliates may attract able persons to enter and remain in the employ of the Company and its Affiliates and to provide a means whereby employees, directors and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates can acquire and maintain Common Stock ownership, or be paid incentive compensation measured by reference to the value of Common Stock, thereby strengthening their commitment to the welfare of the Company and its Affiliates and promoting an identity of interest between shareholders and these persons.

So that the appropriate incentive can be provided, the Plan provides for granting Incentive Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock Awards, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Share Units and Stock Bonus Awards, or any combination of the foregoing.

2.	Definitions

The following definitions shall be applicable throughout the Plan.

(a) “Affiliate” means (i) with respect to any specified entity, any other entity that directly or indirectly is controlled by, or is under common control with such specified entity and (ii) solely with respect to the Company, any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest, in either case as determined by the Committee.

(b) “Award” means, individually or collectively, any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock Award, Restricted Stock Unit Award, Performance Share Unit Award or Stock Bonus Award.

(c) “Award Period” means a period of time within which performance is measured for the purpose of determining whether an Award of Performance Share Units has been earned.

(d) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “Cause” means, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, the Company or an Affiliate having

“cause” to terminate a Participant’s employment or service, as defined in any existing employment, consulting or any other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, or, in the absence of such an employment, consulting or other agreement with respect to any Participant, such Participant’s (i) commission of an act of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation or breach of fiduciary duty against the Company or any Affiliate or a felony involving the business, assets, customers or clients of the Company or any Affiliate or conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction or entry of a guilty plea or a plea of nolo contendere to any other felony; (ii) commission a material breach of any written confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicitation or business opportunity covenant contained in any agreement entered into by such Participant and the Company or any Affiliate; or (iii) substantial failure to perform such Participant’s duties to the Company or any Affiliate, including by committing a material breach of any written covenant contained in any agreement entered into by such Participant and the Company or any Affiliate (other than a confidentiality, non-compete, non-solicitation or business opportunity covenant) after written notice and an opportunity to cure (not to exceed 30 days).

(f) “Change in Control” shall, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award agreement states otherwise or contains a different definition of “Change in Control,” mean the occurrence of any one of the following events: (i) the acquisition by any “Person” (as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and as used in Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) other than Quadrangle Capital Partners II LP, General Atlantic Partners 79,L.P. or their respective Affiliates (each, individually an “Investor” and collectively, the “Investors”) of more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Company; or (ii) any merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, tender or exchange offer or any other transaction with or affecting the Company as a result of which a Person other than an Investor owns after such transaction more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of the directors of the Company, or (iii) the sale, lease, exchange, transfer or other disposition to any Person, other than an Investor, of all or substantially all, of the assets of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, or (iv) the Company adopts any plan of liquidation providing for the distribution of all of substantially all of its assets, or (v) a change in the composition of the Board over a period of thirty-six (36) months or less such that a majority of the Board members (rounded up to the next whole number) ceases, by reason of one or more contested elections for Board membership, to be comprised of individuals who are continuing directors.

(g) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Reference in the Plan to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any amendments or successor provisions to such section and any regulations under such section.

(h) “Committee” means a committee of at least two people as the Board may appoint to administer the Plan or, if no such committee has been appointed by the Board, the Board. On and after the time that the Company becomes

subject to the Exchange Act, unless the Board is acting as the Committee or the Board specifically determines otherwise, each member of the Committee shall, at the time he or she takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan, be an Eligible Director; provided that the mere fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted by the Committee which Award is otherwise validly granted under the Plan.

(i) “Common Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, and any stock into which such common stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged.

(j) “Company” means Dice Holdings, Inc.

(k) “Date of Grant” means the date on which the granting of an Award is authorized, or such other date as may be specified in such authorization or, if there is no such date, the date indicated on the applicable Award agreement.

(l) “Disability” means, unless in the case of a particular Award the applicable Award agreement states otherwise, the Company or an Affiliate having cause to terminate a Participant’s employment or service on account of “disability,” as defined in any existing employment, consulting or any similar agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, or, in the absence of such an employment, consulting or other agreement, a condition entitling the Participant to receive benefits under a long-term disability plan of the Company or an Affiliate or, in the absence of such a plan, the complete and permanent inability by reason of illness or accident to perform the duties of the occupation at which a Participant was employed or served when such disability commenced or, as determined by the Committee based upon medical evidence acceptable to it.

(m) “Effective Date” means August 31, 2005.

(n) “Eligible Director” means a person who is (i) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, or a person meeting any similar requirement under any successor rule or regulation and (ii) an “outside director” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder; provided, however, that clause (ii) shall apply only on and after the 162(m) Effective Date and only with respect to grants of Awards with respect to which the Company’s tax deduction could be limited by Section 162(m) of the Code if such clause did not apply.

