Salary and Benefits (a) During the period from the date of delivery of a Termination Notice (the “Notice Date”) until the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12) months after the Notice Date, or (ii) the date the Executive commences employment with another company or organization, it being agreed that the Executive shall immediately notify the Company of such event (the “Severance Period”), and so long as the Executive is in compliance with the terms of this Agreement and any material provision of any other written agreement with the Company, the Company shall (A) pay to the Executive, per normal payroll practice, a salary (the “Severance Period Salary”) at a rate equal, on an annualized basis, to the highest annual salary (excluding any bonuses) in effect with respect to the Executive during the six month period immediately preceding the Termination Notice and (B) provide the Executive with employee benefits, including health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, participation in the Company’s 401(k) plan and Employee Stock Purchase Plan and short-term and long-term disability coverage, pursuant to the same terms and conditions under which the Company makes such benefits available to employees generally, all subject to the terms and conditions of the respective plans and applicable law (collectively, the “Severance Period Benefits”).
(b) In the event that (i) there is a Change in Control (as defined below) of the Company and (ii) within twelve (12) months thereafter, a Change in Status (as defined below) of the Executive occurs, and so long as the Executive is in compliance with the terms of this Agreement and any material provision of any other written agreement with the Company, the Company shall pay the Severance Period Salary and provide the Severance Period Benefits to the Executive during the period from the effective date of the Change in Status until the earlier of (i) the date twelve (12) months after such date or (ii) the date the Executive commences employment with another company or organization, it being agreed that the Executive shall immediately notify the Company of such event. Such compensation and benefits, and those provided under Section 3, shall be in lieu of any other compensation and benefits to the Executive with respect to any continuing employment during such period, and the Company shall have no obligation to make any payments or provide any benefits to the Executive under Section 2(a) above.
Base Salary and Benefits (a) During the Employment Period, the Company shall pay Executive an annual base salary of $535,600 (the “Base Salary”). As used herein, references to “Base Salary” shall include all subsequent increases in annual base salary during the Employment Period. The Base Salary shall be payable in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s general payroll practices (as in effect from time to time).
(b) In addition to the Base Salary, during the Employment Period, Executive will be eligible to earn an annual bonus under a bonus plan to be established by the Company, payable in accordance with the Company’s customary practices, as determined by the Board, in its sole discretion based upon the Company’s achievement of budgetary and other objectives set by the Board; provided that, in determining the amount of the annual bonus, if any, to be paid to Executive, the Board shall, in determining whether the Company has achieved the budgetary and other goals set by the Board, disregard any payments by the Company and its subsidiaries to Onex (as defined below) and affiliates.
(c) During the Employment Period, Executive shall be entitled to participate in all of the Company’s employee benefit programs for which senior executives of the Company and its subsidiaries are generally eligible. Without duplication of any employee benefits provided to all senior executives of the Company and its subsidiaries, the Company shall reimburse Executive for the annual premium cost of $1 million of term life insurance coverage purchased by Executive on his life, up to a maximum of Eleven Thousand Dollars ($11,000) per year.
(d) During the Employment Period, the Company shall (without duplication of any employee benefits provided to Executive pursuant to other provisions of this Agreement) reimburse Executive for all reasonable business expenses incurred by him in the course of performing his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement which are consistent with the Company’s policies in effect from time to time with respect to travel, entertainment and other business expenses, subject to the Company’s requirements with respect to reporting and documentation of such expenses.
(e) All amounts payable or otherwise provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be subject to all applicable withholding and deduction obligations.
Exclusivity of Salary and Benefits The Executive shall not be entitled to any payments or benefits other than those provided under this Agreement.
