Termination Upon a Change in Control If Executive’s employment with the Employer is subject to a Termination within a Covered Period, then, in addition to Minimum Benefits, the Employer shall provide Executive the following benefits:
(i) On the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date, the Employer shall pay Executive a lump sum payment in an amount equal to the Severance Amount.
(ii) Executive (and Executive’s dependents, as may be applicable) shall be entitled to the benefits provided in Section 4(e).
Termination Due to Retirement Subject to Section 7 below, in the event of Termination due to Retirement, then (regardless of any subsequent death of the Employee) the Option will continue to vest pursuant to Section 3, and the last date on which the Option may be exercised is the day prior to the Expiration Date.
Forfeiture upon Termination of Status as a Service Provider Notwithstanding any contrary provision of this Award Agreement, the balance of the Restricted Stock Units that have not vested as of the time of Participant’s termination as a Service Provider for any or no reason and Participant’s right to acquire any Shares hereunder will immediately terminate.
TERMINATION UPON RETIREMENT Termination of Executive’s employment based on “
Compensation Upon Termination or During Disability (i) During any period in which the Executive fails to perform his duties as a result of incapacity due to physical or mental illness, he shall continue to receive his full base salary at the rate then in effect until his employment is terminated pursuant to paragraph 3(i) hereof. Thereafter, his benefits, if any, shall be determined in accordance with whatever disability income insurance plan or plans the Corporation may then have in effect; provided, however, that, if at the time Disability of the Executive is established the disability benefits then available are less advantageous to the Executive than the disability benefits which were available on the date the Change in Control became effective, then his termination of employment by the Corporation shall be deemed to have occurred as a voluntary termination for Good Reason under paragraph 3(iii) hereof and not by reason of Disability, and the provisions of paragraph 4(iii) hereof shall apply in lieu of the provisions of this paragraph 4(i).
(ii) If the Executive’s employment shall be terminated for Cause or if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the Executive without Good Reason, the Corporation shall pay to him his full base salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is given and the Corporation shall have no further obligations to the Executive under this Agreement.
(iii) If the Corporation shall terminate the Executive’s employment other than pursuant to paragraph 3(i) or 3(ii) hereof within 24 months after a Change in Control of the Corporation, or if the Executive shall terminate his employment for Good Reason pursuant to paragraph 3(iii) hereof within 24 months after a Change in Control, then:
(A) The Corporation shall pay to the Executive, not later than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination, the Executive’s accrued but unpaid base salary through the Date of Termination, plus compensation for current and carried-over unused vacation and compensation days in accordance with the Corporation’s personnel policy, and reimbursement for all reasonable business expenses in accordance with the Corporation’s business expense policy.
(B) In lieu of any further payments of salary to the Executive after the Date of Termination the Corporation shall pay to the Executive, not later than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination and notwithstanding any dispute between the Executive and the Corporation as to the payment to the Executive of any other amounts under this Agreement or otherwise, a lump sum severance payment (the “Severance Payment”) equal to 2.99 times an amount equal to the sum of (1) the greater of the Executive’s highest annual base salary in effect at any time within the twelve-month period preceding a Change in Control or the Date of Termination, and (2) the greater of (I) the Target Incentive Award or Target Amount to which the Executive would have been entitled under the Corporation’s Executive Incentive Compensation Plan (the “EICP”) or Annual Discretionary Management Incentive Compensation Plan (the “ADMICP”), as applicable, and the base or target amount to which the Executive would have been entitled under any other annual cash bonus program of the Corporation, had he been employed by the Corporation at the end of the fiscal year in which the Date of Termination occurs, or (II) the highest amount awarded to the Executive under the EICP or ADMICP and under any other annual cash bonus program of the Corporation during the last three fiscal years prior to the Date of Termination.