(o) “Eligible Person” means any (i) individual regularly employed by the Company or an Affiliate who satisfies all of the requirements of Section 6; provided, however, that no such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person unless and to the extent that such eligibility is set forth in such collective bargaining agreement or in an agreement or instrument relating thereto; (ii) director of the Company or an Affiliate or (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate who may be offered securities pursuant to Form S-8 (which, as

of the Effective Date, includes those who (A) are natural persons and (B) provide bona fide services to the Company other than in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital-raising transaction, and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for the Company’s securities).

(p) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(q) “Fair Market Value” on a given date means (i) if the Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the average of the highest and lowest sale prices reported as having occurred on the primary exchange with which the Stock is listed and traded on the date prior to such date, or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such a sale was reported; (ii) if the Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange but is quoted in the Nasdaq National Market System (the “Nasdaq”) on a last sale basis, the average between the high bid price and low ask price reported on such date, or, if there is no such sale on such prior date, then on the last preceding date on which a sale was reported; or (iii) if the Stock is not listed on a national securities exchange nor quoted in the Nasdaq on a last sale basis, the amount determined by the Committee to be the fair market value based upon a good faith attempt to value the Stock accurately.

(r) “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option granted by the Committee to a Participant under the Plan which is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and which otherwise meets the requirements set forth herein.

(s) “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option granted by the Committee to a Participant under the Plan which is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

(t) “162(m) Effective Date” means the first date on which Awards granted under the Plan do not qualify for an exemption from the deduction limitations of Section 162(m) of the Code on account of an exemption, or a transition or grandfather rule.

(u) “Option” means an Award granted under Section 7.

(v) “Option Period” means the period described in Section 7(c).

(w) “Option Price” means the exercise price for an Option as described in Section 7(a).

(x) “Parent” means any parent of the Company, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.

(y) “Participant” means an Eligible Person who has been selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan and to receive an Award pursuant to Section 6.

(z) “Performance Goals” means the performance objectives of the Company or an Affiliate during an Award Period or Restricted Period established for the purpose of determining whether, and to what extent, Awards will be earned for an Award Period or a Restricted Period. To the extent an Award is intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Performance Goals shall be established with reference to one or more of the following, either on a Company-wide basis or, as relevant, in respect of one or more Affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions or operations of the Company:

(i)

earnings (gross, net, pre-tax, post-tax or per share)

(ii)

earnings before interest and taxes (“EBIT”)

(iii)

earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”)

(iv)

stock price (absolute or relative to other companies)

(v)

market share

(vi)

gross or net profit margin

(vii)

costs or expenses

(viii)

return on capital or equity

(ix)

total stock holder return ; or

(x)

sales

(aa) “Performance Share Unit” means a hypothetical investment equivalent to one share of Stock granted in connection with an Award made under Section 9.

(bb) “Person” shall mean an individual or a corporation, association, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, organization, business, trust, or any other entity or organization, including a government or any subdivision or agency thereof.

(cc) “Plan” means this Dice Holdings, Inc. 2005 Omnibus Stock Plan.

(dd) “Restricted Period” means, with respect to any share of Restricted Stock or any Restricted Stock Unit, the period of time determined by the Committee during which such Award is subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 10.

(ee) “Restricted Stock” means shares of Stock issued or transferred to a Participant subject to forfeiture and the other restrictions set forth in Section 10.

(ff) “Restricted Stock Award” means an Award of Restricted Stock granted under Section 10.

(gg) “Restricted Stock Unit” means a hypothetical investment equivalent to one share of Stock granted in connection with an Award made under Section 10.

(hh) “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

(ii) “Shareholders’ Agreement” means the Shareholders’ Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2005 among the Company, the Investors and the other parties thereto, as in effect from time to time.

(jj) “Stock” means the Common Stock or such other authorized shares of stock of the Company as the Committee may from time to time authorize for use under the Plan.

(kk) “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

(ll) “Stock Bonus” means an Award granted under Section 11 of the Plan.

(mm) “Stock Option Agreement” means the agreement between the Company and a Participant who has been granted an Option pursuant to Section 7 which defines the rights and obligations of the parties thereto.

(nn) “Strike Price” means, in respect of an SAR, (i) in the case of an SAR granted in tandem with an Option, the Option Price of the related Option, or (ii) in the case of an SAR granted independent of an Option, the Fair Market Value on the Date of Grant.

(oo) “Subsidiary” means any subsidiary of the Company as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.

(pp) “Vested Unit” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in Section 10(d).