Accrued Compensation and Benefits Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 2 and 3 above, in connection with any termination of employment upon or following a Change in Control (whether or not a Qualifying Termination or CIC Qualifying Termination), the Company or its subsidiary shall pay Executive’s earned but unpaid base salary and other vested but unpaid cash entitlements for the period through and including the termination of employment, including unused earned vacation pay and unreimbursed documented business expenses incurred by Executive prior to the date of termination (collectively “Accrued Compensation and Expenses”), as required by law and the applicable Company or its subsidiary, as applicable, plan or policy. In addition, Executive shall be entitled to any other vested benefits earned by Executive for the period through and including the termination date of Executive’s employment under any other employee benefit plans and arrangements maintained by the Company or its subsidiary, as applicable, in accordance with the terms of such plans and arrangements, except as modified herein (collectively “Accrued Benefits”). Any Accrued Compensation and Expenses to which the Executive is entitled shall be paid to the Executive in cash as soon as administratively practicable after the termination, and, in any event, no later than two and one-half (2-1/2) months after the end of the taxable year of the Executive in which the termination occurs or at such earlier time as may be required by applicable law or Section 10 below, and to such lesser extent as may be mandated by Section 9 below. Any Accrued Benefits to which the Executive is entitled shall be paid to the Executive as provided in the relevant plans and arrangements.
Compensation and Benefits (a) For all services rendered by Employee the Company shall pay Employee during the term of this Agreement an annual salary (“Base Salary”) as set forth herein, payable semi-monthly in arrears. Employee’s initial Base Salary shall be $350,000.00. During the term of this Agreement, the amount of Employee’s Base Salary shall be subject to periodic reviews and adjustments as determined by the Company in its sole discretion.
(b) The Employee shall be eligible to receive an annual performance-based cash bonus in respect of each calendar year, beginning with the 2015 calendar year, to the extent earned based on the achievement of personal and financial performance objectives established by the Company’s Board of Directors no later than 45 days after the commencement of the relevant bonus period. The target annual bonus that the Employee may earn is equal to 30 percent (30%) of the Employee’s Base Salary at the rate in effect at the end of the relevant calendar year, pro-rated to properly reflect any partial year of employment. If applicable performance goals are not attained at least at the minimum level, no annual performance bonus is payable. The amount of such annual bonus awarded for a calendar year shall be determined by the Board or a committee thereof after the end of the calendar year to which such bonus relates, and shall be paid to the Employee when annual bonuses are paid to other senior executives of the Company generally, but in no event later than April 30 of the calendar year following the year for which the bonus is earned. To be eligible for any such annual bonus under this Section 3(b), the Employee must be actively employed by the Company at the time the Company pays bonuses for the relevant year.
(c) The Company shall pay to the Employee a lump sum sign-on bonus in the amount of $70,000, less all applicable withholdings, no later than 15 days after the Employee’s employment commencement date.
(d) The Company shall provide Employee, during the term of this Agreement, with the benefits of such insurance plans, hospitalization plans and other employee fringe benefit plans as shall be generally provided to employees of the Company and for which Employee may be eligible under the terms and conditions thereof. Nothing herein contained shall require the Company to adopt or maintain any such employee benefit plans.
(e) During the term of this Agreement, except as otherwise provided in Section 5(b), Employee shall be entitled to sick leave and annual vacation consistent with the Company’s customary paid time off policies.
(f) During the term of this Agreement, the Company shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Employee in connection with the business of the Company and in the performance of his duties under this Agreement to the extent consistent with applicable Company policy in effect from time to time and upon presentation to the Company of an itemized accounting of such expenses with reasonable supporting data.
(g) In consideration of the Employee’s entering into this Agreement and as an inducement to join the Company, the Employee shall be granted under the Company’s option incentive plan as in effect from time to time (the “Option Plan”), a stock option to purchase 600,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Option”), subject to approval of the Board of Directors. The exercise price per share of the Option shall be the fair market value of the Company’s common stock (as determined by the Board of Directors) on the Option grant date. Subject to terms of the Option Plan and the Option award agreement, twenty-five percent (25%) of the shares subject to the Option shall vest on the first anniversary of Employee’s employment start date which is anticipated to be February 4, 2015, and 1/48th of the shares subject to the Option shall vest monthly thereafter so that one hundred percent (100%) of the shares subject to the Option are vested on the fourth anniversary of the employment start date, so long as the Employee remains employed at each such vesting date. Notwithstanding the foregoing vesting schedule, upon the effective date of a Change in Control (as defined in Section 5(g)), fifty percent (50%) of the shares subject to the Option which are not then vested will automatically become vested so long as the Employee remains employed on the effective date of such Change in Control. In the event of any conflict or ambiguity between this Agreement and the Option Plan or the Option award agreement, the Option Plan and the Option award agreement shall govern.