(C) In addition to the foregoing amounts payable under paragraph 4(iii)(A) and (B) above, the Executive will be entitled to the following:
(i) a pro rata bonus for the year of termination equal to the Target Incentive Award or Target Amount under the EICP or ADMICP, as applicable, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of calendar days that have elapsed from the beginning of the fiscal year in which such termination occurs through the Date of Termination, and the denominator of which is the number of calendar days in the fiscal year, payable not later than thirty (30) days following the Date of Termination;
(ii) any stock option rights held by the Executive which were not fully exercisable on the Date of Termination shall immediately become fully exercisable by the Executive and any restricted stock rights held by the Executive which were not fully vested on the Date of Termination shall immediately become fully vested;
(iii) the Corporation shall maintain in full force and effect, for the Executive’s continued benefit, until the earlier of (I) 36 months after the Date of Termination or (II) the Executive’s 65th birthday, all life, medical and dental insurance programs in which the Executive was entitled to participate immediately prior to the Date of Termination; provided that his continued participation is possible under the general terms and provisions of such programs; provided, further, that, in the event the Executive’s participation in any such program is barred, the Corporation shall arrange to provide the Executive with benefits substantially similar to those which he was entitled to receive under such programs;
(iv) in addition to the benefits to which the Executive is entitled under the Corporation’s retirement plans in which he participates or any successor plans or programs in effect on the Date of Termination, the Corporation shall pay to the Executive in one lump sum in cash, an amount equal to the actuarial equivalent of the retirement pension to which the Executive would have been entitled under the terms of such retirement plan or programs had he accumulated 36 additional months of continuous service after the Date of Termination (or, if less, the number of months between the Date of Termination and the date on which the Executive attains normal retirement age under the plan) at his base salary rate in effect on the Date of Termination reduced by the single sum actuarial equivalent of any amounts to which the Executive is entitled pursuant to the provisions of said retirement plans and programs, discounted to reflect its then present value, paid at the same time as the Severance Payment; provided that, for purposes of this subparagraph (3), the actuarial equivalents shall be determined, and all other calculations shall be made, using the same methods and assumptions utilized under the Corporation’s retirement plan or programs; provided, however, that such methods and assumptions shall be no less favorable to the Executive than those in effect on the date of the Change in Control; and
(v) If a Change of Control occurs and Executive becomes entitled to compensation under this Paragraph that would be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code, the Company shall reduce its payment of Separation Benefits to the Participant to $1.00 less than that amount which would trigger the excise tax if such reduction would result in the Participant receiving an equal or greater after-tax benefit than the Participant would receive if the full Separation Benefits were paid.
(vi) The Executive’s right to receive payments under this Agreement shall not decrease the amount of, or otherwise adversely affect, any other benefits payable to the Executive under any plan, agreement or arrangement relating to employee benefits provided by the Corporation.
(vii) The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this paragraph 4 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or benefit provided for in this paragraph 4 be reduced by any compensation earned by the Executive as the result of employment by another employer or by reason of the Executive’s receipt of or right to receive any retirement or other benefits after the date of termination of employment or otherwise.
(viii) The Corporation may, but shall not be obligated to, provide security for payment of the amounts set forth in this Agreement in a form that will cause such amounts to be includible in the Executive’s gross income only for the taxable year or years in which such amounts are paid to the Executive under the terms of this Agreement. The form of security may include a funded irrevocable grantor trust established so as to satisfy any published Internal Revenue Service guidelines.
(ix) The Corporation may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such federal, state and local taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation.
Termination Due to Death, Disability or Retirement In the event the Optionee’s employment or other service with the Company and all Subsidiaries is terminated by reason of death, Disability or Retirement, this Option will remain exercisable, to the extent exercisable as of the date of such termination, for a period of one year after such termination (but in no event after the Time of Termination).
Termination After a Change in Control You will receive Severance Benefits under this Agreement if, during the Term of this Agreement and after a Change in Control has occurred, your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than on account of your Disability or death) or you resign for Good Reason.
Involuntary Termination in Connection with a Change in Control Notwithstanding anything contained herein, in the event of an Involuntary Termination prior to a Change in Control, if the Involuntary Termination (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect such Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of such Change in Control, then the Executive shall, in lieu of the payments described in Section 4 hereof, be entitled to the Post-Change in Control Severance Payment and the additional benefits described in this Section 5 as if such Involuntary Termination had occurred within two (2) years following the Change in Control. The amounts specified in Section 5 that are to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be reduced by any amount previously paid under Section 4. The amounts to be paid under this Section 5(h) shall be paid within sixty (60) days after the Change in Control Date of such Change in Control.