3.	Effective Date, Duration and Shareholder Approval

The Plan is effective as of the Effective Date. The validity and exercisabilty of any and all Awards granted pursuant to the Plan on and after the 162(m) Effective Date is contingent upon approval of the Plan by the shareholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the shareholder approval requirements of Section 162(m) of the Code. No Option shall be treated as an Incentive Stock Option unless the Plan has been approved by the shareholders of the Company in a manner intended to comply with the shareholder approval requirements of Section 422(b)(i) of the Code; provided that any Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not fail to be effective solely on account of a failure to obtain such approval, but rather such Option shall be treated as a Nonqualified Stock Option unless and until such approval is obtained.

The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which no Awards may be granted hereunder, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that the administration of the Plan shall continue in effect until all matters relating to Awards previously granted have been settled.

4.	Administration

(a) The Committee shall administer the Plan. The majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. The acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or acts approved in writing by a majority of the Committee shall be deemed the acts of the Committee.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and applicable law, the Committee shall have the power, and in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Committee by the Plan, to: (i) designate Participants; (ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to a Participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with, Awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any Award; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances Awards may be settled or exercised in cash, shares of Stock, other securities, other Awards, or other property, or canceled, forfeited, or suspended and the method or methods by which Awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, Stock, other securities, other Awards, other property, and other amounts payable with respect to an Award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or of the Committee; (vii) interpret, administer reconcile any inconsistency, correct any defect and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or Award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; and (ix) make any other determination and take any other action specified under the Plan or that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

(c) Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all parties, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any shareholder.

(d) No member of the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder.

5.	Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan

The Committee may, from time to time, grant Awards of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Share Units and/or Stock Bonuses to one or more Eligible Persons; provided, however, that:

(a) Subject to Section 13, the aggregate number of shares of Stock in respect of which Awards may be granted under the Plan is 15,273 shares;

(b) Shares of Stock shall be deemed to have been used in settlement of Awards whether they are actually delivered or the Fair Market Value equivalent of such shares is paid in cash. In accordance with (and without limitation upon) the preceding sentence, if and to the extent an Award under the Plan expires, terminates or is canceled for any reason whatsoever without the Participant having received any benefit therefrom, the shares covered by such Award shall again become available for future Awards under the Plan. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, a Participant shall not be deemed to have received any “benefit” (i) in the case of forfeited Restricted Stock Awards by reason of having enjoyed voting rights and dividend rights prior to the date of forfeiture or (ii) in the case of an Award canceled pursuant to Section 5(f) by reason of a new Award being granted in substitution therefor;

(c) Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued Stock, Stock held in the treasury of the Company, Stock purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing;

(d) Subject to Section 13, no person may be granted Options or SARs under the Plan during any calendar year with respect to more than 15,000 shares of Stock; and

(e) Subject to Section 13 and on and after the 162(m) Effective Date, with respect to awards of Performance Share Units, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, no person may be granted Performance Share Units, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units under the Plan during any calendar year with respect to more than 15,0000 shares of Stock; provided that such number shall be adjusted pursuant to Section 13, and shares otherwise counted against such number, only in a manner which will not cause such Performance Share Units, Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted under the Plan to fail to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code.

6.	Eligibility

Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have entered into an Award agreement or who have received written notification from the Committee, or from a person designated by the Committee, that they have been selected to participate in the Plan.

7.	Options

The Committee is authorized to grant one or more Incentive Stock Options or Nonqualified Stock Options to any Eligible Person; provided, however, that no Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to any Eligible Person who is not an employee of the Company or a Parent or Subsidiary. Each Option so granted shall be subject to the following conditions, or to such other conditions as may be reflected in the applicable Stock Option Agreement.

(a) Option Price. The Option Price per share of Stock for each Option shall be set by the Committee at the time of grant but shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock at the Date of Grant.

(b) Manner of Exercise and Form of Payment. No shares of Stock shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until payment in full of the Option Price therefor is received by the Company. Options which have become exercisable may be exercised by delivery of written notice of exercise to the Committee accompanied by payment of the Option Price. The Option Price shall be payable in cash and/or shares of Stock valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided, that such shares of Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest, and have such other characteristics as may be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. In addition, the Option Price may be payable by such other method as the Committee may allow including, if not in violation of Section 409A of the Code, by way of a “net exercise” pursuant to which a Participant, without tendering the Option Price, is paid shares of Stock representing the excess of (i) the Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the shares of Stock as to which the Option is being exercised over (ii) the aggregate Option Price.

(c) Vesting, Option Period and Expiration. Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “Option Period”); provided, however, that notwithstanding any vesting dates set by the Committee, the Committee may in its sole discretion accelerate the exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of any such Option other than with respect to exercisability. If an Option is exercisable in installments, such installments or portions thereof which become exercisable shall remain exercisable until the Option expires.