Other Compensation and Benefits Except as may be provided under this Agreement, any benefits to which Executive may be entitled through the date of Executive’s termination pursuant to the plans, policies and arrangements referred to in Section 4(d) shall be determined and paid in accordance with the terms of such plans, policies and arrangements, and except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, Executive shall have no right to receive any other compensation, or to participate in any other plan, arrangement or benefit, with respect to future periods after such termination or resignation.
Salary, Bonus and Benefits For services rendered by the Employee on behalf of the Company during the Employment Term, the following salary, bonus and benefits shall be provided to the Employee by the Company:
(a) The Company shall pay to the Employee, in equal installments, according to the Company’s then current practice for paying its executive officers in effect from time to time during the Employment Term, the Annual Base Salary.
(b) The Employee shall participate in the Sealy Corporation Annual Bonus Plan (the “Bonus Plan”) in accordance with the provisions of that Plan as in effect as of the date of this Agreement based on the Target Annual Bonus Percentage.
(c) The Employee shall be eligible for participation in such other benefit plans, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Profit Sharing Plan and Trust, Executive Severance Benefit Plan, Benefit Equalization Plan, Short-Term and Long Term Disability Plans, Group Term Life Insurance Plan, Medical Plan or PPO, Dental Plan, the 401(k) feature of the Profit Sharing Plan and the 1998 Stock Option Plan, as the Board may adopt from time to time and in which the Company’s executive officers are eligible to participate. Such participation shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the applicable plan documents. As is more fully set forth in Section 6 hereof, the Employee shall not be entitled to duplicative payments under this Agreement and the Executive Severance Benefit Plan.
(d) Without limiting the generality of Subsection 3(c) above, for so long as such coverage shall be available to the executive officers of the Company, the Employee shall be eligible to participate in the Company’s Group Term Life Insurance Plan with a death benefit to be provided at the level of one and one half (1 ½) times annual base salary at Company expense, plus extended coverage with a death benefit to be provided of at least the level in effect on the date of this Agreement for the Employee under such Plan at the Employee’s discretion and expense.
(e) The Employee shall be entitled to take, during each calendar year period during the Employment Term, vacation time equal to four (4) weeks per year.
(f) In addition, the Parties do hereby further confirm that any shares of Class A Common Stock of the Company (“Class A Shares”), and any options to purchase additional Class A Shares previously granted to Employee are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any shares or options which may be granted under any other plan or arrangement of the Company after the date of this Agreement, and (b) the various stock agreements and stock option agreements, and any related Stockholder Agreement (the “Stockholder Agreement”) between the Parties (such agreements being hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Pre-existing Agreements”), all remain in full force and effect except as otherwise provided herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any provision contained herein is inconsistent with the terms of any of the Pre-existing Agreements, the terms of this Agreement shall be controlling.
Vacation and Benefits The Executive is entitled to four (4) weeks of vacation, which will accrue on a pro-rata basis during the employment year, in addition to all public holidays when the office is closed. Executive will be eligible to participate in all employee benefit plans established by the Company for its employees from time to time, subject to general eligibility and participation provisions set forth in such plans. In accordance with Company policies from time to time and subject to proper documentation, the Company will reimburse you for all reasonable and proper travel and business expenses incurred by you in the performance of your duties.
ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The Executive shall receive the following additional compensation and welfare and fringe benefits:
Compensation and Benefits Upon Termination (a) The Company’s obligation to compensate Executive ceases on the Termination Date except as to: (i) any unpaid Base Salary earned by Executive as of that time; (ii) any unpaid amount actually earned and due to Executive pursuant to the MIP; (iii) any business expenses for which Executive is entitled to reimbursement under this Agreement; and (iv) any compensation and/or benefits to which Executive may be entitled to receive pursuant to this Section 6.