Payment after Vesting Any Performance Shares that vest in accordance with paragraphs 3 through 4 will be paid to the Employee (or in the event of the Employee’s death, to his or her estate) in Shares as soon as practicable following the date of vesting, subject to paragraph 9, but in no event later than the applicable two and one-half (2 1/2) month period of the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in the Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations issued under Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Performance Shares are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A, the vested Performance Shares will be released to the Employee (or in the event of the Employee’s death, to his or her estate) in Shares as soon as practicable following the date of vesting, subject to paragraph 9, but in no event later than the end of the calendar year that includes the date of vesting or, if later, the fifteen (15th) day of the third (3rd) calendar month following the date of vesting (provided that the Employee will not be permitted, directly or indirectly, to designate the taxable year of the payment). Further, if some or all of the Performance Shares that are “deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A vest on account of the Employee’s Termination of Service (other than due to death) in accordance with paragraphs 3 through 4, the Performance Shares that vest on account of the Employee’s Termination of Service will not be considered due or payable until the Employee has a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A. In addition, if the Employee is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of the Employee’s separation from service (other than due to death), then any accelerated Performance Shares will be paid to the Employee no earlier than six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of the Employee’s separation from service unless the Employee dies following his or her separation from service, in which case, the Performance Shares will be paid to the Employee’s estate as soon as practicable following his or her death, subject to paragraph 9. Any Performance Shares that vest in accordance with paragraph 5 will be paid to the Employee (or in the event of the Employee’s death, to his or her estate) in Shares in accordance with the provisions of such paragraph, subject to paragraph 9. For each Performance Share that vests, the Employee will receive one Share.
Acceleration of Vesting (a) In the event your employment with Deluxe is terminated by reason of death, Disability (as defined in the Addendum), or Approved Retirement (as defined in the Addendum) any time during the Restricted Period, all of the yet unvested Units will vest and the Units shall become non-forfeitable as of the date of such termination.
(b) Subject to Section 4(c), in the event your employment is terminated during the Restricted Period after the first anniversary of the Award Date by reason of involuntary termination without Cause, a pro rata portion of the next segment of Units scheduled to vest after the termination date (based on the number of completed days between the termination date and the scheduled vesting date immediately prior to the termination date (or the Award Date if there was no such scheduled vesting date) divided by 365) shall vest and become non-forfeitable as of the date of such termination.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Agreement that would result in Units vesting in full or in part at a later date, if, in connection with any Change of Control, the acquiring Person, surviving or acquiring corporation or entity, or an Affiliate of such corporation or entity, elects to assume the obligations of Deluxe under this Agreement and to replace the Shares issuable upon settlement of the Units with other equity securities that are listed on a national securities exchange (including by use of American Depository Receipts or any similar method) and are freely transferable under all applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations (“Replacement Equity Securities”), the Units then subject to restriction shall continue to vest as set forth in Section 2, provided, however, the Units shall vest in full and become non-forfeitable if, within twelve months of the date of the Change of Control:
(i) Your employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause,
(ii) Your employment with the Company is terminated by you for Good Reason, or
(iii) Vesting would otherwise occur on any earlier date as provided under this Agreement. In the event of any such Change of Control, the number of Replacement Equity Securities issuable under this Agreement shall be determined by the Committee in accordance with Section 4(c) of the Plan. In the event of any such Change of Control, all references herein to the Shares shall thereafter be deemed to refer to the Replacement Equity Securities, references to Deluxe or the Company shall thereafter be deemed to refer to the issuer of such Replacement Equity Securities, and all other terms of this Agreement shall continue in effect except as and to the extent modified by this subparagraph.
(d) If the Change of Control does not meet the continuation or replacement criteria specified in Section 4(c) above, all Units then subject to restriction shall vest in full immediately and become non-forfeitable upon the Change of Control.
(e) The provisions of this Section 4 shall be subject to Sections 5(b) and 8.