(d) Stock Option Agreement - Other Terms and Conditions. Each Option granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a Stock Option Agreement. Except as specifically provided otherwise in such Stock Option Agreement, each Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions:

(i) Each Option or portion thereof that is exercisable shall be exercisable for the full amount or for any part thereof.

(ii) Each share of Stock purchased through the exercise of an Option shall be paid for in full at the time of the exercise. Each Option shall cease to be exercisable, as to any share of Stock, when the Participant purchases the share or exercises a related SAR or when the Option expires.

(iii) Subject to Section 12(k), Options shall not be transferable by the Participant except by will or the laws of descent and distribution and shall be exercisable during the Participant’s lifetime only by him.

(iv) Each Option shall vest and become exercisable by the Participant in accordance with the vesting schedule established by the Committee and set forth in the Stock Option Agreement.

(v) At the time of any exercise of an Option, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, require a Participant to deliver to the Committee a written representation that the shares of Stock to be acquired upon such exercise are to be acquired for investment and not for resale or with a view to the distribution thereof and any other representation deemed necessary by the Committee to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws. Upon such a request by the Committee, delivery of such representation[s] prior to the delivery of any shares issued upon exercise of an Option shall be a condition precedent to the right of the Participant or such other person to purchase any shares. In the event certificates for Stock are delivered under the Plan with respect to which such representation[s] has been obtained, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be placed on such certificates to make appropriate reference to such representation and to restrict transfer in the absence of compliance with applicable federal or state securities laws.

(vi) Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date he or she makes a “disqualifying disposition” of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including any sale) of such Stock before the later of (A) two years after the Date of Grant of the Incentive Stock Option or (B) one year after the date the Participant acquired the Stock by exercising the Incentive Stock Option. The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by it, retain possession of any Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option as agent for the applicable Participant until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence, subject to complying with any instructions from such Participant as to the sale of such Stock.

(e) Incentive Stock Option Grants to 10% Shareholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7, if an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Participant who owns stock representing more than ten percent of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of a Parent or Subsidiary, the Option Period shall not exceed five years from the Date of Grant of such Option and the Option Price shall be at least 110 percent of the Fair Market Value (on the Date of Grant) of the Stock subject to the Option.

(f) $100,000 Per Year Limitation for Incentive Stock Options. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the Date of Grant) of Stock for which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company) exceeds $100,000, such excess Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.

(g) Voluntary Surrender. The Committee may permit the voluntary surrender of all or any portion of any Nonqualified Stock Option and its corresponding SAR, if any, granted under the Plan to be conditioned upon the granting to the Participant of a new option for the same or a different number of shares as the Option surrendered or require such voluntary surrender as a condition precedent to a grant of a new Option to such Participant. Such new Option shall be exercisable at an Option Price, during an Option Period, and in accordance with any other terms or conditions specified by the Committee at the time the new Option is granted, all determined in accordance with the provisions of the Plan without regard to the Option Price, Option Period, or any other terms and conditions of the Nonqualified Stock Option surrendered.

8.	Stock Appreciation Rights

Any Option granted under the Plan may include SARs, either at the Date of Grant or, except in the case of an Incentive Stock Option, by subsequent amendment. The Committee also may award SARs to Eligible Persons independent of any Option. An SAR shall be subject to such terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as the Committee shall impose, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Vesting, Transferability and Expiration. SARs granted in connection with an Option shall become exercisable, be transferable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule, transferability rules and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. An SAR granted independent of an Option shall become exercisable, be transferable and shall expire in accordance with a vesting schedule, transferability rules and expiration provisions as established by the Committee and reflected in an Award agreement.

(b) Automatic exercise. If on the last day of the Option Period (or in the case of an SAR independent of an option, the period established by the Committee after which the SAR shall expire), the Fair Market Value exceeds the Strike Price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR or the corresponding Option, and neither the SAR nor the corresponding Option has expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.

(c) Payment. Upon the exercise of an SAR, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the exercise date over the Strike Price. The Company shall pay such excess in cash, in shares of Stock valued at Fair Market Value, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Fractional shares shall be settled in cash.

(d) Method of Exercise. A Participant may exercise an SAR at such time or times as may be determined by the Committee at the time of grant by filing an irrevocable written notice with the Committee or its designee, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised, and the date on which such SARs were awarded.

(e) Expiration. Except as otherwise provided in the case of SARs granted in connection with Options, an SAR shall expire on a date designated by the Committee which is not later than ten years after the Date of Grant of the SAR.