(b) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason, then the Company shall pay Executive the payments referenced above in Subsections 6(a)(i), (ii), and (iii) (collectively, the “Accrued Payments”). In addition, subject to Executive’s compliance with Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of this Agreement and subject to the requirements of Section 6(e) below: (i) the Company will pay Executive an amount equal to his/her Base Salary as of the Termination Date for a period of twelve (12) months following the Termination Date, payable through the Company’s regular payroll procedures (the “Severance Pay”) commencing on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date (with the first payment including a catch-up payment for any Base Salary that would have otherwise been paid as Severance Pay during such sixty (60) day period); and (ii) if Executive timely elects continued health insurance coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”), the Company shall, on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date, reimburse Executive for the entire amount of any premiums paid by Executive prior to such date necessary to continue such COBRA coverage for Executive and Executive’s covered spouse and eligible dependents and thereafter the Company shall pay the entire premium necessary to continue such coverage, in each case, until the earlier of (A) the expiration of the eighteen (18) month period following the Termination Date, or (B) the date on which Executive becomes eligible for group health insurance coverage under another employer’s plan, notice of which Executive shall promptly provide the Company.
(c) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment for Cause or if the Executive terminates his/her employment without Good Reason, or if Executive’s employment ends due to his/her death, then the Company’s sole obligation shall be to pay Executive (or his/her estate) only the Accrued Payments.
(d) If the Company terminates Executive’s employment due to Disability or upon Executive’s death, the Company shall pay Executive or his/her estate, in addition to any short term or long term disability benefits that he/she may have received and/or be entitled to receive, the Accrued Payments. In addition, Executive shall be eligible to receive payment of the Target Bonus as set forth in Section 3(b) above, subject to the terms of the MIP and to the extent actually earned for the fiscal year in which such termination takes place, prorated based on the number of days in such fiscal year that Executive was employed prior to the Termination Date, to be paid in accordance with the timing set forth in Section 3(b) (or if later, the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date).
(e) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Company’s obligation to make any payments or to provide any benefits under Sections 6(b) or Section 6(d) above is subject to and conditioned upon Executive’s execution of an enforceable release and waiver of claims agreement in a form satisfactory to the Company (the “Release Agreement”) and his/her compliance with the covenants in Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of this Agreement. If Executive chooses not to timely execute such Release Agreement, revokes the Release Agreement, or fails to comply with the covenants in Sections 8, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 of this Agreement, then the Company’s obligation to compensate him/her ceases on the effective Termination Date except as to the Accrued Payments. The Release Agreement shall be provided to Executive within seven (7) days of the Termination Date and Executive must execute it within the twenty-one (21) or forty-five (45) day time period specified in the Release Agreement. The Release Agreement and any payments due following its execution by Executive shall not be effective until any applicable revocation period has expired.
(f) Executive is not entitled to receive any compensation or benefits upon his/her termination except as: (i) set forth in this Agreement, (ii) otherwise required by applicable law, or (iii) otherwise specifically required by any employee benefit plan of the Company in which he/she participates. Moreover, the terms and conditions provided to Executive under this Agreement are in lieu of any severance benefits to which he/she otherwise might be entitled pursuant to any severance plan, policy and practice of the Company and or any of its affiliates. Nothing in this Agreement however, is intended to waive or supplant any accrued death, disability, accidental death and dismemberment, retirement 401 (k) or pension benefits of the Company to which he/she may be entitled under employee benefit plans of the Company in which he/she participates.
(g) If, within the twelve (12) month period following a Change in Control, as defined below, Executive is terminated without Cause or he/she resigns for Good Reason, but in either case subject to the provisions of Section 6(e) above, Executive shall, in addition to the payments and benefits set forth in Section 6(b), be entitled to a lump sum payment, payable on the sixtieth (60th) day following the Termination Date, equal to the greater of: (A) fifty percent (50%) of Executive’s then Base Salary, or (B) his/her Target Bonus under the MIP. A “Change in Control,” as defined herein solely for purposes of this Agreement, shall mean: (i) any merger, consolidation, or reorganization involving the Company, in which, immediately after giving effect to such merger, consolidation or reorganization, less than fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power of outstanding stock of the surviving or resulting entity is then “beneficially owned” (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1943, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) in the aggregate by the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger consolidation or reorganization; (ii) any sale, lease, exchange, or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any other person or entity (other than to one or more wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Company) in a transaction or a series of related transactions; (iii) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company; (iv) when any person or entity not currently a stockholder, including a “group” as contemplated by Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, acquires or gains ownership or control (including, without limitation, power to vote) of more than fifty percent (50%) of the outstanding shares of the Company’s voting stock (based upon voting power); or (v) as a result of or in connection with a contested election of directors, the persons who were directors of the Company before such election shall cease to constitute a majority of the Company’s Board.
