AMN 2018 Proxy Statement

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS Our Compensation Program Oversight RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE The primary responsibilities of the Compensation Committee include oversight of our executive compensation programs. Specifically, this includes: • determining the compensation of our CEO and, in partnership with our CEO, establishing the compensation of all other named executive officers, including salary, cash incentives and equity awards, • designing our incentive compensation programs and administering our Equity Plan and Bonus Plan, • establishing the financial metrics and performance targets under our incentive compensation programs, and • as set forth more fully above (see page 19 above), analyzing the risk associated with our compensation practices. The Compensation Committee reviews all components of compensation of the named executive officers and other senior officers that directly report to our CEO on an annual basis and will consider changes at other times if a change in the scope of an officer’s responsibilities justifies such consideration. In so doing, the Compensation Committee uses the services of an independent compensation consultant, Frederic W. Cook & Co., and considers the analysis and advice of its compensation consultant in discharging its responsibilities. Representatives of Frederic W. Cook & Co. attend Compensation Committee meetings and have direct access to the Compensation Committee members without management involvement. The Compensation Committee has the sole authority to hire and terminate its compensation consultant. The Compensation Committee generally conducts its salary and bonus structure review for a particular year in the last quarter of the previous year or early in the subject year. At that time, the Compensation Committee evaluates compensation by, among other things, reviewing (1) peer benchmarking information relating to financial performance and compensation levels, (2) the individual’s performance, duties and experience, (3) analysis and advice from its compensation consultant, (4) our financial and operational performance, and (5) the recommendations of our CEO (who does not provide a recommendation for herself). With respect to our Bonus Plan, which our shareholders last approved in April 2017, the Compensation Committee, as the administrator, designates which participants are eligible for an award, the performance criteria for the award and the maximum award each year. Prior to or at the beginning of each fiscal year, the Board sets financial targets for our performance. Thereafter, the Compensation Committee sets the range of financial performance and corresponding targets for the named executive officers’ cash incentive compensation under the Bonus Plan. The Compensation Committee may also grant annual equity awards under our Equity Plan. In addition to annual grants, the Compensation Committee has granted equity awards to key employees upon their initial employment, promotion or as special retention awards. To further serve this purpose, the Board adopted our 2014 Employment Inducement Plan under which we may issue up to 200,000 shares of our Common Stock to certain prospective employees. In the Compensation Committee’s discretion, it may authorize our CEO to grant equity awards to non-officer employees within certain individual and aggregate thresholds with the effective date of each such grant generally being the effective date of the grantee’s promotion or commencement of employment. The Compensation Committee reviews any awards granted by our CEO. The Compensation Committee does not have any policy or practice to time the grant of equity awards in conjunction with the release of material non-public information. OUR 2017 PEER GROUP The duties of the Compensation Committee require specific knowledge regarding the executive compensation market. Accordingly, to understand our position within the marketplace for management talent and to assist the Compensation Committee in making compensation decisions that will help attract and retain a strong management team, the Compensation Committee reviews (1) compensation information for companies comparable in size and industry, (2) our financial performance against our internal financial targets, our designated peer group and the Russell 2000, and (3) internal compensation comparability among senior executives. Because the Compensation Committee compares our performance against that of our peer group as part of its oversight responsibilities, it must determine our peer group. Indeed, the Compensation Committee believes that one of the most important factors it must consider in ensuring that our compensation program remains competitive, is the proper identification and selection of our peers, as we often compete for executive talent with AMN HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INC. ⎪ 2018 Proxy Statement 35