9.	Performance Shares

(a) Award Grants. The Committee is authorized to establish Performance Share programs to be effective over designated Award Periods determined by the Committee. At the beginning of each Award Period, the Committee will establish in writing Performance Goals for such Award Period and a schedule relating the accomplishment of the Performance Goals to the Awards to be earned by Participants. The Committee shall determine the number of Performance Share Units to be awarded, if any, to each Participant who is selected to receive such an Award. The Committee may add new Participants to a Performance Share program after its commencement by making pro-rata grants.

(b) Determination of Award. At the completion of a Performance Share Award Period, or at other times as specified by the Committee, the Committee shall calculate the number of shares of Stock earned with respect to each Participant’s Performance Share Unit Award by multiplying the number of Performance Share Units granted to the Participant by a performance factor representing the degree of attainment of the Performance Goals.

(c) Partial Awards. A Participant for less than a full Award Period, whether by reason of commencement or termination of employment or otherwise, shall receive such portion of an Award, if any, for that Award Period as the Committee shall determine.

(d) Payment of Performance Share Unit Awards. Performance Share Unit Awards shall be payable in that number of shares of Stock determined in accordance with Section 9(b); provided, however, that, at its discretion, the Committee may make payment to any Participant in the form of cash upon the specific request of such Participant. The amount of any payment made in cash shall be based

upon the Fair Market Value of the Stock on the day prior to payment. Payments of Performance Share Unit Awards shall be made as soon as practicable after the completion of an Award Period.

(e) Adjustment of Performance Goals. The Committee may, during the Award Period, make such adjustments to Performance Goals as it may deem appropriate, to compensate for, or reflect, (i) extraordinary or non-recurring events experienced during an Award Period by the Company or by any other corporation whose performance is relevant to the determination of whether Performance Goals have been attained; (ii) any significant changes that may have occurred during such Award Period in applicable accounting rules or principles or changes in the Company’s method of accounting or in that of any other corporation whose performance is relevant to the determination of whether an Award has been earned or (iii) any significant changes that may have occurred during such Award Period in tax laws or other laws or regulations that alter or affect the computation of the measures of Performance Goals used for the calculation of Awards.

(f) Applicability of Section 162(m). With respect to Awards of Performance Shares made on and after the 162(m) Effective Date and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, this Section 9 (including the substance of the Performance Goals, the timing of establishment of the Performance Goals, the adjustment of the Performance Goals and determination of the Award) shall be implemented by the Committee in a manner designed to preserve such Awards as such “performance-based compensation.”

10.	Restricted Stock Awards and Restricted Stock Units

(a) Award of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

(i) The Committee shall have the authority (A) to grant Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Persons, (B) to issue or transfer Restricted Stock to Participants, and (C) to establish terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, including the Restricted Period, which may differ with respect to each grantee, the time or times at which Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall be granted or become vested and the number of shares or units to be covered by each grant.

(ii) Each Participant granted Restricted Stock shall execute and deliver to the Company an Award agreement with respect to the Restricted Stock setting forth the restrictions and other terms and conditions applicable to such Restricted Stock. If the Committee determines that the Restricted Stock shall be held in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending the release of the applicable restrictions, the Committee may require the Participant to additionally execute and deliver to the Company (A) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee and (B) the appropriate blank stock powers with respect to the Restricted Stock covered by such agreement. If a Participant shall fail to execute an agreement evidencing an Award of Restricted

Stock and, if applicable, an escrow agreement and stock powers, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 10(b), the Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock, including the right to vote such Restricted Stock. At the discretion of the Committee, cash dividends and stock dividends with respect to the Restricted Stock may be either currently paid to the Participant (if not violative of Section 409A of the Code) or withheld by the Company for the Participant’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of cash dividends withheld at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee. The cash dividends or stock dividends so withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular share of Restricted Stock (and earnings thereon, if applicable) shall be distributed to the Participant upon the release of restrictions on such share and, if such share is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such cash dividends, stock dividends or earnings.

(iii) Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant to be issued and, if it so determines, deposited together with the stock powers with an escrow agent designated by the Committee. If an escrow arrangement is used, the Committee may cause the escrow agent to issue to the Participant a receipt evidencing any stock certificate held by it registered in the name of the Participant.

(iv) The terms and conditions of a grant of Restricted Stock Units shall be reflected in a written Award agreement. No shares of Stock shall be issued at the time a Restricted Stock Unit is granted, and the Company will not be required to set aside a fund for the payment of any such Award. At the discretion of the Committee, each Restricted Stock Unit (representing one share of Stock) may be credited with cash and stock dividends paid by the Company in respect of one share of Stock (“Dividend Equivalents”). At the discretion of the Committee, Dividend Equivalents may be either currently paid to the Participant (if not violative of Section 409A of the Code) or withheld by the Company for the Participant’s account, and interest may be credited on the amount of cash Dividend Equivalents withheld at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee. Dividend Equivalents credited to a Participant’s account and attributable to any particular Restricted Stock Unit (and earnings thereon, if applicable) shall be distributed to the Participant upon settlement of such Restricted Stock Unit and, if such Restricted Stock Unit is forfeited, the Participant shall have no right to such Dividends Equivalents.

