2.b.10) Employee benefit plans and share-based payments
| i. | Retirement plan |
Effective March 1, 1995, the Group has established a defined contribution retirement plan that provides benefits for each employee who elects to join the plan. Each plan member will pay an amount between 3% and 10% of his monthly compensation, and the Group will pay an amount equal to that contributed by each member.
The plan members will receive from the Group the contributed funds before retirement only in the case of voluntary termination under certain circumstances or dismissal without cause and, additionally, in case of death or incapacity. The Group has the right to discontinue this plan at any time, without incurring termination costs.
| ii. | Performance Bonus Programs |
These programs cover certain of the Group’s personnel. These bonuses are based on compliance with corporate business unit objectives and performance. They are calculated considering the annual compensation of each employee, certain key factors related to the fulfillment of these objectives and the performance of each employee, and are paid in cash.
| iii. | Share-based benefit plan |
From the year 2013, YPF has decided to implement a share-based benefit plan. This plan, organized in annual programs, covers certain executive and management positions and key personnel or personnel with critical technical knowledge. The above-mentioned plan is aimed at aligning the performance of these personnel with the objectives of the strategic plan of the Company.
This plan consists in giving participation, through shares of the Company, to each selected employee with the condition of remaining in it for the previously defined period (up to three years from the grant date, hereinafter “service period”), being this the only condition necessary to access the agreed final retribution.
For accounting purposes, YPF recognizes the effects of the plans in accordance with the guidelines of IFRS 2, “Share-based Payment”. In this order, the total cost of the plans granted is measured at the grant date, using the fair value or market price of the Company’s share in the United States market. The above-mentioned cost is accrued in the Company’s net income for the year, over the vesting period, with the corresponding increase in Shareholders’ equity in the “Share-based Benefit Plans” account.