(b) Restrictions.

(i) Restricted Stock awarded to a Participant shall be subject to the following restrictions until the expiration of the Restricted Period, and to such other terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award agreement: (A) if an escrow arrangement is used, the Participant shall not be entitled to delivery of the stock certificate; (B) the shares shall be subject to the

restrictions on transferability set forth in the Award agreement; (C) the shares shall be subject to forfeiture to the extent provided in Section 10(d) and the applicable Award agreement and, to the extent such shares are forfeited, the stock certificates shall be returned to the Company, and all rights of the Participant to such shares and as a shareholder shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company.

(ii) Restricted Stock Units awarded to any Participant shall be subject to (A) forfeiture until the expiration of the Restricted Period, and satisfaction of any applicable Performance Goals during such period, to the extent provided in the applicable Award agreement, and to the extent such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, all rights of the Participant to such Restricted Stock Units shall terminate without further obligation on the part of the Company and (B) such other terms and conditions as may be set forth in the applicable Award agreement.

(iii) The Committee shall have the authority to remove any or all of the restrictions on the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units whenever it may determine that, by reason of changes in applicable laws or other changes in circumstances arising after the date of the Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are granted, such action is appropriate.

(c) Restricted Period. The Restricted Period of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall commence on the Date of Grant and shall expire from time to time as to that part of the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units indicated in a schedule established by the Committee in the applicable Award agreement.

(d) Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units. Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock, the restrictions set forth in Section 10(b) and the applicable Award agreement shall be of no further force or effect with respect to such shares, except as set forth in the applicable Award agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, the stock certificate evidencing the shares of Restricted Stock which have not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (to the nearest full share) and any cash dividends or stock dividends credited to the Participant’s account with respect to such Restricted Stock and the interest thereon, if any.

Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or his beneficiary, without charge, one share of Stock for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit (“Vested Unit”) and cash equal to any Dividend Equivalents credited with respect to each such Vested Unit in accordance with Section 10(a)(iv) hereof and the interest thereon, if any; provided, however, that, if explicitly provided in the applicable Award agreement, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, elect to (i) pay cash or part cash and part Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Stock for Vested Units or (ii) delay the delivery of Stock (or cash or part Stock and part cash, as the case may be)

beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Stock as of the date on which the Restricted Period lapsed with respect to such Vested Unit.

(e) Stock Restrictions. Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the following until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such Stock as well as any other information the Company deems appropriate:

Transfer of this certificate and the shares represented hereby is restricted pursuant to the terms of the Dice Holdings, Inc. 2005 Stock Award Plan and a Restricted Stock Award Agreement, dated as of August 31, between Dice Holdings, Inc. and . A copy of such Agreement is on file at the offices of Dice Holdings, Inc.

Stop transfer orders shall be entered with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of legended securities.

(f) Applicability of Section 162(m). With respect to Awards of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units made on and after the 162(m) Effective Date and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall establish and administer Performance Goals in the manner described in Section 9 as an additional condition to the vesting and payment of such Awards.

11.	Stock Bonus Awards

The Committee may issue unrestricted Stock, or other Awards denominated in Stock, under the Plan to Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Stock Bonus Awards under the Plan shall be granted as, or in payment of, a bonus, or to provide incentives or recognize special achievements or contributions. With respect to Stock Bonus Awards made on and after the 162(m) Effective Date and intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee shall establish and administer Performance Goals in the manner described in Section 9 as an additional condition to the vesting and payment of such Stock Bonus Awards.

12.	General

(a) Additional Provisions of an Award. Awards to a Participant under the Plan also may be subject to such other provisions (whether or not applicable to Awards granted to any other Participant) as the Committee determines appropriate including, without limitation, (i) provisions for the forfeiture of or restrictions on resale or other disposition of shares of Stock acquired under any Award, (ii) provisions giving the Company the right to repurchase shares of Stock acquired under

any Award in the event the Participant elects to dispose of such shares, (iii) provisions allowing the Participant to elect to defer the receipt of payment in respect of Awards for a specified period or until a specified event, provided such provisions comply with Section 409A of the Code, (iv) provisions requiring the Participant to become a party to the Stockholders’ Agreement as a condition of the Award and (v) provisions to comply with Federal and state securities laws and Federal and state tax withholding requirements. Any such provisions shall be reflected in the applicable Award agreement.

(b) Privileges of Stock Ownership. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of shares of Stock which are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued to that person.

(c) Government and Other Regulations. The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Stock shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom and the terms and conditions of such exemption have been fully complied with. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan. If the shares of Stock offered for sale or sold under the Plan are offered or sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, the Company may restrict the transfer of such shares and may legend the Stock certificates representing such shares in such manner as it deems advisable to ensure the availability of any such exemption.

(d) Tax Withholding.

(i) A Participant may be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any shares of Stock or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to a Participant the amount (in cash, Stock or other property) of any required income tax withholding and payroll taxes in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Company to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding and taxes.

(ii) Without limiting the generality of clause (i) above, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit a Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability (but no more than the minimum required withholding liability) by (A) delivery of shares of Stock owned by the Participant (provided, that such shares of Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security

interest, and have such other characteristics as may be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee) with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability, or (B) having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Stock otherwise issuable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability.

(e) Claim to Awards and Employment Rights. No employee of the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate, or other person, shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate.

(f) Designation and Change of Beneficiary. Each Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of one or more persons as the beneficiary who shall be entitled to receive the amounts payable with respect to an Award, if any, due under the Plan upon his death. A Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change his beneficiary designation without the consent of any prior beneficiary by filing a new designation with the Committee. The last such designation received by the Committee shall be controlling; provided, however, that no designation, or change or revocation thereof, shall be effective unless received by the Committee prior to the Participant’s death, and in no event shall it be effective as of a date prior to such receipt. If no beneficiary designation is filed by a Participant, the beneficiary shall be deemed to be his or her spouse or, if the Participant is unmarried at the time of death, his or her estate.

(g) Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for his affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or his estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to his spouse, child, relative, an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.

(h) No Liability of Committee Members. No member of the Committee shall be personally liable by reason of any contract or other instrument executed by such member or on his behalf in his capacity as a member of the Committee nor for any mistake of judgment made in good faith, and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other employee, officer or director of the Company to whom any duty or power relating to the administration or interpretation of the Plan may be allocated or delegated, against any cost or expense (including counsel fees) or liability (including any sum paid in settlement of a claim) arising out of any act or omission to act in connection with the Plan unless arising out of such person’s own fraud or willful bad faith; provided, however, that approval of the Board shall be required for the payment of any amount in settlement of a claim against

any such person. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such persons may be entitled under the Company’s Articles or Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.

(i) Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction which could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of New York.

(j) Funding. No provision of the Plan shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity or otherwise to segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company, except that insofar as they may have become entitled to payment of additional compensation by performance of services, they shall have the same rights as other employees under general law.

(k) Nontransferability.

(i) Each Award shall be exercisable only by a Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company, Subsidiary or an Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit Awards other than Incentive Stock Options to be transferred by a Participant, without consideration, subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt consistent with any applicable Award agreement to preserve the purposes of the Plan, to:

(A)

any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 (collectively, the “Immediate Family Members”);

(B)

a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members;

(C)

a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or shareholders are the Participant and his or her Immediate Family Members; or

(D)

any other transferee as may be approved either (a) by the Board or the Committee in its sole discretion, or (b) as provided in the applicable Award agreement;

(each transferee described in clauses (A), (B), (C) and (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Transferee”); provided that the Participant gives the Committee advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of the Plan and any applicable Award agreement.

(iii) The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding sentence shall apply to the Permitted Transferee and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award agreement, to a Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (1) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (2) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the shares of Stock to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate, (3) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise, and (4) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the Participant, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award agreement.

(l) Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent public accountant of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any person or persons other than himself.

(m) Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.

(n) Expenses. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and Affiliates.

(o) Pronouns. Masculine pronouns and other words of masculine gender shall refer to both men and women.

(p) Titles and Headings. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings shall control.

(q) Termination of Employment. Unless an applicable Award agreement provides otherwise, for purposes of the Plan, a person who transfers from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with a Subsidiary or an Affiliate or vice versa shall not be deemed to have terminated employment or service with the Company, Subsidiary or Affiliate.

(r) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or Award and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

13.	Changes in Capital Structure

Awards granted under the Plan and any agreements evidencing such Awards, the maximum number of shares of Stock subject to all Awards stated in Section 5(a) and the maximum number of shares of Stock with respect to which any one person may be granted Awards during any period stated in Section 5(d) shall be adjusted or substituted, in such manner as determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, as to the number, price or kind of share of Stock or other consideration subject to such Awards or as otherwise determined by the Committee to be equitable, to preserve the economic value of such Awards (i.e., such that such value shall be neither increased nor decreased on account of such transaction or event) (i) in the event of changes in the outstanding Stock or in the capital structure of the Company by reason of stock or extraordinary cash dividends, stock splits, reverse stock splits, recapitalization, reorganizations, mergers, consolidations, separations, combinations, exchanges, spin-offs, liquidations, other substantial distributions of the assets of the Company, or other relevant corporate transactions or changes in capitalization occurring after the Date of Grant of any such Award or (ii) in the event of any change in applicable laws or any change in circumstances which results in or would result in any substantial dilution or enlargement of the rights granted to, or available for, Participants, or which otherwise warrants equitable adjustment because it interferes with the intended operation of the Plan. Any adjustment in Incentive Stock Options under this Section 13 shall be made only to the

extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and any adjustments under this Section 13 shall be made in a manner which does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. Further, with respect to Awards granted on and after the 162(m) Effective Date which are intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code, such adjustments or substitutions shall be made only to the extent that the Committee determines that such adjustments or substitutions may be made without causing the Company to be denied a tax deduction on account of Section 162(m) of the Code. The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes.

Notwithstanding the above, in the event of any of the following:

A. The Company is merged or consolidated with another corporation or entity and, in connection therewith, consideration is received by shareholders of the Company in a form other than stock or other equity interests of the surviving entity;

B. All or substantially all of the assets of the Company are acquired by another person;

C. The reorganization or liquidation of the Company; or

D. The Company shall enter into a written agreement to undergo an event described in clauses A, B or C above,

then the Committee may, in its discretion and upon at least 10 days advance notice to the affected persons, cancel any outstanding Awards and cause to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash or stock, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards (whether or not vested or exercisable) based upon the price per share of Stock received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in the event. The terms of this Section 13 may be varied by the Committee in any particular Award agreement.

14.	Effect of Change in Control

(a) The Committee may, either at the time of grant of an Award in the applicable Award agreement or at any time thereafter, provide that in the event of a Change in Control:

(i) All Options and SARs shall become immediately exercisable with respect to 100 percent of the shares subject to such Option or SAR, and the Restricted Period shall expire immediately with respect to 100 percent of such Restricted Stock Units or shares of Restricted Stock (including a waiver of any applicable Performance Goals) and, to the extent practicable, such acceleration of exercisabilty and expiration of the Restricted Period (as applicable) shall occur in a manner and at a time which allows affected Participants the ability to participate in the Change in Control transaction with respect to the Stock subject to their Awards.

(ii) All incomplete Award Periods in effect on the date the Change in Control occurs shall end on the date of such change, and the Committee shall (A) determine the extent to which Performance Goals with respect to each such Award Period have been met based upon such audited or unaudited financial information then available as it deems relevant, (B) cause to be paid to each Participant partial or full Awards with respect to Performance Goals for each such Award Period based upon the Committee’s determination of the degree of attainment of Performance Goals, and (C) cause all previously deferred Awards to be settled in full as soon as possible.

(b) In addition, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may in its discretion and upon at least 10 days’ advance notice to the affected persons, cancel any outstanding Awards and pay to the holders thereof, in cash or stock, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards (whether or not vested or exercisable) based upon the price per share of Stock received or to be received by other shareholders of the Company in the event.

(c) The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company. The Company agrees that it will make appropriate provisions for the preservation of Participants’ rights under the Plan in any agreement or plan which it may enter into or adopt to effect any such merger, consolidation, reorganization or transfer of assets.

(d) Any actions taken by the Committee under this Section 14 need not be uniform with respect to Participants.

15.	Awards Subject to Shareholders’ Agreement.

Awards granted under the Plan, and shares of Stock acquired upon the exercise or settlement of Awards, shall be subject to the Shareholders’ Agreement. The terms and provisions of the Shareholders’ Agreement as it may be amended from time to time is hereby incorporated herein by reference. In the event of a conflict between any term or provision contained herein and any term or provision of the Shareholders’ Agreement, the applicable terms and provisions of the Shareholders’ Agreement will govern and prevail.

16.	Nonexclusivity of the Plan

Neither the adoption of this Plan by the Board nor the submission of this Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options otherwise than under this Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

17.	Amendments and Termination

(a) Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without shareholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including as necessary to prevent Awards granted under the Plan on and after the 162(m) Effective Date from failing to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code); and provided further that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would impair the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.

(b) Amendment of Award Agreements. The Committee may, to the extent consistent with the terms of any applicable Award agreement, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award agreement, prospectively or retroactively; provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would impair the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary.

* * *

Initially adopted by the Board of

Directors of Dice Holdings, Inc. by

written consent dated as of August 31, 2005,

with this Amended and

Restated version adopted by written

consent dated as of November 7, 2005.